Effective April 1, big box retailer Mertzin will search every customer on their way out of its stores – an increase from the current 55 percent.
“At Mertzin every one of our customers is equally important to us,” says CEO Marilyn Nixwell. “By searching all of them we’re showing we’re not singling anybody out because of nationality, religion, or what it says on their t-shirt.”
Each search is conducted by four specially-trained store representatives, who go through the customers’ carts, bags, coats and pants pockets – plus the area immediately under their hats – to look for shoplifted items. Customers also walk through a full body scanner that examines additional parts of each person.
“We have the utmost respect for every person’s privacy,” says security chief Deena Willson, “So there are certain portions of each person we feel that human searchers should not search.”
The company insists the policy change has nothing to do with a 2018 lawsuit by a Denver woman who claimed she was singled out because she’s a robotics engineer. That case was settled last year for an undisclosed sum.
The average search takes about approximately 12 minutes, but Nixwell says the store is committed to moving customers quickly through the lines.
“Even with the additional searches,” she says, “we guarantee that no customer will ever be delayed more than 90 minutes.”
