Ways to Annoy your Grocery Clerk

#1 – Express Line

#2 – Hardly Working?

#3 – It’s Sunny Outside

#4 – Paper or Plastic?

#5 – I Really Need to Go

#6 – Beep

#7 – Last Call

#8 – Cell Phones

#9 – All at the Same Time

#10 – Backseat Bagger

#11 – Follow the Prompts

#12 – Last Minute WIC Vouchers

#13 – Loading Groceries into the Cart

#14 – Shopping Carts Left Behind

#15 – No bags

#16 – Slide your Saver Card

#17 – Fast card Slider

#18 – Bluetooth Headsets

#19 – Checkout Dividers

#20 – Gameshow

#21 – Insufficient Funds

#22 – Follow the Light

#23 – Forming Alliances

#24 – Heckler

#25 – Price Match

#26 – Shopping in Line

#27 – Bad Payment Cards

#28 – Writing Checks

#29 – Carding for Alcohol

#30 – PDA at the Checkout

#31 – Fake Money Joke

#32 – Consuming before Checkout

#33 – Buttering Up

#34 – Last Checkstand

#35 – That Sucks

#36 – Just get a Saver Card

#37 – Fine Dining … on Food Stamps

#38 – I Don’t Have Any Change

#39 – Cash Back

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  • lfees

    There should be one titled, “Do you work here?” where you rant about how people ask if you work there, while you’re leaning against the checkstand in the store uniform. That’s always my favorite.

  • http://twitter.com/hairraisinghell Candid Hairdresser

    Pretty much my MOST LOATHED EVER is “do you work here?” I used to work in a pet store in the mall and people would walk in to a store that was COMPLETELY EMPTY except for me and a pile of puppies and running around on the floor and ask me if I worked there.

    I had not problem telling them that the dogs sure as fuck didn’t, and by process of elimination…

  • Tim

    I have one for ways to annoy your produce clerk (or any other visible store employee you see working out on the or nearby the shelves). As a produce clerk I am taught to be vigilant of the people around me when I am out in the department. Obviously it’s expect of us by the companies that we work for. You as a customer look confused or are clearly searching for a particular item, if I see you, I can pick up on that and say “Hi (ma’am or sir), can I help you find anything?” That is a part of basic customer service for retail 101 right? Of course!

    Here is the catch, as vigilant of our surroundings as I can be, if I as a produce clerk am out working on the produce floor, stocking items, checking expiration dates, quality checking for rotten fruits or vegetable, etc. for whatever reason I have my back turned to you, I do not see you, therefore I am not anticipating you asking me a question. That’s pretty obvious too right?

    People still approach me from behind, I am working and do not see them, I just I hear a voice out of the blue, “where are the jalapenos at” or do you have any more (store brand) Caesar salad packs in the back?” It’s usually something like that. Simple questions, but when I am cannot anticipate them, I find these kind of situations to be somewhat annoying for one thing because most of the time the customer is expecting an instant answer, without taking the second to realize I don’t see them. I won’t just try to ignore you I will try to be polite and professional, but something has to give, you expect a quick answer, yet way you go about asking me your question can be frustrating to me. I might actually be THINKING ABOUT WHAT I AM DOING, as opposed to actively thinking about the answer to your question about an item somewhere else within the department or store.

    I suggest that when you approach an employee out on the floor of ANY retail store you are shopping and need their help, slow down one step and detect as to weather or not you have his or her attention first, and don’t forget use a little common politeness and say hello or excuse me when you want his or her help. You CANNOT be in too much of a hurry to do something like that.

    Please give the store employee a chance to acknowledge you and anticipate that you might have a question for them. Try not to be so caught up into yourself that you become unintentionally rude to store employees who are just as human as you. Also remember that there is more to being polite than just saying thank you. Thank you and have a nice day ;)

  • Tim

    P.S. Thanks Paul for creating this little blog. I enjoy it, I also hope you don’t mind that I went ahead and put this up. I just finally found a way to get this off my chest. I continue to expect people to asking me questions without getting my attention first in the department, while I obviously don’t like it, I realize it can come with the territory, I just wanted to make a little statement to people. Again, thank you.