AIBU to think that a cashier shouldn't comment on personal items you're buying?

[catlover1987]

Just home from the weekly shop at Asda. The cashier gave a running commentary on all of my shopping. Oh that looks nice, oh aren't those ready meals handy, oh what is that, I'll need to try that. Mildly annoying but I'm sure she was just trying to be friendly. However, where I think she really crossed the line was when she seen my pregnancy test and said, oh I hope it's a yes! I didn't know what to say!

I bloody hate chatting cashiers who are obviously forced to talk to customers. They have recently started it in Next. Got any plans for the weekend? Going on holiday this year? Just mundane tittle tattle. I don't want to tell you about my plans for the weekend. It's just so bloody forced. A natural conversation such as is it still raining outside fine but don;t ask me to tell you about my personal life

total

Hairdresser Syndrome. It's obviously catching.

I'm a grumpy sod, and hate having to participate in pointless chatter at the check out. Supermarket shopping is not a social occasion for me, I want to get in and out as fast as possible.

Same with my stylist. Have been going to him for ages. He knows I don't like to chat, and he's absolutely cool with that, as he gets a breather and I get a fantastic haircut.

When I started work at a brand new Littlewoods back in the 90's, all the staff were put through a week of customer service training ready for the grand opening. All very exciting for a 17 year old, getting paid for training!

Anyway, one of the things that I've never forgotten was the psychology of shopping they did with us. As soon as someone has selected an item and decided to buy it, even though they have not yet paid for it, they consider it theirs. So when a customer brings, say, a dress up to the counter, you should treat it like it belongs to that person. Don't scrunch it up or stuff it in a bag - fold it up nicely and slide it into the bag intact. Giving opinions on it would also be inappropriate, but complimenting the choice of item is ok.

Why this sort of thing isn't taught still, I don't know. I hate seeing something I'm buying being screwed up and flung into a bag!

I bought a couple of double twin clear blue pregnancy tests (ttc for a long time) and a couple of jumbo packs of nappies and babywipes in Tesco, years ago. The cashier mumbled it was rather a lot when scanning the tests. I said (thinking she was talking about nappies and wipes), they are very good value, I mIght get some more later on. She looked shocked and asked me how many children did I have already.
Some shops (like Marks) tell the cashier to make nice comments to the customer. The cashier probably meant well.

I would kill for a stylist like that!

I don't really mind a bit of genuine chit chat from a cashier as long as it's not too personal as in the OP's post re the pregnancy kit. what is far worse imo is the fake "How are you today?" and "How's your day been so far?" that is trotted out by so many sales staff in shops and especially cal centres. they make me want to say awful things, which I do just in my head.

Caroline Aherne did a series of beautifully observed clips for just this question.

'Nuff said!

haven't RTFT but I love cashiers commenting on what I'm buying.

Poor OP though, that's a bit much.

River, out of curiosity, why? It's not genuine, they're told to do it. They don't necessarily mean what they're saying/care.

This is one of my pet hates, because it has gone beyond the polite 'is it still raining' to quite intrusive comments, as others have said, about your personal taste and shopping habits. I remember there was once a series of adverts (to stop people being shy about buying condoms) that emphasised how cashiers weren't interested in what you were buying--you couldn't run that now!

But I absolutely agree about people not being able to read social signals. I can make it quite clear when I'm happy to pass pleasantries, and when I'd rather be quiet, and I found it really intrusive when (on a quiet day) a cashier persisted in trying to chat and told me to cheer up it might never happen, and what did I have to look forward to, was I having fun tonight when my mum had just died. I wish they'd just pick up the cues and not persist.

YANBU. This happened to us after my 24yr old brother was killed. My dad and I went in to Tesco to buy some nibbles for people returning after the funeral and the cashier kept going on and on about prepping for Xmas early. The more my dad couldn't engage with her the more determined she became. Wish I'd told her to bugger off!

This reminded me of when a few years ago I went to buy some nice underwear from a reasonably upmarket department store. At the till the cashier who was a young guy started commenting favourably on my choice of frilly knickers - I must have looked totally bemused because he sheepishly said they were told to comment nicely on customer purchases but confessed he found it a bit awkward and didn't think customers would like it. I told him he could tell his management I agreed... All the more odd since this was in the lingerie section so everyone would have been purchasing those types of things.

Raqs

Brilliant!

Thanks for this

Chit chat is ok as long as not persistent and is appropriate, although sometimes I'm just not in the mood and avoid eye contact.

But definitely unnecessary I had a cashier stick her nose in my fresh herbs the other week stating, I quote, "awwwwh I just love the smell of fresh herbs! Every time they come through the tills I just have to sniff them!"
I was miffed to say the least. I did wonder if it was some sort of bet or I'm on a candid camera somewhere....

I had a clerk I'd never seen before berate me for being unfriendly (while I was in the grips of a migraine, but forced to buy bread for kids). I asked the nice staff a few days later & they said she was the owner's wife.

Beyond p's and q's, sometimes it's all a bit much & you're not up for chatting.

I don't like the checkbacks in Wetherspoons 'is everything ok?' 'in the sense that it tastes exactly the same as all the other times I've had it'

How terrible. A friendly customer service professional. Whatever next!

RequestInuse was it potted Basil? I love it when they come through my till. I don't shove my nose in it though