USA - Purchasing Liquor at Walmart

[pissedatwalmart]

Im very curious about this because it really pissed me off last night, its not about anything illegal, but im pretty irritated right now.

Last night, I went into walmart with one of my friends awhile i was on the way to drop him off at home. I picked up a bottle of wine for myself and some other items. I went to the register to check out and a gentleman about 24 estimated came over and whispered something to the girl that was checking me out. After he left, she then explained that she needed to check both our ids for me to purchase the wine.

My friend is not 21, in fact is 21st birthday is tomorrow, but this made me extremely upset. I immediately asked to talk to a manager. A woman came over and I explained what was said and she said that is was store policy.

It makes me very very upset that I was brought to the assumption that I was presumably going to commit a criminal offense by giving my friend alcohol. I told the lady I did not believe her it was store policy because (we were now in front of the customer service desk) and all their shopping policys were clearly listed on the wall. This however was not. The story she was giving me then changed form store policy to the law. She said in MA it is the law to ID everyone in the party. She could not explain however, why I was never carded when my purchased alcohol when I was younger.

As I was leaving, the son of a bitch who whispered to the girl looked at me with an evil look and spitefully said "have a nice day." This is just bad customer service, and im definetly contacting the store manager and writing to corporate about this (I know it won't accomplish anything, but that fucker pissed me off).

I am curious and looking for someone who either knows walmarts policy regarding this or the MA state law (because I just looked and can't find anything about it.) If I was lied to im raising hell. I even went to the next liquor store and bought the same bottle of wine for less money, but i don't appreciate being treated like im a criminal.

[dyingtomorrow]

They do that shit in Illinois sometimes too. But I don't think it is law, it just depends on the store.

[Felix Guattari]

SWiM has run into policies to this effect in Chicago, though I'm fairly certain that they were the the result of choices made by individual stores, as most were near college campuses.

Interestingly, having such policies in place didn't seem to make the stores in question any more likely to check SWiM's ID..

I'm sure there's as much 'selective enforcement' going on here as is generally seen with ID laws.

[Pondlife]

It's certainly unfair, and I'm not surprised that you were annoyed at this behaviour.

But it's worth remembering that, in general, stores have no obligation to sell you (or anyone) anything. I'm not saying that it's right, but that's the situation. Normally the best response is to use your right of choice as a consumer and buy the product elsewhere. It's OK to put a complaint in if you have the time - it may have an effect if the management believe that the staff were being petty, but don't hold your breath.

And, sadly, there is no law against lying either (except in special circumstances like under oath).

[old hippie 56]

Tried to buy tobacco products while the son(18) was with me, who left his ID at the house. Since he didn't have his ID,, they wouldn't sell. Fuck Walmarts!

[samsa]

I loathe walmart with ever fiber in my being. Unfortunately all businesses reserve the right to turn away customers.

A very similar thing happened to swim some time ago. He had been screwed over by walmart one too many times in the past, so the decided to through a tantrum, broke some shit, and made off with said alcohol. He was back the next day to do some grocery shopping.

[Richi]

Strange laws...

I remember countless times I'd be helping my mom carry groceries, and now and then part of the groceries was alcohol. I was underage, but that never caused a problem. It's when people look of a similar age that it is suspected that one will provide the other with alcohol.

[Sven99]

Can't say SWIM's surprised. Supermarkets over here are the same usually. If they sell alcohol to somebody who then supplies it to somebody underage, they can be fined quite a lot. In the UK, the cashier can be personally fined severall thousand, and even face a prison sentence.

Next time, leave without a fuss and go back to a different cashier without your friend.

[cannabis-sam]

I remember when I was younger about 16-17 I went into tesco (english walmart) my dad went to buy an expensive bottle of wine, and was told that he couldn't buy alcohol because it might be for me. He pointed out that if he was buying alcohol for me it wouldn't be expenisive wine it would be chaep cider. after some argument they sold him the wine and funnily enough a crate of lager that he was actually buying for me.

[yaba]

Originally Posted by Sven99

Can't say SWIM's surprised. Supermarkets over here are the same usually. If they sell alcohol to somebody who then supplies it to somebody underage, they can be fined quite a lot. In the UK, the cashier can be personally fined severall thousand, and even face a prison sentence.

Next time, leave without a fuss and go back to a different cashier without your friend.

Swim been a bar manager on a UK Island (between England and Ireland) Have to say please don't blame the cashier its not there fault !! Its the police making treats like if you sell to someone underage you lose your license (manager) and the person who sells the booze will get a fine up to £2000. And if in doubt don't serve/sell !!!
Its a shame but everyone is looking after number 1 (thats you, not the costumer)

[TommyRowe]

Originally Posted by pissedatwalmart

Im very curious about this because it really pissed me off last night, its not about anything illegal, but im pretty irritated right now.

Last night, I went into walmart with one of my friends awhile i was on the way to drop him off at home. I picked up a bottle of wine for myself and some other items. I went to the register to check out and a gentleman about 24 estimated came over and whispered something to the girl that was checking me out. After he left, she then explained that she needed to check both our ids for me to purchase the wine.

My friend is not 21, in fact is 21st birthday is tomorrow, but this made me extremely upset. I immediately asked to talk to a manager. A woman came over and I explained what was said and she said that is was store policy.

It makes me very very upset that I was brought to the assumption that I was presumably going to commit a criminal offense by giving my friend alcohol. I told the lady I did not believe her it was store policy because (we were now in front of the customer service desk) and all their shopping policys were clearly listed on the wall. This however was not. The story she was giving me then changed form store policy to the law. She said in MA it is the law to ID everyone in the party. She could not explain however, why I was never carded when my purchased alcohol when I was younger.

As I was leaving, the son of a bitch who whispered to the girl looked at me with an evil look and spitefully said "have a nice day." This is just bad customer service, and im definetly contacting the store manager and writing to corporate about this (I know it won't accomplish anything, but that fucker pissed me off).

I am curious and looking for someone who either knows walmarts policy regarding this or the MA state law (because I just looked and can't find anything about it.) If I was lied to im raising hell. I even went to the next liquor store and bought the same bottle of wine for less money, but i don't appreciate being treated like im a criminal.

As a Law Enforcement agent I can tell you its not a store policy, it is indeed the law. Unless every person looks a certain age (varies by state) than they must as for ID's of all people that are presumably in the party. This includes a liquor store owner seeing you walk up with your friend in the car.

However, the liability to store owners only extends on their property. So say you bought the booze for the kid and gave it to them in the parking lot, the store isnt in trouble. Somebody is though and that somebody is you.

[purplehaze]

Customer service is shit in America, everybody hates there job. Onetime phaze was in radio shack and this power hungry manager lady was being very very hateful to phaze and his friend. He was looking at some car stereo products such as satellite radio xm etc, as soon as he turned it on it came on rap and she walked over there and was all hateful with phaze and turned it off and told him not to turn that crap back on in her store.

Phaze left and it really pissed him off. Nothing he could really do though. So he played like he was a secret shopper and called back and got there names and called the manager and harassed them to make himself feel better because he knew he was fucked and couldnt do anything about it. She kept hanging up the phone and keeping it off the hook.

Later that night he went to gamestop to look at some xbox games and there was people inside the store, when he walked in the guy behind the counter was checking them out and yelled at phaze hey were closed. He said, well can i just look around if i cant buy anything, then the guy got all upset with him and said he could leave or he could get security to carry him out so since phaze was being shit on he cussed the guy and intimidated him with his size and prank called back in and told the guy at gamestop he'd be waiting for him outside when he got off.

Nothing you can really do when the american working class fucks you over but take it or fuck back with them i guess.

[Junket]

I've only been to walmart once, but in general at any business there is a lot of people who hate their job, but there is also a lot of friendly people who are willing to help you out and go out of their way. I'm not of the age so I don't attempt to buy alcohol or anything, so I can't really give insight in that department. It sounds like you got picked out, get over it man. Writing to corporate and freakin out, realistically, won't solve anything. "They are being too protective about selling underage kids booze" oohhh noooooo, time to fire every manager...