How to Avoid Issues at the Register
Posted on Sunday, July 3rd, 2011 at 4:12 pm
Sometimes couponing can get a little complicated. The process can be tricky; there can be coupon mistakes, cashiers don’t always know what’s going on, and other customers can get annoyed with couponers. Issues pop up every once in a while, but there are some ways that we can avoid them!
Ways to Avoid the Grouchy Cashiers and Annoyed Customers
There is a stigma attached to couponers that we are greedy, inconsiderate penny-pinchers. That just isn’t true. Most of us are honest, wonderful people who just want to save some money! Unfortunately because of this stigma, when a couponer pulls out a stack of coupons it’s not completely out of the ordinary that cashiers tense up and customers roll their eyes. How do you help change their opinions about couponers?
- Be kind! This is one of the most best things you can do! Be nice to other customers, be nice to the cashier, and be nice to the bagger. Try not to get flustered if you run into less than pleasant people on your shopping trip. Just remember that Golden Rule! Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
- Warn others. If you have a very full cart (or several) and a lot of coupons, it would be nice of you to warn those in line behind you. If someone behind you only has one or two items, why not let them jump in front of you?
- Know your coupons. Before you even head out on a shopping trip, you should be familiar with the coupons you intend to use. Know the purchase requirements and the expiration dates.
- Be prepared! Just like the Boy Scouts, couponers need to be prepared. Have your coupons organized and ready to go. This way the cashier can check out as quickly and easily as possible.
- Know the coupon policy. Make sure that you are very familiar with your store’s coupon policy. Sometimes cashiers aren’t too sure about it and you might run into a little problem. It’s also helpful to have a print out of the coupon policy on hand in case this happens. If you show the cashier the policy and still have problems, nicely ask to speak to a manager to clear things up.
If you’re kind and prepared, and you still run into an unacceptably rude cashier, calmly speak to the manager about your situation. That’s about all you can do!
How to Help Yourself Out
- Watch the cashier. You don’t need to stare them down and scare them, but make sure that they are scanning all of the coupons you hand them. Sometimes a coupon can get away from them.
- Check your receipts. Once you’ve checked out, check your receipt to make sure you got the savings you were supposed to. If you see something is missing or wrong, take your purchases and receipt over to customer service and ask for assistance.
Hopefully you won’t run into any of these issues, but it’s not impossible. Just know your coupon etiquette and help give couponers a good name!
