primitives discuss cashier carelessness

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=442x283

Oh my.

Paper Roses  (1000+ posts)      Sun Jun-12-11 03:19 PM
Original message
 
I think today was the last day I shop at CVS.

If I get their flier and find some special item, I may go but today was something else.

I went for several items advertised in the circular. I bought seven items, one not advertised, regular price. Of the seven,four were entered incorrectly on the register. I make it a habit of watching all sales as they ring up. I catch some errors at my grocery store every so often. Today was beyond the pale. Four out of seven wrong. One on the items I did not even bother correcting. The jar of Frito's advertised as a dollar on their sign rung in at $1.25. After correcting the clerk about the toothpaste, the sunscreen and two other items, I gave up. Paid and left, probably never to return.

This reinforces a lesson to all of us to watch the register, no matter where you are shopping. I will now ask the clerks at the grocery not to start ringing in my purchases until I get the cart unloaded.

Today made me angry. It is tough enough without this kind of carelessness on the part of the programmers at CVS.

kcass1954  (1000+ posts)      Sun Jun-12-11 04:08 PM
Response to Original message
 
1. I feel your frustration. I bought fabric at Joann's the other day, a half-yard cut of each of two fabrics. I ran into someone I know at the cutting table, and we were busy yakking instead of paying attention to the woman cutting my fabric. One piece was folded crooked on the bolt; when I straighten out the grain, I lose 3/4" on each end. The other was cut crooked; it's 19" at the selvage and 17" at the fold. I had planned to take it back today to complain, but it's pouring out. Maybe tomorrow after work...

Denninmi  (833 posts)      Mon Jun-13-11 02:41 PM
Response to Original message

2. Carelessness. Well, I think a lot of it is planned carelessness.

Things never seem to ring up UNDER-priced. These companies make a lot of extra profits duping consumers this way. And, they make it a hassle to complain, as well as difficult to police the cashier action.

This is one way perhaps that self-scan is better, at least you can keep an eye on the price that rings up at SOME stores. Its hard with the ones that only take off for sales at the end of the checkout process. And, of course, when there is a problem, you have to wait 10 minutes for the one overstressed clerk to help you.

Aint life grand in the great corporatocracy?

Curmudgeoness  (1000+ posts)      Wed Jun-15-11 03:31 PM
Response to Reply #2
 
4. You make an excellent point. I have never ever been undercharged.

Isn't it funny how that works! They can spew "computer input error" all day long, but they will never convince me. And this is especially true when I buy something the day the sale starts and have to point the price error out to the manager, only to go back later in the week to find it is still not corrected. They know what they are doing, and there are stores that I just will not go into because they are notorious and I don't want to have to work that hard when I shop.

japple  (1000+ posts)      Wed Jun-15-11 09:49 AM
Response to Original message
 
3. I try to avoid going to CVS because there's always a long line of people at the only open register, and most of them are complaining about the same thing in your op. I usually go to RiteAid, although their prices are sometimes higher.

[Freeper]

Yet if the govt overcharges you, you should sit down and shut up. 

[BEG]

kcass1954  (1000+ posts)      Sun Jun-12-11 04:08 PM
Response to Original message
 
1. I feel your frustration. I bought fabric at Joann's the other day, a half-yard cut of each of two fabrics. I ran into someone I know at the cutting table, and we were busy yakking instead of paying attention to the woman cutting my fabric. One piece was folded crooked on the bolt; when I straighten out the grain, I lose 3/4" on each end. The other was cut crooked; it's 19" at the selvage and 17" at the fold. I had planned to take it back today to complain, but it's pouring out. Maybe tomorrow after work...

I always buy at least 1/4 of a yard more than I need "just in case", sometimes more. Also it helps incase you screw up when cutting out what ever you are making.  Usually the people at the cutting table err on the side of giving you more than you pay for. I bet you were an obnoxious jerk and so she screwed you on purpose.

[true_blood]

japple  (1000+ posts)      Wed Jun-15-11 09:49 AM
Response to Original message
3. I try to avoid going to CVS because there's always a long line of people at the only open register, and most of them are complaining about the same thing in your op. I usually go to RiteAid, although their prices are sometimes higher.

Must be nice to be a "rich" primitive, huh? What do your peers, (DUmpkies), think about that?

[diesel driver]

I always buy at least 1/4 of a yard more than I need "just in case", sometimes more. Also it helps incase you screw up when cutting out what ever you are making.  Usually the people at the cutting table err on the side of giving you more than you pay for. I bet you were an obnoxious jerk and so she screwed you on purpose.

I'll bet you are correct!    

Providing you are talking about the fabric when referencing the screwing.   

^5  

[franksolich]

I'll bet you are correct!     

^5 

Sir, if I'm correct, you used to work in retail, or perhaps you still do.

I'll bet you can tell some whales of stories, and wish you would.

[diesel driver]

Sir, if I'm correct, you used to work in retail, or perhaps you still do.

I'll bet you can tell some whales of stories, and wish you would.

I don't work retail anymore, not since 2008, but working overnights was a trip.  Nothing really spectacular happened, I live in a small town of about 8,500, but even then, the "freakshow" usually started around 2 AM.

Women with drunk spouses/boyfriends/whatevers coming thru the line with 4 screaming kids, all of them in pajamas, trying to buy alcohol (can't in Virginia from midnight to 6AM), cussing me out because the register won't allow the sale.

EBT "customers" lining up outside the checkout lanes 15 minutes before midnight on the first of the month.  Having half of them "hold their place" in line while they went back to get beer before 12:00, then it was the other half's turn.

Ringing up the purchases of a Chinese couple, who were buying products and produce for their restaurant across the street.  Ditto for the guy who ran a convenience store in a neighboring town.

Had a customer try to goad me into a political discussion by commenting "Carter was the greatest president this country ever had!"  I didn't bite.  I merely nodded politely and smiled.

Had another customer tell me he was voting for Obama, not "Burns and Allen."  I told him I'd rather have them than "Buffalo Joe and Howdy Doody."  He commented I was the first conservative he had met that could hold his own against him, as well as his temper.  He knew I was a conservative when he showed me the pistol he had concealed under his jacket, and I didn't blink, scream, flinch, or report him to management. 

Had a truck driver come in the store wearing a black turbin.  We referred to him as "Osama Bin Trucking".

Wednesday mornings at around 2 AM, the factory workers at a truck trailer manufacturing plant would come in to cash their paychecks.  At times, I had "borrowed" over $5,000 from the cash office, the most was $7,500 in a 3 hour period.

Was never more than 10 cents over/under with my cash drawer audits.

I'm sure I could come up with some more.

[franksolich]

I'm sure I could come up with some more.

Aha.  Thank you, sir; you didn't disappoint.

Did you ever have a deaf customer, or a customer somewhat similar with the subway cat, or a customer threatening to do you bodily harm because the credit card was declined, or a customer who insisted he gave you a $20 when you knew for a fact he'd given you a $10, or a customer with bad body odor, or a customer who took f-o-r-e-v-e-r to write out a check, or a customer who thought you knew everything about every item in the store, or a customer who chatted on a cellular telephone instead of paying attention to you?

I'm really appalled at the way the general public treats retail clerks.

[USA4ME]

The pricing errors at the register are the obligation of the corporate office at CVS, not the local store.  Granted the cashier should make note when items aren't ringing correctly and, after speaking with the manager, make the appropriate corrects, but it's not their fault and being human they will make mistakes.

What a bunch of crybabies.

.

[GOBUCKS]

The pricing errors at the register are the obligation of the corporate office at CVS, not the local store.  Granted the cashier should make note when items aren't ringing correctly and, after speaking with the manager, make the appropriate corrects, but it's not their fault and being human they will make mistakes.

My guess is that DUmmy Paper Roses was reading from a Walgreen's ad.

I buy Fritos every week. I've never seen them in a jar.

[BattleHymn]

Aha.  Thank you, sir; you didn't disappoint.

Did you ever have a deaf customer, or a customer somewhat similar with the subway cat, or a customer threatening to do you bodily harm because the credit card was declined, or a customer who insisted he gave you a $20 when you knew for a fact he'd given you a $10, or a customer with bad body odor, or a customer who took f-o-r-e-v-e-r to write out a check, or a customer who thought you knew everything about every item in the store, or a customer who chatted on a cellular telephone instead of paying attention to you?

I'm really appalled at the way the general public treats retail clerks.

I showed your post to the wife, and she was able to tick all of the boxes you outlined. 

Of her ten years in retail, she has never once had a customer call her out on something that was underpriced.  She has caught the mistake several times herself, but lets the transaction proceed through anyways.

[franksolich]

I buy Fritos every week. I've never seen them in a jar.

That was a speed-bump for me too, when I was copying-and-pasting, Fritos in a jar.

Then I remembered that all the primitives at this campfire are post-60-year-old females who've been chomping on pharmaceuticals as if popcorn for the past 40 years, and so it was probably a cerebral mis-fire.

I could be wrong, but I'm assuming she meant some sort of sauce or dip in a jar, made to accompany Fritos.

[franksolich]

I showed your post to the wife, and she was able to tick all of the boxes you outlined. 

Of her ten years in retail, she has never once had a customer call her out on something that was underpriced.  She has caught the mistake several times herself, but lets the transaction proceed through anyways.

You know, sir, it's been my observation that women clerks are treated worse than men clerks.....and especially by women customers.

[BattleHymn]

You know, sir, it's been my observation that women clerks are treated worse than men clerks.....and especially by women customers.

The wife says that the worst customers she gets are the women who wear their "Christianity" on their sleeve, and use it as a tool to cut you down. 

[Evil_Conservative]

I'm an avid coupon shopper at CVS.  One less liberal stinking up my stores.  Thank you.

[franksolich]

The wife says that the worst customers she gets are the women who wear their "Christianity" on their sleeve, and use it as a tool to cut you down. 

Yeah.

And there's the older woman customer who wants Hallmark ($3.95 greetings-cards) customer service at Dollar General (fifty-cent greetings-card) prices.

I'd seen this a lot at the Dollar General in the big city, the customer forgetting that in order to offer low prices, one has to have only a bare minimal skeletal staff.

One can have one thing or the other thing; excellent customer service or low prices.

But one can't have both things.  Just one of the two.  Many people don't seem to understand that.

[Evil_Conservative]

or a customer threatening to do you bodily harm because the credit card was declined

This happens at my job all the time.  Credit card denied and the bitching starts.

Me:  I'm sorry.  Your Visa card came back declined.
Customer:  WHAT?  What do you mean declined?  I have money!
Me:  I'm sorry.  Our system says 'declined' and I cannot go any further without another card.
Customer:  This is bullshit.  I'm calling my credit card company right now and you WILL make the authorization go through.
Me:  I am sorry.  We are only allowed to swipe a card once every 24 hours once the card has been declined.  We cannot do manual authorizations.
Customer:  This is <bleep> bullshit.  We are stranded in <bleep> Las Vegas without a car because YOU won't give me one.

I so badly want to say.  No, it's not because I "won't give you a car", it's because you don't pay your bills on time.

[BattleHymn]

This happens at my job all the time.  Credit card denied and the bitching starts.

Me:  I'm sorry.  Your Visa card came back declined.
Customer:  WHAT?  What do you mean declined?  I have money!
Me:  I'm sorry.  Our system says 'declined' and I cannot go any further without another card.
Customer:  This is bullshit.  I'm calling my credit card company right now and you WILL make the authorization go through.
Me:  I am sorry.  We are only allowed to swipe a card once every 24 hours once the card has been declined.  We cannot do manual authorizations.
Customer:  This is <bleep> bullshit.  We are stranded in <bleep> Las Vegas without a car because YOU won't give me one.

I so badly want to say.  No, it's not because I "won't give you a car", it's because you don't pay your bills on time.

99% of all  problems like this can be prevented by telling your credit card company you intend to travel, and use your card. 

[Evil_Conservative]

99% of all  problems like this can be prevented by telling your credit card company you intend to travel, and use your card. 

Very true, but don't bother explaining that to some of these people.  I swear some of the people that come to "vacation" in Las Vegas release bitchiness and letting their inner asshole out.  Not exactly sure why.  You're on vacation, calm the F down. 

And yes, the most attitude I catch is from other women.  The men are 9 times out of 10 very nice and respectful.  It's their bitchy girlfriends/wives who need to take a PMS pill before boarding a plane.

[jtyangel]

Aha.  Thank you, sir; you didn't disappoint.

Did you ever have a deaf customer, or a customer somewhat similar with the subway cat, or a customer threatening to do you bodily harm because the credit card was declined, or a customer who insisted he gave you a $20 when you knew for a fact he'd given you a $10, or a customer with bad body odor, or a customer who took f-o-r-e-v-e-r to write out a check, or a customer who thought you knew everything about every item in the store, or a customer who chatted on a cellular telephone instead of paying attention to you?

I'm really appalled at the way the general public treats retail clerks.

I have stories for you, frank. I did retail in my youth and a little part time when I stayed home with the kids. I shall add to deisel's stories later. 

[jtyangel]

The wife says that the worst customers she gets are the women who wear their "Christianity" on their sleeve, and use it as a tool to cut you down. 

I have a coworker like this. It's funny to see her all holier then thou and then another like her be exasperated because she is disgusted by the fact that the first coworker has a picture of Obama looking eerily like a savior. The first coworker also likes to make assumptions about any pair of people who can communicate and are the opposite sex.  I swear my retirement will involve writing a novel on the cast of characters who walk the halls of the monolith.  My supply of writing material is endless. Like frank's research with DU, it is an anthropological gold mine where I work. 

[LC EFA]

Sir, if I'm correct, you used to work in retail, or perhaps you still do.

I'll bet you can tell some whales of stories, and wish you would.

I used to run the service department (repairs and complaints / refunds / etc) for the local instance of a major nationwide retailer.

The most amusing customers were the ones that came in swearing throwing things around and cursing and offering threats.

The expressions on their face as I flipped em the bird while the cops were dragging them out were well worth the mild rebuke I'd get for it from the Bossman.

[vesta111]

I have a coworker like this. It's funny to see her all holier then thou and then another like her be exasperated because she is disgusted by the fact that the first coworker has a picture of Obama looking eerily like a savior. The first coworker also likes to make assumptions about any pair of people who can communicate and are the opposite sex.  I swear my retirement will involve writing a novel on the cast of characters who walk the halls of the monolith.  My supply of writing material is endless. Like frank's research with DU, it is an anthropological gold mine where I work. 

I personally have never ever had a problem with a miss ring up by a cashier. The one I did pick up was at a supermarket and corrected immediately.   No Problem. Except for the store that had big signs reading that if the cashier made a mistake your entire purchase was free. Store manager told me that policy had ended yesterday.  Strange as the signs were still there 2 week later.      

What really amazed me before the scanning devices came on the scene were the cashiers that worked in the Military commissaries on base.  For some reason our Navy had a contract with the Flipenos government to hire only Flipenos to work the cashier lines.

Unbelievable, people stocking up for husbands deployment for months would come through the lines with 6-7 full baskets of food and house hold supplies, the cashiers would seldom look at the cash register just each item they picked up and typed in the price.   Zip, zip off it went these woman were so fast that in today world a scanner would not be able to go half as fast as they did.

Times have changed with computers and scanners, at times a sale price is not entered into the computer scanner and one must wait for a supervisor to come to the line to correct the problem at Wallmart ET AL. and Supermarkets.------Watch those ring ups, not the clerks fault if the item rings up wrong. Managemet may blame a computer mess up but by now we know this is human error on entering the new price by humans to the computer.

Cloth yardage was once calculated by pen and pencil, had to have a firm grip on math to sell in the yardage department.  Today the sales clerks just run a divice over the yardage that measures the cloth but also gives a price for the item.

The biggest complaint I have with the big stores is the return policy charging customers for a restock  on products that are defected.   We have bought products that appear to be factory sealed only to open them and find stuff inside the box that has no business being there, crayons or Xmas wrapping.   We have bought expensive items  [$50+ ] to find parts missing, no instructions or warrentee all sealed to look like just out of the factory.

So we bring it back and are charged to restock this defected piece to unaware next buyers. How often will this defective item be sold to how many people--8-10 times.    

It is not the Cashier that is careless most times, They have nothing to gain, it is the store manager that is careless and who should be held accountable.





 

[franksolich]

Despite a, uh, significant impairment, I have worked cash-registers before.

When I was manager of the Reunion, a privately-owned student union on the campus of the University of Nebraska, at the beginning of each semester, the photocopying center would get jammed with traffic.

Because I had nothing else in particular to do, and because I was the boss of the boss of the photocopying center, oftentimes I would help out by manning a cash-register.

We used to offer 3-cent photocopies during certain hours.

There was one guy from the college of engineering who always came in to make two photocopies during those hours.  Two.  (The then-regular price was 5 cents, during regular hours.)

He was of south Asian derivation, but never mind.

Anyway, he always paid with a $20 bill.

I thought this was bad manners, very rude, and so finally I did something about it.

One time when he came to pay a six-cent charge with a $20 bill, I told him I would have to get change out of the office (because the cash-register allegedly didn't have it).  I went back to my office with the $20 bill, and traded it for four $5 rolls of dimes.  I broke open the rolls, and returned to the cash-register with two handfuls of dimes.

And then I very carefully counted out 199 dimes, and with four one-cent pieces from the cash-register, gave him his change.

He thereafter paid for his six-cent purchases with.....a dime.

[Karin]

My guess is that DUmmy Paper Roses was reading from a Walgreen's ad.

I think you're right!  This DUmmie is particularly vacuous and bubbleheaded.  She's the one who can't do anything without advice from the DUmp.  Change a lightbulb? Run the vacuum cleaner?  Wash some towels?  Start a thread.