Paying at The Register Etiquette [Poll]

Trying2SaveABuck on 15/07/2020 - 21:28

Paying at the register etiquette [Poll]

Alright so this has been annoying me but I’ll see what the wider community think.
The other day I was at Bunnings and I was in line for the (unfortunately self serve was closed) and there were about 5 other people in the line and I was 3rd from the front there was no other registers open at the front I think the other workers might have been on break or helping other customers (I’m not sure). Anyway the bloke at the register had a few small items and when he goes to pay inserts his card which eventually gets declined, he then re-attempts which once again gets declined. He tells the cashier he needs to sort his online banking out. From there on I reckon this guy spent a good 10 more minutes loading up his online banking to transferring money to his debit card.

By the time he paid the line was almost doubled and I just thought 2 things one wouldn’t you check whilst your waiting in line that you had enough money to buy your items (but hey sometimes you can be a little short I can understand that) but the main thing I thought wouldn’t the decent thing to do be let the cashier serve the next customer/s until you’re ready to complete you transaction?

I didn’t mind waiting I wasn’t in a rush but felt bad for the cashier because she was already under-the-pump when I lined up and pretty sure the guy in front of my was on a bit of a hurry and he wanted to say something. The guy paid for his stuff and the very least he could of said thanks for your patience to the cashier but didn’t even do that…

So a simple poll

If you aren’t ready to pay for whatever reason do you….

  • let the cashier serve the next customers
  • make everyone else wait because too bad it is my turn
  • make sure you have the money ready in the first place

Poll Options

  • 159
    Let the cashier serve the next customers
  • 4
    Make everyone else wait because too bad it is my turn
  • 2
    Make sure you have the money ready in the first place
General Discussion

Comments

  • Mechz on 15/07/2020 - 21:31
    +15

    1 and 3.

    • brendanm on 15/07/2020 - 21:33
      +3

      This, it's not exactly difficult.

  • kanmen on 15/07/2020 - 21:33
    +2

    Making sure you have the money ready is a bit of a misnomer as things can go wrong that you don't expect.

    But if that happens then it makes sense to let other people go through to pay until you sort out yourself.

  • wellglued14 on 15/07/2020 - 21:33
    +6

    As an ex-cashier, I would have served the next customers. However usually needs some sort of clearance level to cancel the transaction - from manager/supervisor. Not sure if Bunnings has the same system or if they can just void it themselves.

    • Antares on 15/07/2020 - 22:44
      +3

      They can actually just save the transaction and it prints a receipt that can be scanned to resume the transaction.

      • EmCKay on 16/07/2020 - 09:19

        Almost right. We can save a transaction but there is no longer a receipt printed. It stays in the system to be (hopefully) recalled later.

  • elgrande on 15/07/2020 - 21:37
    +13

    slow night on the forums..

    • Ridiculous Panda on 15/07/2020 - 22:53
      +7

      OP is in Melbourne. Can’t blame him.

      • Krankite on 16/07/2020 - 07:26
        +5

        I thought blaming people from Melbourne was the new national sport.

  • Mango1 on 15/07/2020 - 22:00
    +8

    I dont think its up to the customer. The cashier is the one in charge and should have taken initiative to serve the other customers if it was taking so long. Should have also asked another team member to open another register to help if there was a long line.

  • trustnoone on 15/07/2020 - 22:07

    Eh I don't know, I feel like if something like that happend to me, I'd probably half freeze. I'd have a one track mind of trying to pay as quick as possible, and while worrying in anxiety of all the people thats waiting, I'd probably take even longer to move the money over as my mind is racing over nothing. Then finally I pay and don't know whether to use an excuse or what to say and finally I leave and hope no one ever remembers me.

    I guess my point is, if I was thinking properly I would let everyone in front of me go first while I work it out, but the reality is, I probably wouldn't be thinking properly. Guy could also be rude, which also would make proper sense.

  • Melb69 on 15/07/2020 - 22:10
    -2

    I look at it this way. Everyone in this world seems to be in a hurry. I actually enjoy the time standing there waiting sometimes if say the person in front has stacks of groceries. Or if you cant wait pull out your phone and put on a bet or play Pokemon. A moment of just standing there listening to the silence can be good. There's enough stuff happening in this workd, a guy can stuff around for money fir a few minutes. IMO.

    • Ezekiel2320 on 16/07/2020 - 01:33
      +6

      Yeah nah. Some people have jobs and places to be. It's great that you want to Sunday Drive at the shops, blocking the only register for 10 minutes is ridiculous

    • Bargain80 on 16/07/2020 - 12:55

      1 or 2 minutes, yeah sure.
      but 10 minutes is ridiculous.

  • [Deactivated] on 15/07/2020 - 22:22
    -3

    Policy is to service that customer, this isnt north korea.

    Even if that customer has a drug habit….

  • garetz on 15/07/2020 - 22:29
    +2

    That customer is a real prick, but the cashier is the real problem, allowing that to happen.

    They should of told the customer to come back when they have their finances in order.

  • Niroshansira on 16/07/2020 - 01:28

    I am sorry.. I really am..

  • brokenglish on 16/07/2020 - 01:31

    Cashier's fault.

  • tdrive on 16/07/2020 - 08:00

    Cashier should've asked the customer to wait to the side and serve the rest of a line. Customer should've offered to stand to the side so other people can be served.

  • Fergy1987 on 16/07/2020 - 08:27

    When I worked at coles you would suspend the whole sale and he'd have to take his receipt voucher to the service desk to pay

  • Austaurean on 16/07/2020 - 09:00

    Park the sale, serve other customers and when he has sorted his finances, he can indicate to the cashier, then bring sale back up so he can pay and pi$$off..

  • EmCKay on 16/07/2020 - 09:22
    +1

    There have been many instances when I’ve asked a customer if they’d mind if I served the next in line only to be told ‘I’ll only be a second’. That second could be minutes but we honestly do our best.

    • Ridiculous Panda on 16/07/2020 - 10:25

      Maybe don’t ask. Tell them you are going to quickly help the next customer until they are ready.

  • Kaz0551 on 16/07/2020 - 11:58
    +1

    Oldies are the worst. Their stuff gets scanned, bagged. Then… OH, what a surprise! You want me to pay? I better start to find my purse in this big bag I have. I could have started looking for the purse a few minutes ago but I thought this might have been free, beacuase, YOLO?

    • Forfiet on 16/07/2020 - 14:11

      As a person with an older family member it can be harder than you think.

      For instance they may be infirm and if they are buying a week or two+ of groceries and trying to place their purchases on the conveyor, pull out that flybuys/rewards card, reload the trolley on the other side(oh your right arm which is the 'main' is damaged? Too bad) and keep hobbling back and forth(oh your legs are bad? Is it the rheumatoid arthritis? That metal knee not working the best? Or is it the still deteriorating flesh and bone one?) in the process…

      Then they are fighting the big bag bag like you said, but they may be having a memory lapse….. But we got there in the end! Yay!

    • Niroshansira on 16/07/2020 - 15:05

      We all are getting old.. Should learn to be patient with them…

  • SirFlibbled on 17/07/2020 - 16:22

    Send him to the back of the queue

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