Shopping Etiquette

If you arrive at a store before the store opens, you may do one of two things: wait patiently outside, or go somewhere else to kill time until the store opens. Never insist on being let in early, and never bang on the doors or try to force them open. The same goes for when the store has already closed for the night. Just because the lights are on and the employees are still there does not mean they can or should serve you.

In general, never expect anyone to make an exception for you, especially if those rules are mandated by a corporate office and strictly enforced.

Entering the Store:

If you are greeted, acknowledge the salesperson who greeted you. Just because you don't need help doesn't mean you should ignore the salespeople. If someone asks you if you need help, either politely decline with a simple "No, thank you," or accept, with a friendly "yes, I'm looking for a . . ."

Getting Help:

If you need help finding something, approach a salesperson who appears free to assist you. Ask the person to confirm that they can, in fact help you, and don't get offended if they're already assisting someone else. Don't just approach a salesperson and bark the name of the item you're looking for. A nice way to ask is "Do you have a . . ." or "Can you help me find . . ." or "Do you know where I can find . . ."

Try not to get huffy or impatient if the salesperson doesn't know the answer right away. Salespeople don't always know what the store carries, especially if merchandise changes all the time, or if they're new, or if the store is very large and has a lot of different items. The only difference is that they know how to find the answer, either by checking a database or going into the back room.

If the store does not have what you want, either because they don't carry the item or is out of stock, don't blame the salesperson, because it's never their fault. And no, they're not lying to you to get out of helping you - chances are, they're on commission and are willing to make as many sales as possible. In some cases, the salesperson might be able to order the item for you, or call other locations, or maybe, if you're lucky, refer you to another nearby store that might have what you're looking for.

Browsing:

Try not to leave a trail of destruction when you shop. If you decide you don't want to purchase what's in your hand, put it back where you find it - if you're shopping with children, make sure they do the same. If it's a clothing store, it is acceptable to use the returns rack in the fitting room, but try to do so neatly. If you're putting an item of clothing back yourself, put it back exactly where you found it, on the hanger or folded, and zipped up if necessary. Never leave unwanted merchandise in the dressing room or in a random part of the store. If you're putting a book back, make sure it's in the right place - in alphabetical order (a shelf label will tell you how the section is organized), because it's a huge pain for a bookseller to fix a section that's completely out of order.

Think about it, the less time a salesperson has to spend cleaning up after people, the more available they'll be to help people like you find what they're looking for.

Paying:

If you are using a bag of basket to shop, always unload the merchandise you wish to purchase onto the cashier's counter, and make sure it's reasonably within reach of the cashier. If you have a customer loyalty card and/or coupon, present it at the beginning of the transaction. It's better for the cashier to have it before he or she needs it, than to be handed one or the other too late in the transaction - often registers make it difficult for a cashier to go back and alter the transaction after a certain point.

Never insist on an extra discount. Sales and coupons are nice, but don't expect anything beyond that. Besides, only managers can authorize special discounts, and having one called over to deal with you means the people behind you have to wait longer.

Coupons have expiration dates for a reason. Yes, sometimes a store will take an expired coupon, but when it needs to be scanned, chances are it won't work. If your coupon is expired or doesn't work the way you thought it would, do not throw a tantrum and blame the cashier. No one is out to rip you off. If it's really a big deal, ask to talk to a manager. Don't get angry if the cashier helps others in line behind you while waiting for a manager to come help you. If your coupon doesn't work the way you expected it to - can't be used for what you're buying, or can't be combined with another coupon - don't flip out, it's not the cashier's fault you didn't read the fine print.

If you have change, hand it over with the cash. If you hand over the cash and then, after a few moments, say "oh, I have a nickel for that!" it may complicate the transaction. Once a cashier gets the money, they put in the amount given to calculate the change (yes yes, they should know how to do basic math in their heads, but letting the register calculate things makes everything go much faster and avoids mathematical error), so don't wait until after that calculation to hand over your coins.

When you give the cashier anything, hand it to him or her. Do not slide it over the counter, and never throw or toss anything. You may think it's cool and casual, but it's really just rude and disrespectful. Remember, you're being helped by a human being, not a performing monkey. Treat the cashier the way you expect to be treated, it's not fair to be rude to them and expect politeness in return.

Leaving the Store:

If the manager announces that the store is closing soon and asks you to make your final purchase, do just that. Do not keep browsing, wrap it up and get out of there. The employees were probably scheduled until close, and while they expect to stay a little late to clean things up, don't make them stay even later just because you want to keep shopping. Just because they have to stay open for you doesn't mean it's not rude to take advantage of that policy. No one likes to be kept late; these people have families to get home to and other responsibilities outside of work. The younger ones may have homework, or school the next morning. The older ones may have families to tend to.

Remember, you attract more flies with honey. If you treat the sales people with more common courtesy, they'll be more genuinely willing to help you than if you treat them like lowly servants.