Sure, and should we grab you a coffee on the way back ... ?

[Pixilated]

Apparently we have encountered a new SC in the thrift shop at which I volunteer.

We start the day with $25 in the till -- maybe one $10 bill, a $5 bill and a lot of change. However, ATMs only dispense $20 bills so it's not at all unusual to have someone buy a couple of dollars' worth of stuff with a $20 bill. This is not a problem ... until we run out of small bills and/or change. There are always at least 2 people in the store so it's usually possible for someone to dash to the bank (two doors away) and get some change.

However, once in a while, it may not be possible -- e.g., there may be only two people in the store and the other person may be helping another customer. When that happens the cashier can only apologize and ask the customer to go to the bank themselves to get change; we will hold their items until they get back.

SC decided this would not do at all. According to the writeup, she got very belligerent and virtually ordered the cashier to go to the bank for her, saying, "That's your job!"

Nice try, you lazy lump.

[Slayer]

Is there any reason why they can't have more change than that? Especially since they know it's an issue?

While I do leave work to go to the bank for change, our cash is never so empty that we cannot provide service.

Did she have a large bill or just a $20?

[raudf]

I don't know. I don't think in a volunteer situation like that I'd want a lot of change at the start. Seems like a good way to invite armed robbery or something.

Still, there's no reason to go ballistic if the cashier doesn't have change! At least they offer to hold the stuff while you run and get change yourself. Sounds like the "lady" needs to buy herself some big girl undies and deal!

[Merriweather]

Wow. An obviuosly small thrift shop, I would assume just selling donated items to make money for a charity - and she expects chic boutique level service or more? Takes EW to a whole new level.

[TheSHAD0W]

I'd suggest keeping another $50-100 in small bills in a small safe in the back. If you don't have a drop safe you could also use it to hold excessive amounts of cash on heavy shopping days.

[emax4]

I hope I'm understanding this correctly. Did the SC expect the thrift store cashier to go to the SC's bank and break change with the SC's money, or did the SC expect the cashier to close her line, make the SC wait, then leave for the bank to break change, then come back, reopen her line and resume waiting on the SC? Either way, the SC was a douche.

[Ironclad Alibi]

SC decided this would not do at all. According to the writeup, she got very belligerent and virtually ordered the cashier to go to the bank for her, saying, "That's your job!"

Had I been there, I would have gladly gone to the bank for her and returned which the smaller bills, less a $5.00 courier fee of course.

Maybe the next time I get a chance to change someone's large bill into smaller billls I will charge them a 10% money changers fee.

[Slayer]

I hope I'm understanding this correctly. Did the SC expect the thrift store cashier to go to the SC's bank and break change with the SC's money, or did the SC expect the cashier to close her line, make the SC wait, then leave for the bank to break change, then come back, reopen her line and resume waiting on the SC? Either way, the SC was a douche.

OP said that they usually go to the bank anyway. Of course, it's entirely possible they were busy at the time which would have made it impossible to go.

I don't know. Maybe I'm on both sides because even for a bake sale, or another type of fundraiser like a garage sale, I have more than $25 in change lol.

[Pixilated]

I'd suggest keeping another $50-100 in small bills in a small safe in the back. If you don't have a drop safe you could also use it to hold excessive amounts of cash on heavy shopping days.

The suggestions of more change are good, but it's not likely to happen. We are a very small thrift shop, entirely volunteer-run (except the manager, who gets what amounts to a honourary stipend) and at 56, I'm one of the youngest volunteers there. Management, I think, is worried about having too much money in the drawer as it's quite visible to everybody who's at the counter.

Also, one of our older volunteers has already been on the receiving end of a violent robbery (not at this store).

A safe might be a good idea (and I will suggest it) but again, there's the issue of someone following a volunteer to the back -- or worse, forcing one or all of them to the back -- to open it, and having someone get hurt in the process.

Bank deposits are made daily so there is never a large accumulation of cash.

I think the idea is that without a lot of money in the till, robbers will pass us by.

I hope I'm understanding this correctly. Did the SC expect the thrift store cashier to go to the SC's bank and break change with the SC's money, or did the SC expect the cashier to close her line, make the SC wait, then leave for the bank to break change, then come back, reopen her line and resume waiting on the SC? Either way, the SC was a douche.

I don't think she cared whose bank we went to -- there are two banks just a few doors away. She just figured it was part of our job to go fetch her change for her.

Had I been there, I would have gladly gone to the bank for her and returned which the smaller bills, less a $5.00 courier fee of course.

Maybe the next time I get a chance to change someone's large bill into smaller billls I will charge them a 10% money changers fee.

I like that idea, LOL.

[PepperElf]

Had I been there, I would have gladly gone to the bank for her and returned which the smaller bills, less a $25.00 courier fee of course.

Maybe the next time I get a chance to change someone's large bill into smaller billls I will charge them a 10% money changers fee.

Fixed it for you

[EricKei]

Even a mid-size retail place like a GameStop or a big one like the Mart of Wal is unlikely to have the Til's start off with more cash than is absolutely necessary -- I've NEVER been anywhere that started us off with more than $150, and it was usually more like $80 -- 2 rolls of each coin type, a pack of ones, and some fives. A couple of tens if we were low on fives, and that's it. This is partially so that there's less to steal (some companies want ALL bills over a 20 deposited in the safe ASAP; some even one 20's "dropped"), but they also (effectively) assume that the first several customers will all be using small bills, and thus, will help to build up a buffer.

The best part is, many of us have had the experience that people who looooove to use 100's to pay for small transactions generally have plenty of smaller bills in their wallets >_<

[PepperElf]

to be absolutely honest i have no idea how much is in our till at the start of the day.

quite literally only the managers install them or pull them at the end of the night. but i understand why since we sell big-ticket items that can easily go over $1000

[Jay 2K Winger]

"That's your job!"
"Incorrect. My job is to sell the merchandise here in the shop. Not to play money courier for someone too lazy to go to the bank themselves."

Ah, the things we wish we could say.

[dragon_wings]

At <my store> the main register starts with $200 (mostly in coins) cause we have a coin machine (pictured). All other registers start with $100.

[Slayer]

The suggestions of more change are good, but it's not likely to happen. We are a very small thrift shop, entirely volunteer-run (except the manager, who gets what amounts to a honourary stipend) and at 56, I'm one of the youngest volunteers there. Management, I think, is worried about having too much money in the drawer as it's quite visible to everybody who's at the counter.

Also, one of our older volunteers has already been on the receiving end of a violent robbery (not at this store).

A safe might be a good idea (and I will suggest it) but again, there's the issue of someone following a volunteer to the back -- or worse, forcing one or all of them to the back -- to open it, and having someone get hurt in the process.

Bank deposits are made daily so there is never a large accumulation of cash.

I think the idea is that without a lot of money in the till, robbers will pass us by.




I don't think she cared whose bank we went to -- there are two banks just a few doors away. She just figured it was part of our job to go fetch her change for her.



I like that idea, LOL.

Ah, I understand now. They're kind of set in their ways, I'd imagine. I know the elderly ladies here have a hard time accepting new things or doing things differently. Nothing wrong with that. They've earned that right, lol.

The thing is, if someone wants to rob them. They will. They might send someone in to buy something to look inside your till, but usually, they'll just rob. And if they transfer money from a till to somewhere else, that lessens the amount people can see.

I guess the thrift store as an advantage as it is a thrift store. Probably single items with barely any duplicates. That does help in people getting their own change.

It's just my experience that if you send someone away, they'll stay away.