Counting iz HARD.

[rose_metal_nz]

I've seen a growing trend round here for self-service in lieu of express... So, say, 5-10 'normal' lanes, then 2-4 self-service. Suits me

[ParkingWitch]

Then again, I tend to get the impression that Finns are more reasonable customers on average than Walmart's clientele.

Sometimes a pack of starving rabid wolverines is more reasonable than that.

[RealUnimportant]

Best example I've seen of dissuasive behaviour was when a cashier rang up the first 12 items only & refused to touch the rest... I was third behind the idiot in question, so not close enough to try & shepherd them elsewhere before this moment, but by now I'd been able to add my stuff behind the person in front of me & we both looked at the fool with the contempt they deserved.

[Lovecats]

I know when I've worked express we are not supposed to say anything if they have over 10 items (ours are 10 or less). If it's 1 or 2 over I don't care. One time though I had a long line and there was a lady 3 or 4 back with a full cart. I did say to her, "Maam, do you realize that this is an express lane?". She did appologize and moved to another lane. I was suprised.
I saw this picture on another website and thought it was appropriate for this topic.

[DerangedHermit]

I am so glad that the managers have some sort of common sense in my store, and that we can actually tell people that they have too many items without being reprimanded.

[laborcat]

I saw this picture on another website and thought it was appropriate for this topic.

That is totally awesome... I want those where I work!!

[wolfie]

I was pondering an idea where the register is tied into the "12 Items Or Less" light on the pole. When that is lit, the register stops ringing at 12 items and will only be able to accept coupons or total the transaction/go into payment mode.

Instead of stopping ringing, why not have it, on the 13th item, immediately after the item ring in "Express lane excess item surcharge $1.00", with the surcharge going up for each additional item? For an EW with a full cart, it would be an impressive total. Best part is that "bottom line is everything" managers would have to grow a spine to enforce a prohibition on splitting large orders, since by splitting the order, it would reduce the amount collected in surcharges, and COST THE STORE MONEY.

[emax4]

Instead of stopping ringing, why not have it, on the 13th item, immediately after the item ring in "Express lane excess item surcharge $1.00", with the surcharge going up for each additional item? For an EW with a full cart, it would be an impressive total. Best part is that "bottom line is everything" managers would have to grow a spine to enforce a prohibition on splitting large orders, since by splitting the order, it would reduce the amount collected in surcharges, and COST THE STORE MONEY.

This SHOULD work, but there's a flaw. I totally agree with this too, to tack on a convenience charge (or "being a jerk going thru more items than what express allows" charge), however...

There's nothing from stopping that offender from going to the office or customer service desk, returning the item and said dollar (if that charge is refundable), then going back to express with the few items that were originally over the express lane item quantity. Additionally, it doesn't benefit the pissed off customers behind the person with the extra items in express, and those same PO'd customers may decide to go elsewhere. Even if the cashier says, "we charged them $1 extra for every item they were over..", the next customer may or may not feel justified.

Lastly, just like the recent post suggests, the customer with the item overage might say, ""And we're supposed to F***ing read that?!?!" Since they're inability to read is obvious, their ability to drive down to the store without being able to read a Stop sign and their destination also comes into question.

[Ironclad Alibi]

Instead of stopping ringing, why not have it, on the 13th item, immediately after the item ring in "Express lane excess item surcharge $1.00", with the surcharge going up for each additional item?

Additionally, it doesn't benefit the pissed off customers behind the person with the extra items in express, and those same PO'd customers may decide to go elsewhere. Even if the cashier says, "we charged them $1 extra for every item they were over..", the next customer may or may not feel justified.

Just make it a non-refundable surcharge, and apply a percentage of it as a discount to the customers inconvienced by the surcharge payer.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Poor you; there's an express lane in the supermarket where I used to work as well as six self checkouts. Anyone who tries to bring a trolley into the express lane is redirected towards the self checkouts; it's enforced by management, so no trouble there.

[Sarlon]

went to mart of wal the other day and went into the express lane with a whopping 24 items!

cashier forgave me for to reasons...

1. there was almost literally noone else around to ring up
2. and it was all tins of cat food!

[Dreamstalker]

Instead of stopping ringing, why not have it, on the 13th item, immediately after the item ring in "Express lane excess item surcharge $1.00", with the surcharge going up for each additional item?

My store lets the customer see the transaction on a large monitor (worst. idea. ever.). As it is that encourages the nitpickers/people who don't understand that the computer system uses abbreviations for most items and general idiots who raise holy hell if a coupon doesn't scan on the very first try. I can only imagine what would happen if they could see the surcharge...

[dalesys]

... they could see the surcharge...

Titled "ASSTAX" of course.

[veniteangeli]

Just say no!

We were allowed to, and I praise [insert Deity here] all the time for that. I just flat out told people no. "This is an express lane, that is not an express order. Take your cart elsewhere." Myself and another girl took great GLEE in telling them this, and we never got in trouble for it - mostly because our store was SO busy that we regularly had 20+ REGULAR checkouts going, with lines 2-3 deep, AS WELL AS the four express lanes with lines that could and did stretch all the way back into the store. To allow shenanigans would have been to make a terrible, stressful situation 100 times worse.

[RealUnimportant]

Okay, I like this idea - here's a couple of bits of polish though:

1- make it a non-refundable service charge; the fact you later decide to return an item doesn't negate the fact you've inconvenienced people & (one must assume) gained the personal advantage of not standing in line for as long, so there's no reason to allow it to be refunded.

2- to help appease inconvenienced customers, up to 50% of the service charge is set aside and used to apply discounts to the next 2 eligible (i.e. 12-or-less) customers. The first customer will get 33.3% off their total, or 33.3% of the idiot service charge, whichever is lowest (to prevent abuse); the second customer gets the same deal with the remaining 16.7%.

3- Whatever's left of the service charge goes towards paying for adequate staff to keep the lane open all day with proper rest breaks etc., ensuring a truly express service.

The more I think about this, the more I'd support it & the less likely I think it'd ever happen - far too sensible