Some advice for shoppers.

Since I started working at a grocery store I realized how annoying some shoppers can be, so I decided to make a list of all the things you shouldn't do if you dont want to piss off your cashier. Especially since it's the holidays and pretty much every cashier is pissed off anyway.

First off, the stupid reusable bags... DONT just stand there impatiently looking at us like we are stupid or going too slow for you! Those bags are a pain to put stuff in because they dont fit where we are used to bagging! It throws us off and we know you want us to fit as much in there as we can, so of course we are going to go a bit slower than normal. If you want to go faster, bag your stuff yourself! If you are worried about the way we put stuff in the bag, dont complain about it to us, cause we dont really care. Even if you separate yours stuff and put a bag between the stuff you want separated... the way we see it is the less bags the better...  Again the quick fix for this is to bag your stuff yourself! If we are half way through your order and you just then remember you have reusable bags, dont complain that we already used plastic, and dont expect us to transfer the stuff we already bagged into your stupid bags. When you make us do this we dont reuse the plastic bags that you made us take your stuff out of, because frankly its a pain in our butts, so we just throw them away. If you want to save the planet one plastic bag at a time, then it would probably be better for you to take them and recycle them yourself because we wont and most likely dont care if the bag is recycled or not. And really if you could just be nice and bag your stuff yourself anyway, you will make your cashier very happy that he or she doesn't have to mess with it themselves and they will be more likely to give you the reusable bag discount, or points, or whatever.

Segundo. Put your crap in some sort of order when you put it on the conveyor belt... really its not that hard. Ie, cans with cans, boxes with boxes, frozens with frozens, ect... Believe it or not, but this makes the whole check out process a lot easier and faster. And if you used a basket, take the stuff out of it. Trying to dig stuff out of there slows us down.

Third. STOP TALKING ON YOUR FREAKING PHONE! I dont care how important you think it is, it's annoying. If I came into your work and was just sitting there talking on my phone, completely ignoring you while you were trying to do your job as best as you could, you would get mad too. And if you are talking on your phone, dont get upset if I dont scan your rewards card! If you are too busy to hear me when I ask you for it, then its your own fault you didn't save the money when you could have.

Fourth. Dont get mad at the cashier if the price isn't right. For one thing, Where I work you need to have a special card to get the special price. Which most the time people who freak out at me haven't even had their cards scanned yet. For another thing, its not our fault that the system has the wrong price, and if you are nicer about it we will be more likely to help you out and give you the price that it should be, or that the tag says. I mean really if you are rude about it I would be more likely to say "Sorry, but I cant to anything about it." Come on, have some courtesy and be nice! We really have one of the suckiest jobs there is and during the holidays its worse.

Fifth. If the light is on, and the cashier is standing and the front of the register fiddling with gum or just standing there DO NOT ask if the lane is open. Seriously... Why else would the person be standing there? I can almost understand the question if I am cleaning the register or something, but if I am there and if the register light is on then YES I am open... I swear I hear this question more times a day than I can count and it seems like the only time people dont ask is after I have turned my light off and am actually getting ready to close. I mean come on people!

Sixth. Dont just always go to the first register you see. There are times when I am at a register and it seems like I constantly have a line of two or three people, and when I look over I see other cashiers with no one at their registers. It can get a little stressful always having a line. If you can just look and see if others are open that would be awesome. Yeah sure, if I have the shortest line I understand but if I have four people in my line and the cashier two registers down doesn't have anyone then go down there. You get done faster and I dont have as much of a stress load.

Seventh. If I am somewhere in the store and I have the store's shirt on so you know I work there, but I dont have a name tag or my apron on, then please realize that I am either on break or I am off of work. Being so dont expect me to go above and beyond if you ask me a question. Yes I know that its obvious that I work there and that it makes sense to ask me where something is, but chances are I am in a part of the store where I might not be too often even though I work there. I am a cashier... just cause I work there doesn't mean that I can tell you where to find a Furby for your daughter, or how much it will cost. I honestly have no idea.

Lastly. Dont be a total prick. I understand if you are having a bad day, but you are only spreading your hate for life to others. - This should be considered good advice to more than just cashiers... Seriously, even if you are just pretending to be pleasant it will make your day and everyones around you a little easier.

Okay, so I may or may not have had a really bad day at work today. But really, I think I deserve to complain given that this is the craziest time of the year when it comes to working retail and cause the customers haven't been that great today.