AIBU to HATE checkout operators commenting in my purchases?

[lallyk]

It drives me mental! I think it's so rude 🤣. One day I might put some KY, cucumbers and Johnnie's on the belt just for laughs...

I've never met a bad one, must be lucky where we are.
No, I love them and have a good chat or laugh. I won't use self service, would leave the shop and have done if no tills open.
Let's hope it doesn't become fully automated, putting people, mostly women out of work.

It’s more than customer service. My friend worked with a major supermarket calculating their lost earnings through shop floor workers being interrupted by customers lonely and wanting conversation. Offering conversation at the checkout is a sales driver for those people so lonely that often the only people they speak to regularly is their supermarket cashier. And frees up the shelf stackers and increases their productivity.

It might be annoying to you but to some people it is a godsend. And it isn’t just the elderly who are benefitting. There is an increasingly high number of young people who have moved areas for work who fit into this category.

I can't say that I let it bother me really. They are often instructed to do this, and some are clearly very awkward with it.

I don't use manned checkouts very often now as both of our local Tescos have "scan and pack", using the hand held barcode scanner, which I like.

The manned checkouts in there are much less busy these days because scan and pack is so popular. I do feel a sneaking sympathy when I see a checkout person sitting there on their own with nobody going through.

ahh i hate this too OP but i always think IABU and antisocial. I know its part of their job to 'engage' and let's face it small talk is difficult so what else is there to say other than potentially comment on the purchases. I'm a grumpy cow though so in my head when the assistant says ' oh that so nice isn't it' - I am feigning delight that they think so and throwing back some rubbish chit chat whilst thinking ' yes that's why i bought it, must we do this'.

I did buy some whipped cream and some condoms once in the shop when i was younger, just those two things. Didn't think it through at all and it was not what it looked like, if anything the opposite. I'd bought a cheesecake earlier in the day and fancied whipped cream on top, as part of my plans for a night in by myself scoffing. The condoms were just for the cupboard really as i knew i had run out and might see my then boyfriend later in the week. It only occured to me afterwards why the checkout man had been glaring at me in disbelief as i chirpily wished him a hello/good evening

I've been that girl at the checkout. I tried to only make chit chat when the customer initiated it - but one day a gentlemen was buying a LOT of dog products and I got excited and asked if he just got a new dog, hoping to pass the time with some chat about puppies.

"No actually, I've had him for years, but this is me just getting him back from my ex after the divorce."

Wasn't sure how to reply to that

I agree with @12FreeRangeEggs . For many people in society that may be the only friendly chat they have all day, or even all week. I've never heard of a checkout operator saying anything blatantly rude as mentioned on this thread though . We are fairly lucky in our Sainsbury's in that they stick to "ooh I like your top" "Your baby is lovely" "got anything nice planned for the rest of the day" rather than commenting on the shopping, though they do often say how much they too like certain items from TU as they are ringing them up.

"Are you okay for cock rings"

Every time I present my own bag for shopping, the checkout operators seem to go out of their way to scan things and NOT put them in the bag. Does anybody else have this or is it just me?

I'll pack anybodies shopping in any bag they give me, even a competitors. However if they're handing me a flimsy 5p bag insisting it'll be fine for the 4 bottles of wine they're buying, they can pack it themselves! On their head be it if it doesn't make it across the carpark! Not getting he blame for that!

As an ex shop worker I was told I had to make conversation with the customer. Although I normally asked about the weather, wouldn't comment on purchases unless I was asked about them!!

WoollyMummoth!

I usually enjoy a quick moment of chatter, but once, I thought I had found a quiet time to buy a PT and of course then you get the chatty till staff... I almost didn't hear what she said, in my fear, but then realised that "I hope you get the answer you want" left me with only one thing to say. "Thank you". Kindest thing anyone has ever said to me (at a till, anyway!)

This doesn't bother me one tiny little bit.

OP, you haven't said why it bothers your or why you consider it rude?

I'm really shocked by the amount of snobby comments on this thread and can't believe the amount of people who look down their nose at checkout operators.

@bigpinked Their job is shit.
I'd love to know what amazing career you have that you think gives you the right to make comments like that.

Before anyone asks, or comments, no, I'm not a checkout operator, but years ago when I was in college, I was and unfortunately encountered plenty of people with similar attitudes to what I've just seen on here.

When I worked at Sainsburys we had a list of questions we had to ask customers and you were monitored.

I worked Friday and Saturday afternoons and evenings. Dozens of people would come in and buy condoms, KY , chocolate and wine/beer. I would just wish them a pleasant evening - no big deal

Bought a pregnancy test in boots once, woman asked if I was hoping for a boy or girl. I was only about 19, in a fluster I answered ‘er, a negative’ 😬

Awkward for everyone involved...

It would be a sad world if we couldn’t make small talk without causing offence. Their job must be as dull as dishwater but they generally remain polite and pleasant throughout. I really don’t think the odd “Ooh they look nice” or “Have you tried the cookie dough one?” is such a dreadful crime. I made inane conversation about Lindt bunny heads being eaten yesterday. It wasn’t going to change the earth but was hardly offensive.
What about those people whose only social contact is at the tills? It’s nice for them to be recognised and asked about their cat, or whatever.

I think you need to get over yourself.

Poor old checkout operators, trying to be pleasant and pass the time while they do a fairly mundane job.

Lots of unkind people on this thread.

You sound really miserable.

I won’t use an automated till. Every one is a (mostly female) wage spent circulating in our economy.

Marks and Spencer is the worst. They have lost all my custom through failing to provide any actual human beings. Boots is pretty bad too, although if you stand there long enough, someone will come and serve you.

I don’t use self scan etc, I would rather wait a little longer and hope that my decision may keep someone in a job.

I think there should be special queues in the supermarket:

1. The slow lane - for people who are there to pass the time and don’t mind how long it takes.
2. The fast lane - obviously for people in a rush
3. The chatty lane - for people who want some conversation. They could even talk to other people in the queue.
4. The silent lane - no unnecessary speaking required.
5. The helping lane - people with young children or anyone requiring help with packing.

I would use the silent lane every time.

l worked (briefly, on a Christmas contract) on the checkouts in an M & S Food Hall.
Most people were lovely, but we did get the odd one who treated us like some kind of Victorian kitchen maid.
The worst one was a couple, the woman spent the entire time on her phone, and both of them completely ignored me while l scanned their things. l asked if they wanted a bag, got no response, so l packed their items as they had quite a lot of stuff. When l totalled it up, she looked really pissed off, and said "l suppose you're going to charge me 5p for the bag, too?"
l shouldn't really have said it, but l replied "l did ask if you would like a bag, but you didn't reply. l thought you'd rather have your shopping in a bag."
l really wanted to say "l don't get the 5p as a bonus, you know. And if l hadn't packed it in a bag, you'd have been even more snotty and asked if l wanted you to drop it all over the car park."

I used to work in Tesco and remember chatting to a customer who was very rude to me, something along the lines of ‘what would you know about it, you’re just a checkout girl’. It turned out she was a new neighbour of ours and was most put out when she realised that a mere supermarket assistant lived in the big detatched house not one of the HA flats. Our kids were at the same school and she asked a friend of mine how we could afford it!

I also worked in Safeway when I was in 6th form and one customer was amazed when I passed an intelligent comment about stoicism (had been reading about the Stoics in A level Latin class that week). She was a classics lecturer and after that she always came to my till and asked about my studies. I actually failed A Level Latin but I’d left the job by then so I didn’t have to confess.

I had this in Tesco pharmacy once.
I had the DCs with me (just turned 3, and 18 months old at the time), and was buying a pregnancy test. He commented “you’d best hope that’s negative or else you’ll have your hands full!”
Yeah cheers for that nugget of wisdom mate.
I had an early miscarriage 3 weeks later

We have a little Asda about a mile from me. There's no option not to use the self checkouts, as the 'proper' checkouts are very rarely staffed. The couple of staff who do supervise the self checkouts end up being run ragged. l went in there this morning, the place was packed. One of the checkout supervisors had to leave what he was doing to chase a woman round the aisles because the 4 pint carton of milk she was carrying round the store was leaking.
l wouldn't have their jobs for a pension. lt must be so stressful.