KANSAS CITY, Mo. — We Card is a non-profit organization serving those who sell vapes, tobacco and alcohol products. It reminds everyone to card to prevent underage smoking and drinking.
The We Card Program offers three award-winning training courses. These are geared for employees and managers; a refresher course is also offered. The courses include gaming, role-playing and customer-cashier scenarios.
One such threat We Card goes into is called social sourcing. An example would be the following:
A customer comes to the checkout counter to buy a vape pod. The sales associate checks the customer’s ID, finds they are under age 21 and denies the purchase attempt. Then the customer’s older friend, who is of legal age, offers to buy it instead.
We Card lists this as a tricky situation. The customer’s friend is capable of making a legal purchase, but it’s clear that what’s really happening is an adult purchase on behalf of someone underage.
The store associate has to make a judgment call based on their training, experience and understanding of the situation.
In this scenario, We Card recommends denying this adult purchase on behalf of the underage person.