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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

760 replies

NK493efc93X1277dd3d6d4 · 23/07/2017 01:27

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?

OP posts:
reuset · 24/07/2017 12:56

It wasn't an impulse purchase, OP knew exactly what she wanted, having seen it online.

Still waiting for OP to tell us which picture it was (OP is keeping very quiet now). I'm guessing it was the peacock feather print or the row of kittens. Can you buy that kind of thing anywhere? I don't know Grin

reuset · 24/07/2017 13:00

Seriously though...I would go and choose an entirely different picture...I wouldn't even have to like it that much...
Could you tolerate a picture you didn't like much? Really? Though I'm very keen on art, personally.

JessieMcJessie · 24/07/2017 13:14

Wow. OP, YANBU at all and I am flabbergasted at the pasting you are getting on here.

Ragwort please come back and tell us what your DB who works in it for Laura Ashley says about this!

However (and this doesn't in any way change my view that OP is completely reasonable) I am also amazed that so many retailers do not pay staff outside the ahop's opening hours when there are clearly jobs to be done at either end (regardless of whether any customers are at the till at closing time). I had always assumed that opening hours were for customers and staff's contracted and paid hours were at least 30 minutes either side of that because obviously serving customers is not the only part of the job. That's how I was paid when I worked in a small pharmacy many years ago. Retailers who pay only for opening hours are shocking and should be shamed publicly like Sports Direct was for its warehouse working conditions.

user1483617032 · 24/07/2017 13:23

I work in a large department store, it's the queues to pay for the items that are closed at that time. If you're not in the queue by then the security will tell you to leave, but those who are in the queue can still pay for their items. Our store will make regular announcements to customers that the store will be closing and to go to the till. Some people ignore this and expect to pay for their items 5 mins after we have closed. Nope you have to come back another day we want to go home now.

Oliversmumsarmy · 24/07/2017 13:33

Iam also amazed that so many retailers do not pay staff outside the ahop's opening hours when there are clearly jobs to be done at either end (regardless of whether any customers are at the till at closing time

Neither do banks, restaurants, cafes or offices.

Sleepthief84 · 24/07/2017 13:47

Years back I used to work in a higher end ladies high street shop. As customer service workers we were expected and trained to be more like personal shoppers, the emphasis was very much on individual service and we really did try our best to be helpful and accommodating.

Never failed to amaze me how many customers thought it was ok to come in two minutes before we locked the doors to have a thorough browse, then when we politely told them we were closed (usually a good ten minutes afterwards) would get huffy and continue to pull down stacks of neatly folder jumpers, ask to try on clothes, and generally be inconsiderate arseholes. No one minded the lady who came rushing in with two minutes to closing to buy the bag she'd put on hold earlier that day - it was the ones who'd deliberately wander round being entitled that used to piss us off. He same sort of people who insist that the customer is ALWAYS right. They aren't.

JacquesHammer · 24/07/2017 13:53

No; the moral of the story is don't be a dick and go in right before closing time

Indeed. Shop online and you don't have to go in at all. Win win right?

WhatToDoAboutThis2017 · 24/07/2017 13:58

If many of the customers you have are dicks then you might want to look into your customer service skills and the company's training.

The majority of my customers aren't dicks, though. Nothing I've said has even implied that. Just like, as with everything, there are bad apples.

My company has excellent training programs and customer service, but that's just mine.

JessieMcJessie · 24/07/2017 14:35

Oliversmumsarmy I'd be very surprised if what you say about banks is true.
As for cafes and restaurants they are different as they'll have a last orders time rather than a closing time and I can't imagine that staff are only paid up to last orders time and most of the extra work that waiting staff need to do can probably be done while the final customers are finishing up eating/drinking. Also the dishwashers and kitchen staff won't be paid according to opening hours and they'll do the majority of the post-service work.

And what do you mean by "offices"? That is so broad a term as to be utterly meaningless.

ortensia · 24/07/2017 14:53

Why wasn't OP being unreasonable, Jessie? You've offered nothing but a 'yanbu op' so far.

Agree, what todo. Succinctly put.

JessieMcJessie · 24/07/2017 15:00

She was not being unreasonable because in my opinion turning off the tills dead on 6pm is a load of bollocks and no sane retailer would do this if they wanted to actually keep customers and make a profit.

MiniMum97 · 24/07/2017 15:30

I don't think you are being unreasonable at all. That is horrendously bad customer service. Wow! Come back in the morning! What if you lived miles away or for some other reason that wasn't possible. You would think that Laura Ashley didn't want your money!!

If the shop doesn't want to process transactions AT closing time it should shut its doors to customers half an hour before. And yes I have worked in retail. I used to work for John Lewis who in my experience have better customer service than Laura Ashley and would serve a customer even after closing if they were still in the store (obviously they would try to encourage customers out and to the tills just before closing). It's not as if with Laura Ashley's prices they can't afford to pay their staff properly and deliver good customer service! If that happened to me I would take my money elsewhere.

Sorry but I don't have sympathy for the work to rule mob! If you have a problem take that up with your employer. They should be paying you if you are expected to stay 10/15 mins later everyday. If it's the odd occasion that's just the nature of most workplaces. It's certainly not the customers fault.

KoalaDownUnder · 24/07/2017 15:36

If it's the odd occasion that's just the nature of most workplaces.

Some of us have tried pointing that out, but it has fallen on deaf ears.

Apparently only retail workers ever have to do unpaid overtime, and that's because everyone looks down on them and treats them like dirt. Hmm

ortensia · 24/07/2017 15:42

Apparently only retail workers ever have to do unpaid overtime, and that's because everyone looks down on them and treats them like dirt. hmm

Nobody said that. Hmm indeed
I think some people need to read the whole thread.

OP has disappeared I see.

MiniMum97 · 24/07/2017 15:42

Reading through more of this thread it is not surprising that customer service is so poor in this country given how people are talking about customers.

And yes I've worked in retail and in customer services for many years and now work for a charity dealing with clients. I have had to do some unpaid overtime in all of those jobs to deliver good customer service. Get over yourselves ffs! Whatever happened to the "customer is always right"?!?!?!

Rufustherenegadereindeer1 · 24/07/2017 15:49

If your argument is a good one there should be no need for exaggeration

No one has said that all customers are an inconvenience, no one has said that only retail workers do any unpaid overtime

No one has said that they would not serve a customer at 6.01

SnickersWasAHorse · 24/07/2017 15:49

If many of the customers you have are dicks then you might want to look into your customer service skills and the company's training.

Victim blaming.
If you will go out after dark wearing a short skirt and high heels........

WhatToDoAboutThis2017 · 24/07/2017 15:58

Whatever happened to the "customer is always right"?!?!?!

That phrase does not mean what you think it means.

Oliversmumsarmy · 24/07/2017 15:58

I have worked in a bank .
Had to be in 30 minutes before opening and stay till the tills balanced after. Never used to leave much before 5pm closing time was 3.30pm and one night we were out by £66.66 and were there till near 7pm. It was a cheque for £11.11 that because of the handwriting had been processed as £77.77. No overtime was ever paid.

And by offices I mean working in an office. Although it was a 9-5 job there was always some issue/phone call that had to be dealt with before you went home

CockacidalManiac · 24/07/2017 15:58

'The customer is always right' is bollocks, sorry. I've asked customers ask me to do things that are downright dangerous. Things that the equipment isn't designed to do; I explain that to them, yet they persist. 'Let me sign to say that I take full responsibility'; er, no.
Nobody that I can see has made widespread condemning comments about customers. The vast majority are great, or at least ok. A minority are dicks, as they are everywhere in society.

CockacidalManiac · 24/07/2017 16:02

As usual on these threads, people do like to construct their straw men to rail against.

Rufustherenegadereindeer1 · 24/07/2017 16:04

Yeah agree with the others that

The customer is always right

Is quite obviously not right

user1483617032 · 24/07/2017 16:14

People misuse the term "the customer is always right" it was only meant to convince customers that they will get a good service and their complaints would be taken seriously. Not to be a prick who thinks they can get their own way by being abusive and shouting the odds when they are clearly in the wrong. It's discusting that the majority of the time managers always give in to the loudest and abusive customers so they don't look bad and cause a scene when by law and store policy they don't need to.

CockacidalManiac · 24/07/2017 16:17

Reading through more of this thread it is not surprising that customer service is so poor in this country given how people are talking about customers.

Having many years working with the public in this country has taught me respect for those who have to do so. I'm generally impressed (in both professional and private experiences) with how service, retail and other public-facing staff deal with customers. Unfortunately, a very small amount of people are just cunts. They're cunts to waiting staff, bar staff, nurses, ambulance staff, and shop staff. Yet time and again I've seen people have to deal with them, then put a smile on their face and deal with the next person. I think that customer service is generally very good, considering.

ChardonnaysPrettySister · 24/07/2017 16:21

Victim blaming? Since when are retail workers victims?
What has that to do with short skirts and high heels?
You do seem to have the gift of a vivid imagination.