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Original poster

Annoyance at shops pushing extras/store cards at the till

43 replies

Creambun2 · 11/03/2018 09:27

I know this has been going on for ages, but seems to have got worse recently. A cashier in superdrug yesterday asked three times if I would like a store card and was surly when I said no.

Repeat experience in Paperchase - no I just want to purchase this (overpriced) mother's day card and leave and no I don't want stamps or pens too - I'd have asked if I did.

And despite much bad publicity on it WHSmith STILL do all the "do you want this shit chocolate/sweets" every time. I know the people on the till have probably been told to do this, but most (all?) find it annoying and it holds up the line - even their bloody self service machines try and flog haribo and chocolate oranges.

And finally, does anyone else hate the cheery m&s self-service "have you scanned your sparks card!" Angry

OP posts:
tigercub50 · 13/03/2018 21:35

I work in retail & we have to offer various things. I try to do it with as much charm as possible & actually I do sell quite a bit. At the moment it’s mini eggs & I love them so I can be enthusiastic. I do get a bit annoyed when I have my customer hat on tho.

PodgeBod · 13/03/2018 21:45

The last shop I worked in we had to offer 3 different things and you could see the customers getting annoyed. "Do you want this expensive bag?" (No, I want the 5p bag) "Would you like to buy batteries?" (Er no, this doesn't use batteries anyway) "gift wrap? A card? This random item we can't shift?"
And God forbid one of the managers caught you skipping any of them. The till recorded how many we sold. It was crap.

Fluffyears · 13/03/2018 22:01

I was in WH Smith buying a slimming world magazine and the chap asked if I wanted a massive slab of chocolate. I just said ‘have you looked at what I have just bought!’

I Superdrug I nearly walked out without my stuff due to the super pushy woman. She was worse than all others, ‘would you like our points card’ ‘no thanks’ ‘Are you sure?’ ‘Yes’ ‘what about perfume?’ ‘No’ ‘it’s lovely though try a squirt!’ Then tried to spray me..,i’m Allergic to some perfumes ffs! ‘We have mascara on offer...’ I then said ‘look can I pay please, please let me pay and just go!’ She was huffy with me

MyRunMyPace · 13/03/2018 22:12

I hate this. They do it at the small M&S that I go to - Would you like a scabby banana or a bottle of water? Confused Er, no thanks because I'd have picked them up myself if I did. Sometimes they ask whether you'd like any 'essentials', which apparently means hand cream and lip balm.

thecatsarecrazy · 13/03/2018 22:27

I work in Poundland and the crap we have on the till is referred to as product focus. We are expected to sell at least 4 an hour and meant to ask every customer. I'm greeted to a note on the board every shift saying not enough being sold. Like we can force people to buy them.

42andcounting · 13/03/2018 22:27

I work in a small local shop, absolutely no expectation to upsell, but often will mention special offers to people if it's on something they are already buying eg 3 pack of smarties for the same price as the 2 separate packs they're buying, 2 tins of soup for 25p more than the one they're buying, 4 pack of pop for 20p less than buying them as singles. I'm now wondering if the customers hate me Confused. I'm genuinely just trying to provide good service....

ScattyCharly · 13/03/2018 22:36

42 that sort of thing is fine. Pointing out something which could be helpful but no pressure either way.

I hate upselling and the pushing of store cards. Holland and Barratt do this. I buy something and they say do you want a loyalty card and I say no thank you and then instead of accepting the answer they start on about value of points etc. So then I say I’m in a hurry. Usually true.

WhatToDoAboutThis2017 · 13/03/2018 22:39

I work in a small local shop, absolutely no expectation to upsell, but often will mention special offers to people if it's on something they are already buying

42andcounting That isn’t upselling, it’s just being helpful.

EastMidsMummy · 13/03/2018 22:39

Those are all the expensive shops that I never set foot in.

Yeah, Superdrug, WHSmith and the Post Office. Exclusive high-end retail...

feral · 13/03/2018 22:50

I do t. I don't then trying to flog me chocolate, it's all the sodding vouchers that annoy me. Boots and WHS very guilty of this. Money off no7 or whatever.

Waste of paper and they go straight in the recycling!

LeighaJ · 13/03/2018 23:24

The pushing from the cashiers will be coming from above and speaking as someone who was a cashier at a place that constantly pushed with extreme pressure on the employees I can safely say 99% of cashiers HATE doing it.

Fruitcorner123 · 13/03/2018 23:49

If they ask me if I want a card I always say "I've got one but I left it in another bag- will bring next time" most leave it then. I agree it is annoying. I have worked in retail but not in one of the shops that does this. If they made their loyalty cards a little bit more rewarding then perhaps they would have to push them a bit less. I don't find boots have to push the advantage card but that sparks card is the most pointless one i ever signed up for.

weetabix07 · 13/03/2018 23:51

I find it very annoying esp you Holland and Barrett. But I know the staff are told to do it so I always politely decline. The only one I have is the boots one.

Teabagtits · 14/03/2018 00:05

Matalan are the worst imo.

I told the guy at the till I didn’t have a card, he asks for my postcode to check. I refuse asking if I can just buy my goods and he says he has to check with the manager. Lots of toothy inbreaths & tutting & looking over at me with disdain, then the guy returns. Says I don’t need the card to buy my goods but would I like one anyway? He then tries seven (!) more times to get me to take their poxy card. This is your last chance. No I really mean it this time, last chance. Are you really sure? Can I not tempt you.... AARREGGHH!

In the end I told him to keep the stuff I was trying to buy & walked out.

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 14/03/2018 00:14

I don’t mind them asking for my email so they can send me an electronic receipt. Means I can’t lose it.

TheRebel · 14/03/2018 08:11

In Paperchase I was buying a plastic sippy cup and my daughter kept trying to take it out of my hands, so I gave her it to hold while I looked around, when I got to the till I had to wrestle it out of her hand so the woman could scan it, instead of giving me it back she held on to it and started asking me if I had a loyalty card, did I want a loyalty card, the benefits of said loyalty card all while my daughter is reaching out for the cup and screaming, eventually I just snapped can I just pay please? I felt bad for snapping at her but it was a £3 cup and I’d politely declined her loyalty card 3 times, she didn’t need to keep pushing it.

S0upertrooper · 14/03/2018 08:59

This king of product pushing stops me going into shops. I'm sick of my purse being full of these store cards that I never feel I get anything back from!!!

WhatToDoAboutThis2017 · 14/03/2018 09:52

I'm sick of my purse being full of these store cards that I never feel I get anything back from!!!

S0upertrooper So learn to say no (politely) and don’t sign up for them. Your inability to decline their offer is not their fault.

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