To think woman at corner shop should offer to help pack my items?

[Tobythecat]

I picked up a couple of items at my local corner shop, it was quiet in there and the woman behind the counter is very quick and seems to rush you. I asked for a bag, she put the bag on the counter and handed me my change. I put the change in my purse as quickly as I can (bare in mind somebody is behind me in the queue at this point) and she just stands there watching me instead of being helpful and putting my 4 items in the bag. Obviously she can't serve the next customer until i've put my stuff in the bag etc.

AIBU to think she should at least offer to help pack?

I have never expecte help with my packing, whether I’m buying a couple of bits of a full large trolly “big shop”

in fact when I’m doing a “big shop”I hate anyone helping as I have my bags packed in my own system, one bag =one cupboard/fridge/freezer etc.

I certainly wouldn’t be happy if I was held up in a queue because the woman in front of me needed help with packing one small bag. Maybe try organising yourself in future.

That’s sarcasm Pan right?

(It’s so hard to tell on MN these days)

I have stopped shopping in a local store (small shop, part of national chain) because the staff are the rudest, most unpleasant I have ever come across. If you hate people, please don't work in a customer focussed business.

I stopped shopping there in the summer when no tills were open (at 9 am after the school run) and only a kiosk was open. I had to take quite a lot of shopping to this till which had only a tiny square to unload onto. She watched me struggle, sighing and when I asked for two large bags please she grunted and pointed to a place the bags were. She threw everything through then watched me struggle. I said to her that it would have been nice of her if she could just have helped a little. She immediately became verbally aggressive and said "what, you actually expect me to pack your bags...". She then called her mate over who told me I was a rude customer.

When I left the shop I realised she had overcharged me. I gritted my teeth, went back in and queued again. I told her what had happened and she immediately said "No, I didn't". I showed her the receipt which proved the overcharge and she slammed the money onto the counter without saying a word.

I looked at her name tag. I said I would just ring the manager. She just said "Go on then".

Who on earth wants to shop with staff like that. I have never had any trouble elsewhere. I live in an area where the towns are small market towns and shops moan about out of town shopping affecting their businesses. Well, when you behave like this no bloody wonder people shop elsewhere.

If elderly or disabled then she should have packed the items but otherwise I don’t see what the problem is.

If elderly or disabled then she should have packed the items

Some people including me have hidden disabilities. The trout pouted women at the local co op are most unhelpful and stand watching. Unlike those in the local Sainsbury’s and Tesco. I can’t just ask for help. It’s hard. The energy taken to explain my disability is the same as the energy to pack my bag. I only have a finite number of spoons. I hate shopping at co op.

@Mummyoflittledragon You shouldn’t have to explain why you need help, just ask them to help you with packing. If they then refuse to help I would put in a complaint.

I use quite a few “corner” shops many tim s a week and none of the assistants pack bags. Never really thought anything about it tbh.

Yanbu I don’t think. I can’t recall going to a small local shop and them not doing actually. I suppose to keep queues down in a relatively small space, it makes sense.

crazycat
You’re right. These women are properly arsey. I just know I’d mumble a request because I feel crappy and they’d look at me like I’d have two heads, not understand and tut. Even my 9yo dd tells me how rude they are. Then 10mins walk down the road the Sainsbury’s people are so nice. Perhaps it’s a crap place to work.

So sorry to learn that you lost your arms in a terrible accident.

Yes, this was awful of the shop staff.

BenLui
That’s sarcasm Pan right?
(It’s so hard to tell on MN these days)

I was thinking it was an attempt at a joke. Mind boggled if not.

Why was it a problem? How long can it take to put four items in a bag?

The assistants in my Morrison's local offer to pack for you, even if you take your own bag. The ones in the Coop don't generally, and also often stand there having private conversations between themselves, which really pisses me off.
The Morrisons is permanently busy, the Coop is usually empty when I go in at least. The attitude of the staff isn't the only reason, though I'm sure it doesn't help. Our poundland has a minimal level of customer service (though never rude, IME) but at least most of their stuff is comparitively cheap.

your lucky you get served so fast at my local convinience shop its not uncommon to find the shop assistant on her phone

Angry cats and excited octopus both seem to have more legs than usual.

Yes. British staff are so lazy. Britain and France are the only countries where this has happened to me.

Ttbb what unmitigated rubbish. I’ve witnessed poor customer service pretty much everywhere I’ve visited in the world (other than Japan where everyone was lovely)

People either pack for me or enquire if I need help, probably as I use a stick and am elderly, but sometimes I wonder if I'm the only person in the shop to actually thank the assistant for the help.

Since I moved to this retirement/holiday area, I've noticed how tolerant and helpful the assistants are in most shops (and some of us oldies can be extremely slow, and short-sighted and absent-minded.) Visiting friends usually comment on this, so maybe OP and others having difficulties should consider a move?

Ttbb yep that is utter crap I'm afraid. Rude people everywhere. British shop staff more helpful than most I find (and yes I've been to Japan)

Ttbb making sweeping generalisations is really very narrow minded. You haven't met every British shop assistant so can't make judgements about such a wide demographic. Your comments are unfounded. I myself can safely say most of the shop assistant I've encountered have infact been very helpful indeed. I'm afraid I can't say the same about some of the customers however. I've witness some extremely rude people of many different nationalities rudely talking to shop assistants.

/s*

/ed*

Yabu, it's four items ffs

I thought about this and realised all the grocery shops near me do bag everything for me. So it has become normal.

Maybe it's only a problem when we expect small shops to behave differently to supermarkets, and most supermarkets don't pack for you or help.

*I find it very hard to dig up outrage over 4 items.

What did it take you to pack them? 60 seconds?*

It would have taken the sales assistant the same 60 seconds, though, and she could have done as a pp has said, put them directly into the bag instead of on the counter.

If I am picking up only a few things, I used self-charge. I really hate it when I am doing a largish shop and I try to keep up with the cashier by bagging as quickly as I can. When she/he is finished, I still have packing to do, but I also have to pay. I always have my debit card handy but I while am dealing with the debit machine, the cashier stands there. How is this efficient?

I go to one store for certain things and always look to see who is working which cash. I have my favourites.

I don't believe I've ever been handed an empty bag when there were items to be placed into it. I can't think of that happening. The person behind the counter usually stuffs my things into the bag while I faff about with the payment system. Am I just spoiled??

Personally, I think I would expect them to drop the items into the bag while my hands are busy and then hand it to me on my way out, especially if there are only 4 items and it's obvious they're all going into the one bag.