If a cashier doesn't ask...you get free...

[Molliday]

I'd rather pay the cashier out of my own paycheck for not asking me, than ask for a freebie when she failed to.

I'm not getting the point of asking, unless you're in dire need of coke and candy.

 

[acomasdiaz]

OP ~ don't feel bad about asking for your freebie. It is the store's policy and the cashier did not do her job to the fullest. Enjoy the freebie and don't worry about it.

 

[mrspaha]

I too would not feel the least bit guilty about asking for the free item. The store set the policy, not me. The cashier knows what she's supposed to do, so she should do it. If she doesn't like following the directions given her for ringing out customers, then she needs to discuss it with her manager, and not simply ignore her instructions.

 

[DoomBuggy0922]

Geez... I think a lot of the people in this thread have never worked retail before! It's not necessarily the cashier doing not doing his or her job, he or she could have just forgotten. I lot of these cashiers are working 8 hour shifts, with one half hour break to sit down, for minimum wage pay trying to make ends meet!

 

[myheartlivesatwdw]

If they were giving away a Ferrari , I would ask. I would never hold up a line for a Coke etc...

 

[Suellen]

I wouldn't ask.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

I always tell the cashier not to worry about it (Walgreens is the store I am talking about). I have asked a few cashiers at our Walgreens what happens and if they miss too many during a shift they get a warning. IF they get more than 3 warnings they are fired. This includes those shifts right after Masses on Sunday when the whole world is in line also.

I would feel horrible if someone was fired because they forgot to upsell. Retail is an extremely hard job to do. Go look at the thread about how people are acting this year. Some are just extremely miserable. Then read the threads on how people are working whatever jobs they can get while extremely stressed to pay the Mortgage (I would think Walgreens employees would fit this). So you are checking out, making sure your drawer is perfect, smiling at the really nasty people who do come through the line, being pulled to clean the store when it's slow, running back to the register, quickly signing back in to meet the time demands of getting customers through the line, and then after all that, you just forget to ask about a .33 cent candy bar. So NO I would never ever ask for the freebie, I will continue to let the cashiers know it is okay not to ask.

 

[MissBritt]

I have worked in retail (and foodservice, since that's another area that people rally for), once as one of 3 jobs while keeping a full college course load, during the holidays, and it's NOT that hard to remember one line. It becomes as customary as "hello, did you find everything you were looking for?" and "thanks, come back again". You are not ruining their lives or taking money out of their pockets by asking for the free item. If they already have strikes against them or are on probation, it's obvious they have not been doing their job as required for a while. And as a customer, you can't expect to know if your freebie will be the last straw. It's not about whether the OP can afford the free item; it's the stores' policy to give it to her if certain conditions are not met, and she's entitled to it.

 

[jeepgirl30]

No I wouldn't bother. I would be too worried that a 99cent soda cost someone their job.

 

[disneyofcourse]

I wouldn't because people do lose jobs for having a certain number of talks/write ups for not saying something and the customer getting a free meal, a small gift, a coupon, etc. Basically I wouldn't want it done to me so I won't do it to them. Oh and lots of employees do get write ups for the littlest of things like forgetting to ask if you want a Store card. Or even not asking for a donation for which ever charity is being represented.

***Not about you OP**** But,Sadly I have seen customers go out of the way to call managers to get a freebie for not being asked something. I remember sometime last year during Christmas this lady said nothing to the cashier(Actually this lady didn't even say hi after the cashier said hello and then on her way out asked an employee for a manager and then chewed out the manager (Loudly!) for how the cashier didn't do her job in not asking if she wanted a gift receipt for something. Cashier hears everything and starts sobbing because this lady is going on and on about how she can't do her job right, she's incompetent and needs customer service classes and they should get someone who knows how to treat customers right. Manager is pissed (He looks stressed anyway) and puts someone else in her place as cashier and sends her to stand over on the side. She immediately asked for 10% off or something and got it . This Cashier had a line going into the aisle just jam packed with people. The manager then asked the cashier to go into the office

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

I prefer not to be asked. If the promotional item was something of value to me I might ask but you couldn't pay me to spend time and effort to get a bottle of Coke or a Hershey bar.

 

[tinkarooni]

I do not work retail but more of a customer service type industry and I too have things I have to say to every customer....if I don't my company can be fined by regulating agencies. I remember to say those things, almost every time (hey I'm human). So although we are talking about small amounts of money (candy bar) it is still part of a person's job to do the asking. So therefore they need to ask, I highly doubt anyone will get fired for forgetting once in a great while, however if they forget everytime that is a problem for them I'm sure.

So my answer is I wouldn't ask because I'm one of those people who hates getting all the questions when I'm just trying to check out... however I don't fault anyone who asks, the store put it out there, you are entitled to it.

If I were that cashier it wouldn't take me but once or twice before I remembered to ask from then on.

 

[pyrxtc]

I called them out on it at Toys R Us once. They had to get the manager and they acted like it was a pain but they didn't ask me for whatever it was and I actually would have gotten one if they had.

 

[kellyg403]

***Not about you OP**** But,Sadly I have seen customers go out of the way to call managers to get a freebie for not being asked something. I remember sometime last year during Christmas this lady said nothing to the cashier(Actually this lady didn't even say hi after the cashier said hello and then on her way out asked an employee for a manager and then chewed out the manager (Loudly!) for how the cashier didn't do her job in not asking if she wanted a gift receipt for something. Cashier hears everything and starts sobbing because this lady is going on and on about how she can't do her job right, she's incompetent and needs customer service classes and they should get someone who knows how to treat customers right. Manager is pissed (He looks stressed anyway) and puts someone else in her place as cashier and sends her to stand over on the side. She immediately asked for 10% off or something and got it . This Cashier had a line going into the aisle just jam packed with people. The manager then asked the cashier to go into the office

As a Manager in Retail...this happens often and during the holiday 'season' more often. I had an issue that a customer came to me with about a cashier. After she left, another customer had been waiting in another area to give me another version of what happened, and it wasn't the same. Did I talk to the cashier? Yes. Write up? No.

OP, we also do the give a free soda etc. and yes it is part of their jobs to ask for whatever they are supposed to and give you the free soda if they don't. So, yes you are entitled to it.

Me personally, I never ask for it. Not only do I not want the spiel and trust me I have to give it sometimes, but how do I know the cashier didn't ask because 5 customers before me she got reamed for even asking the question and is gun shy. The reality is that I don't need anything retailers are giving away. If I needed it, then sure I would probably seek someone out. But, overall its not worth it to me to get the cashier in trouble. And BTW, would you have said 'yes' to whatever she was going to ask you? That would definitely make the difference to me as well. If I had no intentions of making the donations or applying for the account or whatever I would never say anything about the 'free' soda.

Kelly

 

[Leajess99]

I absolutely do not believe that free items are taken from the employees' paycheck. This doesn't sound even remotely legal. If they have a promo like this out, it's because the cashiers are not doing their jobs correctly in the eyes of the company head, and they are making it their job to have the cashiers upsell. Yes, it feels awkward for both the employee and the customer some times, but it's their job. If they don't do their job, there is no reason for you to feel bad about what the company/store had already decided you are entitled to.

I'm sorry but I will disagree with you here. So many are just thankful to have a job and many times will have so much going on that they do forget. Adding the stupid upsells to their already often insane tasks is ridiculous.

As for the "entitled" to aspect, this is what is wrong with our country now. So many people feeling they are "entitled" to something for nothing. Who cares how it affects someone else as long as I get the freebie. And we wonder why so many youth feel they are entitled to something for nothing.

Sorry but this is the way I feel and I see more and more of it everyday. I know that many cashiers are just thankful for having a job and you NEVER know what is going on. If the customer is asking questions it very well could throw the cashier off or maybe something else has thrown her off. I used to work at a fastfood restaurant when I was a teen and we were trained to attempt to sell the customer dessert or something UNLESS they said "that's all". We did not get penalized if we forgot but companies are now penalizing cashiers for forgetting and in case anyone comes up with the "they should not forget to ask" bull, have you EVER forgotten anything in your life?? Since I am sure no one here is perfect, I already know that answer.

 

[cepmom]

I don't know if it's true or not but I remember reading at Toys R Us where you get a free soda or $5 GC (I forget which) if they don't ask if you need batteries or to sign up for a TRU credit card, the amount of the free item comes out of the cashier's paycheck. I feel kind of funny about calling them on it if that is the case so I let it go even though about half the time they never ask.

I worked at BRU for over 5 years and this does not come out of employees' paychecks. Managers will speak to you about it and I imagine write you up if it becomes a regular occurance though.

I would never ask a cashier for my "freebie"...having been on the other side of the counter for many years, I just wouldn't go there. Like another poster said, I'd just be happy they didn't bother me with another stupid question...I hate that corporate managers make their cashiers do this

 

[cepmom]

My DH manages a TRU. Promotions like this do not come out of the cashier's check. However, this is the kind of thing that they get in BIG trouble for. If they dont make their numbers for battery sales, credit card apps or whatever the push of the moment is they get fewer hours the next week or are considered for termination after awhile. I think it's silly, but it's howTRU operates.

it is awful isn't it? This is one of the big reasons I left the company. Every day I was getting harped on about "meeting the metrics"

I feel for your DH too, because I know his superiors are coming down on him for it as well.

For what I got paid it was ridiculous how much they expected us to "sell" things...couldn't takeno for an answer on BPPs talk up the loyalty, talk up the cc etc etc. really? if I wanted to be in sales I sure as heck wouldn't be doing it for minimum wage

 

[BBandDisney]

Definitely cheapskate .

 

[hffmnheidi]

If there is a clearly posted sign/advertisement for the freebie item, I surely would inquire about it.

The cashier who works an 8 hour shift is staring at that sign because they print the promo offers on both sides(at least at our stores), so a mistake here and there is permissable but after one or two, I'd make sure to be asking every customer.

I have worked in retail at the holidays(Walmart and Builder's Square), so it is a pain, but you get so used to doling out the spiel that it becomes second nature after a while, just like a smile for every customer that comes through your lane.

 

[m&m's mom]

I go out of my way to thank them for not giving me the spiel (quietly of course).