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It's also to mark the receipt, preventing someone going back into the store and putting same items into the cart (slyly walk by self check out) and leaving with

It's also to mark the receipt, preventing someone going back into the store and putting same items into the cart (slyly walk by self check out) and leaving with the same receipt.

Scarbutt 8y ago
Really though, but interesting to see the naiveness of other comments.
Wistar 8y ago
According to my friend who was a SVP at Costco, this is, in fact, a primary reason. It's to mark the receipt so it cannot be used again.
- brk 8y ago
  Can’t the cashier do that?
  - simplicio 8y ago
    The idea is to mark when you're leaving the store, so you need someone actually standing by the exit. If the cashier did it, it wouldn't really prevent the scam. You could still circle back into the store and skip the cashier on the second run.
Data_Junkie 8y ago
That's the thing that always happens, they might not check carts closely, things may be rung up incorrectly, but every reciept that leaves the building is marked.
barrow-rider 8y ago
I wouldn't be surprised if it's also used by loss protection to make sure you stand in one place on the way in, and on the way out, as a way of making sure they get a clean camera shot of you. Loss Prevention will have cameras and sometimes plain clothes folks wandering around the store, and if they suspect you're up to something they can zoom in and follow you. Adding a step prior to exiting where your receipt is checked adds one more chance to confirm bad behavior, and gives LP time to zoom in on your cart and your face.