[trebleshot]

If you're not working, you're a potential customer just like everyone else. A perk, by definition, is something that an employee receives in addition to his/her salary or wages. Some employers consider vacation and sick leave "perks" for their employees. So knowing what day and time a particular item arrives and is stocked would be a perk for the staff, if they are interested in purchasing said item.

But to say that employees are not allowed to buy certain items until all the other collectors have had a chance is rather one-sided. That would be treating them like automotons, not people. Sure I think it's a little underhanded for an employee to take a shortpacked or in-demand toy and leave it in the back so he/she can buy it when they clock out. But that is sadly one of the few benefits for retail employee that don't work off commission.

Some stores have policies that state an employee must leave the item on the sales floor until he/she clocks out and then he/she may buy it at that time (if still available). Other policies allow employees to hold items in the back of the store to purchase after their shifts are over.

I've worked in both environments, and I've also been on the customer side of things. Once I had a store employee check in the back for an item for me and he actually told me that they had one left but it was being held for another employee for purchase later that day. Needless to say I was upset, but I also knew that was a perk of the job.

I also think pallet diving should be banned everywhere. No item is that damned important that you couldn't wait for the store to put it on the shelf first. If you want to get whole cases of a product, then buy it directly from the manufacturer or buy it from a store that sells it that way.

My 2 cents.