Archived Scanning IDs for age restricted items

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Catfish Rita

Catfish Rita

Did I close the defect carts?
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Hey team, ;-)

In recent weeks, I've had a number of guests get quite huffy with me when I request to scan their ID for age restricted items (fireworks, beer, etc.).

I always ask if the guest "Do you mind if I scan your ID?", and one guy said "Yes, I do mind. Its one less thing the NSA has to know about me!" The next guest said "YES. I. DO. MIND.", and after hastily snapping her wallet shut, she proceeded to tell me there was personal information on that little barcode we didn't need in our "databases". I keyed in their birthdates, but apparently thats something that generally isn't OK by Target's standards.

Do you have paranoid guests like this? What should I do? Heck, I even have some that still get bent about the old card breach. I just smile and pick something to talk about... I find hummus is a good conversation starter.

Best,
CR
 
You can tell them that the info isn't retained else we wouldn't have to keep doing it EVERY TIME they come in but if they're that tin-hat happy, they won't believe anything you tell them.
Talk to your GSTLs/GSAs to get their advice.
If they say keying in dates is a no-no, tell them to be prepared to get called over when the next guest throws a hissy. Every. Single. Time.
I have to laugh at how people 'guard' their personal info.
They won't give us the basic info needed to process an app or transaction but they'll go online & happily give up ALL SORTS of personal data just to get coupons, a mug or a free T-shirt.
 
This is one of the reasons I hate being a cashier. They think it's such a hassle to get their id out or they get upset when they are obviously over 50. But some get excited when I ask, like I know you're 70 but it's a rule that we must ask, no need to thank me and make me feel stupid for asking, please don't flatter yourself.
 
The only thing my store absolutely will not bend on is alcohol. We must be able to scan in the ID. Everything else we will just ask the guest for their DOB (as long as they are clearly of age for whatever they are buying). If the guest gives their proper DOB is on them.

I ticked off a guest tonight because she had lost her license and since her passport wouldn't scan, I wouldn't sell her about 5 bottles of alcohol even though she was 50. I don't care if she's 100. If I'm caught not scanning the ID, it's my job. And her inconvenience isn't worth my job.
 
They don't care if we scan for ID, but we do have to at the very least SEE their ID. ie. No giving the 50 year old wine when they forget their ID, but if they have i with them and are weird about us scanning it, typing it is just fine - after seeing it.

I always just word it as, "I'll need your ID for the "blahblahblah". If they go to show me it, I just reiterate that I actually have to scan the back of it. I don't word it as, "Do you mind?" because I'm really not giving them a choice, I'm telling them what I need to do if they'd like to buy the item.

I think phrasing it, "Do you mind" just opens yourself up more for them to give a snarky retort.
 
I say, "may I please scan your ID?" just to let them know I need them to take it out of their wallet and to give them the heads up that I will be scanning it...just to give them a chance to say "no" if they have a problem with it. But they decline, then they aren't buying the alcohol.
 
I've always pointed at the register and showed them that it was locked up until I scanned their ID, explaining to them that I only had two choices... scan their ID and unlock the register to proceed with checking them out OR go back and remove the item and not sell it to them. One of our GSA's said that you can actually scan the back of some licenses with the hand scanner rather than running it through the register slot. I don't see how that's different but some of our guests prefer the quick hand scanner blip against their card to sliding it on the register itself. Why they think that is less invasive I have no clue.
 
You can't slide it on the register. The scanners on the registers have been deactivated since they added the chip technology. Hand scanner is how we scan all the ID's in our store, and to the best of my knowledge is the only way to do it. They might be able to scan it where they slide their card, but I doubt it, since that'd defeat the purpose as we'd never necessarily even see their ID if they just slid it themselves.
 
When I scan one of my States new IDs for PSE purchases at the pharmacy, it freezes the register. So I have to make them slide it like a credit card on the card reader. It doesn't do that with the older IDs.

Also, unrelated; I love the new blacklight we got for the pharmacy! You can see the hidden security features on IDs, credit cards and cash! Haven't caught a fake yet though.
 
Nauzhror said:
You can't slide it on the register. The scanners on the registers have been deactivated since they added the chip technology. Hand scanner is how we scan all the ID's in our store, and to the best of my knowledge is the only way to do it. They might be able to scan it where they slide their card, but I doubt it, since that'd defeat the purpose as we'd never necessarily even see their ID if they just slid it themselves.
Click to expand...

I'm not talking about their credit or debit card. I'm talking about sliding their driver's license. Maybe I misunderstood what the op was talking about but I thought we were talking about having to slide IDs for age restricted items?

Edit: Now realizing that it's been awhile since I've been caught on a register and having to ring out alcohol for a guest. >< I didn't realize they deactivated them.
 
Someone got all bent out of shape the other day when I had to scan their license for cold medicine. "Why do you have to scan my license, isn't it bad enough that I'm sick?!"

Because you can only buy so much of the stuff ACCORDING TO THE LAW before they tag you for being a meth head or robitripper. I'm sorry you're sick and all, but there are laws for reasons, and sometimes that reason is people are stupid and make bad decisions. Don't even get me started on Drano.
 
RegisterMonkey said:
Someone got all bent out of shape the other day when I had to scan their license for cold medicine. "Why do you have to scan my license, isn't it bad enough that I'm sick?!"

Because you can only buy so much of the stuff ACCORDING TO THE LAW before they tag you for being a meth head or robitripper. I'm sorry you're sick and all, but there are laws for reasons, and sometimes that reason is people are stupid and make bad decisions. Don't even get me started on Drano.
Click to expand...

You know, whenever I scan things like cough medicine or little party poppers that need an ID, I always say something like "Oh, you know kids these days, out there taking Mucinex and playing with confetti!".
 
RegisterMonkey said:
Someone got all bent out of shape the other day when I had to scan their license for cold medicine. "Why do you have to scan my license, isn't it bad enough that I'm sick?!"

Because you can only buy so much of the stuff ACCORDING TO THE LAW before they tag you for being a meth head or robitripper. I'm sorry you're sick and all, but there are laws for reasons, and sometimes that reason is people are stupid and make bad decisions. Don't even get me started on Drano.
Click to expand...

None of the medicine coming through the registers up front needs to have us ID guests. That's all behind the pharmacy counter. Why Target makes us ID people for that stuff is beyond me.

And yes, I dislike the fact that we live in a state that requires stores to track drain clog remover. World's dumbest law.
 
Being in Electronics, I don't have to worry about alcohol. But, my TL and ETL-AP in partnership with our APBP made a policy where any age restricted item must have an ID scanned, not just keyed, unless the guest is "obviously and without a doubt" over 40. My store just requires 100% scanned. Reason being we have had a large number of high school kids with shoddy fake IDs trying to buy games, alcohol, etc. lately.
 
Our store...doesn't seem to care much about ID if they're very clearly over 21. Just a "can I have your DOB" tends to be enough. Some cashiers don't even ask and key in a random DOB.
 
Kaitii said:
Our store...doesn't seem to care much about ID if they're very clearly over 21. Just a "can I have your DOB" tends to be enough. Some cashiers don't even ask and key in a random DOB.
Click to expand...

Our store is pretty relaxed on IDs as well, but I still see the typing in a random DOB as a huge no-no though. Despite that, I've done it on one or two occasions with especially frail or distracted elderly guests because I knew it was going to be a huge hassle for them to locate their IDs when all they're buying is DayQuil. I honestly hate having to ask for ID for anything other than alcohol. I cringe most of the time, because I dread the song and dance that comes along with it. "Yes, I'm serious." "The computer just needs me to scan it." "I have no idea why it requires ID." "I don't care how old you are." I'm so glad I'm not a cashier anymore.
 
The only time that I have keyed in a random DOB was when the guest was already extremely upset, very obviously over 40, and I didn't want to risk their anger over their ID. Our store is more lax about scanning vs keying in for age restricted items though.
 
Retail Girl said:
None of the medicine coming through the registers up front needs to have us ID guests. That's all behind the pharmacy counter. Why Target makes us ID people for that stuff is beyond me.

And yes, I dislike the fact that we live in a state that requires stores to track drain clog remover. World's dumbest law.
Click to expand...

Weird, we have to ID for all sorts of medication at the registers. Might be state law rather than federal. Or perhaps state law is actually stricter where you are in the sense that the same items require being ID'ed, bt they also require being dispensed by the pharmacy.
 
If the guest was clearly old enough I asked for their birthday and I said "The system won't let me sell it without a birthday." Or I said "the register doesn't see that you can buy it." If the guest looked young or was a teenager I always asked for ID. The stupid paranoid guests I always dreamed of saying "Well you don't have to show it to me but I won't sell it to you! I'm not risking my job because you are a paranoid idiot!"
 
Retail Girl said:
The only thing my store absolutely will not bend on is alcohol. We must be able to scan in the ID. Everything else we will just ask the guest for their DOB (as long as they are clearly of age for whatever they are buying). If the guest gives their proper DOB is on them.

I ticked off a guest tonight because she had lost her license and since her passport wouldn't scan, I wouldn't sell her about 5 bottles of alcohol even though she was 50. I don't care if she's 100. If I'm caught not scanning the ID, it's my job. And her inconvenience isn't worth my job.
Click to expand...
These Paranoid idiots have better not have a bank account, or use credit cards or use anything that requires a driver's license. At my new job they have a sign that says they card everyone "NO exceptions"
 
Strange... our registers won't scan IDs since we got the chip-and-pin update. We now have to hand-key all birth dates. I thought this was everyone, but apparently it's not!
 
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