Legal Question in Business Law in Washington

Can anybody point me towards a WA law that states that a retailer has no legal right to check your receipt unless you have a signed agreement with them stating their right to do so? AKA: Costco has a membership fee and member agreement. K-Mart/Best Buy/Target does not and therefore has no ability to force a receipt check.


Asked on 1/20/10, 3:13 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Amir John Showrai The Pacific Law Firm, PLLC

If you mean a law that prohibits retailers from checking your receipt on the way out the door, there is no such law. Any retailer can check you on the way out the door to ensure that what you leave with is what you paid for. The fact that they do this will every single customer is a way for them to avoid discrimination suits from people who feel they had their receipts checked on account of race, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, or other legally protected classes that can result in discrimination suits.

It is also a good way to deter some shoplifting, and stores know this from their studies. This is why they both to pay someone to stand at the door to check receipts.

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Answered on 1/25/10, 3:40 pm


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