Saturday, January 23, 2010

10 items or less!

10
It is not such a tough concept. We all learned to count to ten in Kindergarten or younger. However, I often encounter those adults who seem to have failed this lesson.

Today in Target, I was buying a bag of dog food, a loaf of bread and a bottle of Pepsi (for Vince!). Since I had 3 items, and that qualifies for the Express lane (10 items or less), I stepped up to the queue.

I was behind two other customers, and there were two behind me. Not a bad line for a Saturday.

The first customer finished up and the customer in front of me stepped up the the cashier. The customer told the cashier "I have a few more than 10 items".

Hmm. I thought about that, and realized that I have had times when I was in the express lane and realized I had 11 or 12 items. I usually made the same comment as this customer in front of me did. And the cashier responded as I have had heard myself: "It is okay".

I did not pay close attention to what was occurring in front of me after that as I was chatting with the customers behind me. Soon, however, I realized that the customer in front of me was STILL TAKING ITEMS OUT OF HER CART. There were two bags of items already checked out by the cashier.

This customer had more than 40 small items in her cart! Small containers of cat food, gift wrap, bows, cards, small toys and toiletries....the list goes on.

As I continued to watch, more stuff came out of the cart.

I had had enough.

I pulled out of the line, and moved my cart to the endcap. I went to find a manager.

I found one right away. I told the manager what was occurring and why it annoyed me. It annoyed me because the cashier should have checked the customer's cart and sent her to a different line. There were other customers in the line who were following the guidelines.

I told the manager I was not shopping in the store today.

I left.

There was not a single item that I really needed to buy at that time in Target. I only went in because I was at Office Max recycling Printer cartridges. This is the second time I have had an issue at the checkout lines in Target.

I purchased my food items here in town at the Piggly Wiggly. I had no line to wait in, and I even had time to chat with my friend in the bakery department. Overall, it was a much more pleasant experience.

I will have to reconsider any future shopping trips to Target.


2 comments:

The Green Cat said...

This is important to do. Too often we are annoyed by something in a store but we continue to allow it to happen without letting the right people know. It was good that you told the manager (as oppose to just voicing your concern to the cashier or others in line). It was also good that you told the manager you would not shop there today. If enough people do as you did, then the manager is forced to take notice. she or he does not want to lose business because of folk breaking policy like that 40-item woman! Brava!

Katie @ makingthishome.com said...

AWESOME! If we as customers do not stand up for what we believe to be right, then what? Very well done on your part.
Katie