I think this gets to the real reason of why people say they won't buy from the locked cabinets. As someone whose job was to carry that key in an office supply

I think this gets to the real reason of why people say they won't buy from the locked cabinets. As someone whose job was to carry that key in an office supply store, I can say that it's awful. We have other things to do, and even if you're acknowledged, you have no idea when that clerk will get to you. (And the clerk doesn't know either.) Aside: I once had a customer snap their fingers at me while I was walking another customer to a product because they wanted in the case. I looked at them, but was so thrown off that I didn't nod or anything, and just kept helping that customer. By the time I got to the case, they were gone. Later, I found I had a complaint issued against me for ignoring them, which I hadn't actually done. It just wasn't their turn yet. Management tried to turn it into a big thing in a meeting with the entire store, singling me out (not the first time). Someone else stood up for the situation and said they wouldn't help someone that snapped their fingers... Management started to rebut, but then a guy from furniture said, "Yeah! And I won't help people that whistle at me like a dog, either!" and management quickly changed the topic. Ah, such fun memories.