Strategic Cashier Selection
We always talk about Strategic Coupon Use however I think just as important is Strategic Cashier Selection.
I am going to be honest that my target cashier is the high school aged, male cashier. Why? Because I normally get the best service. #1 He doesn’t complain about how many coupons that I use. #2 He doesn’t mind if a coupon beeps and will manually enter it. #3 He loves to see how much I save. #4 He smiles and enjoys the checkout process with ME and #5 He doesn’t mind if I break my order into multiple transactions.
If there is not a high school aged male cashier, then my second choice is a high school aged female cashier. Usually just as friendly but maybe doesn’t enjoy the checkout process with ME as much as the male does.
Who DO I NOT like to check out with is the 50–60-year-old female cashier? I “typically” avoid that cashier’s lane at all costs. Even if that means that I will have to wait in line for another cashier. At all costs I avoid that type of cashier. In addition, I do not like to check out with the 50–60-year-old male cashier.
Normally these cashiers are not friendly, I find they often times tell me a coupon is not valid before even trying to scan it and they gruff and grumble under their breaths often times saying that “I am stealing” from the store. In “general” they are typically not a pleasure to check out with and therefore I personally make the decision to avoid them at all costs (even if that means I wait longer to check out).
In addition, I personally chose to NOT use a self-checkout lane. When using coupons, I find that it takes on average 3 times as long to checkout at the self-checkout because the coupons will have to be manually accepted by the self-checkout cashier. I have tried it on several occasions and to me it is not worth the time or effort.
In addition I personally do not use the express lane when I am using coupons unless there is literally no one in the store and I have less than 15 items. Because of the time it takes to checkout I find that the express lane cashier is in a HUGE rush to get me in and out and therefore doesn’t take the time necessary to make sure all the coupons scan appropriately.
Well here you have what I consider to be a KEY to stockpiling success. Strategic Cashier Selection! Do you strategically select your cashier?
Please do not take offense if you are a cashier ages 50-60 years of age. This is just my opinion as a consumer.
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Melissa is a football and soccer mom who has been married to her best friend for 24 years. She loves sharing recipes, travel reviews and tips that focus on helping busy families make memories.
thank you, melissa for taking the time to tell us of your experiences. this website is the BEST….
Thanks lucy!
I agree 100%. The cashier I go to at my local Food Lion is a young girl and she is great. She will just scan away and if it beeps she rolls her eyes and enters in manually. She is always very friendly and she likes to see how much I save too. However if she isn’t available there is a 50-60 year old woman that I go to…Reason being…She always wants to know where I got the coupon so she can get it too. At Wal-Mart it is a crap shoot and most all the cashiers are 50-60 year old women who act like they are offended that I came into THEIR store with coupons.
I have 1 coupon friendly cashier at Meijer who fits the 50-60 the rest I totally avoid.
Absolutely 100% true……Jenni and I refer to the daytime cashiers in Cold Springs as coupon nazi’s.
I understand Jon 🙂
I 100% agree when I get a woman I always have trouble and I end up wanting to crawl across that counter and do their job for them. But if I get a teenage boy we actually have fun in line so I agree with you. Its sad that we have to profile but we do so there
We do too! They always say, can I come to your house, you always buy the best food…they are so excited to see my savings too!
I love this post!!! You know though, there are always exceptions to the rules. Once you know who the difficult cashiers are, you will avoid them and once you find your favorite(s), you will try to go to them all the time.
I find that if I’m in a good mood and I don’t have a complicated order, I can handle just about any cashier. If I’m having a bad day or I know that my order and/or coupons are going to be difficult for one reason or another, I will be more selective.
On top of coupon and cashier selection is time of day selection. Which I will let you post about!!!! lol
Thanks Lorrie – I will work on that one next 🙂
Though I thank you for sharing your experiences, in our area in NE Georgia, it is the exact [and I do mean exact] opposite and has been for years. The teens here seem to think my coming into their place of employment is an interruption of their personal lives. More than 1 time over the years, I have complained because they were chit-chatting with a co-worker or friend and paying no attention to me or my order.
A perfect example is the about 16 y/o bagger recently who found it funny that he could not find the items necessary for a price check as about a 1/2 dozen of us were piling up in line. I actually called customer service while in line from my cell and complained. And even though the lady there is probably mid-30’s early 40’s, she patronized me with a fake apology. The manager was out to dinner so I am sure the situation was never addressed.
At the local Kroger there’s a couple older ladies who’ve been there 15 to 20 years and they are wonderful. They’ll manually double a dozen coupons on items, even though only 1 is supposed to double. There is also one cashier in her mid-20’s who will go over and above for her customers and one young man in his early 20’s. Truthfully the rest of the cashiers and baggers should be relieved of their duties permanently and replaced with people who really need jobs and want to work.
The older I get, the more true customer service seems to be a thing of my past. I’m old school and that doesn’t cut it with me.
Thanks for the info. I stay away from certain cashiers too. There is one at my publix that will manually change the coupon amount to match the item price. No overage. 🙁 Staying away from them…..
For sure Holly! I have one of those at almost every store and what is funny is that now my son and husband even know who to avoid.
I totally agree- though I do actually prefer self check out. I find it much faster. Lines are faster. And in my store, that is typically where the teenage boys are stationed.
When I have multiple transactions, I try to make that very clear so that anyone hopping in line behind me understands the situation. And if they have an item I might have a coupon for, I will often offer it to them as a thank you for being patient.
At my store that is NOT where the teens are stationed either….another big factor on my decision 🙂
when i go to stop&shop i go to the self check out because they have the scan as u shop device. im in ct. not sure if your stores have that yet. its been here 4 about 2 years now and i love it! i scan and bag all items as i shop. so at check out all i have to do is scan my coupons , pay and leave. there is no bagging at checkout and no cashier telling me my coupon is no good.
when i go to shoprite i always look for a young male. there is 1 kid that i love to go to cuz he so fasinated with how i coupon and how much i save. hes a real sweetie too and never gives me a hard time.
I have not used a Scan as you shop device but they sound so cool.
OMG, your article is so true!!! LOL I had the same experience it’s so funny! I look for the younger cashiers, too I especially look for the ones that see me at the store quite often. I usually engage in a small chat of how they’re doing, the weather, etc. I even greet them by their names, it makes them feel special!
I tell my favorite cashiers that they are my favorite. That makes them want to be even nicer and more friendly.
such great advice!! I’ve probably noticed the same service but could not have verbalized it!
I totally agree with this article. I too choose the young male and then the young female as 2nd choice. For me the older cashiers complain more about the amount of coupons I use and make me feel like I’m trying to pull one over on the store. It’s embarrassing for a cashier to tell me I bought the wrong item or it’s expired so I double and triple check my stuff.
I am so glad I am not the only one who calls our cashiers Coupon Nazis. I will never understand why older woman have to be so nasty! I only have this problem with the older woman. Older men are usually super sweet to me and will just manually enter the coupon.
Around here it is thew opposite, the young cashiers are texting and listening to their Ipods to even notice you, then they roll their eyes asking after you have all your stuff on the belt you need to check out?? That after I get them away from their friends and planing of the rest of the night…. after work plans…
This was one funny post. I am in the just over 50 range and I have to say I mostly agree with you. It varies though, as one poster said, the young teens who act put out that we are even there. If I truly try to think about this, I tend to go with someone that looks happy, is able to multitask, (talk and ring up). It is funny though, hate to profile, but that’s what works. I find that a lot of people in my age group tend to be fuddy duddy and set in their ways. Mostly with how they take care of their grandchildren. The syndrome….it was good enough for my kids, so it must be good enough for the grandkids.
Oh gosh, this is a great topic, just don’t start us on waiters and waitresses.
I have to chime in one more time. You all mentioning older women. My daughter who is 26 is always hassled by women my age. Mostly Ralphs. I love going in and fixing the problem. I want to see these women hassle me because I’m a bit quicker on my toes to show them where they are wrong. My daughter gets flustered and embarrassed, then upset that she couldn’t use her coupons. I know the managers by name now, and they all recognize me and are quick to take care of any problems.
Ha! Oh my gosh–you really hit the nail on the head! I have been couponing for a long time, probably 30 years, yet It never ceases to amaze me at the attitudes of cashiers. Now I am the ripe age of 47, and have couponed out of neccesity from early on. But I don’t understand why someone (close to) my own age can be such grumps. Come on! Heck, I’m always glad to see someone save a buck! And I was a bagger at one time, so I kinda know how it goes. But there was never any good reason to be rude or grumpy towards anyone!
Thanks Patty! 🙂 I agree 100%
I am a secretary for a company that owns Tug Boats…I also get the wondeful job of shopping for the boats…3 times a week at Kroger…I’m talking each trip is seven baskets and on average 800-1,100 an order…So everyone in the store knows me and they kiss **** when they see me! I never have a problem with coupons or anything… Whenever I go in to another Kroger they treat me like a famous person because the want the companys money to be spent in thier store… It’s funny! But even with me not having coupon problems, I find the younger boys are the ones who want to check me and my seven baskets out! Some people see me and even though they are super nice they run the other direction! Lol (: Love this post!
Jennifer I would love to go shopping with you 🙂 Thanks!!!
Agree with everyone so far about the younger kids for check-out. And I also warn those coming in behind me if I have multiple transactions and LOVE sharing coupons, even as I walk around the store. However, I have 2 “older” gals at Target (I know, of all places!) that are always great. They know I donate alot of my goodies, so help me out every way they can. Same at my Kriger. Also, go to the cosmetics counter at Walgreen’s, especially with multiple transactions. It helps their numbers, and if someone else walks up during my “ordeal”, I’ll step aside and let them wait on that customer and often look to see if I have a coupon to help them out. I’ve also been known to share a coupon or two with the checkout girl if it’s a really good deal. I try to become friends with the people at the places I go to mostly. Just remember, a smile and kidding around (and kinda flirting with the younger guys!), in other words, just be pleasant as much as possible goes along way. As my Grandad used to say “Kill them with kindness!”
Oh, and write/call in to corporate to COMPLIMENT someone who’s given you great service. I’ve even called the mgr. over right then to brag on someone. They’ll REALLY remember you then! (After they’ve gotten over the shock of you complimenting instead of complaining!)
Kroger (sorry – MUST learn to proof-read!)