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There is nothing more welcoming that going to your local WalMart for basic necessities like toothpaste, toothbrushes, or deodorant. Only to find those items behind a pane of plexiglass that requires an employee with a key to assist you with.
Of course every employee in that area, if you are lucky enough to find one, does not work in that area of the store. Or he or she works there but does not remember where the key is or who was the last person they gave it too. Not a great customer experience.
Not unique to Walmart. I went to a Target in a pretty nice area of New York and band aids were behind the plexiglass barrier. Band aids! Even the store branded ones were behind it. Fortunately for me I was there on a day when they were experiencing high call outs.
I do not consider myself a difficult customer. I prefer to help myself at every moment possible. I certainly do not expect a retailer to embrace and cater to my view of the world or social norms. My only ask is simple. Provide the goods and services your organization promises to in a convenient and consistent manner.
The store experiences has deteriorated greatly in some areas that it is hard to sympathize with workers who complain that patronage is down or ask why they have not seen what used to be regulars in awhile. Retailers are not earning their business the right way.
The obvious follow up question is why not just use Amazon for these purchases. They even allow you to subscribe for common items like toiletries and other household staples. But these are probably purchases you make exclusively on the day it ran out. And you do like to support local at times.
Retailers have to balance issues with security risks associated with certain environments they operate in and the needs of the consumers. The problem is that the experience may be driving away customers away to make petty criminals just window shoppers.
Should a retailer pull out of markets that have high crime rates or would the criminal element just venture out to them? That is a difficult decision, as you do want to provide access, but the people you are trying to help are creating problems that place a barrier between you and them.
We cannot pretend that criminals exists or sympathize with bad behaviors. High crime areas are bad for our society and our economy. Harms too many good people and opportunities that communities needs. We cannot ignore facts and reality.
If communities want people to view them as viable for commercial activity, then they need to make these spaces safe and crime free. You will push out people who create economic growth in favor of people who seek the benefits of the growth others create in one form or another.