I hate shopping!

[Diane CBPFC]

Why is it that when people take items from a store without paying it's called shopplifting or theft - but when the store overcharges you - it is YOUR fault for not saying before payment. THen you are left with the option of lining up for half an hour in the customer service (and it would be helpful, I was told, if I ran and got the sales sign from the garden center at other end of the store to save the cutomer service people from having to go look) queue or living with it. Steal your money or your time - your choice.

Grrrr! 

[Bilthehut]

But when they mistakenly charge you less, do you correct them?

[Diane CBPFC]

Funny how that never happens. 

I did once come home with an item that I was not charged at all for and next time in the city went to pay for it. The buggers wanted to charge me full price as the sale was then over!   

[Malc]

Diane, you can be TOO honest, you know.
My pet peeve is those people who blatantly stand in the 15 Items Or Less queue when they obviously have a trolley overflowing with goods - no-one from the store ever calls them on it.
I was in a hurry once and only had two muesli bars to pay for. I got involved in one of those embarrassing foot races where two people eye up the same checkout and increase their stride to get ahead of each other, whilst trying to appear nonchalant. My competitor had a trolley overflowing with groceries, and got in first. The checkout operator, whilst clearly seeing that I only had two piddly items, nevertheless processed the other customer.

Another peeve is the chatty customer who often knows the checkout operator personally, and who carries on the conversation well after they have been served, oblivious to the fact that there are people behind them who want to get their goods put through and get on with their lives. The checkout operator is often embarrassed by this too, but doesn't have the professional, or people skills to cap the conversation.

[Diane CBPFC]

You disappoint me Malc – I would have bet money you would have beat an old lady pushing a full trolley of groceries to the till if you had put in a little effort.
And next time a person is chatting to the check out person you could try being charming yourself – “Excuse me, but I must be checked out before my milk expires” – if you say “excuse me” first you can get away with a lot.

I wrote a letter asking for my $9 back today. Don't feel so  now - more 

Dear Sir/Madam,

I was in your store yesterday, was overcharged but did not have the time, nor did I have the inclination, to wait in the long customer service queue for a refund as I was told by your staff that I would need to do. I was also informed it would be helpful to the staff at customer service if I went to the garden centre to collect the sale sign which I thought inappropriate.

Apparently it was my own fault for not complaining before payment was made...but in my defense I paid by gift card so the payment went through before I had time to query the total.

The tomato plants were on sale for $3.99 which was the only reason I bought them but I was charged $7.99 each.  A copy of my receipt is enclosed.

Please send a refund to the above address.

Yours sincerely,

[Malc]

Succinctly put. As an ex store manager myself, I would immediately refund and even send a small gift on behalf of the store, but does anyone bother with that these days?

[Diane CBPFC]

Well thanks Malc - if my letter is ignored by the store, I will take your imaginary small gift and be happy with that. 

[Tarquin Thunderthighs lll]

Loving this righteous indignation.

Loathe the ".99" thing. Surely nobody is either fooled or gives a toss about it any more? It's an insult to our collective intelligence, and MUST be eradicated, if only on the grounds of the waste of ink and energy expended by checkout personnel. I'm sure a global campaign would attract the support of at least 89.99% of people.

[Mince]

I'm sure a global campaign would attract the support of at least 89.99% of people.

The .99 is meant to give the impression that the item costs less than it actually does. Why would you wish to give the impression that fewer people would support the campaign than actually would? Nope. Makes no sense to me at all. Utter fail, if you ask me.

[Tarquin Thunderthighs lll]

I totally agree. It would indeed be an utter fail to ask you. That's why I didn't.

[Diane CBPFC]

I too saw what Mince is saying - you could have said 90.01% Tarqs to plump up the number - .99 is for trimming it down. You would make a terrible tomato sales cheater.

[Roger Kettle]

Didn't Marks & Spencer stop that .99 stuff a few years back?

[Diane CBPFC]

Yes, they said it saved them 2p in ink.

[Fyodor]

Another peeve is the chatty customer who often knows the checkout operator personally, and who carries on the conversation well after they have been served, oblivious to the fact that there are people behind them who want to get their goods put through and get on with their lives.too, but doesn't have the professional, or people skills to cap the conversation.

Guilty as charged on all counts.

[Malc]

what, you're the chatty customer or the checkout operator?