To expect to be able to make a purchase at closing time.

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I was in Laura Ashley today just before closing looking to buy a picture, The assistant showed me the display item which was still marked up at full price and then went over to the tills to check the sale price for me.

Yes I'd like to buy it I replied - only to be told that sorry you can't do that today as the tills are closed now. I checked my phone, bang on 6pm, closing time. I queried this as I have never come across this before. I have been in plenty of shops that advise customers to go to the tills at closing time, but none who refuse to make a sale on the dot of closing.

I said as much to the assistant who looked apologetic and consulted senior assistant. The tills close themselves down at 6pm she advised me. if you want to buy it you'll have to come back in the morning. Don't worry the sale is on until Monday.

Is it unreasonable to expect to complete a purchase when I am already in the shop at closing time?

Faithinthesound it was earlier in the thread about shopworkers not wanting Customers to come into the stores on Sundays and bank holidays

So, if the tills shut down at 6:00pm on the dot, how can the assistant possibly complete the transaction? The tills have shut down - no further transactions can take place. It wasn't an attitude the assistant was adopting. The assistant asked for further advice from his/her superior and was told 'No - we can't do it' The tills (presumably computer-linked) had shut down. Closing time for the shop was 6:00pm, tills automatically closed at 6:00pm. If customer wants an item, he/she should arrive with time to allow, within a reasonable time of store closure. NOT just before closing time, then asking questions, then moaning about not being able to buy item.

Ceto - does it occur to you that this shop was open only until 6. This was after the assistant's work hours. Assistant was ready to finish work. If a shop wanted to be open 'to 6 after work' then they would choose to do so

You've never worked retail, have you? If the shop closes at 6 that doesn't mean everyone stops what they are doing and walks out of the door, job done. Who tidies up, cleans, cashes up etc? That's all done after closing.

Why would people shop where you work Evans - for your delightful customer service attitude ???

I don't work in a shop - I'm just a delightful customer

I think it was me that said that, and I didn't actually say customers shouldn't shop on bank holidays. I said, they should stop rubbing it in with the "what a pity you have to be here" because yes Barbara but the reason I have to be here is because YOU are here.

So a shop worker has a mode of public transport to catch, in order to pick up a child, possibly, or care for an elderly or less-abled member of family.

Yes...like every other employed person, then.

The rest of us can't slam the phone down on a client, or tell a student to sod off, or kick someone out of our office, on the dot of finishing time. Why would retail workers be any different?

Erm, to clarify - which is fine, I have no issue working on bank holidays.

It's just like, these people are so sorrowful and pitying that I'm being "forced" to render a service... but yet they're happy enough to partake of said service, so perhaps save the faux-concern, was my point there.

YABVVVU and entitled.

There are fewer things more annoying that a customer rocking up at closing time expecting to be able to stay as long as they want.

Store assistants have a life too you know.

Not RTFT but I have also worked in retail and retail employees should know that businesses lose business one customer at a time.

If the system is such that the tills close on the dot at 6pm (something I would query with Head Office, incidentally, as what if staff were midway through a transaction?) then the assistant should have made OP aware of this when clearly she was interested in buying something just before 6pm.

Retail is a service industry. Good service means sometimes going the extra mile. We all remember a time when staff have gone over and above the call of duty and we have been grateful for it. Some retail staff have such a sense of entitlement it makes me mad. Ultimately customers pay your wages. That doesn't mean staff should stand for anything like abuse obviously but a customer who is wishing to buy something sjpukd be accommodated as much as possible.

Did you know that when a customer has received good service they are likely to tell 2 people whereas when they have received bad service they are likely to tell 8 people?

In the works of online shopping, shop staff should value shop customers even more.

Or they might find there's monbricjs and mortar shops and customers to serve at 6pm, or otherwise.

You've never worked retail, have you? If the shop closes at 6 that doesn't mean everyone stops what they are doing and walks out of the door, job done. Who tidies up, cleans, cashes up etc? That's all done after closing

But still, last minute, inconsiderate customers who expect to make their purchases on closing delay the shutting down and clearing up process. When I was a student working in a supermarket (not on the retail, serving, side) the staff used to dread the last minute shoppers as they knew it would mean leaving late.

*theres no bricks and mortar shops

*ortensia - grumble as much as you like behind the scenes and in private. To the customers, you should be nothing less than as helpful and accommodating as possible. People sense when someone is treating them as a nuisance and they won't be back in a hurry or feel any loyalty to the business to shop there in the future.

Ultimately customers pay your wages.

Which isn't the same as paying us to be mindless whipping boys for anyone who feels like they want to treat us some kind of way, waste our time, devalue our work, ignore our fatigue, etc.

And in my experience, that line is generally the refuge of the customer who wants to "put me in my place" (what place? I'm a retail worker, not an animal!), not anyone who behaves pleasantly and treats me well.

If you don't want to be treated like a nuisance, don't make a nuisance of yourself by lingering after closing time and expecting the staff to be thrilled about it.

"Accommodating" doesn't mean what a lot of customers seem to think it means.

Koala - now you're being silly. Absolutely no-one said 'Sod off' or slam a phone down or kick the person out of the -office- shop. The assistant said, after seeking advice from a superior, "Sorry - the tills have shut down, so the transaction cannot be completed, as it's after closing time"

DP and I are self-employed, working from home. So no, we don't do any of the above. However, it is extremely frustrating to receive telephone calls at midnight on a Friday, or 7:30am on a Sunday to ask trivial questions. We answer very politely (sometimes through gritted teeth, it has to be said). However, that aside, OP freely admits she arrived close to closing time, and then still expected to be served with her picture frame. Yet the tills had SHUT DOWN so she couldn't be served. Store opening times are freely displayed, OP was being an entitled person.

As I said also further back, the frequent scenarios my DD has to endure. Which leaves her locking up a building very late at night, in the dark and on her own. After the self-entitled twats have left, long after closing time.

ortensia - grumble as much as you like behind the scenes and in private. To the customers, you should be nothing less than as helpful and accommodating as possible.

I believe they were outwardly helpful and accommodating. Doesn't make the people still in the store and expecting to make purchases when the place is closed any less inconsiderate and entitled.

What a load of whiny ass fussing about nothing. It takes 30 seconds to ring through a single item. Nobody cares. The staff don't care. It's nothing, a non issue.

Faith - there's a huge (understatement) difference between being a whipping boy and being helpful for a few extra minutes. I already said staff should not itv oit up with abuse but if someone wants to complete a purchase just at the dot of closing time then it makes very good sense to sell it to them (or warn them you can't, apologetically, in advance).

*not put up

Evans- you should tread very carefully with your attitude to customers being self employed business or you could be looking at bank statements through gritted teeth.

I've had this in the Coop but buying alcohol, friendly assistant said it had to go through the till before the clock ticked over or she couldn't serve me. I assumed that was due to licensing though.

Many years ago I was working as a cleaner in Asda over Christmas and was amazed that the closing time was ignored by so many people, they ignored all requests to go through the checkouts and just kept shopping! Some people were still going around an hour after closing (entitled twats).

OP your post reminded me of a time 9 years ago when I was trying to buy a dressing table from Laura Ashley well before closing time. The assistant was new and had to keep going and asking for help with my order. I was very patient and smiley. Eventually as I was finally about to hand over my card the tills went offline as the shop had shut. I was amazed and annoyed. I couldn't quite believe it. Nothing either I or the sales staff could do about it.
I bought my dressing table from M&S the next day.

Evans- you should tread very carefully with your attitude to customers being self employed business or you could be looking at bank statements through gritted teeth

Beg your pardon? We've managed very comfortably for 18 yrs, with very healthy bank balances. Thanks for your concern though! How sweet