Went to Guitar Center today...

[The Anvil]

...to pick up a set of bass guitar strings that I had special ordered last week. I had Monica and Maggie with me so I had to keep an eye on the little one around all of those expensive guitars. It was one of those times where I wish they would do what Daddy's (local music store chain that recently went under) did and keep all of the pricey stuff way up high. Anyway, the kid working the counter goes out back and comes back with a Fed-Exey looking envelope with my strings in it and a receipt and hands them to me. I go to walk out the door and there's a cranky-looking bitch standing at a podium and she zeroes in on me:

Her: "I need to see a license before you can leave with those."
Me: "Why? They're paid for. I have the receipt right here (showing her the document)."
Her: "Because it's policy."
Me: "Okay, but I have two kids with me and my wallet's out in the car (which was actually true) and I have a policy not to show my identification to people who have no business asking for it. I'm not trying to be a dick and I know you're just doing your job but that's out of line."
Her: "Well you can't leave with them, sorry."
Me: "Just out of curiosity, what would you do if I did leave with them?"
Her: "We'd call the cops."

I stood there for a couple seconds calculating whether or not they have a leg to stand on by asking me to see ID to leave the store with what is now my property in my possession and I quickly came to the conclusion that they did not.

Me: "Well then you had better get dialing." and I left.

I haven't heard from the Nashua Police yet. So in the event that I am wrong please keep your digits crossed that I don't end up in Municipal PMITA prison.

[fon1961]

 i guess i lead a sheltered life.  sounds like a pretty crazy policy to me.  if you had a receipt showing that you paid for the property, not sure what the police would care.

[Jess Tolbirt]

i have never had guitar center ask me for my license,,only my receipt when i walk out and they put a highlighter mark on it,,,

[biguglyman]

Bought a double-bass drum pedal for my son from Guitar Center for Christmas.  The girl at the door just wanted to see the receipt on the way out.  Since where I paid for it was out of sight of the door I didn't think that was unreasonable.  What the girl at your store did was out of line.  Just out of curiosity as a fellow bass player, what kind of strings do you use that you need to special order?  I only went to Guitar Center because it was too close to Christmas to order online and my local mom and pop music store didn't have what I needed.

[BF]

She just wanted to verify your identity before putting you on her ignore list. 

[Michael K (Az.)]

ASSCLOWN

[biguglyman]

"Well then you had better get dialing."

By the way, that was a perfect reply.

+1 

[The Anvil]

Bought a double-bass drum pedal for my son from Guitar Center for Christmas.  The girl at the door just wanted to see the receipt on the way out.  Since where I paid for it was out of sight of the door I didn't think that was unreasonable.  What the girl at your store did was out of line.  Just out of curiosity as a fellow bass player, what kind of strings do you use that you need to special order?  I only went to Guitar Center because it was too close to Christmas to order online and my local mom and pop music store didn't have what I needed.

DR Lo Riders for a six string Peavey BTB Grind bass. It's a 36 inch scale so standard long scale strings are too short.

[PAVALKER]

I can almost understand where she was coming from.  From what I read, you did not come in with a  receipt  (is that correct?) or ID to prove who you were.  And it was the young guy that handed you the Fedex envelope and the receipt (or packing slip etc).  It sounds as tho you just came in off the street saying something like "I am here to pick up my order, my name is......  " and off he goes to get that order without verifying who you were.  

That being said..... your response  to her gave me a good laugh ... I have to remember that one.....    

[highcountry]

Ya did the right thing.  I bet that policy was plucked from her a$$.

[The Anvil]

I can almost understand where she was coming from.  From what I read, you did not come in with a  receipt  (is that correct?) or ID to prove who you were.  And it was the young guy that handed you the Fedex envelope and the receipt (or packing slip etc).  It sounds as tho you just came in off the street saying something like "I am here to pick up my order, my name is......  " and off he goes to get that order without verifying who you were.  

That being said..... your response  to her gave me a good laugh ... I have to remember that one.....    

Actually I didn't have a problem with showing her the receipt. It was asking formy license that pissed me off.

[PAVALKER]

So to clarify, you did in fact have a receipt when you went in the store, and just didn't state your name for the order....  is that correct?    I agree, if you came in with the receipt, they she has no duty to ask to see your license..... what if you didn't drive and had no license. 

[alph]

yet another reason to buy on line!  i rearly patronise the businesses around here (mainly wallyworlds and tarjeys, big box stores) and i don't like spending time running around just to hear "we'll have to order that".  if they've got to order it, then I CAN TOO!! plus, it comes straight to my door saving me the time to run all over town to pick it up.  often times it's cheaper, saves me gas, time, and agravation of hunting for it.

[Quicksilver]

A little authority or power can make people do those things to boost their ego. Gives you the same feeling as, can I see your papers? Jobs are hard to find and keep, perhaps this person was just doing exactly what the store owner who has been ripped off many times demands.

[alph]

A little authority or power can make people do those things to boost their ego. Gives you the same feeling as, can I see your papers? Jobs are hard to find and keep, perhaps this person was just doing exactly what the store owner who has been ripped off many times demands.

yeah, but a guy with a kid usually isn't a thief, but a kid without a dad sometimes is......  she could have used some judgement in the matter, then again, it is "anvils" story.....

[johnhunter44]

I have often wondered what would happen if I purchased an item in a store and when you have to wait in line to exit the store while they check everyone's receipts, such as at Costco, if i just left.  After all, once they accept my money, provide me a receipt and the item, the item now belongs to me, just like my watch, wallet, socks, etc.  I then don't have to prove to anyone that I own them.  Now, to this case.  Anvil said "the kid working the counter goes out back and comes back with a Fed-Exey looking envelope with my strings in it and a receipt and hands them to me".  This indicates the strings were pre-paid, probably when Anvil ordered them.  Anvil never said the kid asked for identification for Anvil to show that he was in fact the person who ordered and pre-paid for the strings.  When the kid got the strings and the receipt, he should have checked i.d. before handing the strings to Anvil because anyone could have come in and claimed to have ordered an item.  I imagine the person at the door saw that this check was not made and tried to make up for the kid's mistake?  Now I am wondering why I did so much typing to post this for such a trivial event?  Bored? Winter?.....gonna go for a ride....

[Skinhead]

Maybe she reads this forum.....


Anvil never said he showed the kid at the counter his receipt, which I assume he did, unless the kid knows him by sight.  I further assume that Anvil was given a receipt when he ordered the strings, unless it was done over the phone, which I doubt as most places won't place the order unless the item is paid for. If Anvil showed the the kid his receipt, then the lady can go pound sand up her azz.  What if Anvil had given the receipt to his wife and axed her to pick up the strings for him, unless her name was on the receipt our buddy Anvil would be SOL.  I remember the good old days when most people were honest and merchants didn't have such invasive policies.

[The Anvil]

Maybe she reads this forum.....


Anvil never said he showed the kid at the counter his receipt, which I assume he did, unless the kid knows him by sight.  I further assume that Anvil was given a receipt when he ordered the strings, unless it was done over the phone, which I doubt as most places won't place the order unless the item is paid for. If Anvil showed the the kid his receipt, then the lady can go pound sand up her azz.  What if Anvil had given the receipt to his wife and axed her to pick up the strings for him, unless her name was on the receipt our buddy Anvil would be SOL.  I remember the good old days when most people were honest and merchants didn't have such invasive policies.

Just to clarify:

I ordered in person but it was not the same guy who took my order that helped me when I picked them up.

I did not have my receipt when I went into the store but the guy who gave them to me verified my info (full name, email, address and phone number) before handing them over. The system GC uses to notify people that their orders are in is through email only so otherwise how would I know that there was an order there waiting for someone? It's possible that this kind of information can leak but over a 40 dollar set of strings?

The girl at the podium was standing right behind me the whole time and the guy who helped me was the counter manager. 

What if I was picking them up for someone else? Are they really gonna be that much of a PITA about it? I mean if I need to show a license then the kid who retrieved them for me in the first place should have asked for it before even handing them over.

The story gets a little weirder too. I never did hear from the police so I suspect she was either full of crap or the cops told her that they have more important things to worry about. I talked to a friend who also frequents GC and he said that in Massachusetts they check your receipt but don't make you show a license. He said that they also require a signature on a ledger in that Nashua store but I didn't get that far. I do recall seeing a clipboard in front of her though.

[3fan4life]

The girl may have only been trying to verify that you were the rightful owner of the strings.

But, if so she did a very poor job of explaining herself.

I understand the aversion to providing an ID to just anyone.

Several years back VA began placing a barcode on the back of all driver's permits.

A local convience store chain began the practice of scanning that barcode for all alcohol purchases.

Now susposedly they were only verifying age, but who really knows how much personal information was stored in that barcode ?

So in response to that I did two things:

1. I placed a sticker over the barcode so that it couldn't be scanned (this prevents any unauthorized use but still allows law enforcement to remove the sticker and scan the barcode if necessary).

2. I quit patronizing that particular convience store chain.

     

[Skinhead]

I am sure the Police have more important things to attend to, so I think the old gals was blowing smoke where the sun don't shine.  Much ado about nothing IMHO.

[old2soon]

When i order ANYTHING from my local Honda shop they want cash or a credit card to prepay your order. No moola=-no order. When Honda calls me and sez your order is in i show up in person with the receipt they gave me when i prepaid the order. Even though they know me they want that receipt from the prepay. I'm very picky about who and how my drivers licsense gets seen. If i go to a big box store and they want to see my drivers licsense i always ask WHY?? If they say it's policy then it's time to get THE store manager-no assistant, RIDE SAFE.

[biguglyman]

I get my strings from these people now.  Good prices and they ship right to your door and usually throw in some free picks or something.  A lot of brands including DR.

[WamegoRob]

I have often wondered what would happen if I purchased an item in a store and when you have to wait in line to exit the store while they check everyone's receipts, such as at Costco, if i just left.

From my experience, the ladies at the door do their best to tell you they have to "verify your purchase" or something similar, but I haven't been chased into the parking lot yet. 

[The Anvil]

I get my strings from these people now.  Good prices and they ship right to your door and usually throw in some free picks or something.  A lot of brands including DR.

5 bucks less a set too! Thanks for the link. I'll be using them next time.

[PAVALKER]

Maybe she reads this forum.....


Anvil never said he showed the kid at the counter his receipt, which I assume he did, unless the kid knows him by sight.  I further assume that Anvil was given a receipt when he ordered the strings, unless it was done over the phone, which I doubt as most places won't place the order unless the item is paid for. If Anvil showed the the kid his receipt, then the lady can go pound sand up her azz.  What if Anvil had given the receipt to his wife and axed her to pick up the strings for him, unless her name was on the receipt our buddy Anvil would be SOL.  I remember the good old days when most people were honest and merchants didn't have such invasive policies.

Just to clarify:

I ordered in person but it was not the same guy who took my order that helped me when I picked them up.

I did not have my receipt when I went into the store but the guy who gave them to me verified my info (full name, email, address and phone number) before handing them over. The system GC uses to notify people that their orders are in is through email only so otherwise how would I know that there was an order there waiting for someone? It's possible that this kind of information can leak but over a 40 dollar set of strings?

The girl at the podium was standing right behind me the whole time and the guy who helped me was the counter manager. 

What if I was picking them up for someone else? Are they really gonna be that much of a PITA about it? I mean if I need to show a license then the kid who retrieved them for me in the first place should have asked for it before even handing them over.

The story gets a little weirder too. I never did hear from the police so I suspect she was either full of crap or the cops told her that they have more important things to worry about. I talked to a friend who also frequents GC and he said that in Massachusetts they check your receipt but don't make you show a license. He said that they also require a signature on a ledger in that Nashua store but I didn't get that far. I do recall seeing a clipboard in front of her though.

Now that we have a little more info, I can understand why she asked for your ID.... you didn't have a receipt and the gent at the desk just took your info verbally and handed you his receipt.  She witnessed that you didn't have a receipt and was just trying to prove that you were who you said you were, and the person for whom the order was placed.   And no offense, but your looks/appearance could have very well been an influence in her being the way she was.  If you were picking them up for someone else, they could have at least had your signature and proven your signature by a  photo ID, say a driver's license or something similar LOL.    I doubt they called the cops, and that was just an idle threat.... as we know they probably didn't want to involve the police to begin with.

I have placed orders at my local Honda Dealership over the phone with a charge card (they price match HDL/DLP) and I obviously don't get a receipt, but when I go to pick them up they check my ID or credit card that I charged it with to make sure that they are handing over the parts to the right person.  I don't have issue with that, because I want what I paid for to go to me and not someone else and I actually kind  of appreciate their thoroughness in that.   Even at some of the Member Only Clubs, like Sam's or Costco, they match the receipt against what you have in the basket when you leave....  and you showed your membership ID when you go in.

[Thespian]

 Sam's music shop. Little place near me. 50% off if you tell them you are a working musician. Well I use to be.
 

[BF]

Ernie Ball.  Just sayin'.   

[Thespian]

Ernie Ball.  Just sayin'.   

 Try Rotosound swing bass. They last a long time and have super sustain. But then I do have a 5 lb, bell brass bridge imported from Spain on my P-bass. could be that.

[The Anvil]

E-Ball and Rotosound are both great strings. I just really love DR's. I used to use blue steels but they're increasingly harder to find.

[biguglyman]

I used rotos for years on my g+l.  Used to use Carvin (Labella) strings on my Carvin until they changed bass design to string through the body.  Re-designed strings were too long and b-string core would break trying to wrap around tuning peg.  Still looking for an inexpensive replacement that I like.  Probably try Ernie next.

[ChromeDome]

The Guitar Center stores here just ask for the receipt.