It’s more a consequence of place and purpose. If you’re in a place and don’t use it for the usual purpose, then your motives will be questioned. A store is place to get items. Even if there was no exchange of money, but you went into the store and walked out without anything, it would appear odd.
Go brush your teeth at a library, stand on a sidewalk for a long period of time, ride a bike through a mall. All these things don’t cost money but they are still weird.
And for me the feeling is inversely proportional to the time spent there.
I’m looking for something very specific, they don’t have it, I leave. But man, does it seem I just went in real quick to steal something as fast as possible.
It might look like you stole something. And the more you think that as you walk out the door, the more you start to look like you stole something.
Removed by mod
It’s more a consequence of place and purpose. If you’re in a place and don’t use it for the usual purpose, then your motives will be questioned. A store is place to get items. Even if there was no exchange of money, but you went into the store and walked out without anything, it would appear odd.
Go brush your teeth at a library, stand on a sidewalk for a long period of time, ride a bike through a mall. All these things don’t cost money but they are still weird.
And for me the feeling is inversely proportional to the time spent there.
I’m looking for something very specific, they don’t have it, I leave. But man, does it seem I just went in real quick to steal something as fast as possible.
Take comfort in knowing the employees probably aren’t paid enough to care