Can Walmart Check Your Receipt In 2022? (Know Your Rights)

Walmart has a huge selection of merchandise at affordable prices that can be purchased online or in-store. But, when shopping in one of Walmart’s physical stores, you might be asked to show an associate your receipt before leaving.

Are you allowed by law to have your receipt checked by Walmart? This is everything you need to know!

Can Walmart Check Your Receipt In 2022?

Walmart associates may ask you to verify your receipt before you leave. However, you can refuse to give it to them. Walmart associates are allowed to ask for your receipt. They can also detain and force you to produce it if they think you’re shoplifting.

How do you know what your rights are when Walmart associates ask for your receipt to be checked? You can find the answer in this article!

Are They Suspecting Me of Shoplifting When I Get a Receipt from Walmart

Walmart associates check customer’s receipts to catch and deter shoplifters.

And, according to a Walmart spokesperson, they intend to check every customer’s receipt before they leave the store.

So, if you are asked to show your receipt, this does not necessarily mean that you are suspected of shoplifting.

All receipt checks are voluntary. Walmart associates have the right to take further action only if there is probable cause for them believing that they have shoplifted.

Costco is a different store, and you will have to bring your receipt.

Walmart will scan my receipt

Walmart associates can sometimes request that you scan your receipt. This is normally only when the sensors are turned on at the exit of the store.

However, just because a Walmart employee asks for your receipt to be scanned does not necessarily mean you have been suspected of theft.

In most cases, the purpose of scanning is to verify that you were not forgotten by the cashier.

Walmart is simply trying to ensure that every item purchased is properly paid. However, not all Walmart stores will scan your receipt.

What Happens If You Lose Your Receipt Before Leaving Walmart?

Be assured that you won’t lose your receipt if it is not before you go to Walmart. Once you realise you’ve lost the receipt, your payment card can be used to verify payment.

Using Walmart’s online Receipt Lookup tool, you can get a digital copy of your receipt and show that to a Walmart associate instead! Simply enter the purchase date and location.

The associate that served you may also be able to return and verify that the products were purchased by you.

Walmart can stop you from leaving the store

Walmart can’t take any other action because you refused to give your receipt to associates. Receipt checks are voluntary.

However, shopkeepers can still detain you in store if there’s reasonable suspicion of you shoplifting.

The definition of “reasonable suspicion”, however, will differ from one state to the next. However, the most common criteria for determining “reasonable suspicion” are observations of merchandise being taken by staff or customers, surveillance footage, and statements by employees.

Without suspicion, your associates will not be able to stand in the way of you leaving, or even attempt to physical detain.

Walmart now checks receipts

Walmart used to not check their receipts as often as they do today.

One reason for the shift is a step-up in action against theft, which in 2015 accounted for $3 billion of the company’s losses. This was just 1% of Walmart’s overall revenue.

Another is the relatively recent introduction of self-checkout machines to Walmart’s stores.

It is much more simple to remove a product from your basket using a self checkout machine than it is scanning.

It is possible that there were more employees stationed at exit doors checking that each shopper had a receipt that matches the product in their bag. Walmart Canadian stores saw this as well.

To learn more, you can see our related guides on the most stolen products from Walmart, how long Walmart keeps security footage, and what sets of Walmart door alarms.

Conclusion

Walmart can request that you check your receipt every time you exit the store. In reality, this is quite common due to large revenue losses from theft.

However, you are not obligated to show your receipt, and Walmart associates cannot take any further action if you refuse to show your receipt.

This exception is only if an associate suspects that you have shoplifted items or other merchandise from the store. If they do have reasonable suspicion, you may be detained.

Do I have to refuse to present my receipt?

If I am asked by a worker at the store, should my receipt be shown? You can assert your right and refuse to give your receipt to the employee at the front door if the store hasn’t probable cause to suspect shoplifting.

Are You Required to Stop and Let Walmart Review Your Receipts?

“A person should not be stopped if the merchant believes the person has taken goods without paying.” This is what we verify. It is not a legal requirement that you show your receipt in a Walmart, if this is not what you want. February 21, 2019,

How can you show Walmart that your receipt was received?

If the clerk refuses the receipt check, and you are held in detention or prevented from leaving the store by the employee, you can be charged with false imprisonment. False imprisonment means the unlawful detention of an individual in violation of his or her will. This is both civil violation and criminal offense.

.Can Walmart Check Your Receipt In 2022? (Know Your Rights)