If a worker picked me out from 10 ft away and yelled "hi, can I help you?!? 
" I'd get really paranoid and assume they're monitoring me for being a suspected shoplifter
this post was submitted on 09 Nov 2025
125 points (100.0% liked)
Chapotraphouse
14212 readers
617 users here now
Banned? DM Wmill to appeal.
No anti-nautilism posts. See: Eco-fascism Primer
Slop posts go in c/slop. Don't post low-hanging fruit here.
founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
The anti-shoplifting effect is a big intent of the policy imo, in addition to what I outlined in my other comment
I literally hate people coming to me when I'm shopping.
Yeah, same here. What I need is for someone to be available and ready to point me in the right direction if need be. What I don't need is unsolicited help picking out the item I had trouble finding because they changed the layout again.
Walmart’s been mandating this for decades. I’ve never been to a Walmart where it was reliably enforced. My partner did get fired from Walmart for being too depressed with the excuse being they violated this policy, so it may just be a defacto justification for firing people.
Yeah had it that way at the beSSt buy I worked at too; same with the local grocery. BB was mostly for security, and groceries was for “that small-town feel”. Maybe the groceries were for security too - but I wouldn’t stop any one lol too busy pocketing a power bar and beverage. Consider it a balance against being paid minimum wage, and being scheduled such that I’d not get the mandated 30 minutes break lol. Fuck retail.
Target is such a hostile consumer experience that I don't shop there even when it's much closer than its shitty alternatives. Employees hovering over me with a mandatory smile would only further reinforce how uncomfortable their surveillance system feels. I haven't even stolen anything from there because there's nothing worth stealing, but fuck if I'm going to buy towels while the Treat Gestapo is doing penis inspections to make sure I'm not a criminal.
Couldn't agree more. I don't shop at Target unless I have to but if they're forcing employees to bother customers like this I'm never going inside one again
"fuck if I'm going to buy towels while the Treat Gestapo is doing penis inspections to make sure I'm not a criminal"
Tagline material
There’s an exploit where if you enter the aggro zone of a target worker from behind where they can’t see you to smile or wave they will go into a T-pose and float towards you, dropping whatever loot they were carrying to the shelves beforehand.
If you take that loot, put it in their inventory in this state, then their body registers as an object that you can put in your inventory. Since they aren't assigned a price you can carry them out the store.
Anything you take from them outside the store is in the "purchased" zone so you can take it freely. The target worker will return to their usual path when unequipped
Every Target I've been into in the last decade is barely even staffed. That's only a few times though as Target isn't in my country.
Reminds me that Angela Collier has a funny video on Target https://youtu.be/lPVSj9rcK-E
Most of the time I go to target, it's midday on a weekend and they'll have 3-7 security guards standing at the doors but only 1-2 cashiers at checkout stands with customers 10+ deep in line
And the security guards smile at me as i walk out with shit in my pockets lmao
So, you may or may not know this, but I think it's still valuable information to have. Target uses facial recognition software to flag and save shoplifting evidence. They won't stop you until you do it enough that you have shoplifted a felony-amount of goods. THEN they prosecute.
So just know, Target knows that you're shoplifting and they're waiting until they can get you jail time
I don't live near targets they didn't last long here in canada. I appreciate the tip though because i do steal!
I can't confirm if any other big stores do that, except Walmart. So, if you have Walmart in your province, keep that in mind!
That's why Angela Collier jokes that Target is a data company. Even outed a teen as pregnant by sending her coupons before her parents knew. Because they were tracking all her purchases
Thank you for your service 
I found a YouTube link in your comment. Here are links to the same video on alternative frontends that protect your privacy:
I wonder if this has anything to do with them losing foot traffic from people mad they got rid of their DEI initiatives
This is almost certainly because there's a study somewhere that employee eye contact and friendly engagement reduces likelihood of customer shoplifting by 0.5% or something.
That's basically all this company cares about.
"We've run the numbers for why you are losing marketshare to Amazon. The strongest correlation we found was "number of shoppers" and "misery of workers". Increase the latter to improve the former!"
I honestly don’t see how Target gets away with upselling stuff sold at Walmart and still remains profitable.
Target exists as the illusion of choice by providing a less depressing shopping experience for the comfortably middle class compared to the working poor who need to stretch their money as far as possible at Walmart. The "Tar-jay" ("French" pronunciation) phenomena
walmart is seen as where the poor people shop, and americans love hating poor people
I'm my area the Walmart lot is where you get mugged or stabbed. Target is just the safer choice
I don't shop there anymore because BDS but my target is a stabbing target unfortunately
Target weeding out the autistic and depressed
Target: C'mon honey, smile more
Is their plan to get rid of all the people with autism, staff and customers alike?
"Useless greeters"
I think that is the plan in the in general....
But will they be wearing enough pieces of flair?
in north korea they...
This has been in Publix employee manual forever, the assistant manager would also watch the security cameras to make sure you were doing it
They were also making the one black guy who worked there piss in a cup, he asked everyone there and found out he was the only one. This was 2018.
My local Publix seems ok, I've never had weird vibes from the customer side of things. I did apply for a job there once and it was such a clusterfuck I wondered how they ever hired anyone, so maybe mine is just so disorganized that the management doesn't have time to try to micromanage the workers (which surprise surprise makes for a better experience for everyone)
Turns out both the shoppers and the employees were the titular targets all along
Not a new a thing at all, I mean no idea about Target but forcing service workers to smile no matter what
They're acting like this is a new thing.. it isn't really. All these retail stores do this. I worked at a Kmart decades ago and they had the same rules. Most employees don't follow the rules of course, but they've pretty much always had them.
In an effort to make money they cheapen: one our primary vectors of communication.
Where’s the fuckin free speech brigade on this one
Full text
Target Corp. is leaning into "Minnesota Nice."
The Minneapolis-based retailer has a new directive for store employees: If a shopper comes within 10 feet of you, then make sure you smile, make eye contact and greet or wave. If they come closer — within four feet — ask whether they need help or how their day is going, according to new guidance confirmed by Bloomberg News.
The new initiative — dubbed the 10-4 program internally — is among Target's latest efforts to make its stores more welcoming and reverse its extended streak of weak sales ahead of the all-important holiday season. Incoming Chief Executive Officer Michael Fiddelke has said improving the shopping experience is one of his main priorities.
Target has long encouraged staff to engage with shoppers at its stores, but hadn't laid out specific rules. Rival Walmart Inc. is famous for its decades-long 10-foot rule that urges employees to make eye contact and say hello to shoppers when they pass by. Other retailers have their own guidance for greeting customers, a balancing act that requires workers to be inviting without overbearing.
"Heading into the holiday, we're making adjustments and implementing new ways to increase connection during the most important time of the year," Chief Stores Officer Adrienne Costanzo said in a statement to Bloomberg News.
The company has found that key consumer metrics rose when shoppers were greeted or acknowledged.
Business has slowed since the pandemic, when Target's stock hit a record high. Price-conscious shoppers have been growing more selective, prioritizing necessities and deals. Competition remains fierce, especially with Walmart revamping its fashion business, remodeling stores and doubling down on price cuts.
Target, which is set to report quarterly earnings later this month, recently cut 1,800 corporate roles to remove complexities and move faster.
The company's shares are down more than 30% year-to-date, compared to a 14% gain for the S&P 500. The retailer's cheap chic allure has faded and customers have complained on social media about bare shelves and long lines.
In response, Target is working to improve in-stock levels and sprucing up its stores. This holiday season, its workers will also host some in-store demos and events.
"Ah yes, I appreciate the concerns about the 7° list to starboard, but what if we arrange the deck chairs like this?"