I need to say for starters that the "accusation" was entirely understandable. I can't use a shopping trolley like everyone else so I put things into the front basket of my mobility scooter. I went into a supermarket yesterday and put a punnet of strawberries and a tin of custard into my basket where there were already four carrots obtained elsewhere. I went through the self service checkout, scanned the strawberries and custard, and paid for the goods.
As I prepared to leave a shop assistant came, asked to see my receipt and asked why I hadn't paid for the carrots in my basket. I explained that they were not from that store. She walked away without a further word and went back to chatting with another assistant. As I passed I suggested that a smile and a "sorry" would have been appropriate. All I got was "humph" and a rather angry look. I think she felt deprived of her prey!
As I say, the original accusation was not unreasonable but I feel the store should train its staff to handle such situations better.
As I understand the law, you cannot be charged with shoplifting until you have taken the goods OUTSIDE the store. What a horrid experience for you.
ReplyDeleteIf she had said sorry (or more or less anything other than "humph" it wouldn't have worried me.
DeleteIt does annoy me supermarkets let you scan your own goods, but don't trust you, half of me says it's fair not everyone is honest, the other half says they can't have it all ways, when we are saving them money by doing it ourselves. Regardless of training, it's being a decent person to say ' sorry'.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely!
DeleteThis is what worries me about stores trying to persuade you not to take a paper receipt-how do you prove where goods not bought there have been bought? Customer service is certainly not a valued skill now but I’m guessing the shop assistants may say that customer skills are also lacking (not you of course). Catriona
ReplyDeleteInteresting thought, Catriona. I'll ponder that one.
DeleteHow upsetting that someone would accuse you of shoplifting! An apology would have been nice.
ReplyDeleteThe accusation was understandable but the lack of apology wasn't.
DeleteI'm sorry you had to go through that and then no apology for their error.
ReplyDelete