While working in a grocery store, you will encounter a wide variety of customers. Whether you’re the cashier who has to ring them up, a bagger who has to bag their groceries, or an employee stocking a shelf who has to create conversation, we all are surrounded by the general public who quite frankly, can be pretty annoying. There are many irritating things that customers do while grocery shopping, but over my experience, I have been able to narrow it down to the top 10 annoying things customers do.
1. Putting products in the wrong place
I couldn’t tell you how many times I have walked the grocery store to find grapes in the potatoes, bananas in the berries, apples in the oranges, kale in the cauliflower, or conventional produce mixed into organic produce. Customers tend to feel as if they can put things wherever they want, and it drives the employees insane.
2. Asking where they should put their shopping basket.
In the 20 minutes that you were in the store did you forget where you got you basket from? Did you suddenly go blind and cannot see the stack of them right next to you? Are you just lazy and hoping I will take it from you so you don’t have to put it away, kind of like when you put the product in the wrong place?
3. Not having their payment ready.
When you finish unloading your stuff, take out your payment! If you don’t have the payment out, at least have your wallet in your hand. Waiting for someone to dig out their wallet and pay after the stuff is rung up is ANNOYING. It’s even worse when after everything is rung up that they realize they forgot their wallet or forgot their card. Be prepared before you check out.
4. When customers tell you what the product is.
Ringing up granny smith apples and the customer telling you, “those are granny smith and they’re $0.69 a lb,” or scanning a package of strawberries and a customer saying, “those are strawberries for $2.00.” Yes, I know what the product is. I appreciate your concern but please stop.
5. Customers leaving their shopping carts in the middle of the parking lot.
Not only does this annoy employees, but it also annoys other customers. You have your shopping cart taking up three parking spaces. Is this necessary? No. Please push your shopping cart back where it belongs, and then be on your way.
6. “Am I in your way?” “Oh, no, you’re okay!” *They proceed to reach right over you invading your personal space.*
Clearly, I’m in the way. Tell me to move and I’ll move, don’t stretch yourself out right over me, please and thank you.
7. Customers taking products out of the box you just brought out to stock with, instead of on the rack, making you go back and get more cases of the product you just brought out.
Please just do everyone a favor and take off the rack!!
8. “Oh, I don’t need a bag” after you bag all of their groceries.
Or, “I brought my own bag” after putting all their groceries into plastic bags and then them expecting you to fix it. If you’re going to tell me last minute, then fix the issue yourself.
9. When customers tell you another store has better prices.
Okay, go to that store then. Nobody is stopping you.
10. Forgetting something when checking out, and asking if you can quickly go get it.
The worst part about this is that the cashier has to say “yes” and then everyone in line gets impatient. Next time, maybe use a grocery list.
Next time you go grocery shopping, do us all a favor and not be one of these customers.
