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

[NK493efc93X1277dd3d6d4]

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?

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"

My point is that if you have a job providing a service to people, you cannot always cease providing that service precisely at knock-off time. No matter how politely you do it.

If you're in the middle of something, you finish it.

It is the same for employees across the board. Not just retail workers.

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.

The 'self-entitled twats' in that case are he coworkers and/or employers, I'm afraid.

And my point is, you can provide as much good customer service as you like, but if the tills shut down at a certain time, then there is absolutely nothing the shop assistant can do about it. How would he or she be able to process a payment and issue a receipt if the computer has closed?

We provide a good service ourselves at midnight on a Friday and 7:30 on a Sunday morning but that's because I control our computer, and am therefore able to do so (annoying though it is). We do so with a smile, as we have a vested interest in our own business. It is still annoying when people unreasonably Expect A Service outside of 'office hours'. Most customers are absolutely delightful. Others are horrendous, however. Customers who rock up to a store close to closing and expect to make a purchase with just a few minutes to spare, where there has been a query, are being quite unreasonable. In my opinion.

No, Koala - they are the football team, taking too long in the shower and sharing natter and banter, all the while knowing daughter needs to lock up. Just because they can, and because they know DD won't complain. The co-workers have already left. The employers are never on site, and ignore the problem. Self-entitled, twatty footballers.

Op you sound entitled as hell

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.

Well, no, she wouldn't have been, Evans . Assistants would not expect to walk out of the door at 6, they would still need to cash up and clear up. But the point I made which you seem to be missing is that the fault lies with those managing the shop, not the customers who are perfectly reasonable in assuming that if a shop is open it's OK to shop there.

If a shop wanted to be open 'to 6 after work' then they would choose to do so.

Umm, this shop clearly has chosen to do so. That's precisely my point.

'After work' in your eyes, means after YOUR hours of work.

Since you choose to personalise this, no, it isn't, actually. Officially I work till 5.30 but in practical terms I rarely leave before 7. I work for a charity and there is so much need for what we do that I don't rigidly stick to working hours.

The shop closes at 6, the tills shut down automatically. Why is that hard to comprehend?

I comprehend it fine, thanks. My point is that that isn't a sensible practice unless the shop managers are also going to prevent new customers coming in for the last 20 minutes or so before they close. It's particularly not sensible if you issued a profits warning only a few months ago. Yes, it may be hard on shop assistants, but again it is up to management to sort that out, not the customers.

Why is it hard for you to understand that everyone is entitled to their own life, outside of working and paid hours?

Again, it's not at all hard for me to understand, thanks. The point is that if the shop is open to a specified time it makes commercial sense for the owners to pay their staff to work a bit beyond the specified time to allow customers to complete purchases. After all, selling things is the shops raison d'être.

Not to pander to the whim of someone who just wants and expects to be served outside of working hours. How entitled and vacuous is that?

Goodness, how desperately entitled to expect to be served outside of working hours in a shop that is open after working hours. In your book, should we now all boycott shops that do late night opening, and indeed any shop that is open at any time other than between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. Mondays to Fridays?

And my point is, you can provide as much good customer service as you like, but if the tills shut down at a certain time, then there is absolutely nothing the shop assistant can do about it. How would he or she be able to process a payment and issue a receipt if the computer has closed?

Yes, we are all aware of that, the actual question (you seem to have missed) is whether that is a reasonable thing to happen in a shop, or not.

It's sunday trading legislation - they legally can't serve you when their hours of sunday trading are over.

Eugh, ignore my PP, got the days mixed up lol.

I think that shouldn't have read "working hours", it should have read "opening hours".

My store is open until nine on a Friday, it is what it is, and while we're open, we give good customer service. This thread was never about having to stay open late, it was about having to stay open latER than the posted trading hours.

Assistants would not expect to walk out of the door at 6, they would still need to cash up and clear up.
But we can't START THAT until you BUGGER OFF.

So okay, say we close at six one day, I'm paid until 6:15. That is predicated on the expectation that we can CLOSE ON TIME. Nine times out of ten, we don't, because of customers like the OP (and you, apparently), who refuse to believe that they're doing anything wrong.

Goodness, how desperately entitled to expect to be served outside of working hours in a shop that is open after working hours. In your book, should we now all boycott shops that do late night opening, and indeed any shop that is open at any time other than between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. Mondays to Fridays?

Any shop that is open outside the hours of 9:00am and 5:30pm Monday to Friday pays its workers thus, and there is no problem with a customer wishing to make a purchase, as the opening hours are displayed and the tills won't automatically shut down within those hours. In this particular instance, the shop in question (Laura Ashley) closed at 6:00pm. Therefore, purchases cannot be made after 6:00pm as the tills are not operating. The shop is closed. No purchase permitted.

I wouldn't expect to be able to go to Sainsbury's at 8:00am on a Sunday morning, for instance, as it won't be open. They open later in the morning (10:00 or 11:00am, I think)? Not sure, as I choose not to shop on a Sunday (or Saturday, in fact - far too busy). But my point is, I wouldn't expect to be able to make a purchase outside of that store's opening hours. In OP's instance, she wanted to make a purchase after the store's opening hours. Which she couldn't do, and is kicking up a fuss. Again, I will make the point - what could have possible been so desperately urgent about buying a picture that couldn't have necessitated her visiting within opening hours (with time to spare to allow for payment to take place)?

This is a daft conversation, really. Some people being reasonable, others demanding what they want, right now, and what is wrong with the world when consumerism isn't on tap? Reasonable people will continue to be reasonable, demanders will continue to be demanding and righteous. I WANT WHAT I WANT AND WHEN I WANT IT IS NOW.

faithinthesound I think that shouldn't have read "working hours", it should have read "opening hours"
My store is open until nine on a Friday, it is what it is, and while we're open, we give good customer service. This thread was never about having to stay open late, it was about having to stay open latER than the posted trading hours
Assistants would not expect to walk out of the door at 6, they would still need to cash up and clear up
But we can't START THAT until you BUGGER OFF

So okay, say we close at six one day, I'm paid until 6:15. That is predicated on the expectation that we can CLOSE ON TIME. Nine times out of ten, we don't, because of customers like the OP (and you, apparently), who refuse to believe that they're doing anything wrong

^ This, in spades ^

If shops don't want this to happen, the remedy is available to them - don't let customers in during the last 20 minutes or so
Yes, except then customer then moan about this.

Op you sound entitled as hell

Well indeed: how DARE someone enter a shop whilst it is open and want someone to sell her the item that - had it not been priced erroneously - she could easily have bought before closing time.

Whatever next.

Assistants would not expect to walk out of the door at 6, they would still need to cash up and clear up.
But we can't START THAT until you BUGGER OFF.

Plenty of shops do start clearing up whilst customers are still on the premises finishing off transactions.

So okay, say we close at six one day, I'm paid until 6:15. That is predicated on the expectation that we can CLOSE ON TIME. Nine times out of ten, we don't, because of customers like the OP (and you, apparently), who refuse to believe that they're doing anything wrong.

But, again, your beef is surely with your employers for not paying you for a realistic amount of extra time. Customers coming in to buy things whilst the shop is open aren't doing anything wrong.

Why didn't the shop assistant just say "I can find out the price but once it gets to 6pm I can't use the till"

I hated this when I worked retail. Often I would be on a 10pm finish, with the bus home due at at something like 10:10 (or something to that effect and only 1 bus an hour). You'd always get at least 1 prat still trying to browse or try things on at bang on 10. Most stores will send a message on the tannoy to customers 15 minutes before the store is due to close letting them know they need to make their way to the tills - goes right over people's heads.

Look, just because you clearly hate your low paid jobs, don't take it out on the people who are buying the crap you sell and therefore keeping you open.

In this particular instance, the shop in question (Laura Ashley) closed at 6:00pm. Therefore, purchases cannot be made after 6:00pm as the tills are not operating. The shop is closed. No purchase permitted.

Yes, as repeatedly pointed out, we've got that. The question is whether it is sensible practice for the shop owners, especially when their sales figures are iffy.

In OP's instance, she wanted to make a purchase after the store's opening hours.

No, she didn't. She had started the transaction by inquiring about the price, she was held up because of an error in the display, she then wanted to finish the transaction.

what could have possible been so desperately urgent about buying a picture that couldn't have necessitated her visiting within opening hours

She did visit within opening hours. And since when was it a rule that you are only allowed to go into a shop shortly before closing time if your purchase is desperately urgent?

I have to point out yet again, it's not in the shop's interests to work this way. If it refuses to make a sale because it's closed down the tills before the transaction can be completed, what realistically is the likelihood that the customer will flog back the next day to buy the item in question? Plus it leaves a bad taste in the mouth which therefore makes it less likely that she'll go back next time she wants to make a similar purchase. When you're posting profits warnings, it is, quite simply, potentially suicidal to regard your customers as entitled bastards for wanting to complete their purchases at 10 seconds past closing time.

Charming toosexyforyahshirt.

Not nearly as charming as the rude shop workers talking about customers as inconveniences.

So in a nutshell:
-If a shop is open, don't go in because going in with 15/20 mins til closing is going to piss staff off
-Don't expect anyone in retail to do 2 minutes extra because that shows you're an arse

I've worked in retail and one thing that annoyed me then (as it does in my current line of work) are moaners who have limited goodwill and courtesy.
I've served a customer on Christmas Eve because they were in our store and had started their order so we saw it through.
When it's parents evening, I don't get to 'end time' and then walk out saying tough shit to the last parent. I see them.

It's possible to be courteous and have a little good will without being taken for a mug. Shame all workplaces have chronic complainers.

Look, just because you clearly hate your low paid jobs, don't take it out on the people who are buying the crap you sell and therefore keeping you open
To whom are you directing that tirade toosexy

Many people who have commented adversely to the OP are not actually in retail. So they're not the ones selling 'crap', merely expressing a view on how awful some customers can be. Shops opening hours are between this-and-that. If you can't be arsed to come at other times, don't come at all, or look online. Simple.

It is unreasonable to expect workers to put themselves out for self-entitlement, when they are on low wages. I worked in retail many, many years ago, and absolutely loved it (late 70s/early 80s). I had many customers come to me especially, as apparently I was their favourite. But once the shop was closed, that was it. No customers, no arguing about someone wanting a last minute urgent picture purchase. The answer was "Sorry - we're closed now. It will be lovely to see you tomorrow (or words to that effect). Maybe trading laws were slightly different then, possibly traders were fined for trading outside their official hours? I don't know, but rules were tighter and more readily understood.

Not nearly as charming as the rude shop workers talking about customers as inconveniences

Those customers who wnat to shop when stores are closing and rude customers that treat retail staff like dirt you mean?

Plenty of shops do start clearing up whilst customers are still on the premises finishing off transactions.
That's nice for them. Tidying, absolutely. Cashing up? Absolutely not. We cannot open the cash registers to count out the drawers while there are members are still in the store. It is a huge theft magnet. All it takes is for one person to snatch and run. Or point a gun. So, no money out while there are customers in the store. So, no counting until you're gone. So, while you take your sweet time, that fifteen minute window allocated for counting the drawers while still being paid slowly closes. Because we can't start until you leave. But you seem to think that, as long as you made it in under the wire, we should let you mince about as long as you like. And you really, honestly, truly, can't see why that's wrong? Or why it might bother people?

But, again, your beef is surely with your employers for not paying you for a realistic amount of extra time.
Fifteen minutes IS a realistic extra amount of time. Fifteen minutes is a wonderful amount of time to count and close my department's registers. But that fifteen minutes worth of work, cannot start until you leave, and my fifteen minutes of pay, starts when the store closes. The two very rarely align, because of the likes of you.

Customers coming in to buy things whilst the shop is open aren't doing anything wrong.
We are open until six on a Saturday. This has not changed, with the exception of Christmas hours, for more than two decades. But when six o'clock on Saturday night rolls around, then the store is closed. This is not a thread about OP coming in at four pm and being given the bum's rush. This is a thread about OP coming in, by her own admission, just before closing. I've read the thread, I know the "extenuating circumstances", and I still say, this could have all been avoided if OP got her sh*t together and showed up even five minutes sooner than she did. If her window that day was too small, then she should have come another day. At it stands, the clock struck six, the store was closed, and yet she still expected to finish the transaction.

As has been said multiple times before, it would have been the work of a minute (if the tills were operational). But if, as has been so smugly pointed out, it really is "just a minute", then why does it have to be the staff member's minute? Why couldn't it have been OP's minute, in the sense of coming in a little earlier? You forget that that "just a minute" can mean the difference between catching the bus/train and watching it pull out of the station, leaving you to wait in the rain for an hour for the next one.

Do I "have beef" with my company for their draconian policies? Sure. But there's little I can do about it, while remaining employed. There is something YOU can do, though. You can get it together and stop expecting to be served after closing hours, because then these situations won't be an issue.