What is some of your Pet Peeve's

[Oaktree]

The Hannaford's I used to frequent did away with the speedy checkout and put in self serve. Those don't work well if buying produce or alcohol. Everytime I went there I would fill out a survey based on my receipt... I would say "bring back speedy checkout if you want to keep my business."
They didn't.

The Shaw's nearest me won't let you use coupons on the self checkout (well, you can but you need to get an employee to scan them for you). I think they still have a 10 items or less lane in which, guaranteed, they put the slowest, crabbiest cashiers.
Pretty much the only game in town so not much incentive to improve customer service. 45+ min drive to any competitive chain.

 

[BravoXray]

People at the only checkout who wait until their order is rung up then say "Oh, I forgot something", and go running to the back of the store to finish their shopping. Meanwhile you stand there with one item, wondering how much you really need it.

Or there's a woman, usually, that has an "organizer" full of coupons and it takes her a few minutes to dig several of them out that aren't for that store, or are expired, and then proceed s to whine about it. Grrrrrr!
Should be special aisle for coupon and discount code users, manned by a hard of hearing, visually impaired 90 year-old woman with OCD.

 

[WinterDeere]

Some of our grocery stores make their living on being over-staffed, despite the higher cost. You won't save ten cents on a loaf of bread, by shopping there, but you'll also almost never wait in a line. Seems to be popular enough, in these days of dual-career households, where no one has a Tuesday afternoon to waste at the grocery store.

 

[JethroB]

Some of our grocery stores make their living on being over-staffed, despite the higher cost. You won't save ten cents on a loaf of bread, by shopping there, but you'll also almost never wait in a line. Seems to be popular enough, in these days of dual-career households, where no one has a Tuesday afternoon to waste at the grocery store.

I’d say Publix leans in that direction, but not quite. Mostly polite courteous cashiers and helpful floor staff. Same with Chik-fil-A in the fast food arena. Premium prices too.

 

[WinterDeere]

Premium prices too.

I think a bigger fraction of the population is willing to accept this today, for better products or services, than when we were young. In the days of the sole provider, at least someone in the household had the time to focus on saving cost, and there was more incentive to do it. But with so many households being either single parent or dual career today, convenience might more often trump cost.

Of course, there are still sole-provider households today. But they seem to be the minority, whereas they were almost ubiquitous prior to the 1980's.

 

[Oaktree]

I think a bigger fraction of the population is willing to accept this today, for better products or services, than when we were young. In the days of the sole provider, at least someone in the household had the time to focus on saving cost, and there was more incentive to do it. But with so many households being either single parent or dual career today, convenience might more often trump cost.

I'm not seeing it. Seems to me the trend is in the other direction, less customer service in exchange for slightly lower prices. Self-serve gas has been the norm for decades for example. I know there are some here who dislike self check-out. Personally, I don't mind it...it's generally faster than waiting in line to have someone do it for me. It's a job that requires no skill, why not just do it yourself?

 

[ultrarunner]

One potential problem is liability from improper or innocently missed items…

One thing if the store employee makes a mistake and it happens… quite another if you benefit from a mistake you made.

Should Walmart catch you “forgetting” to scan an item, you could be arrested. They will likely also press charges against you.

Walmart has a policy that allows them to press charges.

 

[DarkBlack]

I'm not seeing it. Seems to me the trend is in the other direction, less customer service in exchange for slightly lower prices. Self-serve gas has been the norm for decades for example. I know there are some here who dislike self check-out. Personally, I don't mind it...it's generally faster than waiting in line to have someone do it for me. It's a job that requires no skill, why not just do it yourself?

I really dislike self checkout for items that are not barcoded…. Loose nuts, bolts, self bagged fruits and vegetables, sold by the pound
I’ll always go to a cashier when I have those items. Let them look them up

 

[DarkBlack]

People at the only checkout who wait until their order is rung up then say "Oh, I forgot something", and go running to the back of the store to finish their shopping. Meanwhile you stand there with one item, wondering how much you really need it.

…..Women who wait until the entire order is rung up, to then, decide to unzip their pocketbook, and start rummaging around it, looking for their checkbook.
Then you wait some more while they start to fill out the check with the supermarket name,….
Couldn’t have done 90% of it while it was being rung up.

 

[WinterDeere]

…..Women who wait until the entire order is rung up, to then, decide to unzip their pocketbook, and start rummaging around it, looking for their checkbook.
Then you wait some more while they start to fill out the check with the supermarket name,….
Couldn’t have done 90% of it while it was being rung up.

In the same vein, women who are somehow surprised when we reach our destination, and only then start gathering their piles of crap to get out of the car.

Listen, if I’m the one driving, unable to gather my stuff to get out of the car in advance, then why am I standing next to the car several minutes, waiting for you to get out, when we arrive? I’ve grabbed my keys, stowed my sunglasses, gotten my jacket on, stuffed my wallet in my pocket… and she’s what… putting on her shoes?!?

Very annoying when they’re the one who’ve already made you late getting to dinner or a show, in the first place, and now you wait some more. And it’s not just my wife, but almost every female I’ve ever known.