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?

The whole point of it was that you should have been warned if they automatically close. I work in retail and our tills do not do this, it's the first i heard of tills doing this and it's ridiculous.

reuset

I had to check out the website for the picture

Wow some right dickheads on here!

I don't think you are being unreasonable at all.

I'd actually go so far as to say you're leg pulling, OP. You needed help to find a huge 1m wooden plaque of an olde map? How could you have failed to spot something of that size.

www.lauraashley.com/uk/pictures+wall-art/wood-panel-world-map/invt/3552980

OP not only were you then but also now. You asked the question, obviously expecting everyone to agree with you but when the majority don't agree with you, you get argumentative and sarky. Let me make it simple for you....you asked AIBU? The answer is yes!! So suck it up and move on :)

YABU. I work in a charity shop as a volunteer. I have many experiences of customers who dash in at the last moment expecting me to keep the place open for them while they shop. Some are brisk about what they want, and are done in a few minutes; other dally, and treat it like a private shopping experience.

It takes about a half hour to shut up after the last is gone. Now, I tell them (ever so politely) to piss off. Why on earth should I spend yet more time to feed their egos? Even more so in a commercial shop, where the staff aren't being paid for the extra time. Opening hours are what they say they are. Don't take the piss.

The thread suddenly went quiet! All agog at the enormous map plaque perhaps

Oh great reuset

Now you link

YABU they wont get overtime if they stay on to serve customers .

Frustrating in this particular situation? Very. However I'm impressed with Laura Ashley's consideration of staff welfare and closing times, which must be what this system has been put in place to protect.

YABU. It's the store rules don't expect them to be changed just for you.
You wouldn't get to make a purchase at 6pm in my shop either. We close at 6 but the door is closed at 5.50 if your still in store your asked to take your purchases to the till. Till is taken off at 5.55 and we leave at 6. We don't get paid to stay any longer than 6pm so don't expect us to work for nothing. FYI we hate just before closing customers. We've had to close changing rooms early just so people don't think it's ok to take a whole load of clothes in last thing to try on like we don't have a home to go to, just what you need after an 8+ hour shift in your feet.

NK. I agree. Why blame the people who give you a job and pay your wages, the customer and not the bosses who use you to make as much money as they can! They should pay overtime and a decent wage. They obviously could afford it because they turn away customers. Its unbelievable.

Our doors shut at closing time, music and air con off and we wait for anyone in the store to finish

To be completely fair, not many customers take the mick and stay much past the doors shutting

And no

I do not consider a customer who is in the store at closing to be taking the mick

I mean those ones who keep shopping and taking stuff into the changing room after the doors have shut, not ones who complete their purchase

what planet are you all on?! do you all have your watches set to gmt on the dot and live watching it, to have your lunch at 1.00.00pm as that's what it says in your work contract & get up at 5.00.00pm exactly even if you're talking to a client as that's when your working day ends.

Give this woman a chance. Which shop honestly does that when even if the staff wanted to serve someone 10 seconds after closing they couldn't. I know which shop I wont be bothered going into as there's bound to be another reason their robots wont let me pay.

YANBU! With such distain of customers it's no wonder the high street is dying! Those in retail should turn their frustration towards the retailer, not the customer (who wasn't in this case dawdling around 10 minutes after closing whilst making her final purchases but was actually in the process of being served!) who refuse to pay staff for even a minute's work after closing time. If retailers were reasonable and had hours that finished 15, or even 5 minutes after closing time, this wouldn't be an issue!

It is retailers' penny-pinching that has created animosity amongst their underpaid staff towards their customers. Any business that is as mean-spirited towards their customers as many of their representative (or their staff) are in this thread doesn't deserve to survive.

Right! Read through more! Read all of OP's replies at least, a couple of others.

I'm not actually in a shop, but I am on a till!

For MOST of the day, I am an excellent customer service staff member, I arrive early on my own time to ensure I am ready to go work from the second I am paid (usually I start working early anyways) but take me over at the end of the day, and whilst I will remain polite, I will also firmly not answer additional queries. I will apologise and tell you that you'll need to return another day/go to one of the outlets open later/check online.

No. I can't claim overtime, 2 reasons, minimum of a half hour (company policy, for where I am, anything less is on us as freebies) also, if I DO claim even that much overtime, I lose my carers allowance for that whole calendar month. So no. Not able to claim 5 minutes to complete something for someone who came in just as the doors were moments from closing.

I have no problem with customers who are in the queue ready to pay just before closing but don't manage to get served until after closing. It's those that think they can still browse the store and expect to get served after the store has announced we have closed.

Imagine if I said your episode of eastenders was going to be 2 minutes shorter tonight as I ended my hours editing it at 6pm and I didn't have time to finish it within my contracted hours!!

Some of the attitudes on this thread are appalling... the one that stands out to me is the one where customers become trespassers at the stroke of closing time! It's like the customers are a bit of shit that you can't wait to clean off your shoe. Retailers whose practices encourage these attitudes should be ashamed.

mylifestory

Surely you not finishing editing is down to your poor time management

As opposed on this thread to the owners of LA switching off the tills which is neither the shop assistant or customers fault

Till is taken off at 5.55

Then you shouldn't advertise that you open til 6pm! Ffs, the sooner these chain stores shut down with their sour-faced clock-watching pedants the better...

Imagine if I said your episode of eastenders was going to be 2 minutes shorter tonight
Would that be a bad thing?

the sooner these chain stores shut down with their sour-faced clock-watching pedants the better

Well thats not very nice

Some shop staff are gits, the majority of us get on with our jobs