I have received quite a few questions and comments lately about Unpleasant Cashiers. So I thought I would take a minute to share my ideas on the subject and a few resources that might be helpful to new “coupon crazies”.
If you use coupons long enough you will have a negative shopping experience.
We’ve all had one where a cashier sighs, rolls her eyes, or is just not nice when you pull out your stack of coupons.
My overall advice? Smile, be kind and patient.
You never know when someone is just having a bad day. Think about all of the good trips you have had and how much money you are saving! Do not get discouraged and give up on couponing or a specific store.
(As a side note, I am sure my attitude is not quite so gracious as I relay the details of my shopping trips to THE HUSBAND. However, while in the store I try be a good example for my boys and extend as much grace as possible that day.)
The cashier is outspokenly rude.
(This happened to me recently. The young lady started off my check out experience by not responding when I said ‘hello‘ while unloading my groceries because she was text messaging someone. When she did look up it was to ask me what was wrong with my whining one year old. It got better when I handed her my coupons. As she scanned them, she told me how annoying it is to her when people come in with a lot of coupons. )
This is where I ask the question, “If I owned this business would I want to know my employees were treating customers this way.”
The answer on that day was YES. If I had more time I would have spoken to a manager. Instead I took my whining one year old home and emailed the corporate office. I listed specific issues with my experience. I have yet to hear back.
The cashier does not understand the store coupon policy and is giving you a hard time.
This was my nightmare as a new coupon user. It would make my palms sweat, and I would get all flustered. What did I do? I familiarized myself with the coupon policies at the stores I shop at most. If you repeatedly have this issue I would print out the policy and take it with you.
To help I have linked the coupon policies I could find. Wal Mart is the only store that makes their policy available on line. I contacted Target, Kroger, Walgreens and CVS to get their coupon policies. So far Target is the only one to respond. I have linked to the email they sent me below. As I recieve more responses I will pass them along. Does anyone else have any advice on handling Unpleasant Cashiers?
[...] that’s an exaggeration, but click over to CouponKatie’s for tips on dealing with unpleasant cashiers who aren’t as excited about your coupons as you [...]
I am a former cashier myself. The best thing I can tell everyone is to be as organized as possible when you give the cashier your coupons. Try to have your coupons ready to hand to the cashier before he/she starts ringing up your groceries. Nothing is more annoying to a cashier than to have rang up a fairly large order to have the customer standing there still digging through their coupons while the line is backing up. If you are organized and ready to go the cashier really has nothing to complain about. And if they do complain depending on the severity of the complaint speak to the manager about it. A good store manager keeps track of complaints and will hopefully help resolve those complaints so they don't happen again.
I would have to disagree with Cyndi- I am a cashier and my job is to be friendly and helpful. I really dont think that alot of cashiers realize just how important customer service can be. When you are behind that register the person you are looking at is your true boss. It doesnt matter how organized the customer is or isn't- it is the cashiers job to be pleasant NO MATTER WHAT. I do believe that customers should try to be pleasant and organized but that is not always going to be the case.
I had a horrid experience at the ray mears target yesterday…I called the mgr who apoligized.
I shop at Kroger (on Kingston Pike across from Home Depot). They are usually very gracious and helpful with my coupons. I have had cashiers get confused with some coupons, but they usually try to figure it out. One time a cashier said “I love it when people have lots of coupons!” I rarely have any problems there. Kroger also has a policy that if the price does not ring up correctly they will refund the entire price to you. Once they forgot to take down a sale sign for some detergent (I thought it was on sale) and I ended up with two big bottles for free after I showed my receipt to customer service.
I just thought you would like to know that grocery stores video tape all transactions. I you have a complaint just show your receipt to the manager and it gives him all the information he would need to check the tape.(The time the register the cashier.)
I do my shopping in Oak Ridge and the Kroger there is GREAT! I have 2 cashiers that are my favorites…I need to remember their names but they are so helpful and have both told me they love watching my totals come down. I always make it a point to get into their lanes, even if it means some waiting. Our CVS and Wags have some nice cashiers and some unfriendly cashiers but over the months, I have noticed even the unfriendly ones becoming better (they see my face pretty much every week and I am a regular so I guess that's why). CVS and Wags in OR have terrific managers though, I have had to speak to them several times about RRs or Qs or ECBs and they are extremely helpful. Now, about Walmart, UGH! Last week, I got a really great cashier and she was totally enthused about my Qs but most roll their eyes or examine them like any money that I save is going to come out of THEIR paychecks! For the most part, I hate Walmart. I have worked at Walmart several times in my life and I would never act the way these people do. I am excited for anyone who can save money. I call Walmart “coupon meanies”. The last specific incident I can remember where rudeness abounded was at Wags a couple weeks ago. I had 3 separate transactions but there wasn't a line when I got to the checkout. The cashier was already rolling her eyes when she heard me say I had 3 transactions and when I concluded the 2nd one, a lady came up behind me. I didn't have that much but I was rolling RRs. I ended up with 1 bagful of merchandise and after I gathered it up and moved to put my buggy up, I caught the cashier rolling her eyes at the lady that was behind me. The cashier was unfriendly thru the whole transaction but I ignored all of this, I was just tickled with my purchases and getting things cheaply. I was also glad she wasn't picking my Qs to death, trying to keep from taking them, she was just unfriendly….I can handle that pretty well. If someone had asked me what was wrong with my whiny 1 year old ( and I have 2 year old who has been known to get whiny in the store) I don't know how my story would have played out….that's so rude! Whether you're a cashier or not, you just don't do things like that. Ugh, please teach your kids manners people!
The Kroger on Middlebrook Pike is AWESOME. I have shopped there for years and I'm so picky about making sure I don't pay too much and properly bagging things that I check myself out at the UScan (even with $200 worth of groceries). Honestly though, I haven't had an item ring up incorrectly in at least a year, and the very few times in the past that it happened, they were very apologetic and accommodating right there at the register. The employees are knowledgeable – of policies, where to find items, etc. I have returned meat that was bad, only to be given my money back AND a replacement package of meat. I recently tried and did not like their store brand “Shout”. It has a guarantee on it, so I took it back, and was cheerfully refunded. At times I've purchased items that were supposed to have an automatic discount at the register ($3 off if you buy $15 worth of Huggies for instance), yet I couldn't see the discount on my screen as I completed the transaction. When I've questioned cashiers in these instances, they indulge me and show me the discount on their screen, without making me feel like a pest. It is nice that their computers are almost never wrong, but it is even nicer that they treat customers WELL.
The Kroger on Middlebrook Pike is AWESOME. I have shopped there for years and I'm so picky about making sure I don't pay too much and properly bagging things that I check myself out at the UScan (even with $200 worth of groceries). Honestly though, I haven't had an item ring up incorrectly in at least a year, and the very few times in the past that it happened, they were very apologetic and accommodating right there at the register. The employees are knowledgeable – of policies, where to find items, etc. I have returned meat that was bad, only to be given my money back AND a replacement package of meat. I recently tried and did not like their store brand “Shout”. It has a guarantee on it, so I took it back, and was cheerfully refunded. At times I've purchased items that were supposed to have an automatic discount at the register ($3 off if you buy $15 worth of Huggies for instance), yet I couldn't see the discount on my screen as I completed the transaction. When I've questioned cashiers in these instances, they indulge me and show me the discount on their screen, without making me feel like a pest. It is nice that their computers are almost never wrong, but it is even nicer that they treat customers WELL.