Issues with Coto shopping

[hankscott]

An unusual experience at Coto? Today, after leaving the gym (Megatlon Villa Crespo), I stopped by the Coto supermercado at Av. Corrientes 5748, where I shop often. When I got to the checkout counter, the woman there asked me to open my gym bag so that she could inspect it (I've never experienced that before). And she refused to accept my Banco Ciudad Visa debit card unless I showed her my passport!

I have lived in Buenos Aires since June and had my application for temporary residency approved as of August (although the government still hasn't issued my DNI number). I am used to be asked for an ID card if I am using my US Visa card. I present my New York City drivers license, which has always been accepted at Coto and at Jumbo and other stores in the past. When I asked why I had to present a passport, I was told that is standard practice.

Eventually, after I complained and asked to speak to the store manager, they agreed to accept my US Visa credit card this time. But I was told that in the future, they would not accept payment from me unless I presented a passport.

I rarely carry my passport around with me for fear it might be stolen some day (my iPhone was stolen from the front pocket of my jeans on the sidewalk some weeks ago). I guess I won't be able to make any spontaneous purchases at Coto in the future. And now I'm wondering if Jumbo and other outlets like Carrefour are doing this. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[AdrianB]

They ask in carrefour yes. But you can show a photo on your phone.

 

[julia_en_ruta]

I've also had the passport part of that experience, specifically at Coto, more than once. The one in San Telmo told me a photo of it wasn't sufficient. I've been able to use my US driver's license at Jumbo/Disco/Vea and Carrefour. Haven't had the gym bag thing happen, but it's not surprising.

 

[obiwanderkenobi]

Unfortunately, I've encountered this same issue before as well. My first time was shortly after I first arrived in Buenos Aires, at the Easy located in Portal Palermo. They wanted my passport or they wouldn't process the transaction. In the 20 other countries I've visited it has never been a problem, I've always gotten by with a copy or a pic on my phone. I tried explaining to the Easy cashier and the manager that I don't carry the actual passport for security reasons, and tried showing them a photo on my phone and also my physical U.S. driver's license, but no bueno.

I don't like it, but I've since started carrying my physical passport when shopping here, because it's happened to me many times since. I went to Coto in San Telmo about a week ago and they had to see my passport twice, once to type it in to their computer before they could start scanning items, and again at the end to make sure it matched my credit card.

 

[nikad]

My DH who has been in BA for about 20 yrs now, always had his passport on him and was often asked to show it when paying with cards. He only left it home once he got his DNI. I remember at some places they refused his driver's license as proof of ID. The holiday season is always high fraud time both online and offline so that must be the reason why they were stricter ( my guess )

 

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

There’s a big sign in Easy telling you that they won’t take a foreign card payment without a passport.

 

[elhombresinnombre]

I absolutely believe that some folk are challenged for a real passport when paying in a grocery store and I have just been lucky to have my my laminated copy of mine accepted for years. I'm in CABA but way out at the edge where everybody is familiar with everybody else. Maybe that makes a difference? How are you finding things in Villa Urquiza @Redpossum?

Local people have been presenting their ID documents at grocery store checkouts for years and years: it comes as second nature to do it so as a foreigner I just roll with it. As for checking bags, it happens all the time and if you don't like it you may always check your bag into one of those lockers at the front though you might need an actual one peso coin to operate it.

(Un)helpful hint: if you don't like being ID'd and bagchecked in Buenos Aires, you really, really, really won't like supermarket shopping in Kampala, Uganda!

 

[toongeorges]

When I used to shop in Coto already a long time ago, they would ask me for my passport anytime the bill was higher than a given amount (10000 pesos at the time). I only paid in cash, so I do not know if this is different from paying with a credit card. I always said I didn't have my passport with me and then they said OK and just accepted my payment anyway, no big deal. I think the shop assistants are required to ask for a passport for legal reasons. Some chains enforce it more than others.

 

[darksider415]

This is the reason I carry a passport card. The only time I’ve ever had a problem is at Western Union, but otherwise, nobody has ever batted an eye at it.

 

[elhombresinnombre]

This is the reason I carry a passport card. The only time I’ve ever had a problem is at Western Union, but otherwise, nobody has ever batted an eye at it.

FWIW I have never gone "Oh dear, I don't have my passport: will this laminated copy do?" I simply pull it out of my wallet and present it with my payment. How would any ordinary shop worker not intimately familiar with the government issued identity documents of all 195 countries know this was not some form of government issued ID?