being down on your luck at the grocery store Part 1
By SomeCowgirl
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
United States
September 9, 2011 12:12pm CST
Are you the type of person who goes to the grocery store and puts a lot of stuff in your cart, being almost certain you won't get it all? Or do you go in, take awhile to choose what you need, at the best price, and that is that?
Do you have food stamps, or are you just barely getting by because of that grocery bill but you don't qualify for food stamps? There are some people who only get about $15.00 for food stamps a month, that's not enough to do hardly anything.
Being a cashier off and on for years, I've seen people who have come through and not been able to pay, who've tried to use all of their resources (debit cards, money etc) and who've had to put a lot back.
Years ago, when I was working at another grocers, I checked out a woman who had if I remember correctly two cart fulls. At the end of the transaction, she didn't have enough to pay. She had food stamps, and a debit card. The store wasn't too expensive, I'm actually working for the high end grocery store (who still has pretty fair prices) now. In any case, it was around Christmastime, and I remember that I had to call someone from Customer Service to deal with it. I forget what exactly happened, I think she left with a few of her groceries, but not a lot of them.
I feel bad for people who can't pay for their groceries. I don't get angry or aggravated like I did years ago, I mean I guess I've just gotten older and realized a job is a job, I could be at home doing nothing, penniless.
In any case, what I don't like is those who come through and KNOW they're going to put something back. If it's one or two things, FINE, but if it's more then five, then I feel like they shouldn't have gotten it off the shelf anyway. I feel like you should make your choice of WHAT exactly you want, before you get to the register. Sure, I understand standing in line and making last minute decisions, I've done them myself... but if you've got say ten items, and you put five back? I'm sorry, please decide before you get to the register. It doesn't take too much longer of our time, sure, but I guess it's just courtesy for everyone.
Big rant, I know. In any case, There's more I want to add so I'll just have to extend the discussion
*PART I QUESTIONS*
Sorry about having to put it into two parts but I want this all to be read
How do you feel about what I wrote here?
Do you understand my POV or that of the customers?
3 people like this
7 responses
@GardenGerty (169479)
• United States
9 Sep 11
I am a very frugal shopper. I never have to put things back, and I always have a stockpile of things at home so that if I am out of money, basically, I do not shop. I have on occasion seen people who will put back one or two things. Since it is a small town, I also realize that some people cannot do the math, I know them, they have absolutely no idea how things add up. I have a little bit of a different perspective, and I have felt sorry for the cashiers. I have worked with adult disabled clients, including some who are supposed to be independent. One of the girls I have in mind was always making her list and then needing to put back things. She also could not accept that you can not buy toiletries with Vision Card which is what our version of food stamps is called. You just could not convince her. She did not want someone in the store with her, but when she would have a list and her case manager would write her a check for those things that she could not get with food stamps, she would overbuy and then change and initial her check, sometimes causing overdrafts. There are a lot of people who need to be educated about their money. I do not lose my cool, I just observe.
3 people like this
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
10 Sep 11
I can understand if a person has difficulties with math, or the concept of money / impulse control. I'm really bad at math myself. I understand this woman, and I can tell she wants her independence regardless of the consequence (overdraft fees etc).
I used to lose my cool, but I don't anymore, it's just like "okay that's fine" but I still feel like in a customer POV that if you have too many items it's time consuming.
2 people like this
@ElicBxn (64169)
• United States
10 Sep 11
At least I hand them to the cashier instead of "hiding" them - the roomie and I have found frozen foods shoved behind things so they are ruined...
Once we found a cart abandoned in a store with frozen foods thawing - can't help but think it was deliberate...
2 people like this
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
10 Sep 11
wow that's just terrible! Even if you're not going to go to the trouble of putting things back, atleast BRING the cart to the front, even if you won't tell them tht you're leaving it.
2 people like this
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
10 Sep 11
I can understand a few things, I've been known to do it myself.. or want to atleast. It's those that put almost a cartful back that gets me. Luckily I don't have to worry about THAT so much at this store.
2 people like this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
9 Sep 11
I would be embarrassed no end if I didn't have enough money to pay for what I put in mt cart. I shop carefully and round prices up in my head. If something costs $1.79, I add it to my mental tally as $2.00. If I don't think I can afford something, I don't put it in the cart.
I do understand your POV, at least I think I do. Besides wasting time ringing things up then having to deal with undoing it, then having a bunch of food to deal with, has to be a real pain.
2 people like this
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
10 Sep 11
It can be, but atleast at my store not many people put a lot back. A few things,sure, but not a lot. A lot of the people who shop at my store will say "I don't want this" BEFORE it's rang up.
1 person likes this
@pergammano (7682)
• Canada
9 Sep 11
I ALWAYS seem to be the next person in line for the cashier when this type of incident happens...and dang, it peeves me, more because of the time constraints! As I live on an Island, and have to take a Ferry to and from shopping--Groceries are always last, summer so they don't cook in the heat, and winter, so they don't freeze (I have a pick-up and the ride is 3 hours!) I want/need to get my groceries, just before Ferry time.
I do not do the word "shopping" justice....I have a list/a stringent list, and buy only what is on that list! I do look for the best price in the staple that I need, and mentally calculate as I add to the cart.
So, I am just the next peeved person in line...LOL! Cheers!1 person likes this
@pergammano (7682)
• Canada
10 Sep 11
DANG...now I am going to have to search for part 2 of your discussion, shoulda answered it yesterday..!
YES...I do have freezer bags, and a great big cooler, as they work in both winter and summer--keeping the cold in .. or OUT! Living on an Island, limited shopping, and a costly trip to town, makes one organized, and fully cognizant of time! It is a pricey Ferry ride (just under a 100.00 dollars) for round trip, and only two a day, to and from. One does it seldom, and has a huge list, that encompasses all the needs for a household..so stops are many! I sound like I am complaining, but it is my choice to live here...which is always reinforced by the peace and serenity, when I return from the "hubbub of the city."
Yup...my biggest peeve, is the "returnee" in front of me...or the "gee, I forgot to get"--and leaves the cashier mid-stream to peruse all the aisles for what they forgot, bringing the whole process to an abrupt..HALT!
The worst thing that ever happened to me, tho...on the last trip to town--the ENTIRE database system for "debit cards" went down...everyone then race to the Bank, and the line-ups were two miles long, and I knew I couldn't get thru the line-up, and get to my Ferry. I had to use MasterCard...which I hate!
BOY...did I long to get away from the metropolis..then! Cheers!1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
10 Sep 11
Oh I can completely understand that. You don't have time to waste. Do you have a freezer bag that you carry with you so that that the cold stuff stays colder longer?
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
10 Sep 11
Oh I didn't think you were complaining about the trip in general, just those trips when you find the lines are long or customers in front of you are holding the line up. $100 for a ferry roundtrip is quite a lot! That's atleast fifeteen items at the grocery store (depending on it cost). The store I work at is high end, but has great deals as well... so that's where I'm getting my estimates from just seeing the totals and the amount of items one gets.
I'm a bit confused, you're database systems for the debit cards don't also work for credit cards? we have a machine they swipe their cards through, they can use it for ebt, debit, food stamps, our stores giftcards as well.
1 person likes this
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
9 Sep 11
I've started writing the prices down and doing the math before I get up to the counter. So it happens less often. I used to estimate in my head, but if someone talked to me or I est. wrong, then I would be stuck.
2 people like this
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
10 Sep 11
I can understand a few things, I doubt you're like those who put nearly their whole cart back. Estimating wrong happens to us all, me especially sometimes. Oh yeah and if I'm shopping and on a tight budget, it's best not to talk to me, lol, I need to concentrate on what I need to get lol.
1 person likes this
@JJ4Ever (4693)
• United States
9 Sep 11
Hey there, SCG. I understand your rant completely. Because you've worked at a grocery store, you have a very interesting perspective on the matter, one I would've never even thought about had it not been for this discussion! If I worked at a grocery store, that would probably be my biggest pet peeve. People don't think about it, but someone has to put all that stuff back! I guarantee it's rare that your customers would volunteer to put everything back that they couldn't buy, but you'll have to fill me in on that...have you ever had an customers put everything back? Anyway, I think it's really strange that people would waste their time shopping and putting things in their cart that they don't intend to and know they cannot buy. It seems really silly to me because all the prices are right there in front of you when you take the product off the shelf! It's not like you have to go to the register to find out what is owed. If anyone is like me, they're either adding it up in their head as they go, writing it down, or putting it in their phone. (I use an app on my phone to add everything up for me now; it's really helpful!) I'm a planner, too, so if I know I don't have money, I don't go grocery shopping until I do have money or I'll buy the necessities I know I can afford. It would be such a waste of time for me to go grocery shopping for the fun of it. On top of that, there is refrigerated goods and frozen goods. Hopefully nothing goes bad when these types of people shop! You'll have to tell me about that too. People also need to remember that there are coupons, and since a lot of them have food stamps (I'm not familiar with them) don't they know exactly how much money they have to shop? The only time I'll go into a store and grab things I know all of which I'll probably not buy is a clothing store. I go to my favorite store (New York & Company) and grab all the stuff I like in my size. If I want to try it on, then I do. If not, then by the end of my shopping trip I know what I'm going to buy and what will go back. I normally put the items I'm not going to get either on the rack by the dressing room or back where they belong. Now off to Part 2...lol! Have a nice weekend!!
2 people like this
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
10 Sep 11
I don't think I've ever had a customer put something back unless it was something they grabbed off the shelves around the register. If it's a perishable item, we call someone from customer service over and they go and take it back. I think when i worked at another grocery store, we as the cashiers would call the department itself and have someone come and get it to take it back. Now though we have the customer service person take it back.
On the bottom of a receipt for food stamps is the balance that they have left on their food stamps, and so yes they know how much they have on them, of course before they use the food stamps they know how much they have as it's already preset for them each month, and any changes they'd have been notified. I don't really have nearly as many problems with those using EBT (food stamps).
When it comes to clothes I completely understand that. I am not much of a clothes shopper myself, and don't like to try them on, but I understand taking so many and they have those racks there for that reason.
2 people like this
@JJ4Ever (4693)
• United States
12 Sep 11
Thanks for your comment and clearing up the questions I had in my response. 
Having the balance right on the food stamps is helpful, and I'm sure that's why you have the least issues with those people. That's really sad that the customers take up employees' time (mostly Customer Service) putting the items away when they could've saved the store the trouble by planning ahead of time. I'm actually not surprised with the economy the way it is that a lot of people can't afford everything in their cart. The most surprising thing to me is how irresponsible people can be when they know they cannot afford the items. Do they think it's magic, that if they put the items in their cart that they'll automatically be able to afford them? Sometimes you wonder...lol. Regardless, great discussion and an interesting topic to participate in for sure! 
Having the balance right on the food stamps is helpful, and I'm sure that's why you have the least issues with those people. That's really sad that the customers take up employees' time (mostly Customer Service) putting the items away when they could've saved the store the trouble by planning ahead of time. I'm actually not surprised with the economy the way it is that a lot of people can't afford everything in their cart. The most surprising thing to me is how irresponsible people can be when they know they cannot afford the items. Do they think it's magic, that if they put the items in their cart that they'll automatically be able to afford them? Sometimes you wonder...lol. Regardless, great discussion and an interesting topic to participate in for sure! 1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
13 Sep 11
Well it really doesn't happen to a big degree at our store because it's more expensive items anyway... but I am glad that you enjoyed the discussion.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189880)
• Boise, Idaho
10 Sep 11
My daughter, grandson and I were only get about $50 a month in food stamps. We let the contract lasp. I figure the less we have connected to the government the better. That amount did help alittle at the end of the month when we were in need of milk and so forth but we can do without it. We go to the store once a month after I get my SSI and get groceries. Then if we need something through out the month we go and get. Luckily we live close to a grocery store. There is that saying that the customer is always right. Are people too lazy to put stuff back. I never put stuff in the cart unless I am sure I am going to get it. I have seen baskets with stuff in it up at check out and I have wondered what happened.
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
11 Sep 11
Well at my grocery store it's not nearly as bad as I maybe have made it seem. Yeah if there was a basket at or around checkout that was full of stuff with no one around it, it's either a put back buggy or someone who is going to get their wallet, keys, etc.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189880)
• Boise, Idaho
11 Sep 11
I think you have been making the store sound worse than it is. lol And the buggies by the side sort of make me nervous.
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
12 Sep 11
Yes, I mean it's really a great place to work. Not nearly as bad as I make it seem. Why do the buggies make you nervous?
1 person likes this
