Racially Profiled. Worst experience!
I am very disappointed with Winners St Albert, Alberta branch. On June 25, 2021, I bought some items for our house and paid for it (Receipt ID: 90286038139188033 ; time: 18:53:33). After that, I went to another store in order to purchase something else. I called my husband to pick me up when I finished and he asked me to return to Winners again to buy a large cooking pot.
As I was looking for a pot I was on a video-call with my husband to ensure that I bought the right one, I noticed that a staff member was following me ever since I entered Winners for the second time. I had only been there for 10 minutes. At first, I ignored it telling myself that I was overthinking. Perhaps she was just arranging/cleaning items in the same aisles I was in. However, it dawned on me that I was being held in suspicion for simply shopping when I observed this staff member’s presence no matter where I was in the store. I also noted that she kept looking at me. My understanding of what was going on was only solidified when I heard them asking , “Should I call security now?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing but at this point it was glaringly obvious that they were talking about me.
In my cart, I had 2 bags with items. One from QE Home and one from Winners (which I bought few minutes ago). I told my husband during the time I was being followed that I was feeling quite uncomfortable and insulted. I told him that one of the staff members was following me. He told me to go to another area of the store again and that if she still followed me then I should confront her and ask why she was doing that.
I went to an aisle that was visible to everyone and to the cameras just in case. She was still following me so I confronted her and she said “No, I’m just doing stuff.” Judging from what had been occurring the past 10 minutes, I didn’t believe her. I didn’t believe her because during this confrontation she was quite obviously trying to see what was inside my cart. She then proceeded to continue following me (but even more closely than before) and talking into her radio. I told my husband to come over to the store to help me carry the things that I bought so that we could pay and finally leave. When my husband arrived, the staff member was still following me and I could see she was looking directly at us. At this point ,I was frustrated with her but I told my husband to ignore her and carry the heavy decorative plant I wanted to buy. Since she continued to follow us not-so-discreetly, my husband became angry and confronted her.
He told her that we had just moved to St Albert and just recently bought a house in Jensen Lakes. We decided to move here because we heard that lots of people here were very nice and friendly. We were there at Winners to buy as we had the money to spend. My experience with the Winners staff destroyed the reputation of St Albert.
Furthermore, when we were paying for the items, the manager approached us. We thought she would at least apologize but she just listened and did not say a word. I can’t help but think that perhaps it was the manager who was behind all of these judging by her reaction when we recounted what we just experienced.
By their logic is anyone who enters the store with bags from previous purchases all thieves? Is it because we are brown that we are getting treated this way? Is it because we are Asian?
If I was being suspected of being a thief because of my bags from other purchases, why didn’t they just stop me at the door and ask to see my receipt in order to verify my purchase?
If you really thought I was a thief why did you follow me around the store? Why not just wait at the exit and see if I would leave without paying?
I was quite disappointed that the manager had nothing to say. She could have apologized or if not, she could have at least said that she would investigate. But she didn’t.
I have never felt so discriminated, insulted, and frustrated ever since I moved to Canada.
I hope that this incident does not happen to other customers.