Wish I had Your Confidence...

[NateTheChops]

Late in the evening and the store was mostly empty except for a few customers. At the moment all of the other registers are closed, making me the only cashier.

This woman walks up with a huge order and starts loading things on the counter.

SC: I need to run out to my car to get my money. Why don't you start ringing things up?
Me: Well, if you're going to run out to the car, I think I'll wait, just in case another customer shows up.

Reasonable right?

SC: Oh, there's no one behind me.
Me: *Thinking* Not now there isn't. *outloud* No, I know, but there's a lot of stuff here and if you're running out to your car-
SC: (Still loading things onto the counter) It will only take me thirty seconds.
Me: *Thinking* Ideally yes, but if you take a little longer and I get a line of customers, it takes me longer to clear your stuff out and ring them up.
SC: There's no one behind me, it's okay.

When I insist again that I will start ringing her up when she gets back, she pulls out her wallet and produces, lo and behold, a debit card. As I begin ringing things up she insists that there's no one behind her.

SC: Oh, I'm tax exempt too.

No problem. We have lots of tax exempt customers.

Me: Okay, do you have the Tax Exempt card.
SC: No, but I'm in the system.
Me: Okay, and this is definitely a purchase for your-
SC: (Store manager on duty) Knows me, I'm here all the time. Don't worry, you're going to be fine.

The way she said it made it sound like I was being frantic. I should also point out that as I'm ringing things out, customers are lining up. So, no customers are going to line up eh, Miss SC?

Me: I realize that, ma'am, but I do have to-
SC: (So frantically I think she's trying to reassure herself) You're doing fine, don't worry, just look up <School in next own over>.
Me: *Fighting back the urge to insist she OD on Vallium tonight* Can I get the phone number please?
SC: <Gives me number> Just pick anyone that works there.

I finish ringing her out and thankfully send her on her way. Three things:

1: I hate customers that act like they're the only people in the store. Lines can spring up out of no where and if the customer is not present for the entire transaction, leading up to and including, having the form of payment in hand to use when I ask for it, then I will wait until that customer returns and take care of the ones who are ready to get out of here.

2: Anyone can walk in and say they're tax exempt. I am required to at least ask those questions.

3: Don't talk to me like I'm a five year-old.

[chainedbarista]

hmm, nate needs a wooden spoon, or an airhorn for when occasions of such stupidity arises.

i'm tax exempt.

ok, what's your...

it's ok, i'm tax....<BWAAAAAAAAAAHHHHRRRTTT>

it's #BLA BLA

ooh, the possibilities.

[bainsidhe]

"Just pick anyone that works there"

Huh? Like you are supposed to keep a mental list of all tax-exempt names/numbers/locations? Out of everything she said that screamed scam...

[NateTheChops]

"Just pick anyone that works there"

Huh? Like you are supposed to keep a mental list of all tax-exempt names/numbers/locations? Out of everything she said that screamed scam...

Well, ordinarily I would have said so too. But of course the management makes such a fuss about pleasing the customer that even if it were a scam she would have gotten away with it.

Plus, the way our system works, if you put a phone number in for the same company (IE, a college) it reveals the name of everyone who works there with Tax Exempt status.

hmm, nate needs a wooden spoon, or an airhorn for when occasions of such stupidity arises.

After almost ten years in retail if I had either of those I'd likely be in rehab for abusing them.

[BookstoreEscapee]

See, something like that with tax exempt I would have needed the person's ID and the tax ID#. No, just pick someone who works there. Uh uh.

[Brojekk]

One thing I hate is when customers think they're calling the shots.

[Food Lady]

hmm, nate needs a wooden spoon, or an airhorn for when occasions of such stupidity arises. i'm tax exempt. ok, what's your... it's ok, i'm tax....<BWAAAAAAAAAAHHHHRRRTTT> it's #BLA BLA ooh, the possibilities.

My exact reaction to this post: hahahahahahahahaha <snort giggle> I am beginning to like this air horn idea more and more.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Ah, tax-exempt orders. I like the way the system is set up at the wholesale club. You can have a tax-exempt card or whatever from the local government all you want. But unless your club membership is set up to allow you to purchase things tax-exempt, you gotta pay the tax.

It cuts down on some of the suck.

[MoonCat]

See, I love this question, because there is no tax on classified ads. (It's about the only thing in NY state that isn't. Yet.)

Sometimes they ask "but don't I get a lower rate?"

In a word....No.

[Sheldonrs]

Sounds like the "educational" equivalent of "It's OK, I'm with the band".

[Captain Trips]

Ah, tax-exempt orders. I like the way the system is set up at the wholesale club. You can have a tax-exempt card or whatever from the local government all you want. But unless your club membership is set up to allow you to purchase things tax-exempt, you gotta pay the tax.

It cuts down on some of the suck.

Something about that seems off -- don't you end up charging tax to some tax-exempt customers that way? And isn't it illegal to do so?

[NateTheChops]

Guys, can we keep the tax debate in Fratching, please? I all ready had one thread locked down because it got off track and I'd like to keep it that way.

[Andara Bledin]

Something about that seems off -- don't you end up charging tax to some tax-exempt customers that way? And isn't it illegal to do so?

The way being tax exempt works is that establishments that allow for it can refrain from charging tax when they have sufficient proof on file that the entity to whom they sold taxable product was not subject to being taxed.

However, they can also choose to charge the tax (for a variety of reasons), and then the purchaser would be entitled to a refund of tax paid, which usually goes against the payment for tax collected.

My company gets a lot of this with our in-state online purchases. It's easier to keep records and deduct the taxes paid from those owed the state than to try to get all of the vendors to waive the tax.

^-.-^

[Jay 2K Winger]

The way being tax exempt works is that establishments that allow for it can refrain from charging tax when they have sufficient proof on file that the entity to whom they sold taxable product was not subject to being taxed.

However, they can also choose to charge the tax (for a variety of reasons), and then the purchaser would be entitled to a refund of tax paid, which usually goes against the payment for tax collected.

My company gets a lot of this with our in-state online purchases. It's easier to keep records and deduct the taxes paid from those owed the state than to try to get all of the vendors to waive the tax.

^-.-^

Yup, this is how the wholesale club does it. You have to have filed your paperwork with us (and keep it current) in order to buy anything tax-exempt in our store. What they get tax-exempt depends on the organization in question.

Restaurants? Food, disposable plates/trays/flatware, things like that are exempt. Cleaning supplies are not.

Schools? Most things we sell are exempt, as long as they can justify it. School supplies, snacks, coffee/cocoa-mix for the teachers' lounge, yes. Clothing and DVDs and whatnot, no.

Diplomats? Everything is exempt, except for alcohol. (That's the state law around here.)

[Andara Bledin]

What they get tax-exempt depends on the organization in question.

We have fun with vacuum seal bags. When we use them to store product, then they're taxable. When we ship the product in the bags, they become tax exempt. >_<

^-.-^