Just completed a grocery shop where you only need to purchase 3 items but you need to get into a lane with a bagger. All of the lanes with baggers have the huge shopping carts full of goodies (usually). The Associate, the front end manager I assumed, did everything she could short of yanking me by the arm in order to get me to move to the express lane.

Usually I say I want to check out the magazines but once an associate told me there are magazines in one of the aisles. Well, I said, if I wanted to check out a magazine in one of the aisles, I'd go there. Poor thing, the look on his face, I must have sounded rude.

So I started to just stare, and bend over, to look at the gum or whatever is there on the side of the aisle and that kind of worked.

This time, I just completely ignored the Associate. They must have said, Mam, I can help you over here or some sort of way to get me to move about six times. I just ignored them but then I started laughing inside and all of a sudden I started laughing out loud. So I had to point to the magazine as though 'it' was what was so funny. Luckily, the lady in front of me started laughing also! I may have to put my grocery shops on hold until I get a grip.

How do you avoid the over-zealous Associate?

I usually just say "Oh, thank you, I'm not quite ready." And I hold a magazine like I'm reading it while waiting. If they persist, I smile and repeat "Oh, thank you so much, I'm still not ready, but I do appreciate it." I've never had one continue after being told twice, but if one called to me a third time, I'd pull out my cell phone and say "Oh, thank you, I'll come over when I finish my phone call." And, I'd continue to hold the phone and not get finished with my call until I got to the front of the line.

I've had this happen. I once said that I was waiting on a text message or phone call from my husband so I was trying to kill a little more time before checking out. Another time I said that I told my daughter I would be in lane 6 when she was ready. I do not have a daughter. After I checked out, I pretended to check the time and walk back in the store briefly. I even walked outside and pretended to wave to someone. I am not kidding. I've used the waiting on kid or husband excuse a few times. One time I said that I had a question for my cashier. The cashier looked shocked cause she didn't know me. When she asked my question, I said "I was actually in here the other day and asked about a manufacturers coupon with another stores logo and you told me you'd have to ask a certain person but I cant remember who you said to ask because they were off that day, do you know if they're here today?" She kinda was like.. oh yeah... Umm I guess probably Mark or customer service. Sorry about that. hahaha. I've pulled some odd ones off. On a separate occasion, I said I had a question for my cashier and then proceeded to ask her if she was the lady who checked me out last time who said she was gathering flood donations for a local charity school drive. Just whatever you can pop out of your head to get in your line. I've also just been super friendly and smiled and asked the person in front of me brightly how they were doing today if they looked friendly enough so it appeared we know each other when there's the poor 20 year old cashier next to mine who has absolutely no one and the mawmaw & pawpaw in front of me are getting $200 in meat and eggs.

I have done the imaginary husband/kid thing. But the easiest excuse is waiting for a text reply before checking out. Totally believable.

Does this shop not have the answer about the bagger that says - I entered a lane with a bagger but another associate moved me to a lane without a bagger...the three item grocery store I do has that option and it comes up often where not only the front end person or manager moves me but sometimes the cashier herself in the lane I am in or the one over calls me over.

Liz

Just say, "I have a lot of time to kill right now, and waiting here helps. Thank you, though."

[shrugs shoulders] and says, "No habla ingles" and goes back to reading the National Enquirer (in english)...

Honestly, I don't know if I could pull off a believable reason for wanting to stay in a long line with a straight face. Kudos to those who have found something that works.

When my "Kroger" shop has the Manager take my cart and open another register, I go along with it, and on the report it says, (to the effect), did someone move you...they always accept that. Depends on what job above is talking about, certainly not Kroge'rs. I think Traveliz and I are talking about same job.

Put speakers in your ears and pretend to be absent-minded and listening to music. Maybe combine it with staring at your phone and pretending to text.

Several times they have tried to move me to the self check out, not the express yet. I just tell them nicely that I don't like the self check out. They look kind of confused and usually just walk away.

Aw, you see, I don't think I thought that allowing someone to move me to another line would be ok so I stuck my heals in the ground. I just re-read the instructions and it doesn't say anything about that. Of course, when you're doing the report it asks that. So, now I'm thinking it's ok to be moved to another line.

But then that begs a question of can you be moved to the self check out? The thing is that they aren't usually so pushy about it. I don't think they should be so pushy about it. They should ask, nicely and then leave it be.

But I don't know what they are being told about what they are supposed to do. I had a cashier tell the customer in line after me that the next lane was open. The customer said that's ok, he wanted to stay in that line. She then told him that she's not supposed to have more than two customers in line, and she was one of the front end Managers. So now I feel bad, that they might be eating it because I'm not changing lanes when they ask me to. I mean, that would explain why he was so insistent. And I was perceiving him to be rude.

At shops other than grocery stores it isn't allowed to use self checkout. I shut them down pretty quickly by saying the automated stations take jobs away from real people. Usually they just smile and say thanks.

Gotta be careful acting like you're using your cell. Some guidelines disallow cell phone use, depending on the client.

If a cashier physically pulls my cart out of line, I go with it and report such. Getting into a tug of war with my cart would be unreasonable. If I'm asked to change lanes, I am curt. 'No thanks, I'm fine.' While standing in line, I try not to make eye contact with another associate. I study the sales ad, or my shopping list.

@Keppi wrote:

Put speakers in your ears and pretend to be absent-minded and listening to music. Maybe combine it with staring at your phone and pretending to text.

Ha ha ha! I do this at my FT job. I stare at my computer screen wearing headphones that are highly visible. I'm not listening to anything, but everyone thinks I am, so they leave me alone. Works like a charm.

I have talked to the one of the scheduler's about the being moved to the Self Checkout. She says they can over ride the reports if that happens but I find that one far easier to avoid. I just say no, never liked them and don't want to start now. My husband says no because he doesn't want to take a job from anyone. That said I will move to any other shorter line a manager, front end supervisor, checkout person asks me to move to...that is seriously their job. Heck half the time I get in line that DOES have a bagger, the bagger ends up leaving, moving to another lane, taking back someone's bad whatever and I don't end up with the bagger anyway.

Liz

It does! and I've had that happen-- but if I've already taken notes and picked out my lane, it's frustrating to be moved sometimes. I will often check over my grocery listem ahem notes... and write out details while in line about the front end associates appearance etc. so if I'm a mere 10 items from being rang up, I don't want to move and will politely decline.

So you are 27, and according to other posts actually look younger, yet the associates were not at all concerned you left a toddler wandering around inside and outside the store by herself?

@clinen11 wrote:

Another time I said that I told my daughter I would be in lane 6 when she was ready. I do not have a daughter. After I checked out, I pretended to check the time and walk back in the store briefly. I even walked outside and pretended to wave to someone.

She/He said daughter, not toddler. (content unproductive; removed by Mod)

I think it was just a comment. If someone is 27 and looks younger, that person's child would probably be pretty young. Saying your child was wandering around the store alone, and then leaving without the child, might not be the most believable scenario. Might cause concern and make you memorable.

Of course, looking younger is a perception thing. Has anyone ever posted "I'm 27, or 40, or 60, and I look older." ? Maybe clinen was looking much older that day and the store personnel figured she was ditching a teenager.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/05/2016 05:49PM by roflwofl.

First, I am curious how someone her age could pull this off since it seems an excellent scenario for someone older. Second, at 27 just how old do you think her imaginary daughter would be, 18? (content unproductive and removed by Mod)

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@roflwofl wrote:

If someone is 27 and looks younger, that person's child would probably be pretty young. Saying your child was wandering around the store alone, and then leaving without the child, might not be the most believable scenario. Might cause concern and make you memorable.

Agreed. I think the idea here is to present a believable scenario that will not get you noticed. If I were the employee and a very young person told me their child was in the store and meeting him or her at the cash register and I then saw that person leave the store alone, I would be calling the police.

I am 38 and I have an 18 year old daughter. We get all kinds of responses when people find out she is my daughter and not my sister. As far as the associates know, she really could be 35, have really youthful looks and have a 15 year old kid. I don't put much stock into the belief that you have to LOOK old enough to have older children.
As far the associate continuing to pester after being told no thank you, I would reiterate that I am good where I am, thank you for your time and leave it at that. If he continues, take it one step further and tell him you'd rather not report him to the manager because you told him no three times.

@spicy1 wrote:

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I agree 100%.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/14/2016 03:40AM by Sybil2.

@sbobgal wrote:

Several times they have tried to move me to the self check out, not the express yet. I just tell them nicely that I don't like the self check out. They look kind of confused and usually just walk away.

When they try to invite me to the self-service check out lanes I tell them that they are job thieves, and I won't use them. Those four lanes could be four additional lanes with cashiers and baggers, that is eight jobs that have been eliminated to be replaced by a single courtesy clerk. And as a union member and union steward I can't use them with a good conscience.

@Morledzep wrote:

@sbobgal wrote:

Several times they have tried to move me to the self check out, not the express yet. I just tell them nicely that I don't like the self check out. They look kind of confused and usually just walk away.

When they try to invite me to the self-service check out lanes I tell them that they are job thieves, and I won't use them. Those four lanes could be four additional lanes with cashiers and baggers, that is eight jobs that have been eliminated to be replaced by a single courtesy clerk. And as a union member and union steward I can't use them with a good conscience.

Just make sure you are consistent. If this is the store you use to run in and get a few items you need really quick and it is not a shop, don't use the self-checkout.

@lbw1000 wrote:

Just make sure you are consistent. If this is the store you use to run in and get a few items you need really quick and it is not a shop, don't use the self-checkout.

It's not a lie, that is how I actually feel about the self-service check out lanes and I will NOT use them ever. And I am (or was) a union member and a union steward when I was still working.

@Morledzep wrote:

@lbw1000 wrote:

Just make sure you are consistent. If this is the store you use to run in and get a few items you need really quick and it is not a shop, don't use the self-checkout.

It's not a lie, that is how I actually feel about the self-service check out lanes and I will NOT use them ever. And I am (or was) a union member and a union steward when I was still working.

Good then. Just making sure plus there are a lot of newbies on here (that possibly think no one would remember them) that will read this thread.

@spicy1 wrote:

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(content unproductive and removed by Mod) If I were the new poster, I would not appreciate being used to make an angry personal statement to someone you feel wronged you a long time ago.

I was instinctively acting to protect the new person from having to go through what I went through. It's not that serious to me as you make it sound. And either you're twisting my words or I didn't make myself clear. (content unproductive and removed by Mod)Very, very often new people have much more innovative ideas than the people who've been in the business for such a long time that change is hard. And you can't tell all of the nuances of a scenario in one or two sentences. Not everyone wants to take the time it takes to back up every little thing they say with sheets of data to satisfy a random person who is looking at just a spec of what they said.