huh? what did you say?!?

[owen's mommy]

so this morning my awesome husband took me to the mall to shop the Bath and Body Works semi annual sale...i don't drive so that's why i needed him to take me. so it was me, my husband, and my son at the mall. i told him that i would be a little while so he could take our son around the mall to keep him entertained-he said to just meet him in the Zellers and that they would be in the toy section. well when i was done my shopping i found the both of them in the sporting goods section and my son was playing with a basketball-my son LOVES playing with toy/sport balls whenever we go shopping! well because we were going to leave my husband and i were telling my son to put the ball back and he didn't want to. we kept telling him that he had enough balls at home and that he didn't need a new one but he didn't listen. my son is 2&1/2 and of course he doesn't always listen to us! well we get to the exit of Zellers and tell our son that he has to put the ball down because we were leaving and we weren't going to buy the ball. at this time the cashier sees us put the ball down somewhere close to the checkouts-then she walks over to us while we are about to exit and asks us 'oh u aren't going to buy the ball?' and my husband and i smile politely and say 'no'. so she takes the ball and says-'then you shouldn't of let him play with it then!' WHAT? My husband even asked me what she said! i was in shock that i didn't even say anything back to her! all i said to my husband was that she was probably bitter cause she was losing her job since that Zellers is turning into Target. but it made me upset. still makes me upset! whenever it has anything to do with my son i take it personal! i feel like she was telling me how to raise my child. ugghh makes me so upset! whenever i do go shopping at that Zellers that little old lady cashier is always there and whenever she is my cashier i find her so polite and sweet-BUT DEFINITELY NOT TODAY AND DEFINITELY NEVER AGAIN! Sorry just had to rant to make me feel less upset!!

[c_mcarthur]

hmmmm i work retail and while i do understand why the cashier was upset, you NEVER EVER say anything rude to customers LOL
It gets really annoying when people dump stuff they dont want right near the cash.
BUT like i said, you dont tell off a customer because of it. thats just bad customer service.

[jac.queline22]

Sounds like you and the cashier both need a rant. hehe

She's annoyed that people leave their stuff wherever is convenient and you're annoyed that she pointed it out. Sure it may be some employee's "job" to put stuff back but what about personal accountability? I work retail too, so I can see her point. But she was quite ballsy in pointing it out!

[greencanuck]

In this post, I am in no way attacking or blaming the original poster.
I am showing a potential other side to the store staff's reaction.

As a former retail employee, I can see the frustrated employee's side.

At one very small store we spent about 4 hours every day paying 2 staff (ie about $100 daily extra costs) to properly restock dumped merchadise and about 10% of that stock was now visibly worn enough or truly damaged so that it was now reduced in value or a total loss.(about $30- $100 daily loss)

Most of the damage occurred in the toy section, with parents allowing their kids to play (sometimes for hours), but did not buy.

These losses were enough in a small store that almost all of the profit margins were taken up with these losses. (ie Store owner is looking at shorter store or staff hours, less staff or closing the store)

Also, while a child was playing with a ball, we had a customer hit in the face and a bad nosebleed resulted and another time, a customer fell on a ball (while the child was playing) and the store narrowly averted a lawsuit.
In neither case, did the family involved with the ball do anything but scurry away from the chaos that ensued.

We had to stop allowing any playing with unpaid merchandise until after it was sold to the customer.
We also greatly reduced and eventually eliminated the toy area due to the high rate of loss from kids playing.

At larger corporate department stores, these losses can be easily hundreds of dollars per day per store which can drive up the retail cost of merchandise for all of the shoppers.

[lekate]

I'm sorry the cashier was rude but I agree with Greencanuck, when I worked at a large chain, there were outdoor toys in the spring/summer and while putting overstock away (basically the store, paying someone to put items left at the cash or elsewhere in the store away, which is included in the cost of products to account for these hours) I got hit by a ball by some children. They didn't mean to, but these things happen. It's best not to play with outdoor toys indoor at the store unless you ask a clerk about them when considering a purchase!

[krazytwacy]

I work in retail and where I work they would rather let the child play with ball and the parents leave it where ever they want rather than risk never having them come back.(That is called customer service) Anyone else that works in retail and says different is not really into customer service and shouldn't be in retail. Its a ball not something that can't be resold.

[owen's mommy]

i myself was once a cashier (at Zellers even!) and i don't think i would ever think of saying anything like that to a customer! and when i worked as a cashier at Zellers there was someone who was scheduled to cover breaks and that same person was also supposed to help put away merchandise that was left at the tills. my son is still too young to actually dribble a basketball, but he just loves to carry one around, but once he got old enough to know how to throw it or was able to hurt someone i would no longer let him play with it! it sometimes takes a lot to keep a child entertained while shopping (especially when the store is very uninteresting to them!), now i know i should find other ways to keep him occupied! thank goodness for stores like RCSS, Safeway, and Sobeys who give away free cookies to kids! :-D

[Shwa Girl]

@greencanuck. I think you said it well. Can't add anything to your post.

[Kalmel]

I agree that the cashier was very rude..no excuse for that but i also agree that it can be frustrating for them also. I never let my kids play with toys in the store..unless we agree on buying it. I had my fair share of battles in stores with my kids touching stuff and leaving a store because they wouldnt listen...the joy of parenting..lol!!!

[KK7]

[Qtpi]

I too worked at a large department store....Thank-you for keeping your child from screaming all they way through the store. By letting him carry the ball and drop it near the exit, you have prevented him from screaming IN the store and I for one appreciate it. As I am sure other shoppers do as well. It's no one's business how you raise your child, do what you feel is right and best for your family.

[Caelinsmomma]

As a consumer, I wouldn't want to purchase the ball that had been played with, touched, and bounced around the store. When I go into a store to purchase a new item, that is what I expect. Especially with kids stuff, because they can (and I am saying this as a mom who knows their own kids are germy) have dirty hands, or germs, or carry sicknesses, and put things in their mouths.

I don't think it is at all about how you raise your child, it is not leaving behind "used" merchandise. When my kids were a bit younger, I would have a few things to occupy them in my purse, and if I were intending to purchase something for them, say a ball, only then would I let them play with it.

[anisa]

i was raised you don't touch what isn't yours and i'm raising my kids the same way.

my daughter was a breeze, my son has fits. i must teach them both the same values. it's my job.

[Chantel]

I work retail. This is okay. This boy is 2 years old. If he was 8 or 10, no. 2, go ahead.

Girl needs to get a life if THAT bothers her. There are many more pains in retail than a 2 year old playing with an item they don't end up buying.

Adults are unforgivable though. People will look me in the eye and stuff things in the magazine racks. I have a basket behind here for crap you don't want, just give it to me.

Even if she does have to put it back, whoop de do. It's really NOT that big of a deal.

[darlataz]

That is why I PAID someone to stay and watch kids at home.....can't shop with kids,,,,,Kids don't like shopping