To think sales staff should help you pack your bags?

[terreyyy]

I normally pack my bags without asking for help.
Today I went into the pound shop.
I had my two kids (one is 3 and other is 5) I had 2 heavy bags in one hand and it was raining so had my brolly.
Bought 5 glass pumpkins and got to checkout.
She told me they had nothing to wrap them in so I said no worries can I have some bags and I would put each in separate bag.
She put the bags down (unopened ) then scanned them really fast.
I had 1 daughter screaming,then I dropped my bank card.
So I'm trying to wrap each pumpkin up then put them in my carrier bag.
She is just stood behind the counter arms folded waiting for me.
She then says to the long queue (sorry about this everyone) whilst shaking her head looking at me.
Would it have actually killed her to just help me?
The guy serving on the next till was packing the bag for someone.
Aibu to think she could have helped ?
Rather than stand there and make me feel like an idiot

Yes but equally if I'd been standing in the queue waiting I would have helped you.

@GoldfishParade

Yes but equally if I'd been standing in the queue waiting I would have helped you.

I hope you wouldn’t as that’s not keeping 2m back.

I think a lot of ‘normal’ things aren’t happening now because of trying to reduce contact.

You should have asked her to help you, but yes she should have helped.

Lots of retail staff are being told to have minimal contact with customers. Most customers would complain if staff came too close or touched their hand while packing. They really can't win.

@WhatWouldJKRDo
If I'm wearing a face mask and not breathing into someone's face then I absolutely would call out "do you need hand?"

So the story is you’re a grown woman who is clumsy and people should go out of their way to accommodate you because of that? Grow up. You’re lucky if you actually consider than to be an issue.

@dayswithaY why would she touch my hand whilst packing?
All she would be doing is touching the stuff she's just touched and scanned then handing me a carrier bag

@SimplyPizza no I'm a woman who clearly needed a hand with her packing and she couldn't be arsed.
Rather than help the customer she would rather roll her eyes and stand like a petulant child.

@simplypizza who pissed on your cornflakes

In the USA shop assistants pack everything for you, including all your supermarket shopping.
I was very taken aback when I first realized this.

You said you needed help with packing, I assumed that would involve one of you holding the bag open and the other one placing the items inside. Or did you expect her to pack the whole lot while you just stood and waited? Harrods is open today if you want that kind of service.

And il add I always pack my own bags,I don't expect anyone to do it for me if I can.
Today I really needed a bit of help and surely normal people would just offer it out of kindness.

It's the pound shop, they never have helped. The clue is in the name to their likelihood of customer service

So you didn't actually ask her to give you a hand?

@dayswithaY no I expected her to maybe wrap some of them up so I could place them in my shopping bag.

Another one wondering why cat got your tongue?

Then you should have said that to her at the time, not hours later on Mumsnet. It's a pound shop.

Some people like shop assistants to pack for them; others don't (I'm one of those who much prefers to do my own packing).

You can't expect people to be mind readers. If you're capable of bringing up 2 children and of shopping independently, then you should be more than capable of asking for some help if you'd like it.

No point in not asking for help at the time and then coming here to whinge that the shop assistant wasn't psychic.

It’s the pound shop, their focus is cheap and quick, if you want great customer service go somewhere else

If you wanted her to help you should’ve opened your mouth and asked, not silently fumed

I work in a supermarket. We normally offer to help with packing, but due to covid we have been told not to and if customers are taking a while to pack then we are to keep our distance from the counter to keep the 2m. If a customer actually asks though, we will help when we can.

If someone does need help then we will offer to pack into new bags but not into a customers own bags (because we dont know where they've been and frankly some peoples reusable bags look dirtier than hell) and we will ask customers not to reach for things that we are still scanning as i have inadvertently held hands with/been scratched by customers who were grabbing items i hadn't yet released after scanning.

I work in retail, i dont always pack bags for people but if I was serving you absolutely I would have helped. Isnt that the right thing to do if you can see someone struggling??

They can’t pack cos of the ‘rona.

It wouldn't have killed her to help. Working at a till is more than just scanning the items and dealing with the cash. Pity no-one told that assistant.

OP YABU because you didn't ask! People aren't mind readers

It’s the pound shop, their focus is cheap and quick, if you want great customer service go somewhere else

If you wanted her to help you should’ve opened your mouth and asked, not silently fumed

This!