The Things Guests Do/Pet Peeves Thread

[NewCashierLT]

Most of my pet peeves have already been mentioned here, and I'm sure most team members feel similarly but here are some specific ones that I have experienced recently:
1. Guests that expect to qualify for a coupon/gift card and when they don't, ask to speak to a manager. I had a guest who bought lots of cleaning solutions/detergent and was hoping to get the $10 off coupon with $40 purchase of "household essentials". I explained that even though she had $40 of items, the Listerine and toothpaste were not part of the offer, which is why POS rejected the coupon when I tried to scan it. The GSTL had to come over, and basically explained the same thing I did, and I am glad that he backed me up instead of simply giving Target coupons for $10 and caving to the guest.
2. Guests who try to price-match Target.com and don't realize that it is price-matching. I had a guest that showed me a Target.com page of mattress sheets for less than the price ringing up at the register, asking me to adjust the price to the Target.com page. I explained I had no way to know if the item on the Target.com page matched what he was buying so I directed him to Guest Services to price-match. He threw a huge fit and screamed about how the money was going to Target either way and that it was ridiculous that he needed to wait on line again at Guest Services. My GSTL came over and this time, she gave him what he wanted by price-matching on the register to placate him since he was so upset. Generally though, it sucks that guests who complain and cause a scene get their way whether it's with price-matching, coupons, returns, etc.

 

[Leo47]

It’s like giving a child sweets to calm them down when they throw a tantrum. They figure out that the bigger tantrum they throw, the more sweets they get.

 

[JohnSith373]

2. Guests who try to price-match Target.com and don't realize that it is price-matching. I had a guest that showed me a Target.com page of mattress sheets for less than the price ringing up at the register, asking me to adjust the price to the Target.com page. I explained I had no way to know if the item on the Target.com page matched what he was buying so I directed him to Guest Services to price-match. He threw a huge fit and screamed about how the money was going to Target either way and that it was ridiculous that he needed to wait on line again at Guest Services. My GSTL came over and this time, she gave him what he wanted by price-matching on the register to placate him since he was so upset. .

ASANTS but some of the stores in my district are fine changing target.com prices at the register as long it looks good. The guest probably went to one store, price matched at the register but at your store he felt Target changed midpolicy.

I’ve done the same thing but no tantrum. My work store allows Target.com price match at the register but my local store made me go to guest service. When this first happened, I was frustrated because it didn’t feel like the Target guest experience but then I found about ASANTS.

 

[Leo47]

Price inquiry the item they’re buying so you can view the DPCI. Ask the guest to pull up the product details of the item on their phone and scroll to the bottom to view the DPCI. Verify that they match. Then you can confidently do the price match.

However, price matching anything other than Target.com needs to be done with a zebra since that’s the only way to completely verify.

 

[HLN13]

However, price matching anything other than Target.com needs to be done with a zebra since that’s the only way to completely verify.

Can’t you just check by the UPC? Most websites like walmart and bestbuy list the UPC

 

[GoodyNN]

Walmart and Amazon are notorious for changing the upc codes on their items to make it more difficult for people to price match against them. Which is why we are supposed to use the price match app and scan the code, to ensure we are getting an exact match.

 

[Amanda Cantwell]

Walmart and Amazon are notorious for changing the upc codes on their items to make it more difficult for people to price match against them. Which is why we are supposed to use the price match app and scan the code, to ensure we are getting an exact match.

You do know when the price match app scans the code it just scans the UPC, right? That’s what a barcode is. An encoded form of UPC.

 

[Tessa120]

Target will sometimes put several UPCs under the same dpci. That can make price checking a little more difficult. But yeah, if you are really good at numbers you don't need the zebra, you can compare the numbers listed on the barcode and the numbers listed on competitors' websites. Target.com also lists the UPC a line or two above the dpci, but I've never tried looking up the items that have several barcodes lumped under one dpci.

 

[NKG]

I think my new pet peeve is guests at SCO that dont move when they need an override. I can't fix your problem without touching the register.

 

[LearningTree]

Had a guest complain that she was double charged for an item. Looked up her transaction...the dumbass was at SCO -__-

 

[REDcardJJ]

that it was ridiculous that he needed to wait on line again at Guest Services

It is kind of ridiculous to make a guest wait in multiple lines. Cashiers do have the ability to price match in POS, your store just needs to empower you to do so. Especially to Target.com. Best practice is to do it at the lanes now.

 

[Frontlanegirl]

It is kind of ridiculous to make a guest wait in multiple lines. Cashiers do have the ability to price match in POS, your store just needs to empower you to do so. Especially to Target.com. Best practice is to do it at the lanes now.

To price match to Target.com is one thing; to do so to another site is another. There are so many variables involved in price matching. Plus, there are so many cashier mistakes daily that I need to fix at GS that I wouldn't trust them to do price matches.

 

[CeeCee]

To price match to Target.com is one thing; to do so to another site is another. There are so many variables involved in price matching. Plus, there are so many cashier mistakes daily that I need to fix at GS that I wouldn't trust them to do price matches.

When the system first updated to allow us to price match on a regular check lane I was happy to do so until my GSTL told me that all price matching had to be done at guest service. Despite the fact I was a former gsa and guest service trained. They moved and we have a new GSTL who told everyone this week that we can price match on the lanes. I’m thrilled to finally be allowed to do something I already know how to do.

I will admit that we have a couple of cashiers that will probably screw this up. The same ones who call the GSA/GSTL over to approve a price challenge of 50¢.

 

[REDcardJJ]

To price match to Target.com is one thing; to do so to another site is another. There are so many variables involved in price matching. Plus, there are so many cashier mistakes daily that I need to fix at GS that I wouldn't trust them to do price matches.

It's not rocket science; the process is literally the same. If the price match is significant, it'll require a supervisor override anyway. I cover price matching when I train new cashiers because it's a practical skill that they should know how to do.

 

[NewCashierLT]

It's not rocket science; the process is literally the same. If the price match is significant, it'll require a supervisor override anyway. I cover price matching when I train new cashiers because it's a practical skill that they should know how to do.

I wasn't taught during training how to price match during training. However, another cashier showed me how to price match on the register, but they never told me about how to ensure that the item being matched from a competitor is the exact same item (same DPCI, model number, etc.). That's why I remember that if a guest services trained team member working near me overheard a guest asking to price match, they would step in and direct the guest to guest services so as not to hold up the line, and I followed that instruction myself. There have been times when a guest asks to price match an item for $8 to $10 less than at Target, which does not require a supervisor override, but it still makes me feel uncomfortable if I don't know whether it's the exact same item.

 

[REDcardJJ]

I wasn't taught during training how to price match during training. However, another cashier showed me how to price match on the register, but they never told me about how to ensure that the item being matched from a competitor is the exact same item (same DPCI, model number, etc.). That's why I remember that if a guest services trained team member working near me overheard a guest asking to price match, they would step in and direct the guest to guest services so as not to hold up the line, and I followed that instruction myself. There have been times when a guest asks to price match an item for $8 to $10 less than at Target, which does not require a supervisor override, but it still makes me feel uncomfortable if I don't know whether it's the exact same item.

The most updated training materials are from 2013, which is likely why you weren’t taught about price matching — back then cashiers couldn’t price match. The permissions have since been updated, so personally whenever I’m training new cashiers I like to make sure they know how to do it.

I can say that my store no longer has iPads (we do everything via myDevices now), so there’s really no reason that price matches would ever have to be done exclusively at Guest Service.

 

[GoodyNN]

I can say that my store no longer has iPads (we do everything via myDevices now), so there’s really no reason that price matches would ever have to be done exclusively at Guest Service.

Unless you're of the mindset, as some people on this site are, that cashiers have no business grabbing MyDevices during their shift.

 

[REDcardJJ]

Unless you're of the mindset, as some people on this site are, that cashiers have no business grabbing MyDevices during their shift.

Opening? Heck no. Closing? Sure, take one if you know how to use it. The GSA/GSTL should have one anyway, though. But at my store the guest’s phone is acceptable as long as it isn’t a screenshot and we refresh the page.

 

[Tessa120]

Guests annoy me on a regular basis, and I know that a lot of the times the problem is me blowing it out of proportion in my mind. But today......I got downright angry, and I don't think the problem was my perception.

A woman called from one of the service phones and told me that she needed help in finding a medicine. She said the generic name, which I recognized as a 24 hour allergy medicine, but when I asked if it was Zyrtec or Claritin to make the zebra search easier, she just shrugged off trying to help me help her with a "I don't know." (Annoyance, she could have helped out by providing the brand name since I can't Google stuff on a zebra and I wasn't quite sure how to spell loratadine.) So I looked up the aisle that allergy medicine is located, and I told her the aisle. She then said she needed assistance in finding it. I was confused and I asked "You need someone to meet you there?" She said yes.

That last part made me angry. I just gave her the aisle the medicine is in, and her self-entitlement is so freaking huge she can't be bothered to walk to the aisle and look at the boxes for "loratadine". I mean, how can anyone justify being babied to the point that someone has to meet you in the aisle because you are too lazy to look at the boxes yourself. She had the medication name, I had told her it was either Claritin or Zyrtec, she had the aisle number, what more did she possibly need in order to find a freaking box?

 

[commiecorvus]

Guests annoy me on a regular basis, and I know that a lot of the times the problem is me blowing it out of proportion in my mind. But today......I got downright angry, and I don't think the problem was my perception.

A woman called from one of the service phones and told me that she needed help in finding a medicine. She said the generic name, which I recognized as a 24 hour allergy medicine, but when I asked if it was Zyrtec or Claritin to make the zebra search easier, she just shrugged off trying to help me help her with a "I don't know." (Annoyance, she could have helped out by providing the brand name since I can't Google stuff on a zebra and I wasn't quite sure how to spell loratadine.) So I looked up the aisle that allergy medicine is located, and I told her the aisle. She then said she needed assistance in finding it. I was confused and I asked "You need someone to meet you there?" She said yes.

That last part made me angry. I just gave her the aisle the medicine is in, and her self-entitlement is so freaking huge she can't be bothered to walk to the aisle and look at the boxes for "loratadine". I mean, how can anyone justify being babied to the point that someone has to meet you in the aisle because you are too lazy to look at the boxes yourself. She had the medication name, I had told her it was either Claritin or Zyrtec, she had the aisle number, what more did she possibly need in order to find a freaking box?

I wonder if she can't read.

 

[Tessa120]

If she can't read, then how did she read the instructions for getting assistance at a service phone?

 

[Amanda Cantwell]

Loratadine is Claritin... but as you said she could’ve easily figured that out by looking at the box. Up and up boxes use the same colors usually as their “compare to” counterparts.

 

[Tessa120]

Loratadine is Claritin... but as you said she could’ve easily figured that out by looking at the box. Up and up boxes use the same colors usually as their “compare to” counterparts.

And most (if not all) name brand OTC medicines have the generic name printed directly under the brand name.

 

[GoodyNN]

Loratadine is Claritin... but as you said she could’ve easily figured that out by looking at the box. Up and up boxes use the same colors usually as their “compare to” counterparts.

Loratadine is also the active ingredient in Alavert.
Diphenydramine is in Benadryl (US) as well as many sleep aids (taking advantage of the fact that the drug causes somnolence).
Cetirizine is the active ingredient in Zyrtec.

Can you tell I've had to take a few of these?? LOL

I've never taken Allegra or Xyzal, so I don't know whats in those offhand.

 

[Amanda Cantwell]

Loratadine is also the active ingredient in Alavert.
Diphenydramine is in Benadryl (US) as well as many sleep aids (taking advantage of the fact that the drug causes somnolence).
Cetirizine is the active ingredient in Zyrtec.

Can you tell I've had to take a few of these?? LOL

I've never taken Allegra or Xyzal, so I don't know whats in those offhand.

Yeah I just switch between Claritin and Zyrtec (which I pronounce Zeer-tec) every few years bc I read your body will get used to one if you take it too much and it won’t be as effective.