Why it’s hard to buy deodorant in Manhattan • Hacker News Board

Re: Why it’s hard to buy deodorant in Manhattan

#421

Post by taolegal » Fri, Nov 25, 2022, 4:35 AM UTC

somberi wrote: post #106

It just so happened my wife and I were in a CVS (a US pharmacy chain) on the Upper East Side of Manhattan (think pooches inside Gucci bags), and I wanted to get a Deodorant. We had to call the staff to unlock small pigeon hole after another just to see what was written on the labels. As always it is not just one thing - the lady that came to help us was in a Hijab and was studying medicine and was helping her parents…

Not sure what you're trying to get across. Am I supposed to think that locked shelves is normal or ok, should we minimize yet another needlessly bizarre and inconvenient impediment in ordinary life? Because of some romantic anecdote about a second-generation model minority?

Re: Why it’s hard to buy deodorant in Manhattan

#422

Post by atyppo » Fri, Nov 25, 2022, 4:35 AM UTC

prepend wrote: post #361

adrr wrote: post #349

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I challenge you to find deodorant for under $10 on Amazon.

The first result on Amazon searching “men’s deodorant” is 4 for $15.66 [0] so less than $4 per stick. These are about $10 in a bodega or cvs in Manhattan. [0] Dove Men+Care Antiperspirant Deodorant With 72-hour sweat and odor protection Extra Fresh Antiperspirant for men formulated with vitamin E and Triple Action Moisturizer | 2.7 Ounce (Pack of 4) https://a.co/d/dR2J1B0

The bodega is also likely selling stolen goods from CVS/Duane Reade/Walgreens.

Re: Why it’s hard to buy deodorant in Manhattan

#423

Post by MichaelCollins » Fri, Nov 25, 2022, 4:37 AM UTC

ryan_lane wrote: post #180

subradios wrote: post #163

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Regulating legitimate business activity out of existence to support progressive prosecutors ideas about shoplifting and street crime is the opposite of a solution.

Knowing your suppliers and that their goods are legitimate is a pretty basic function of a business, and calling people progressive to enforce that is a bit strange. Amazon isn't a pawn shop. They have a lot of choice when it comes to dealing with known businesses.

> Amazon isn't a pawn shop

Right, pawn shops are held to a higher standard. They have a relationship with the local police and are made to keep records. Amazon is a better fence than your average pawn shop.

Re: Why it’s hard to buy deodorant in Manhattan

#424

Post by rootusrootus » Fri, Nov 25, 2022, 4:38 AM UTC

prvit wrote: post #369

rootusrootus wrote: post #366

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Somehow in Europe they have a similar shrinkage rate to the US. https://www.retailresearch.org/crime-comparisons.html

>2019

And? US policy on handling shoplifters has not undergone any meaningful change in just the last couple years; I assume Europe has also largely maintained the status quo.

Re: Why it’s hard to buy deodorant in Manhattan

#425

Post by bobbylarrybobby » Fri, Nov 25, 2022, 4:39 AM UTC

capitalsigma wrote: post #404

dls2016 wrote: post #363

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Most of the comments here are ignoring the difference between regular old shoplifting and the trend driving the increase discussed in the article, which they're referring to as "organized retail crime". I guess, but conversely I'd argue that organized retail theft has been around pretty much as long as supply chains have existed. That's the mob's bread and butter. The phrase "riding shotgun" is in common use. Perha…

Understaffing doesn't justify crime. You probably understaff your home security, leaving it empty all day while you're at work. Do you deserve to be robbed?

When you spread the risk out among thousands of homes near you, a door with a lock may well be a “sufficiently staffed” home. Meanwhile stores may be the only game for several blocks, miles even depending on which part of the country.

Re: Why it’s hard to buy deodorant in Manhattan

#426

Post by HDThoreaun » Fri, Nov 25, 2022, 4:39 AM UTC

SpelingBeeChamp wrote: post #225

blululu wrote: post #170

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nope. In most states (CA for example) it is a felony to sell stolen goods when the amount exceeds a pretty modest threshold. If, as alleged in the parent comment, they are committing a crime on a large scale then the blame is very well placed. *of course this does not exonerate the original thieves, but as a matter of practicality it is going to be easier to hit a single large offender than a myriad of small ones.

I am fairly sure that trafficking in stolen goods is only a crime if the person knew, or if a reasonable person should have known, that the goods were stolen.

And many people at Amazon surely do know that they sell stolen goods but decide to do nothing about it

Re: Why it’s hard to buy deodorant in Manhattan

#427

Post by woodruffw » Fri, Nov 25, 2022, 4:40 AM UTC

prvit wrote: post #311

ryan_lane wrote: post #180

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Knowing your suppliers and that their goods are legitimate is a pretty basic function of a business, and calling people progressive to enforce that is a bit strange. Amazon isn't a pawn shop. They have a lot of choice when it comes to dealing with known businesses.

>Knowing your suppliers and that their goods are legitimate is a pretty basic function of a business No it isn’t. That’s a pretty basic part of living in a country with rule of law. >calling people progressive to enforce that is a bit strange Indeed, it’s strictly regressive.

> No it isn’t. That’s a pretty basic part of living in a country with rule of law.

This is an incorrect framing: the law is that companies must know their suppliers, at least to the extent that they can demonstrate good faith compliance with laws around stolen, counterfeit, smuggled, etc. goods.

Given that Amazon has repeatedly been supplied evidence of fencing on its platform, it would be difficult to accept a defense from ignorance.

Re: Why it’s hard to buy deodorant in Manhattan

#428

Post by yadaeno » Fri, Nov 25, 2022, 4:42 AM UTC

z9znz wrote: post #154

somberi wrote: post #106

It just so happened my wife and I were in a CVS (a US pharmacy chain) on the Upper East Side of Manhattan (think pooches inside Gucci bags), and I wanted to get a Deodorant. We had to call the staff to unlock small pigeon hole after another just to see what was written on the labels. As always it is not just one thing - the lady that came to help us was in a Hijab and was studying medicine and was helping her parents…

Maybe I'm not putting all the pieces together correctly. What is the significance of her wearing a hijab? Why is that worthy of mention, or the fact that the owner family was from Turkey? And also the Thanksgiving eve bit?

Op is explaining why this particular interaction was "worthwhile" enough to justify the inconvenience of pressing the assistance button.

If this had been Gary whose worked at CVS for 17 years and hates his job i'm sure the detail would have been left out.

Re: Why it’s hard to buy deodorant in Manhattan

#429

Post by HDThoreaun » Fri, Nov 25, 2022, 4:42 AM UTC

prvit wrote: post #338

peyton wrote: post #334

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s called receipt of stolen property, and it’s a crime. Doesn’t matter if you’re Amazon.

Without mens rea this is not a crime in (almost?) any jurisdiction, doesn’t matter if you’re Amazon. No matter what kind of weird games you choose to play, there’s no way amazon has a guilty mind here.

Amazon knows very well that people are selling stolen goods on their site. They’ve repeatedly chosen to do nothing.

Re: Why it’s hard to buy deodorant in Manhattan

#430

Post by MichaelCollins » Fri, Nov 25, 2022, 4:43 AM UTC

public_defender wrote: post #365

LawTalkingGuy wrote: post #291

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> the street-level shoplifter will be the target of most policy interventions here, which is the least effective and least humane strategy. Getting a low-level criminal or junkie off the street, alive, is worth a lot. You can then offer them a chance to turn their sentence into rehab or something if they don't need jail. And there's no reason we can't go for the higher ups too, there's (jail)time for everyone!

> Getting a low-level criminal or junkie off the street, alive, is worth a lot. Off the street and on to Riker's Island. A jail so dangerous that it has a high likelihood of being put into federal receivership in the next year. People are safer on the street. Full stop.

> People are safer on the street.

Only if you narrowly define 'people' to mean the tiny minority of people who are thieves, and exclude the overwhelming majority of people who aren't thieves. Thieves are safer on the street but everybody else is safer with thieves off the street. You've got your priorities skewed.