Customers' Bill of Rights Addresses Profiling

Accusations of Macy's, Barneys, Bloomingdale's, Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue, and other department stores have led them to post a Customers' Bill of Rights. Created by the retailers, Reverend Al Sharpton, and others, the document begins by defining profiling:

CUSTOMERS' BILL OF RIGHTS

[Store name] prohibits profiling in our stores.

 "Profiling" is defined generally as the practice of judging and addressing people based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, ancestry, appearance, or any personal or physical characteristics.

Profiling is an unacceptable practice and will not be tolerated.

The Bill of Rights continues to define responsibilities of security guards and others involved in loss prevention and is a clear response to lawsuits by customers who say they were treated differently because they're black.

(PDF of the Customers' Bill of Rights.)

Discussion Starters:

• Read the Customers' Bill of Rights. Assess the content, organization, and writing style.
• To what extent does the Bill of Rights address customer complaints? What, if anything, is missing?