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Just a random list of things that annoy me to no end when it comes to cashiering at a grocery store.
1. When customers get mad at the cashier for an item being priced ‘incorrectly’.
Really, people. It’s not our fault. We’re not the ones setting the prices, and not even the people stocking the items are. That is something that is set by the company. Plus all the cashier is doing is scanning the item; 9/10 times, even we don’t know what the price is going to be. So please don’t go around getting angry with us when something doesn’t come up right (or what you think is supposed to be right), because most of the time, there’s really nothing we can do about it, and we don’t deserve your bad attitude making our day harder.
2. When people get into a lane that doesn’t have its light on (indicating that they are NOT open).
Why don’t people pay attention? Did it ever occur to the customer to look up and make sure that the lane they are getting into is still open? Just because we’re helping someone at the moment, doesn’t mean that we are still open and customers are welcome to just start setting a large order of stuff onto the conveyor belt. Because most of the time, we’re rather desperate at that point to have a break, get something to eat, or just go home (having already been waiting to leave for quite some time since said break/clocking out time was due).
3. When someone puts far more than the amounted items at an Express Lane.
Once again, PAY ATTENTION! The whole point of an Express Lane is so people can get in and out of the store as quickly as possible. If the number of items is only a few over, that’s okay. But having someone come over and say, drop over $500 dollars worth of stuff onto the belt kind of ruins the flow, and thus no longer makes it an Express Lane for the people behind them. So please, have some consideration for someone other than yourself. Especially when said self absorbed attitude causes the people behind you to glare at us cashiers like we’re the ones that let you be so inconsiderate (even though our bosses tell us to check them out anyway).
4. When people go around pushing all the buttons on the Self-Checkouts and think the machine is breaking because they’ve confused it.
Self-Checkout is my favorite area, to be quite honest. I love just being able to stand to the side and help people figure out how to use the machines when needed. But when the customers go around not paying attention to how things need to go for the experience to run smoothly....it gets pretty bothersome. The machines are designed for items to be scanned and then placed on the bagging area ONE AT AT TIME. When you try to scan something else before putting the previous item down, it messes things up; ESPECIALLY when you press the ‘Don’t Want to Bag’ button and then place said item that you ‘didn’t want to bag’ down in the bagging area, thus causing the machine to get suspicious of the extra weight and ask you to remove the item that you ‘haven’t scanned yet’. One at at time, people, ONE AT A TIME.
5. When customers bring a whole cart full of stuff to the Self-checkouts.
Kind of similar to the whole ‘Express Lane’ thing. To me, self-checkouts are there to make the shopping experience quicker. It takes more than twice as long for someone to bag their own stuff than it would have taken a cashier to bag their stuff while the customer was putting things on the conveyor belt, when it comes to large orders. Plus, when you bring a cart to the self-checkout area, it severely clogs up the space, for EVERYONE. Trying to get around a cart to just get to the next available machine can be a challenge, unless you resort to being rude, which is not something anyone should do.
6. When people hover way too close to another customer while waiting for their turn.
Personal space. Look it up. Whether it’s at a regular lane or at the self-checkouts, give people some room to breath. It will be your turn eventually. Do your fellow human being a favor and just wait a polite distance away. Hovering over them isn’t going to make them leave any faster, and it’s just plain rude to silently imply that they need to hurry up because clearly it’s your turn and they need to get moving.
7. When someone doesn’t move after getting their receipt.
And now for the other side; let’s not loiter, people. Once you get your stuff, it would be quite nice if you at least stepped away if you feel the need to check your receipt. While it doesn’t hurt to check and make sure you weren’t charged twice or anything, it would help if you didn’t stay in a place someone else needs to be in order to complete their purchase. Especially at the self-checkouts! If you don’t want to have your space rudely invaded, than be polite and step out of the way.
So anyway, that’s my rant. Just needed to get it out of my system :)