Customer wanders off while I am scanning her groceries

[snugglegirl05]

This incident happened yesterday.

An older male and female came to my line with a cart of groceries. The female unloaded some of the groceries. Then she and the male went to look at some stuff at the register behind me. So I waited for one of them to unload the rest of the groceries. The female then wandered off to another register to look at something while the male unloaded the remaining groceries. That was when I began scanning the groceries. He took his time doing this, and so I hit the total button a couple of times to stop the clock from running.

Then the female came back and said "you were only supposed to scan my groceries, which are only about the first 8 items. This is a separate order." So I said "I'm sorry but no-one told me this." So the female then asked me what her total was. Since there is no way for me to see that on the screen, I told her "I do not know." So she said "you can't give me my total? I saw you hit a button while I was at another register." I just repeated myself. She then told me that the guy was supposed to tell me what was hers and what was his. Well, that did not happen.

So she asked me if I could just charge her for what was only hers. She wanted to go through the screen and point out what was hers and what was his and have me void out what was his. That was when I suggested that I just void the entire order and start over. She did not want this to be done. So I called a supervisor over. The supervisor who came over printed out 2 receipts, figured out what she owed, and had her pay what she owed. She apologized for the mess. I told her "it is not good to wander off."

So then I continued scanning the remaining groceries. She paid for half, and he paid for half.

Then she wanted to buy some chips that are on sale with your loyalty card. So I rung up the chips, scanned her loyalty card, and she paid.

During that time her purse fell on the floor. She bent down to pick up her wallet plus what fell out of the purse. She asked the guy who was with her to help her, but he just stood there.

I wanted to tell her that it is annoying when people do stuff like this especially when people complain about the cashier taking too long or customers taking too long at the check out, but I kept my mouth shut.

That entire transaction took longer than needed due to her actions.

My patience was wearing thin.

[notalwaysright]

People think it's okay to wander off while I'm measuring and cutting their fabric. Mostly they don't ask if they can, they just say "oh, I need to match some thread!" or whatever. If they ask if it's okay if they continue to shop while I cut I say "It's better to stay while I measure, that way if there's a flaw or a remnant you can see it." It's really rude to just shove a stack of fabric at me and say "I want two yards of each" and then walk away. People do this pretty frequently.

If they do this and there is a flaw I don't tell them. If there is a remnant, I cut it off and don't ask if they want it. I print the cutting slip and push their fabric to the end of the counter. Then probably 75% of the time, when they come back to the counter they have a few more bolts and want me to cut them. I'm helping someone else by then, and I will not stop in the middle. So they stand there. I don't tell any other cutter to help that person, even if they are available. This really bugs me, can you tell?

[Monterey Jack]

Errgh, nothing pisses me off more than "Wanderers" who go back for "one more thing" and leave my checker hanging for minutes on end while the line backs up. Hey, I've often remembered an item I needed while putting my stuff on the belt, but if that happens, I push my stuff to the side and allow the next person in line to go before I jog back and get what I need (or else I just take it with me).

[eltf177]

I can't STAND this, idiots who are in line and for some reason decide they need more and either wander off to get it or send someone for it. NO, you're already in line so buy what you have. Once you've done that go get your new item and go to the back of the line and wait your turn like everybody else! It's not OUR fault you forgot something!

I know the poor cashier feels the same way but can't do anything about it, but I will say something to management who had better do something or I'll take my business elsewhere...

[Dreamstalker]

I'm not sure what I hate more, people who wander off mid-transaction or don't use the dividers. If it's a big order or the next person pushes their shit too close (and then wanders off to grab something else) there's a possibility of my not seeing where one order ends and the next begins. On the other end of the spectrum are people who leave large gaps between their items so I have to ask "Is this also yours?"...which leads to it really not being clear.

In all of these situations I get complained at...

[Smapti]

I'm not sure what I hate more, people who wander off mid-transaction or don't use the dividers.

The correct answer is "People who start trying to put their stuff on the belt while the person ahead of them still has half a cartful to put up."

[Draco]

The correct answer is "People who start trying to put their stuff on the belt while the person ahead of them still has half a cartful to put up."

This. So much this. And then get annoyed that they have to pull their stuff back. Sorry, it's a moving belt. The person before you isn't done yet. Wait your turn. *twitch*

[BrenDAnn]

This happens more often than I'd like to think about at the C-Store. People, my counter is small and over crowded as it is. Don't pile your shit on it, then realize you need something else, or don't have your money, and walk away. I swear half my voids have been this very thing lately. I start to ring people up, and then, oh! They don't have enough money, or they forgot something, or they suddenly decide to let the rest of the line of people go first for whatever reason. If you're at a checkout counter, make sure you're ready to be there, and stay there while you're being rung up! It's not that hard!

[snugglegirl05]

If you're at a checkout counter, make sure you're ready to be there, and stay there while you're being rung up! It's not that hard!

I feel the same way.

I wanted to tell the female half of this couple, or whatever the 2 of them are, this.

[drjonah]

Jeff Foxworthy used to say when the person in line in front of him would disappear, he would start shopping for them, 'Oh I bet they need a Reader's Digest, a word jumble, some Altoids....etc'

[greek_jester]

The correct answer is "People who start trying to put their stuff on the belt while the person ahead of them still has half a cartful to put up."

The one time this happened to me, I just used my arm to sweep all their stuff back to the end of the conveyor belt. When she complained, I said "There's not enough room for me to finish unloading my stuff. I am not paying for your stuff. Unless you intend to pay for my shopping, I need room to finish unloading mine." She finally got the message the third time I swept her shopping back and put it back in a hand-basket.

[Lace Neil Singer]

What I used to hate as a checkout cashier was people who'd leave their full trolley by the till or dump their full basket on the end, and then wander off. And then get pissy cuz I chose to serve the person who came up while they were gone.

[Pagan]

I'm not sure what I hate more, people who wander off mid-transaction or don't use the dividers.

I'm the bitch that, when I notice the dumbass behind me do this, will forcefully set a divider down between our orders. One jackass (I knew what he was up to by how close he set his shit to mine) got all pissy when I did that with the divider. Started behaving like a 2-year-old that's missed his nap. What he didn't know though is I've been going to that store for about 18 years, the front end staff knows me. The checker saw what happened and asked me if I was OK. Told I was fine, some people just don't know how to handles themselves in public.

[wolfie]

The correct answer is "People who start trying to put their stuff on the belt while the person ahead of them still has half a cartful to put up."

Would be fun if the person behind were somewhat oblivious, and the person in front pretended to be, but picked out the "behind" items and handed them to the cashier with the comment "I don't want this". Of course they don't want it - it's the other person's selection. They cash out, it's the person behind's turn, and half their shopping is gone.

[Nunavut Pants]

I'm the bitch that, when I notice the dumbass behind me do this, will forcefully set a divider down between our orders.

That works best when the dividers are the mostly-solid plastic/rubber ones. Not the hollow lightweight plastic ones. The bit of flex in the rubbery one gives extra speed to the THWACK of the end of the divider hitting the belt, and can make some people jump... Not to mention, it can also start them wondering if the psycho in front of them ( ) might actually use it on them.