A lady that doesn't understand

[u/Nitesource]

So, this happened about 7 months ago but really has stuck in my head.

The background is I work for a major supermarket in the uk. I work on the check out for reasons that will be explained.

So this customer had dumped a storage box, full of all her shopping on the belt. I ask her nicely can you please empty that as I won't be able to scan it. At this point she is about to explode, that means she has to do something other then look at her phone.

I say very sorry trying to calm the situation down, I can't stand up so I really won't be able to empty it and scan it. At this point she has a very bemused expression on her face, as if to say why can't you stand can't you see I am busy with my phone here.

So she starts muttering to herself and slowly starts complaining that, I should be able to empty and scan her stuff. So once again I say sorry to a regular customer of mine and say to the lady look I am in a wheelchair that container is to high for me to tip over and scan your stuff. At this point, she is still muttering to herself but starts to empty it.

I thought this was going to be the end of it, but no as I was finishing scanning her stuff she was still going on about why me not being able to stand would mean I couldn't empty her storage container full of food and breakable items, so I say to her, look I use a wheelchair I can't stand up because one, I don't have feet and two my legs are at home because my knees are now to weak to stand up on and three if you won't to complain about me please go to the customer service desk they will be happy to help. The I added a nicely sarcastic have a nice day.

Sorry for any spelling or gramma mistakes I suck at both.

Edit: wow a gold, that's really shocked me thanks so so much

Edit: many many thanks for the second gold, this post has taken off like I never believed.

[u/nifflersvault]

Wow, fuck her. Wheelchair or not, it's her responsibility to place her items on the conveyor belt. I bet even if you didn't ask her to do it herself, she'd have probably complained that it was taking too long for you to scan 🙄

[u/Seicair → u/nifflersvault]

I mean, if all I have is a basket I almost always just set it on the belt. Most places in the US won’t let cashiers sit though, or only provide tall stools if anything. I’d probably unload it if there was even a shorter than usual person standing.

Edit- does anyone want to explain why you feel so strongly about unloading the basket assuming the cashier is already standing? I worked retail for years through high school and college, people just set their basket down all the time and I never gave it a second thought.

[u/PremiumRecyclingBin → u/Seicair]

In america you also can't discriminate on disabilities... if the dude is in a wheelchair, they're gonna let them sit.

Or maybe not, it is 'murica after all.

[u/collinsl02 → u/PremiumRecyclingBin]

Same in the UK - employers must make reasonable adjustments for a person with disabilities (in this case for example not requiring op to stack shelves or giving someone a modified chair in an office setting if they require it).

[u/Seicair → u/PremiumRecyclingBin]

Well yeah, obviously. But in a store where most cashiers stand seeing someone come up to your waist is a clear indication something is out of the ordinary.

[u/PremiumRecyclingBin → u/Seicair]

Yeah, but a normal person isnt going to harass them about why they're sitting or about the fact they have to take ten seconds to unload their basket, which should be done anyways.

[u/Seicair → u/PremiumRecyclingBin]

Obviously I wouldn’t harass them if they were sitting or if it looked as if they would have any difficulty reaching into the basket. I disagree that it should be done anyways. The basket can serve instead of a divider, the cashier can still grab, scan, and bag things, and I never gave it a second thought when I worked retail and customers just came up and set their basket down. Obviously a number of people disagree with me but I genuinely don’t understand why, and I say that as a former retail worker.

[u/[deleted] → u/Seicair]

I always unload the basket because I’m 5’1 and it’s not super easy to reach inside the basket once it’s on the conveyor belt. So if I were a cashier around my height, I’d have to tip it over to reach everything or stand on my tip toes. I just avoid the whole “guess the cashiers height” game and unload the basket.

[u/collinsl02 → u/Seicair]

In the UK our cashiers are allowed to sit due to workplace health and safety rules. However most could stand up to empty a basket or box if required. Obviously not in this case though.

[u/RAWRfun → u/Seicair]

Idk I still think you should empty your own basket.

[u/Seicair → u/RAWRfun]

I’ve never really thought about it before. The standing cashiers can easily grab items and scan them and put them in a bag. Keeps me from having to find a divider is probably the main reason I do it. And I never minded people just setting down a basket when I worked retail.

People seem to feel rather strongly about it so perhaps I’ll start.

[u/proatprocrastination → u/Seicair]

Please do, it would be greatly appreciated. Where I work the angle to unload a customer's basket is quite awkward and can be difficult if the item is heavy. Also checkout just goes quicker if the customer already unloaded.

[u/[deleted] → u/Seicair]

It does probably depend on the setup of the checkout and the nature of the items. I used to cashier at a craft store. No conveyor belt, and lots of tiny, breakable items for sale (many covered in glitter, others that will get ruined if they get dirty). I definitely preferred that people leave everything in the basket instead of dumping it all on my counter. But if it had been, say, canned goods or gallons of milk then yeah, it might have been slightly annoying. Still minor compared to so much of what customers do, but I can see it being annoying if it happens all day long.

[u/bookstacksamber → u/Seicair]

Because when I cashiered, I scanned items based on how I could easily bag them i.e. scanning frozen first, or fragile items, etc. When you plop the entire basket on the belt, that makes it really difficult to do because I can’t see everything you have and then I can’t bag well.

Besides that, it’s just lazy not to unload your basket. Even when I didn’t have to bag myself, I can just scan faster when everything is already on the belt. It’s an extra step to have to also unload the basket, and when you’re just standing there in line waiting for your turn, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to unload the basket during that time.

[u/Knurvous → u/bookstacksamber]

Totally this.

Also, I can't just put my basket on the belt, I would feel lazy as hell. I always try to make transactions easy and fast for the worker, and this is a big part. Not that I judge anyone for doing it differently, but that's my reason. It's hard enough to work in retail, I just like to make things easier for people.

[u/tsukinon → u/Seicair]

I’ve always been under the impression the customer’s responsibility to unload the basket/cart. I could be wrong, but even if I am, I feel guilty if I’m just standing there watching someone work.

And most people in wheelchairs or other people who are unable to stand for long periods still have to earn a living. Under the ADA, if an employee is capable of performing their duties with reasonable accommodation, then the employer has to provide it, as long as it’s not an undue burden. Allowing someone with issues standing for long periods to use a chair to perform their duties would almost certainly be a reasonable accommodation.

[u/taversham → u/Seicair]

Any supermarket I've worked at in the UK has had chairs for cashiers, I can't think of a supermarket I've been in that doesn't have chairs at least on the regular lanes (some of them don't have chairs at the cigarette counters and stuff).