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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think they should have kept serving me?

309 replies

itsotoy · 10/06/2025 15:24

Went to collect 4 parcels from my local shop. I told her I had 4, she gave me 1 and said “thanks, bye” … I informed it again it was 4. It was taking ages and she claimed she couldn’t find it - but she’d already scanned my code and signed it in the book that it had been collected.

She said “yeah I can’t find it” and then the guy with her told me I would need to wait whilst they served the queue behind me.

Sorry I get there was a queue of 2 people but I was there first and was in the middle of being served and had already been patiently waiting. I don’t think I should have to wait even longer because they couldn’t find my parcel.

OP posts:
Mumofferal3 · 12/06/2025 15:02

itsotoy · 10/06/2025 16:32

It doesn’t mean going into the back, it’s more 3 steps to the side as they are on a shelf under the counter.

And when I went in there was no one there, so apart from being closed I’m not sure how much quieter you can get.

MN really is ridiculous. I’m faffing, I’m messing around, I shouldn’t use the service, I should only use InPost even when it’s not an option, I’m excessively ordering, I shouldn’t collect more than 1 parcel at time, I should predict when the shop is quiet.

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You do realise you came here for opinions?!
And opinions you got!!

Personally, I think you are being mega unreasonable. Had you been patient, you might have had a more pleasant experience.

Needmorelego · 12/06/2025 15:01

@SingleNLovingLife How do you know though that the person next in the queue that's only holding a Mars Bar and a pint of milk isn't also at the same time going to top up their electric/gas/travel cards, cash in 15 lottery scratch cards, buy loads of cigarettes and alcohol which is all behind the counter and has to be asked for and also has a parcel to collect 😂

Viviennemary · 12/06/2025 14:55

It's annoying for you but they did the right thing.

PetiteBlondeDuBoulevardBrune · 12/06/2025 14:53

nomas · 12/06/2025 14:41

They’re small businesses dealing with giants like Hermes and Vinted and eBay. They have zero negotiating power so end up with shitty deals. They want to offer the service but are so poorly remunerated that it’s not worth their time.

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Why do they do it then? If it is not worth it

BuildbyNumbere · 12/06/2025 14:53

WiddlinDiddlin · 10/06/2025 15:56

How is the OP holding up the queue?

She has 4 parcels to collect - she's made that clear - they've provided just one of the four so she's quite sensibly asked for the other items - it's the shop staff that are holding things up!

In what way is the OP 'messing around' ?

Was she supposed to dive behind the counter and find her parcels herself?

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Probably would have been better off looking for them herself tbf 🤣

deeahgwitch · 12/06/2025 14:51

Emmz1510 · 12/06/2025 13:09

So OP, I’m on your side and all, but after 11 pages of chat and plenty of replies from you, we are still none the wiser as to whether you got your parcel!!

She’s probably too busy faffing around to reply. 😀

Though she certainly didn’t faff in the shop.

ExercicenformedeZ · 12/06/2025 14:49

nomas · 12/06/2025 14:41

They’re small businesses dealing with giants like Hermes and Vinted and eBay. They have zero negotiating power so end up with shitty deals. They want to offer the service but are so poorly remunerated that it’s not worth their time.

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Why do they want to offer the service if it is so poorly paid, though? Evri et al may be powerful, but they're not so powerful that they can oblige a newsagent to offer a Click and Collect service.

nomas · 12/06/2025 14:41

PetiteBlondeDuBoulevardBrune · 12/06/2025 13:56

See, I’m often wondering about this! They always seem annoyed by people collecting or dropping off, but why offer the service then??

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They’re small businesses dealing with giants like Hermes and Vinted and eBay. They have zero negotiating power so end up with shitty deals. They want to offer the service but are so poorly remunerated that it’s not worth their time.

SingleNLovingLife · 12/06/2025 14:35

I work in a shop that sends and receives parcels,thankfully my customers think of each other and if they have more than one collection/drop off they tend to let others go first (the paying customers who keep us in business) I would've thought it's common courtesy that if you're gonna be longer than someone with say a drink and a packet of crisps you let them go 1st 🤷‍♀️. FYI : if a customer has a few parcels I usually put them together so there's no searching needed. Maybe the staff in the shop you went to didn't address the issue with politeness.

Welshmonster · 12/06/2025 14:31

Did you get all your parcels?

funinthesun19 · 12/06/2025 14:29

PetiteBlondeDuBoulevardBrune · 12/06/2025 13:56

See, I’m often wondering about this! They always seem annoyed by people collecting or dropping off, but why offer the service then??

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I agree. If they’re going to snarl at customers then they should go without the extra money that they’ll be making and just stop offering a service they resent doing.

Bonbon249 · 12/06/2025 14:17

I thought the rule in retail was 'Deal with the customer in front of you' - they had not fully dealt with you so should have been served properly before they moved on. You weren't faffing around, they were.

PetiteBlondeDuBoulevardBrune · 12/06/2025 13:56

nebulae · 10/06/2025 16:30

If the shop owners are not happy with people collecting parcels they shouldn't offer a parcel collection service! It's not compulsory. Either do it willingly/happily or don't do it at all.

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See, I’m often wondering about this! They always seem annoyed by people collecting or dropping off, but why offer the service then??

BeesAndCrumpets · 12/06/2025 13:44

I get zero faff from you, OP. How ridiculous.

BagelandEggs · 12/06/2025 13:24

It is really annoying! Especially if as far as they were concerned they had given you all your parcels so you couldn't have come back later to claim them.

I send and collect a lot of parcels from corner shops and I am always shunted to one side while they serve other people, take ages to find my parcel in a massive avalanche of parcels which are randomly thrown on the ground, machines not working, can't serve me until the one scanner is free, etc!

I know it's a new set-up but they need to improve their systems! Fed up with standing there like a lemon until every bloke who's just walked in off the street has bought his Mars Bar or taken ages to choose lottery tickets! (Yes, I think it's easier to ask me to wait because I'm a woman!)😅

Emmz1510 · 12/06/2025 13:09

So OP, I’m on your side and all, but after 11 pages of chat and plenty of replies from you, we are still none the wiser as to whether you got your parcel!!

Amyrhaf · 12/06/2025 13:08

Lmnop22 · 10/06/2025 15:45

But if they couldn’t find it, they couldn’t keep serving you so what can they do?!

Look bloody harder asap too 😂

Emmz1510 · 12/06/2025 13:06

EllyRoff · 10/06/2025 15:48

YABU. You are a faffer and faffers should be made to wait until normal customers get served first.

everytime I go to post office I get stuck behind faffers and I wish the staff at ours made them wait like yours did.

Eh? She didn’t do anything wrong! The shop must be chaotic and disorganised to not be able to find her parcel. That’s on them not her.
I hate faffers as much as the next person and as much as you but that’s not what went on here.

WilfredsPies · 12/06/2025 12:01

I’m inclined to think if she was half as secretive with the shop staff as she’s being about whether or not she ever got her sodding parcels, then it’s no wonder they lost patience with her and wanted to serve the queue instead.

deeahgwitch · 12/06/2025 08:57

Daisypod · 11/06/2025 19:27

I can’t believe this has been going on so long and we still don’t know if you got all your parcels op!

I agree.
@itsotoyis ignoring those of us who have asked the question. Hmm

Perhapsanothertime · 12/06/2025 08:46

PixieTales · 10/06/2025 23:11

Oh of course she did, she just wants to share the outrage that she was made to wait for them to serve a couple of actual
paying customers before she got her four parcels.

The nerve of those minimum wage shop workers who couldn't IMMEDIATELY find her multiple parcels and thought it better to serve customers in a queue and then return to her….How dare they!

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The store are paid to perform this service, they’re not doing out of the goodness of their precious little hearts!

Daisypod · 11/06/2025 19:27

I can’t believe this has been going on so long and we still don’t know if you got all your parcels op!

Original poster
itsotoy · 11/06/2025 18:25

Pickingmyselfup · 11/06/2025 15:01

Doesn't matter if she was picking up 100 parcels, if the shop offers parcel collection then a person should be able to collect their parcels at a time that suits them otherwise the shop should make it clear "collections between these hours only"

I've been stuck behind people paying with coins/vouchers and it takes forever to get served but they were there first so they get to take as long as necessary.

I use my local vape shop as a collection point because that's the service they offer and I know that I can collect my parcel at a time that suits me rather than risk it being sent back to the delivery place which could be miles away and open at awkward times.

If a service is offered is should be given and seen right to the end instead of a half arsed mish mash of a job. I wouldn't start taking someone's order at work then decide halfway through to stop and serve someone else because they were spending more money.

Likewise if you know that the shop you are going to offers a parcel collection service you need to realise there is a chance you might get stuck behind someone collecting a zillion parcels and if that's a problem then go elsewhere but it doesn't mean you won't have to wait for a totally different reason.

That’s a good point actually, I’m sure people would be quite offended if they were being served in a cafe and just wanted a tea and they got told to wait as someone had walked in that might be buying a drink and meal.

OP posts:
Original poster
itsotoy · 11/06/2025 18:23

Needmorelego · 11/06/2025 14:10

@cinnamongirl123 I just find it baffling that so many people would be happy to step aside and basically be ignored while the staff serve other people - when the OP was there first and already being served.
I used to work in retail so I have experience from the other side of the counter.
I preferred to focus on the customer I was serving. To me that's the best customer service.
I used to get other customers constantly leaning over the counter saying stuff like "where do you keep the pritt stick?" or "how much are those kettles over there".
I'd say "I can tell you but you need to wait your turn because I am serving THIS customer at the moment".
It was worse if I was on the sales floor...."can I just quickly ask....." as I am literally in the middle of a sentence with a customer already.
No. Wait. Your. Turn.
The OP was halfway through her transaction.
Why should she have to stand aside?

Thank you, I probably wouldn’t have been bothered if there was a queue already and they’d said would you mind if we served these customers first. It was the fact I was half way though and it was them who couldn’t find it.

OP posts:
LetIt · 11/06/2025 15:35

EllyRoff · 10/06/2025 15:48

YABU. You are a faffer and faffers should be made to wait until normal customers get served first.

everytime I go to post office I get stuck behind faffers and I wish the staff at ours made them wait like yours did.

Why is she a faffer? She wasn’t doing anything, it was the staff who couldn’t find her parcels!