Worried I'll be falsely accused of shoplifting

lily7724

I've had a few experiences in the past of buying (non-refundable) makeup and finding snapped lipsticks, cracked palletes etc. when I get home. So nowadays I sneak makeup into changing rooms and open the sealed boxes so I can quality check before buying.

I did this today at a store on Oxford Street, but found one of foundation boxes was empty inside (presumably someone else had stolen it and returned the box). At the time I panicked about being accused of stealing, so just put the empty box back on the shelf and left as quickly as possible (which I now realise was stupid because they would have just searched me and found no foundation). Now I'm terrified they'll find the box, check CCTV, and identify and locate me from the footage.

Is there anything that can be done at this stage?

LadyDee

Stop sneaking into changing rooms and opening sealed boxes of cosmetics - they become unsaleable. You could no doubt be charged with destroying property belonging to the retailer.

If your dubious actions have been seen on CCTV and you are identified I should hope at the very least your description will be circulated to other shops in the area and you will be closely watched.

lily7724

LadyDee wrote: »

Stop sneaking into changing rooms and opening sealed boxes of cosmetics - they become unsaleable. You could no doubt be charged with destroying property belonging to the retailer.

If your dubious actions have been seen on CCTV and you are identified I should hope at the very least your description will be circulated to other shops in the area and you will be closely watched.

Hi LadyDee, I know it's not the best thing to do, but it's only because of previous experiences wasting money on damaged items that stores won't refund.

To clarify, I always decide whether I want something based on the testers before taking them into the changing room. 99% of the time I then buy the thing I opened, unless there was a problem with the item to begin with. It's not a case of opening things, deciding I don't like them, and returning them to shelves with the packaging opened.

Pollycat

lily7724 wrote: »

Hi LadyDee, I know it's not the best thing to do, but it's only because of previous experiences wasting money on damaged items that stores won't refund.

To clarify, I always decide whether I want something based on the testers before taking them into the changing room. 99% of the time I then buy the thing I opened, unless there was a problem with the item to begin with. It's not a case of opening things, deciding I don't like them, and returning them to shelves with the packaging opened.

I don't think you can do anything about your last experience.

But I think you should stop taking items you've not paid for away from the cosmetic counter and into changing rooms.
You are opening yourself up to accusations of shop-lifting.
At best, you may be banned from the store(s).

If you're so sure you want to buy the item from the tester - unless it is damaged - why not explain your issue to the assistant and ask them to open the packaging to confirm the contents are not damaged and then pay for it?
All up front and no risk of getting into trouble.

John_G_Jones

lily7724 wrote: »

I've had a few experiences in the past of buying (non-refundable) makeup and finding snapped lipsticks, cracked palletes etc. when I get home. So nowadays I sneak makeup into changing rooms and open the sealed boxes so I can quality check before buying.

I did this today at a store on Oxford Street, but found one of foundation boxes was empty inside (presumably someone else had stolen it and returned the box). At the time I panicked about being accused of stealing, so just put the empty box back on the shelf and left as quickly as possible (which I now realise was stupid because they would have just searched me and found no foundation). Now I'm terrified they'll find the box, check CCTV, and identify and locate me from the footage.

Is there anything that can be done at this stage?

Yes, as above stop doing this. Non-refundable does not affect your statutory rights, if the product is faulty you always have the right to a refund or replacement.

Surely you know that what you are doing is wrong, don’t you? Shops don’t want you opening boxes until you have bought. The fact that you need to hide to do this tells you that you should not be doing it.

Sea_Shell

Ask the store assistant to check it for you before you purchase it. If you politely explain why, hopefully they'll agree to.

soolin

Sorry but I'm cynical.

I have retail experience (many years ago) and a favoured method of shoplifting was to open things in changing rooms and return empty packaging to the shop floor having stolen the items. This was so common and so widespread that it formed part of the training assistants were given when supervising the changing room. In fact even nowadays when I wish to try on clothes I am rarely allowed to take anything else in to a cubicle - I assume I'm not the only one? Even Primark and M and S ask for baskets to be etc at counter while clothes are counted to be taken into try on. If you are concealing items to get them into a changing room then yes I think you will have issues.

Also, and as above, I can see no logical reason to do this when all you need to do is open it at a till when you pay, so trying to excuse what appears to be abnormal behaviour suggests there may be more to this than it appears.

Lastly, an empty packet is going to feel lighter than a full one, just as a start that should give you a clue.

As I said I'm probably being cyclical but this is either an attempt to 'test' a story well known amongst shop lifters, or it is nonsense.

Nick_C

An honest person would simply open the goods in the store once they had paid for them. If there is a problem, they can then be exchanged.

I used to do this in Argos, as they were notorious at one time for reselling returned goods.

lily7724

Thank you everyone for your responses. I have always known it was a sneaky thing to do, I just never thought about the alternatives? It seems stupidly obvious when everyone says it to you, but I just didn't and now I feel stupid for putting myself in this position.

@soolin I honestly had no idea this was common practice, again just never really crossed my mind. And I'm not too sure what you mean by 'test a story'?

hollydays

lily7724 wrote: »

I've had a few experiences in the past of buying (non-refundable) makeup and finding snapped lipsticks, cracked palletes etc. when I get home. So nowadays I sneak makeup into changing rooms and open the sealed boxes so I can quality check before buying.

I did this today at a store on Oxford Street, but found one of foundation boxes was empty inside (presumably someone else had stolen it and returned the box). At the time I panicked about being accused of stealing, so just put the empty box back on the shelf and left as quickly as possible (which I now realise was stupid because they would have just searched me and found no foundation). Now I'm terrified they'll find the box, check CCTV, and identify and locate me from the footage.

Is there anything that can be done at this stage?

Of all the places to do something like this-oxford street!
Did it not occur to you your body language might already have got you watched?
Perhaps you've got more of a problem than you realise.

Dean000000

Common sense just says you buy the gear (as you said you would) Then open it whilst still at the counter or shop.

Quite simple really.

Yes your face will be pinned up in all security offices across oxford street and I suspect you’ll face arrest the moment you walk into another store in central London.

Many thanks