Seth’s cashier at Target was unprofessional and immature, but that’s not what bothered him about the encounter. The real problem was with his, as Seth puts it, “homophobic insult[s].” Describing a thing that you don’t like by saying “that’s so gay” might be acceptable among your friends, if your friends are teenage boys in 1997, but it’s not how you should talk at work. Especially when your job involves working with the general public, which consists of a fascinating variety of different kinds of people. Including gay people. Like Seth. [More]
cashiers
![J.C. Penney and Home Depot Discover Strange New Concept Called "Customer Service"](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/042010-001-home-depot.jpg?w=300&h=205&crop=1)
J.C. Penney and Home Depot Discover Strange New Concept Called "Customer Service"
Whaaaaa? The Wall Street Journal says J.C. Penney and Home Depot have been investing in better customer service training, because apparently some egghead thinks it might increase sales. Penney started it back over the holiday shopping season, by giving cash bonuses to employees who improved their customer service scores. Home Depot should be rolling out some new improved customer interaction this month, where cashiers will ask if you found everything you needed and will call up the right department on your behalf if you didn’t. [More]
![Customer Catches Cashier Stealing From Company, Wonders What To Do](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/123009-006-cash-register.jpg?w=300&h=173&crop=1)
Customer Catches Cashier Stealing From Company, Wonders What To Do
In a timely coincidence to the New York Times’ story on employee theft, the following story arrived in our tipline about a day ago. The tipster wants to know who he should report this to: the store or the police? [More]
![Pennsylvania Training Its State Liquor Store Employees To Be Nicer](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/031009-003-liquor158.jpg?w=158&h=158&crop=1)
Pennsylvania Training Its State Liquor Store Employees To Be Nicer
If you buy your devil juice from Pennsylvania, you might notice a difference in the way you’re treated starting later this month. Pennsylvania is spending $173,000 to train employees of its state-owned liquor and wine stores to be more polite, reports PhillyBurbs.com: “The board wants to make sure clerks are saying ‘hello,’ ‘thank you’ and ‘come again’ to customers coming in for wine and liquor.”
![Target Employee Incompetence Freezes Nearly $800 Of Customer's Money](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/030909-004-target158.jpg?w=158&h=158&crop=1)
Target Employee Incompetence Freezes Nearly $800 Of Customer's Money
Erica, who writes Philadelphia Weekly’s Style blog, went to Target this past Saturday to purchase some new tank tops. She and her boyfriend filled their cart with a lot of other stuff too—”Ready to stimulate the economy?” she joked to him on their way to the register—and they agreed to split the cost equally. Now when I worked retail, that was an infrequent but not impossible task. When you ask a Target cashier to do that, get ready to have your debit card debited twice for the full amount of the bill, and then told two days later that the voided transactions will take 72 hours to clear.
![Walmart Employee Hates New Trash Cans, Will Throw Yours If You Set It Near Him](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/101708-002-trashcan158.jpg?w=158&h=158&crop=1)
Walmart Employee Hates New Trash Cans, Will Throw Yours If You Set It Near Him
Ricky had a bizarre run-in with “Larry” at his local Walmart, where he was shopping recently with his mother, who needed a new trash can. While Ricky browsed the automotive accessories counter, his mom did mom things in the silk flower department, and she left her new trash can next to Ricky’s leg while she wandered off. It turns out, you do not leave trash cans anywhere in Larry’s line of sight if you know what’s good for you.
![California Tortilla Cashier Screams At Disabled Customer Who Accidentally Spilled Tray](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/spilltray.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
California Tortilla Cashier Screams At Disabled Customer Who Accidentally Spilled Tray
Update: The owner of the California Tortilla left an excellent response, republished inside in full.
![Safeway IDs Everyone In Your Party When You Buy Beer](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/090508-001-securityguard158.jpg?w=158&h=194&crop=1)
Safeway IDs Everyone In Your Party When You Buy Beer
Daniel went to his local Safeway with his brother to buy some beer. Daniel had his ID, but his brother didn’t—but that’s okay, because Daniel was the one buying the beer. The cashier, however, felt otherwise, and wouldn’t complete the transaction without carding both of them. The store manager told him “the policy is, at the discretion of the clerk, to check the ID of every person present.”
![Fred Meyer Says Cheese Is Not A Dairy Product](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/081208-001-cheeseplant158.jpg?w=158&h=142&crop=1)
Fred Meyer Says Cheese Is Not A Dairy Product
Go shopping for cheese at the Ballard Fred Myer in Seattle, and you’ll learn an interesting new fact about your food:
![OfficeMax Calls You A Thief For Trying To Recycle](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/recylclymcenvirothief.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
OfficeMax Calls You A Thief For Trying To Recycle
OfficeMax called Chris a thief for recycling empty printer cartridges. OfficeMax’s MaxPerks program gives customers $3 for each empty cartridge they recycle, with a limit of 5 cartridges per customer per day. Chris runs a computer repair business that leaves him flush with empty cartridges. According to one cashier, this makes Chris a thief.
![CompUSA Refuses To Accept Cash](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/liquidation-station.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
CompUSA Refuses To Accept Cash
A CompUSA cashier summoned her manager and a security guard when Bud tried to pay for his purchases with cash. The promise of 40% discounts drew Bud to the Boisie, Idaho store, but he settled for a 10% discount on an iMac and several accessories.
I start counting out hundred dollar bills and the clerk goes nuts! “Sir, we don’t accept cash for this kind of purchase! You must use a credit card!” she says at the top of her lungs. (I see her also hit a button on the phone at the same time.)
![Friendly Gap Cashier Pockets Lost Wallet](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/at-the-gap.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
Friendly Gap Cashier Pockets Lost Wallet
Alenaya traced her lost wallet to a recently visited Gap and pieced together a disturbing story:
Seemingly, walked away from register and wallet fell out of pocket. Kind customer behind me gives to cashier, who sticks it on the side of the register and does not log or tell manager my wallet fell.
Eagle-Eyed Safeway Cashier Catches Bobbled Coupon
Reader Amy writes in to praise a Safeway cashier that saved her $1. One dollar might not seem like much, but it shows how little is required for someone to go above and beyond. Amy writes:
I went to my local Safeway today and picked up a package of Boboli bread that had a $1 off coupon attached. I made a mental note to remember to remove the sticker and hand it to the checkout clerk, but forgot.
You’re Driving The Grocery Cashier Insane
In the meantime, here’s whats going on inside his head as he watches you fumble to find your Vons club card.
![Taco Bell Cashiers Replaced by Soulless Robots](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/thetaco.jpg?w=210&h=158&crop=1)
Taco Bell Cashiers Replaced by Soulless Robots
As if fast-food weren’t synthetic enough already, here’s an automated Taco-Bell ordering machine snapped in Morisville, NC.