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It's store policy. Apparently, management thinks it'll cut down on theft .....
We have signs posted at the front door and at the register... It's understandable that people miss these signs because .... well for one it's a sign and two, it's because they're kinda small (only half a page).
So, whenever we spot someone with a large bag, backpack, grocery bags wandering through the store, we have to ask them to place their bag behind the register/counter (or we do it for them). The bags are in plain sight of employees and management, so no one will rummage through them or get stolen and personally, we don't really care what's in your bag and its unlikely that any of the employees would want to steal it (kind of like credit card numbers). And the bags are placed far enough from other customers hands (and eye sight most of the time).
Some people just get so ..... almost offended, that we ask for bags. Personally, I get offended when the SC throws a fit about it. People start whining that "their wallet" is in there (well then take it out). There have been many a customer who have simply walked out because they didn't want their bag behind the counter. Others appreciate it, as they don't have to lug their bag/groceries/whatnot around the store with them. I've even offered to place the oh-so-precious bag near the managers desk. Some people will even do it on their own, tossing their bags behind the counter without a second thought and without having us to prompt them (obviously, regular customers).
Earlier today, a group of four adults came into the store. One gentlemen had a bag. I was just finishing up a sale when I saw them wandering the store, they got about to the halfway mark (it's a fairly small store). I approach them (mainly him) and ask if I could help them with anything. He said they were just looking. I usually use this statement to my advantage when trying to separate a bag from its owner.
I do my whole spiel, "if you're going to look around the store, may I please get your bag from you and put it behind the counter?" I always feel like an ass having to ask people, but it's a part my job. Some people are easy and usually just hand it over to me and I scurry it over to the register area. But Nope. Not this guy.
"No, we're just leaving ...." he instantly replies. Liar. They've been in the store less than three minutes. But they did promptly leave. He basically cut this whole groups' shopping time because he didn't want his bag behind the counter. That's fine with me. It makes me kinda wonder why someone would lug a big heavy bag around the store anyway.
I've also been cursed out by an angry parent. His two children had a backpack each, filled to the brim with DVDs (what kind of parent does this anyway??). It's obvious he was going to pawn the movies (and bringing the kids along too), but I gently asked the kids to please place the bags behind the counter. The kids looked slightly relieved because the damned things look heavy and cumbersome (but also with the deer-caught-in-the-headlights-look, like they just got into trouble or somethin'). They were just looking around the store until things in the pawn room died down (it was fairly busy in there). But instead of letting the little ones (about 8-9 years old) get rid of their burdens, the guy started using cursing at me (using some rather colorful words) and tromped the children off to the pawn room to wait. I believe the bags stayed with the DVDs when he pawned them and they came back out to the floor to continue looking. He seemed calmer when I asked him if I could help with him with anything ... but he was still an ass.
They only person who is exempt from leaving their backpack behind the counter is our jeweler (in which I'm sure, he has many fun, sparkly things hidden away in there).
We have signs posted at the front door and at the register... It's understandable that people miss these signs because .... well for one it's a sign and two, it's because they're kinda small (only half a page).
So, whenever we spot someone with a large bag, backpack, grocery bags wandering through the store, we have to ask them to place their bag behind the register/counter (or we do it for them). The bags are in plain sight of employees and management, so no one will rummage through them or get stolen and personally, we don't really care what's in your bag and its unlikely that any of the employees would want to steal it (kind of like credit card numbers). And the bags are placed far enough from other customers hands (and eye sight most of the time).
Some people just get so ..... almost offended, that we ask for bags. Personally, I get offended when the SC throws a fit about it. People start whining that "their wallet" is in there (well then take it out). There have been many a customer who have simply walked out because they didn't want their bag behind the counter. Others appreciate it, as they don't have to lug their bag/groceries/whatnot around the store with them. I've even offered to place the oh-so-precious bag near the managers desk. Some people will even do it on their own, tossing their bags behind the counter without a second thought and without having us to prompt them (obviously, regular customers).
Earlier today, a group of four adults came into the store. One gentlemen had a bag. I was just finishing up a sale when I saw them wandering the store, they got about to the halfway mark (it's a fairly small store). I approach them (mainly him) and ask if I could help them with anything. He said they were just looking. I usually use this statement to my advantage when trying to separate a bag from its owner.
I do my whole spiel, "if you're going to look around the store, may I please get your bag from you and put it behind the counter?" I always feel like an ass having to ask people, but it's a part my job. Some people are easy and usually just hand it over to me and I scurry it over to the register area. But Nope. Not this guy.
"No, we're just leaving ...." he instantly replies. Liar. They've been in the store less than three minutes. But they did promptly leave. He basically cut this whole groups' shopping time because he didn't want his bag behind the counter. That's fine with me. It makes me kinda wonder why someone would lug a big heavy bag around the store anyway.
I've also been cursed out by an angry parent. His two children had a backpack each, filled to the brim with DVDs (what kind of parent does this anyway??). It's obvious he was going to pawn the movies (and bringing the kids along too), but I gently asked the kids to please place the bags behind the counter. The kids looked slightly relieved because the damned things look heavy and cumbersome (but also with the deer-caught-in-the-headlights-look, like they just got into trouble or somethin'). They were just looking around the store until things in the pawn room died down (it was fairly busy in there). But instead of letting the little ones (about 8-9 years old) get rid of their burdens, the guy started using cursing at me (using some rather colorful words) and tromped the children off to the pawn room to wait. I believe the bags stayed with the DVDs when he pawned them and they came back out to the floor to continue looking. He seemed calmer when I asked him if I could help with him with anything ... but he was still an ass.
They only person who is exempt from leaving their backpack behind the counter is our jeweler (in which I'm sure, he has many fun, sparkly things hidden away in there).
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