This is a long weekend in Ontario (well, across Canada, actually) and the weather is getting far more spring-like and this is the time when (supposedly) you can plant your garden without worrying that it will get hit with a late frost.
So The Clusterfuck was VERY busy today.
And among the customers were the Unreasonables and the Thicks.
1) THICK: We are offering a "Save the Tax" few days on most purchases of $100+ before taxes (I say "most" because there are some exceptions, such as major appliances).
Now, we MUST show the tax on the receipt. Otherwise we get some polite but pointed questions from Revenue Canada.
So what we do, to "Save the Tax" for the customer, is to discount every item they've purchased to equal the sales taxes (GST/HST but I won't go into a long explanation because I don't understand 'em myself).
Not surprisingly, we've had questions from customers who want to know why the tax is still listed on their receipt. I had one of those today.
I explained the situation to her, as I've just explained it here.
*SCOWL*
She didn't get it.
I explained it again.
*SCOWL*
Still not getting it.
Lather, rinse, repeat numerous times. I even drew little circles on the receipt, showing the sales tax AND the overall discount ... which of course were exactly the same.
*SCOWL*
Finally she snatched up the receipt and stalked out, muttering that she was SURE she was still paying the taxes ...
2) Thicker: Mother and adult son come up. Son is buying two throw pillows. Mother is buying a table (still in the box). Son tells me these are two separate transactions. No problem. Son pays for the throw pillows.
And THEN ...
I go to scan Mom's table and she says "I get save the tax, yes?"
I look at the screen. The table is $90.
Me: "I'm sorry, ma'am, but it has to be $100 before taxes. "
She waves at the cushions. "But with those, it IS $100!"
Me: "But those have already been paid for. I can't add them onto this."
Her son gets it and is also trying to explain it to her.
I tell her the ONLY way she can get the no-tax special is to go to Customer Service, return the cushions, and re-purchase the cushions WITH the table in one transaction.
*SCOWL*
Her: "BUT WITH THE CUSHIONS IT'S $100!! WE ARE A FAMILY! WE ARE BUYING THIS AS A FAMILY!!"
The son AND I continue to try to explain why it doesn't work that way.
Finally she asks what the tax would be. It's less than $12. She opts to buy the table and just pay the tax.
And as she walks away, she says "THE MACHINE SHOULD KNOW WHEN IT'S A FAMILY BUYING THINGS!"
Lady, are you KIDDING? My cat has a brain the size of a walnut and HE is smarter than these computers!
Apparently this is another gap in my training: nobody pointed out the "Family Purchase" button on the keyboard ...
So The Clusterfuck was VERY busy today.
And among the customers were the Unreasonables and the Thicks.
1) THICK: We are offering a "Save the Tax" few days on most purchases of $100+ before taxes (I say "most" because there are some exceptions, such as major appliances).
Now, we MUST show the tax on the receipt. Otherwise we get some polite but pointed questions from Revenue Canada.
So what we do, to "Save the Tax" for the customer, is to discount every item they've purchased to equal the sales taxes (GST/HST but I won't go into a long explanation because I don't understand 'em myself).
Not surprisingly, we've had questions from customers who want to know why the tax is still listed on their receipt. I had one of those today.
I explained the situation to her, as I've just explained it here.
*SCOWL*
She didn't get it.
I explained it again.
*SCOWL*
Still not getting it.
Lather, rinse, repeat numerous times. I even drew little circles on the receipt, showing the sales tax AND the overall discount ... which of course were exactly the same.
*SCOWL*
Finally she snatched up the receipt and stalked out, muttering that she was SURE she was still paying the taxes ...
2) Thicker: Mother and adult son come up. Son is buying two throw pillows. Mother is buying a table (still in the box). Son tells me these are two separate transactions. No problem. Son pays for the throw pillows.
And THEN ...
I go to scan Mom's table and she says "I get save the tax, yes?"
I look at the screen. The table is $90.
Me: "I'm sorry, ma'am, but it has to be $100 before taxes. "
She waves at the cushions. "But with those, it IS $100!"
Me: "But those have already been paid for. I can't add them onto this."
Her son gets it and is also trying to explain it to her.
I tell her the ONLY way she can get the no-tax special is to go to Customer Service, return the cushions, and re-purchase the cushions WITH the table in one transaction.
*SCOWL*
Her: "BUT WITH THE CUSHIONS IT'S $100!! WE ARE A FAMILY! WE ARE BUYING THIS AS A FAMILY!!"
The son AND I continue to try to explain why it doesn't work that way.
Finally she asks what the tax would be. It's less than $12. She opts to buy the table and just pay the tax.
And as she walks away, she says "THE MACHINE SHOULD KNOW WHEN IT'S A FAMILY BUYING THINGS!"
Lady, are you KIDDING? My cat has a brain the size of a walnut and HE is smarter than these computers!
Apparently this is another gap in my training: nobody pointed out the "Family Purchase" button on the keyboard ...
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