Meaning anyone? Came across this on the Burlington Coat Factory web site listing the duties of a store front end manager. Thought it might be retail industry-speak; but Google listed only (5) hits offering little insight.

I'm guessing it means employees swiping freebies and doing mates rates on goods and services.

Perhaps I'm being cynical and paranoid, but to me it conjures images of drug pushers giving free "introductory samples" to vulnerable prospects, in order to hook them. Later on the bags are nickel or dime bags, and cost five or ten dollars.

"He gives the kids free samples,
Because he knows full well
That today's young innocent faces
Will be tomorrow's...clientele!"
-- Tom Lehrer

images of drug pushers giving free "introductory samples" to vulnerable prospects

One of the duties of a Burlington Coat Factory store front end manager.

well, he did say "front"..

I called our local store and found out that their job is to PREVENT freebagging. And freebagging is what someone surmised: giving a friend an article at free or reduced rate.

Great detective work, TEd. Similar to the retail buzz phrase "shrink prevention."

"shrink prevention."

Now that's something I'd vote for - along with "social worker prevention" and "educational theorist" prevention together with several other modern innovations that promote inexperienced but university-trained, highly paid overseers over under-paid and hard worked, experienced practitioners.

I like "mates rates" and so did the store manager I talked with.

"social worker prevention"
Well, thank you SO much. Though I haven't done 100% good all of the time, I think I can safely say that I've helped more than I've harmed. Grr.