Attention Retailers, Our Cover Is Blown

[bars.of.a.rhyme]

So this woman came up to the counter with her DVDs in one hand and her wallet in the other. Not thinking, she tries to hand me her wallet, and then realizes her mistake. "Oh, you don't want that," she says. Then she thinks about it for a second and says (under her breath) "Well, I guess actually most of you people would."

Yeah, we don't get paid enough, but that doesn't mean that we're going to steal our customers' money.

OR ARE WE? (DUN DUN DUN!)

Our secret identities as career criminals have been blown, so I guess we need to decide which industry to infiltrate next.

[JustaCashier]

Yeah, we don't get paid enough, but that doesn't mean that we're going to steal our customers' money.
OR ARE WE? (DUN DUN DUN!)

Yes, yes we are.

And now I must confess, and apologize to all of my Cashier Brotheren and Sisteren that I failed at such only yesterday. I had a Senior Gentleman whose total was $12.something, and he intended to give me $13.00 in two fives and three ones. However, there was an extra five in the mix, and I handed it back to him! How could I be such a fool?!?

Now seriously, this happens, I'm sure to all of us occasionally, and even though I pretty much live paycheck to paycheck, I'm not gonna cuff an extra bill a customer accidentally gives me, (or is it an honesty test? ). It's just plain wrong, plus, even if I were to entertain such thoughts, it's not worth losing my job over.

Of course, there are those out there that would steal from a customer, and they should be dealt with, but that's no excuse for a customer to make unsubstantiated assumptions/accusations.

[chainedbarista]

exactly; i've been handed more than what was needed as well-i just hand back the extra.

i haven't been accused of trying to steal money before, but some old hag did indirectly accuse me of trying to steal her gift cards...wtf?

i WORK here; i could figure a way to get things that are far better than a paltry ten dollar gift card, but she was insistent, then lied about what really happened.

[stickycoins]

This happens to me all the time.....customer gives me too much money, I always give it back, even if it's only a dollar. Most of them are amazed that I do. Does that say anything about the caliber of my customers? I know quite a few that if positions were reversed they would keep it.

[Becks]

Sometimes when I'm shopping after my shift, I'm exhausted, and sometimes I hand the cashier too much. They always return it, and I chuckle and say, "Silly me...it's too early to be awake and counting money." They forgive me.

When I was a cashier, if someone accidentally handed me too much money, I'd hand it back and say, "I'm sorry, but I'm not allowed to accept tips."

[Seanette]

I routinely try to hand library staff my debit card when checking out books (they're right next to each other in my wallet). Fortunately, the librarians at the branch I use most are used to me by now and laugh about it along with me.

I once tried to run my library card through the payment thingie at a drugstore, which the cashier found hilarious (so did I, actually).

[Mighty Girl]

How on earth did you restrain yourself?

I would have said, "Yup, I'd grab it in a heartbeat, too bad you took it back already" with a vicious sneer.

[blas]

I think one time a customer did it to me as a "test". Now, why people would want to just "test" employees, unless they are Mystery Shoppers, is beyond me (and even Mystery Shoppers annoy me, but that's a different thread for a different day).

Anyway, I authorized a gas pump and this guy pumped like $40 in gas. He scurried inside and threw 2 20s and a 5 onto the counter, and proceeded to try and scurry out just as fast as he scurried in.

I yelled really loud, "SIR, you gave me too much money!"

He comes back, takes his 5, and says, "Thank you for being such a good, honest person!" in a genuinely nice tone of voice......then scurries back into his vehicle and speeds off.

He may have been in a hurry...maybe not. I still for some reason think he was testing me. Oh well, I passed

[theredbaron47]

It has never been a big deal for me. Customer gives me one bill too many, or a coin too many, I hand it back, they thank me or make a comment jokingly, all is well once again. What people can be, people who test the cashier.

[CanadaGirl]

Kind of off topic here, but I actually had a customer once who handed me a big wad of money to pay for this groceries and I had to count the total out from his money and give him back the rest. I think he couldn't read or count or something. At least, that's what I think he mumbled.

[Kiwi]

ok ok I admit it, I picked up a quater that a person dropped in the mall today

he dropped an entire pocket of changed and picked up everything but missed the quater that was under his foot.....

im a theif

I waited until he left the mall though, from my stall you can see the exit!!

[bars.of.a.rhyme]

How on earth did you restrain yourself?

My own personal brand of "retail therapy."

One of my best friends works in the drug store at the same strip mall (I actually met her back when she worked at Hollywood) and we call each other when we have particularly heinous SCs.

She also tips me off to interesting goings on about the shopping center, such as when she got the middle school kids who keep taking our games arrested for trying to steal a pack of cigars.

Long story short, I have an effective support group of retail-oriented friends that keep me sane...or at least as sane as I was when I started working in retail.

[Kyosanshugi]

Kind of off topic here, but I actually had a customer once who handed me a big wad of money to pay for this groceries and I had to count the total out from his money and give him back the rest. I think he couldn't read or count or something. At least, that's what I think he mumbled.

I get that all the time from older people. They just hold out a handful of change and tell me to take what I need. Doesn't bother me though, usually they just don't have their glasses on or still haven't gotten the hang of the Mark - Euro switch.