Can a store legally demand that you leave a purse or handbag at the counter or with an employee before letting you inside?

I would assume so. I mean, it’s their store, their property, our choice to shop there.

I remember when I was a kid, and Mom would say stuff like, “Not while you’re living under MY roof…!” I think it’s something like that. Stores might be open to the public, but they’re not public space.

Their probably allowed to deny you entry so yes sort of. Either their way or the highway I guess.

I don’t know whether it’s legal, but I can’t imagine many people would be willing to do that.

I get it all the time. I usually have a few cameras and a iPod in my bag. Usually I just turn around and leave the store. But I do make a point to let them know that I am afraid that they will steal my stuff.

And they’re afraid you’ll steal stuff from the store. Heh.

Yes it’s definitely legal and seems to be an increasing trend, though it seems to be more prevalent in stores frequented by teen-agers.

Thanks JP, it always makes me feel better when someone shares my frustration!

I wouldn’t leave my bag. If they don’t trust me why should I trust them?

I wouldn’t leave my bag….and I wouldn’t shop there again, regardless of whether or not it is legally permissible for them to do this….

Just another reason to shop online….

I look at those signs and then flatly ignore them. If someone wants to take my purse, they can talk to me. And if they do, I leave. Because if you don’t trust your customers, as a manager, you probably don’t trust your employees either. So why should I?

@snoopy: you THINK you’re preserving your privacy, but then Amazon sells information about what you buy to Facebook, and before you know it, BAM!

“John Doe is a fan of The Jackrabbit” is plastered all over your friends’ news feeds!

Thank GOD “Beacon” fell through.

It doesn’t really bother me. If I have valuables that I’d rather not part with,
I’ll just ask them if they can check it on the way out instead.
They’re usually pretty cool about it.

No need to make a big deal about it.
I don’t think they like doing it either.
And the person you’re bitching out isn’t making the rules.

I don’t think you should take it so personally either.
There just needs to be some show of security.
And it’s better to check everyone instead of trying to profile shoplifters.
If that were the case, I would be offended.

Good point tonedef.

Just another reason to not sign up for Facebook LOL

Nimis makes good sense.

Sometimes I actually feel bad for the store, they must have lost a lot before they finally decided that paying an extra employee to check bags is worth it.

Don’t take it personal.

I guess they can do whatever they want legally, but I would NOT give them my purse! It has all my ID in it, and with the identity theft nowadays, no way! Not to mention my checks, money, and keys. I would be more worries about them stealing from me than the other way around.

I work at a clothing store and we can ask for your bag if it’s a shopping bag but not your purse. Especially if it’s someone with a return we ask that you leave your bag at the cashwrap if your looking to exchange. But it’s just rude and out of the question to take a customers purse. If they want to prevent theft that they need to stop being lazy and up their customer service. If your interacting or even just walking around and waching your customers, they can’t steal. With sensor detectors, security cameras, and any other anti-theft devices on the market, there is no reason why they should take your purse.

Not all the little independent stores around where I live can afford high tech security widgets and secret cameras or even staff to follow you around and ask if you need anything. One of my favorite places to shop is a cavernous used book store and the one employee usually stays up by the register. However, with that many cool books in a town filled with poor college students, I can see where there might be some thefts. So when they put up a sign asking us to leave any large bags or backpacks at the counter with them, I am glad to comply. If I find anything missing (which I never have), the only person that would have stolen it is probably the bookstore owner – pretty unlikely. But for a nickel and dime business, high tech security cameras are pretty much unattainable.

laureth I think that is a great point. As a fan of wasting a ton of time in used books stores….should I wander into that particular store, I would probably hike back to my car and chuck my purse/bag in the trunk….and hike back to the store.

Oddly enough, I’ve had by backpack stolen from my unattended vehicle when someone smashed the window and ran off with it (to charge up my credit cards and cause me havoc right before a vacation, no less). I’ve never had anything removed from bags I left at a counter, though. (I would have put it in my trunk if I’d had one, but I drove a pickup truck at the time.)

I think there are some size restrictions that are legal, but leaving your PURSE? No, I have never heard of that before. However, I never shop with a purse anymore. I just don’t need to lug all that STUFF with me. I take a credit/debit card and whatever cash I want in my pants pocket along with my cellphone in the other pocket. In this day and age of identity theft, I wouldn’t leave my purse with someone I KNOW, much less with a total stranger.

They have absolutely NO RIGHT to make you leave your personal property. They can REQUEST IT, but I do not know of any city or state that has passed ANY LAW that says they can require you to do so. Certainly not with your hand bag containing all your identification and debit/credit cards.

First words out of my mouth would be to say “Why, so you all can get my personal information and card numbers? No.”

I usually keep on walking, saying “I don’t turn over my bags” as I pass. And if they say it’s store policy, I ask if it is store policy to cause a law-abiding citizen to never shop here again and tell everyone who will read it on the internet the crappy way I’ve been treated today?”

You’re the consumer. You’re in charge. Don’t let them intimidate you.

All they can do is have security follow you. If you’re not stealing, let them waste their time.

And they cannot touch you to stop you either. That’s assault.

I used to be store security. I know what can and cannot be done in these instances.