Age Verification
Let’s imagine this scenario. You’re working at a gas station, in the midst of a shift change a huge rush ensues. Your coworker leaves you to fend for yourself, one of your pumps is out of order, cars are starting to line up waiting to get gas, a customer is paying for their items with coins, a kid just spilled an extra-large slushie all over the floor. Your next customer is a guy with facial hair and sunglasses, he sets a case of beer on the counter, you’re just trying to get through the line of customers as fast as possible. You glance behind him and see the massive line continuing to grow, a combination of panic and frustration takes over your judgment, you ring him up without checking his ID. He was tall and had a full-grown mustache and beard, he had to of been at least 21, right?
Fast forward to the next day and your boss calls you in to shows you a picture. The picture is of a social media post, the customer you sold the beer to is in front of your store holding up the six pack with the caption, “this gas station doesn’t check ID’s! Let’s turn up. #freshmanhomecoming”. The post had circulated around enough for it to get attention and as a result, the gas station you work for is hit with a heavy fine and you’re now out of a job. This all could have been avoided if you had just asked for their ID.
Consequences
This scenario is not uncommon. Most people don’t intentionally sell age restricted products to minors, but it does happen. While the act of selling these products is not a federal crime, it is a civil offense. It can also carry consequences far greater than just a slap on the wrist. In some states the first infraction is a $1,000 fine. Most states go by somewhat of a three-strike rule. The third strike is usually revoking the businesses tobacco or liquor license. For smoke shops and liquor stores, losing their license can cause the ultimate demise for the business. This is why age verification is so important for small businesses to be conscious of. Many states also have requirements on how old the employee must be to sell certain items.
Age Verification Solutions
The phenomenon of minors trying to buy age restricted products is not new. For as long as these products have been available, minors have been trying to get their hands on them. While cigarettes aren’t as appealing to our youth as they used to be, e-cigarettes and flavored vapes are booming in popularity. Fake IDs and whatever they’re putting in milk nowadays has made the quick glance age verification much less credible. Well now with clovers age verification app, selling age restricted products has never been easier.
Clover Verification App
With this age verification solution, gone are the days of complication verifying the age of customers or the pressure of accidently illegally selling to minors. Clover Age Verification prompts the employee when an age restricted item is rung up. The customers ID must be scanned to move forward with the transaction. If they do not meet the age requirements, the system will not allow the item to be rung up. If they do meet the age requirements, the transaction moves forward and the receipt will print with the age of the scanned ID and a time stamp. This covers all your bases and meets state legal requirements.
This age verification solution can be useful to other businesses also. In some states, there are other items that also require age verification. Lighters, spray paint and fireworks are common items that sometimes require customers to be a certain age. Businesses like tanning salons and tattoo parlors can benefit from Clover Age Verification as well.
As a small business owner, you are putting a lot of responsibility on your employees to abide by age restriction rules. With Clover Age Verification, the process can be seamless and you will have peace of mind that your business is safe from any infractions.
For more business tools and solutions, head to VMS!