TigerDirect Apologizes For Unlawfully Detaining Customer For Refusing To Show Receipt

The manager of the TigerDirect that unlawfully detained reader Shaneal Manek for his refusal to show a receipt called him this afternoon and apologized for his store’s behavior. Shaneal told The Consumerist by phone that Tony, the store manager, pledged to retrain his staff on proper procedures and that they wouldn’t retain the services of the security guard involved in the dispute.

Earlier, we spoke with Tiger Direct Executive Vice President Richard Wallet, who confirmed the receipt dispute incident did occur, and cast doubts on Shaneal’s version of the events.

When asked whether the verbal altercation happened as Shaneal described, Wallet said he couldn’t be sure as he wasn’t there. He said that he found it unlikely that the security guard would taunt and threaten Shaneal as he had met the guard and he “didn’t seem that type of guy.”

Wallet accused Shaneal of trying to bait the store after being detained a week prior for also refusing to show a receipt. Shaneal said that on that occasion, he declined to show a receipt because he had already waited over an hour for a part to be pulled from the back, some more time at the register, and didn’t feel like waiting in a line for a security guard to check his receipt when he was under no legal obligation to show the receipt. On that date, cops were called to intervene, which is store policy whenever there’s a possibility of a confrontation with a customer, Wallet told us. He also said the cop told Shaneal to not return if he wasn’t going to follow store policy. Shaneal says that that didn’t happen.

Wallet also told us that on the date of the most recent incident, Shaneal purchased three items in two separate transactions and stuffed one of the receipts in his pocket and began to walk out of the store with his items. Wallet said the head cashier only saw one of the transactions and that gave her cause to tell the security guard to stop Shaneal. Shaneal told The Consumerist that he was buying items for a friend who wanted his own receipt for record-keeping purposes.

By law, shopkeepers are only allowed to detain customers under suspicion of shoplifting if they actually see the customer hide the item on their person.

Wallet encouraged any customer with a TigerDirect complaint to call him directly at 305-415-2441.

Shaneal told us that he is satisfied with how the situation got resolved and thanked us for posting his story as he felt it otherwise wouldn’t have been paid as much attention by TigerDirect. Wallet said he had been fielding phone calls and emails about the issue all morning.

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