grocery store customer behavior in SA (Howe, Mart: coupons, crime, credit)

[Hedgehog_Mom]

Some HEB's are worse than others. There's one HEB where you have to be prepared to shove your way through. I've always tried to be careful of others and polite, but a ten minute trip through that store turns into forty five minutes if you try to be polite.

Other places, though, if someone shoves past me or especially pushes my children out of the way, I'll stop them and tell that that the polite thing to do is say, "Excuse me." They're usually mean little older ladies and they can't believe that I'm correcting them.

The scooter thing though...when I broke my leg, I spent six months in a wheelchair. My hubby kept nagging me to use the scooter at the store, even though I preferred the chair I was used to (and I could make that thing fly too ). I tried the scooter once. I am a large woman and everyone stares at you hard to see if you're injured or just lazy. It made me pretty uncomfortable. Nobody stares at you when you're in your own wheelchair, I guess because it's obvious that you've got something wrong with you. I just couldn't deal with everyone looking at my scars (they were pretty gross when the cast first came off) and I gave up on the scooter after that one try.

[Hedgehog_Mom]

Originally Posted by MattTx

I recall one time at Target, someone was in the limited item lane (I don't remember what Target sets their limit at) with her item count exceeding the posted limit. She waited in line and when it was her turn to check out, the cashier refused to complete the transaction. She ended up throwing all of her items back into the cart and storming off to another lane. It was quite funny now that I think about it since this thread reminds me of that incident.

What did not amuse me was that the manager of the checkout lanes came over and spoke to the cashier about "rude customer service" in front of the others waiting in line. I felt bad for the cashier because she was just doing her job.

This is why people ignore those signs I guess. They feel that customer service "entitlement" matters more than that sign.

That's the thing about working retail. If that cashier had not said something to the woman and you had complained to the manager, you can bet that manager would have been telling her something about enforcing the item limits. You're pretty much damned if you do and damned if you don't.

[Azure110]

Originally Posted by Hedgehog_Mom

That's the thing about working retail. If that cashier had not said something to the woman and you had complained to the manager, you can bet that manager would have been telling her something about enforcing the item limits. You're pretty much damned if you do and damned if you don't.

The customer was from another country and I am not saying which one in order to avoid derailing this thread into another topic. Point is, I don't think the customer understood the sign to be honest. I am willing to bet the customer was not used to being told "no" by someone working in a customer service related industry.

[burgrat]

Get ready for Black Friday, it'll be survival of the fittest!

[Hedgehog_Mom]

Originally Posted by MattTx

The customer was from another country and I am not saying which one in order to avoid derailing this thread into another topic. Point is, I don't think the customer understood the sign to be honest. I am willing to bet the customer was not used to being told "no" by someone working in a customer service related industry.

Some of them pretend not to understand. But numbers are the same here as they are there and if you can communicate well enough to complain, then chances are, you do understand the sign.

[britishbird]

I guess I'm over polite because last night at HEB I was constantly moving out of people's way to let them through the aisle and I never even get a look of acknowledgement let alone a 'thank you'.

But then, I grew up in a country where YOU apologise if someone steps on YOUR foot. Silly Brits.

I've got to do more grocery shopping tonight and I am absolutely dreading it.

[SabresFanInSA]

I have found that HEB is the worst for customers. It might be partially HEB's fault because their aisles seem so close together so they get crowded fast. Add to that people with their heads up their butts and it just gets stressful.

One thing I learned a long time ago that some people cant seem to grasp is that if you are standing at a display and dont know what you want, stand back and look. Let people who know what they want, get in there and get what they need. People seem to need to have their noses pressed up to everything to see it.

I could go on and on because people's behavior in grocery stores frustrate me to no end.

[GlorifiedMalcontent]

i have to attest as well that it really depends on which store and at what time. some of the stores are better designed than others. some are in areas that get a lot more traffic. being a night owl, we often go near closing (rather, any time after ten). i've not had a big issue with customers at our HEB, though it is the pallets that tend to make shopping difficult. if there is a jam down an isle, that is usually why. likewise, i just recently visited a different target than we usually go to, and what a difference all around (but i STILL haven't been to a target that didn't have an overflowing garbage can!)

this doesn't happen to me, but the huz after work usually attempts to purchase beer before the cut off, and the most frustrating of customers are the ones who hold up the lines with nonsense that's better left for the customer service desk. i suppose it doesn't matter what you're buying, i guess i would be frustrated regardless if i had to wait fifteen minutes behind someone trying to return toilet paper without a receipt. then again, i think i am uncommonly patient at the grocery store even under the worst conditions. i guess shopping in a mad house is a lot like... i don't know, trying to untangle a gnarl. if you rush and thrash as hard as you can, it'll just make the knot worse. taking your time and being patient tend to get you through it quicker than you expected and with a lot less stress.

[sapphire]

Originally Posted by Hedgehog_Mom

The scooter thing though...when I broke my leg, I spent six months in a wheelchair. My hubby kept nagging me to use the scooter at the store, even though I preferred the chair I was used to (and I could make that thing fly too ). I tried the scooter once. I am a large woman and everyone stares at you hard to see if you're injured or just lazy. It made me pretty uncomfortable. Nobody stares at you when you're in your own wheelchair, I guess because it's obvious that you've got something wrong with you. I just couldn't deal with everyone looking at my scars (they were pretty gross when the cast first came off) and I gave up on the scooter after that one try.

I don't police WHO is using them, just wish they would use them with a little more awareness of others. It's typical nowadays, though.......most people act like no one else is in a hurry or knows what they want already. As long as THEY get their combo loco, well, that's all that matters.

[JuanValdez]

I tried going to the grocery stores during regular business hours, taking an odd timed lunch break, to try and avoid the crowds. After a few attempts, I'm convinced that people are using stores (particularly Wal-Mart) as adult day cares for retarded relatives. You've got people aimlessly wandering the aisles with empty carts and the second you stop to look at something, they'll dash over and have to look at the same thing.

If it didn't happen with such regularity I'd think I was imagining things...