I guess we all learn our little tricks. I was very lucky because I never had problems with them in stores. My rule was: look with your eyes, not with your hands & if you can't do that then your hands had to be in your pockets!
My favorite story about my DD, who just graduated H.S. When she was about 4 we were in the checkout line at Walmart. There was a little girl ahead of us throwing a temper tantrum because her Mom wouldn't buy her candy. She was screaming & kicking & hitting her Mom. My DD whispered to me, "Did we ever act like that?" I asked her what would have happened if she had and she said, "You would have put everything down and taken me out to the car & paddled my butt." (I know, I am an abusive mother in some eyes). But I said, "You knew what would happen, so you didn't act like that." She replied, "Thanks, Mom. I'm so glad!"