Archived Heads Up To All Cashiers And Anybody Working Register

[commiecorvus]

I just wanted to let folks know that I've been told by TMs that there have been mystery shoppers who have purposely left loaded gift cards behind at the register, sometimes even so they aren't easy to see, and if the cashier doesn't handle the gift card exactly to company policy, they have been yanked and fired on the spot.

I'm not sure why Spot has decided to go with this tactic, if the stores in question are the only ones this is happening to or all of the circumstances involved.

The people who told me don't feel comfortable outing themselves considering how specific these stories are but it seems like with the extreme nature of the firings and blanket nature of the use of this technique I thought it would be something worth bringing up.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

***red alert, electronics & front end***

 

[Top Dollar]

What exactly is the correct protocol for finding a left-behind/loaded gift card? Alerting the GSTL and/or AP immediately?

 

[Jill of All Trades]

What exactly is the correct protocol for finding a left-behind/loaded gift card? Alerting the GSTL and/or AP immediately?

Call your GSA/GSTL immediately and they will log it at GS and then put it in the lockbox. From there it goes into the safe.

 

[thetargetman]

seems a little slimy to me!

 

[PullMonkey]

So basically don't touch it? Or can I bring it to guest service? :/

Because I don't wanna drag a GSA over all the time (should this happen)

 

[Retail Girl]

Hmm...Spot doesn't term anyone immediately unless it is for stealing. This doesn't make a lot of sense.

 

[PullMonkey]

Maybe this was just an excuse?

 

[AssetsProtection]

I really dont think they are mysterious shoppers. Guest leave them all the time and we have dishonest team members who take them, use them, get caught... then fired.

 

[RedMan]

My store doesn't have to *trick* the cashiers. We lose one or two cashiers a month from stupid. You'd think that the others would get the hint that stealing gift cards will get you termed. But I guess each one thinks he's smarter than the system.

 

[RXninja]

I did read a couple of stories on this site about TMs who discovered a left behind giftcard and decided to turn it in to the SD themselves, only to get intercepted by AP and fired pretty much on the spot. So next time I find one, I will treat it like it's covered in cooties and have my GSA handle it. I don't want to give spot a flimsy excuse to can me after 13 years.

 

[RedMan]

Sorry, but I don't believe that. It isn't stealing until you spend it.

We had a TM stealing gift cards who gave one of his stolen cards to another TM who used it with her TM discount. He got termed. She did not because AP couldn't prove that she knew it was stolen although we all knew she knew because she bragged about it.

 

[commiecorvus]

Sorry, but I don't believe that. It isn't stealing until you spend it.

We had a TM stealing gift cards who gave one of his stolen cards to another TM who used it with her TM discount. He got termed. She did not because AP couldn't prove that she knew it was stolen although we all knew she knew because she bragged about it.

I understand your skepticism and there certainly may be be more to the story but when you are talking multiple actions over multiple stores, I just wanted to pass along the information.

 

[paidtosmile]

Thanks for passing the info along!

We always got it over to the service desk right away, how we got it over there didn't matter as much. But ASANTS.

 

[POGguy]

I've never seen a TM fired on the spot. Target likes to build cases with internals. If anything these cards are being left near cashiers who they think are already stealing but just don't have enough proof.

 

[queencat]

Thanks for the heads up. Never had a guest leave a gift card so I'd end up calling someone over anyways.

 

[paidtosmile]

I've never seen a TM fired on the spot. Target likes to build cases with internals. If anything these cards are being left near cashiers who they think are already stealing but just don't have enough proof.

I could picture like a srAPS or investigator coming in to do this

 

[thetargetman]

Hmm...Spot doesn't term anyone immediately unless it is for stealing. This doesn't make a lot of sense.

my personal guess is it is one of those "scare tactics" for the gullible by ETL bullies who don't know how to communicate well with the team.

 

[thetargetman]

I really dont think they are mysterious shoppers. Guest leave them all the time and we have dishonest team members who take them, use them, get caught... then fired.

I remember 3 Christmases ago 5 cashiers got fired for Gift card theft. they would scan a gift card to load it and than they would give the guest an empty one when they were not paying attention. they deserved getting caught.

 

[BullseyeBabe]

We have had several TMs fired on the spot. It wasn't because of GCs. It was because of ridiculous guest complaints. In each case the STL took the complaint and fired the TM.

 

[redeye58]

Maybe this was just an excuse?

Logical.
If you have TMs you're performancing out the door & looking for a final nail in the coffin, this would do nicely.
Kinda like how they get rid of ETLs: a door was left unlocked.

 

[PinkZinnia]

Something like this may have happened at our store at one time. Because we have quite a protocol for left behind gift cards. We keep them in a box and when a gstl or cashier isn't busy we go through them. Toss the used ones. The ones with a balance we staple A printed balance sheet to it. Give it to GS and they drop it in the co drop box.

I have known about two employees getting fired for gift card theft. Hasn't happened in a long time.

Thanks for the heads up

 

[TeamRed]

Whenever I see one of those I walk up to the GSTL and say a guest left this. The same goes with drivers licenses, credit cards, purses etc. I do not need to get fired.

 

[paidtosmile]

^much smaller note: We've had a lot of flexible fulfillment visits in our district as of late, so another thing to keep your eyes on, fellow front enders!

 

[photo0267]

We just keep ours in the locked drawer at GS. I go through them when I get bored to see if there's any that have been in there longer than 30 days, if so, I take them to HR so they can use them for donations.