Being down on your luck at the grocery store / other part 2
By SomeCowgirl
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
United States
September 9, 2011 12:30pm CST
Okay to continue what I was saying. Again, sorry that I had to put it into two parts, but I wanted to make sure it was all read and nothing was cut off.
I've not personally been on food stamps myself, but grew up in a family that used them. I know about having to choose food etc though I wasn't ever part of the big choosing. I remember asking if I could have the flintstones pushups, but that's all I really remember.
In any case, I understand the embarrassment they must be going through when they have to put a lot back. This, I am talking more about food stamps, but I still feel that they know they're not going to be able to get it all.. and regardless, they also know we can't give it to them for free, UNLESS, it's something very cheap in value.
Okay here's another thing. Not many people do this but some do. There is a little table that people can put their items on if they've not got a cart. I try to point it out, offer people to set their items down if I'm still helping someone else etc. What I don't like is when people put the items on the scanner. I don't always get a chance to, or think to point out the table. Sometimes though I pull the table out, they put some of their items on it and then the rest instead of handing to me they put on the scanner.
If I'm not careful, I pick it up and it scans again. Some people are smart enough to put it on the scale, and not on the scanner itself.
*PART II QUESTIONS*
Are you one of those people?
What do you think of this part of the discussion?
btw, negative responses will get you a one way ticket to exclamation mark land, where you'll realize you won't earn a cent from my discussion bucko!
1 person likes this
4 responses
@celticeagle (189951)
• Boise, Idaho
10 Sep 11
No, I am not one of those people. I can imagine their embarrassment though. Ya, the scanner could cause problems. People are probably tired and not thinking when they get up to the check out area. They are thinking and are just doing whatever comes to mind to get the transaction over and get home.
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
11 Sep 11
Most of them don't even notice, and I don't comment because it would be rude to do so.
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
12 Sep 11
Yeah it is, and it's not too big of an inconvenience really. The only time it's a real inconvenience, is really when it's a raincheck and it's busy... what I mean is people don't give u the raincheck until we've already ran the item through.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189951)
• Boise, Idaho
11 Sep 11
I think you are thinking of the scanner and so forth cause that is part of your job.
1 person likes this

@writersedge (22563)
• United States
9 Sep 11
We have a conveyor belt in every store (although in some stores they don't run), so we just put the items on the conveyor belt. Maybe a sign saying "items here please" with an arrown pointing down to the table would help. Take care.
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
10 Sep 11
Yes our registers are a little different. Just a shelf for those with a few items or a basket, those with carts just pull the carts up to us and we unload them.
@GardenGerty (169543)
• United States
9 Sep 11
I have seen people prioritize what they are buying, and ask for sub totals before having it all rung up. Sometimes it has happened that people try to buy groceries before their ebt card for food stamps has been loaded for the month. All it takes is a phone call to get a balance. Actually the same is true of bank balances as well. Plan ahead. As far as setting things on the scanner, most people by now should realize that you cannot do that. Grrrr.
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
10 Sep 11
Oh yes I have customers that say "could you give me a total so far" and those are the ones that hand the items to me. That's fine, it doesn't bother me, but if it's too busy then others in line aren't going to be happy. Usually it's never to busy when this happens.
Calling the bank / ebt office is easy to do, yes, but I've never had a customer that didn't have money on their EBT card.. bank, well I guess maybe, but they always had another way to pay.
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
10 Sep 11
Our store has a little shelf or otherwise you just give us your cart. I'm trying to remember the set up for the other store I worked at, and I think it was nearly the same.
We have a spinny table that we put the groceries on and the baggers spin to get the items from.
Luckily, I don't think there's ever a mess at the U-Scans at our store (same as the self ervice).
1 person likes this





