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  • The tales and rantings of a cashier

    I'm a cashier at a major retailer. I'm happy to say that the majority of customers are perfectly friendly people. However, once in a while, I run into people that are just plain nasty.

    The first incident was while I was still very new at the job. A woman comes in and wants to pay part with cash and the rest with her card. She asks if she can do that. I told her she could, thinking I knew what I was doing. What I didn't realize was that I had to take her money first, enter that in, and then have her pay the rest with the card OR press couple of butons on the register that would allow me to type in the amount to charge to the card, so that not all of it would be charged to it and she could pay some with cash. This, I didn't know how to do and had never been shown how to do. I realize that it's just charged the whole total to her card. She says, "You know what? WHATEVER." and waves her hand at me, as if to say "screw you". Then she says, "I DID ask beforehand, you know!! Whatever." As she starts to walk away I apologize and she raises her eyebrows, rolls her eyes, and stalks off. Bitch.

    Another time I was ringing up bottles of children's vitamins for an older lady. I pick up one bottle, and realize that it's empty. I think, what the hell, did she remove the vitamins and put them in another container or a baggie or something, or what? I scan it. She looks up and says, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING??!" as though I had just pulled my pants down and squatted on the floor. I hold up the bottle and ask, "What's this?" she looks astonished at my stupidity and says, "An *EMPTY BOTTLE*...!" and raises her arms and her eyebrows as if to say, "Hello, what the fuck is wrong with you?"

    Another time a woman was buying a bunch of groceries and set a packet of photos on the belt. This was when I was very inexperienced and had never had this situation before. I wondered, was there something I was supposed to do with them? Why did she give them to me??" so I scanned them. She proceds to go ballistic. "I TOLD YOU I ALREADY PAID FOR THEM! THREE TIMES!! THREE TIMES I TOLD YOU!!" Needless to say, I was pretty embarrassed and felt like the world's biggest idiot. NOW I know that people set pictures and prescriptions up there because they want me to put them in a bag with the rest of their stuff.

    Recently, a woman paid with a check. The computer prompts me to ask for her ID. I do so, and she starts to dig it out. Then she asks something that I didn't catch. "What was that?" I ask. She then, looking exasperated, leans forward, eyes wide, and repeats in a very rude tone, speaking as though I'm deaf, retarded, or both: "DO YOU NEED THE NUMBERS??!"

    Then there are the people who don't use the bars to seperate orders and expect me to read their goddamn minds and know where their order ends. When I begin to ring up something that belongs to the next customer, they either shriek, "NO, NO, NO!!!" as though if I ring up someone elses bra the register is going to fucking explode or something. It takes an eighth of a second to jab two keys and have it taken off your order. Re-fucking-lax. Then are the people who just say, in rude tone, "No, no, no." as though they're scolding a dog that's pissing on the floor.

    There was one guy that was with his wife and teenage son and was buying a pack of Coke. He says something quietly, and all I catch is "...punch the hole in it."
    Since the hole is not punched through, I assume he wants me to do so. I do, and he says, quite rudely, "No." I look up. "I said DON'T punch the hole through." The son laughs, the father continues to scowl, and they leave.

    The other day a girl in her late teens comes in with her girlfriends. She's buying a lamp. It rings up $39.99. She says that it's supposed to be on sale for $10.00. Okay, I flip on the light that signals I need assistance from the girl supervising the cashiers. She's apparently busy over at the guest service desk and my phone rings. She asks what's up, I explain the situation, and she informs me that they have the wrong lamp, it's a different one that's on sale. Okay, I hang up and tell the girl. She refuses to accept that it's not the lamp on sale. I calmly walk over to the guest service desk and tell the supervisor that the girl isn't going to except no for an answer. She comes over and explains the situation to the girl in person. She has the wrong lamp, the one on sale is very similiar but smaller. She apologizes and leaves to cashier at the next reigister. The girl is STILL not having it. She demands to talk to the manager. She speaks to TWO more people who bring up the lamp that actually IS on sale and again explain that someone must have placed the 39.99 lamp in the place where the $10.00 lamp belongs. She begins to whine and have a fissy, saying, 'That's jut not fair!! How STUPID would one of your employees have to be to put the thing in the wrong spot?!!" Now, I worked on the floor for a while, and it's an easy mistake to make. And it was more likely a customer who put it back in the wrong place. I mean, Christ, we find TV dinners in the soda coolers next to the registers and the occasional gallon of milk placed on a shelf next to the shower curtains. But she just won't accept it, and meanwhile, there's a long line building up behind her while she's throwing a tantrum. The lady in the next lane is trying to purchase the same thing and having the same problem. The girl goes over to the lady and says, "Are you having the same problem as I am? This place sucks!!" and tries to start shit. FINALLY, the girl and her friends leave, shouting loudly at us as they walked out the door.

    Oh, and here's a real gem. There's not just the nasty people, there's the downright rude people that think that the world revolves around them. No we close at 10:00 and we give warnings over the intercom when there's 15 minutes left, then 10, then 5, then "we're closed, bring your stuff to the front lanes if you're stupid enough to have ignored the last one thousand warnings". Well, it's 10:05 when a very well fed woman, her teenage daughters, and one of their infants come leisurely strolling up to the lanes, laughing loudly. They've got a cart overflowing with junk. Luckily, I was already off my lane but the other cashier got stuck with them. They kept going, "Hmmm do I want this one?" while lazily examining items. "Nah." then they'd give it to the cashier. The reshop box was soon overflowing. Then the daughters wanted to pay for their stuff seperate. Then they stood and took forever to dig out a pile of coins. It was 10:20 by the time they were finished. All of us were so pissed off that anyone could be that thoughtless and rude. We should have been GONE by then.

    Speaking of reshop, I'm astounded by the number of people who hand (sometimes SEVERAL) things back to us because they don't want it. Um, they why the hell did you put it in your cart and come up to check out? It doesn't really bother me, but like I said, I worked on the sales floor for a while and it takes a LONG time to put all this shit back. I'm appreciative that they give it to me rather than dump it on a random shelf, but it shouldn't be happening as frequently as it does in the first place.

    And we all know about the people who set their money down so far away that we have to lean way forward to scoop it all up rather than simply handing it to us. Not a big deal, but still. Come on.

    Then there's the control freak, who in between nagging at her husband, instructs us on how she wants every little thing packed.

    And recently, there's been a trend in people who walk around in shorts so small that they're ASS CHEEKS hang out. I mean, really, why not just wear a goddamn thong? Why bother with the shorts at all? And a lot of these women are in their 40's. Yesterday I had a woman who's shirt was so low that you could see practically every bit of her breasts, save for the nipples. No joke. And I've heard the other cashiers mention it too. I mean, just what I want to look at.

    I love busting my butt making mininmum wage while listening to screaming babies, bitching mothers who look like they're about to beat their offspring right in front of everyone, and dealing with people who think the world revolves around their asses, the generally rude, and the just plain NASTY excuses for human beings. Thank you for allowing me the chance to bitch and rant.
    Last edited by Despina83; 08-25-2007, 01:16 AM.

  • #2
    Sounds like Wal-Mart.

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    • #3
      That was my first guess as well . . . given the description of the the various "customers" I've witnessed in my many excursions there.

      Which is also partly why I dread going there now . . .I decided today I'd be better off shopping at MY store instead of battling the crowd of morons.

      BTW, welcome to the boards.
      Human Resources - the adult version of "I'm telling Mom." - Agent Anthony "Tony" DiNozzo (NCIS)

      Comment


      • #4
        The ReShop thing sucks... I love it when people stuff random items in the magazine racks, or leave it at the end of the register where it won't more. They get so embarrassed when I ask them about it. I have even heard people say, it isn't mine when I see them put it their.

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        • #5
          I really think that the time a store is scheduled to close is the time it should actually close. If it hits ten o'clock and there are still people lollygagging around the store - too bad. The registers should all be closed down at exactly ten and anybody who didn't make it up front in time loses out. I realize this would result in a lot of bitching and whining and drama, but really - if people are going to be so ignorant that they ignore the closing time and act like the world should revolve around them, then they should get nothing.

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          • #6
            Quoth Despina83 View Post
            And recently, there's been a trend in people who walk around in shorts so small that they're ASS CHEEKS hang out. I mean, really, why not just wear a goddamn thong? Why bother with the shorts at all? And a lot of these women are in their 40's. Yesterday I had a woman who's shirt was so low that you could see practically every bit of her breasts, save for the nipples. No joke. And I've heard the other cashiers mention it too. I mean, just what I want to look at.
            Not too long ago, I had a woman around my height that easily weighed around two hundred pounds. And she had on a tent-like red shirt that was severely low-cut. But the shirt fit her so badly that I could clearly see the red bra underneath. I didn't mean to stare, but damn. That doesn't even look good on a skinny person let alone a posterchild for trailer trash. Show some freaking class, woman!

            I get ragged on for wearing all black, but I at least have the decency to cover up when I leave the house and wear clothes that flatter my figure and leave something to the imagination.
            A smile is just a grimace that's been edited for public consumption. -- Tony Cochran

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            • #7
              First, let me say, welcome to CS.

              Quoth Despina83 View Post
              Another time I was ringing up bottles of children's vitamins for an older lady. I pick up one bottle, and realize that it's empty. I think, what the hell, did she remove the vitamins and put them in another container or a baggie or something, or what? I scan it. She looks up and says, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING??!" as though I had just pulled my pants down and squatted on the floor. I hold up the bottle and ask, "What's this?" she looks astonished at my stupidity and says, "An *EMPTY BOTTLE*...!" and raises her arms and her eyebrows as if to say, "Hello, what the fuck is wrong with you?"
              Why would you scan an empty bottle? People come in with their empty items all the time to make sure it's the right thing they're getting. Before scanning it you should have asked her if it was a sample or she took them out (which I highly doubt).
              Last edited by Rapscallion; 08-16-2007, 08:03 PM.

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              • #8
                Because I'm a moron, I guess . My nerves have caused quite a few idiotic mistakes in the past. But still, the right response would have been, "Oh, sorry, that's an old bottle that I brought with me." and laugh it off, not act like a total bitch. Even the people behind her lin line were commenting on her behavior.

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                • #9
                  I can understand changing your mind on one or two things (especially if you have a lot of stuff) but to get to the register and hand back several items is just ridiculous. And when I change my mind on something I *gasp* put it back where I got it before I get on line! Even when I'm just trying things on, 9 times out of 10 I'll put it back on the rack rather than leaving it for the employees to put away.
                  I don't go in for ancient wisdom
                  I don't believe just 'cause ideas are tenacious
                  It means that they're worthy - Tim Minchin, "White Wine in the Sun"

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Quoth Neo_Classic View Post
                    First, let me say, welcome to CS.



                    Why would you scan an empty bottle? People come in with their empty items all the time to make sure it's the right thing they're getting. Before scanning it you should have asked her if it was a sample or she took them out (which I highly doubt).
                    Or the customer should put the empty bottle back in her purse away from a cashier's view?

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                    • #11
                      Regarding the SC with the lamp, I'd bet if management had caved, and sold it to her for the $10.00, she would have come back at a later date to return it, and having conveniently "lost" the receipt, and (depending on policy) would have maybe gotten a store credit for the lowest sale price of that actual lamp, and recived more than $10.00 of value back.

                      /run on sentence

                      Mike
                      Meow.........

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                      • #12
                        Yeah, customers are annoying.

                        Sadly, we need them.

                        Imagine if it were different though...like instead of "Thanks for shopping at wal-mart!" the attitude was "I hope you enjoyed the PRIVILEGE of shopping at this fine establishment..."

                        Think the world would be a better place? I mean...most of the assholes are also thieves. Half the reason they try to push your buttons is so you'll get too upset to notice them stealing. Maybe businesses would actually do BETTER if there was no obligation to be nice to customers; they should be LUCKY we let them on the property!

                        Then you'd have happier, more productive workers. And the people who actually have class would still come in to shop, I mean, everyone needs toilet paper!

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                        • #13
                          Quoth DrFaroohk View Post
                          "I hope you enjoyed the PRIVILEGE of shopping at this fine establishment..."
                          I still think, for Wal-Mart, that that should say, "I hope you enjoyed the PRIVILEGE of thieving at this fine establishment..."
                          Jim: Fact: Bears eat beets. Bears. Beets. Battlestar Gallactica.
                          Dwight: Bears don't eat bee... Hey! What are you doing?
                          The Office

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                          • #14
                            Welcome to CS.com
                            Last edited by Bliss; 08-20-2007, 09:55 PM.
                            I pet animals, I rescue insects, I hug trees.

                            "I picture the lead singer of Gwar screaming 'People of Japan, look at my balls! My swinging pendulous balls!!!'" -- Khyras

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                            • #15
                              Quoth MoonChild2007 View Post
                              Or the customer should put the empty bottle back in her purse away from a cashier's view?
                              Or maybe she doesn't have a purse. Or maybe her purse isn't big enough. Or maybe, just maybe, she wanted it in the bag with her purchases.

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