Rude cashiers

You know what irks me? Rude cashiers. Don't get me wrong, most cashiers I encounter are very friendly and helpful. I especially love my CVS and Rite Aid cashiers. However, once in awhile, I'll run across a cashier who is just plain old rude and grumpy. That really puts a damper on the checkout experience. 

On average, I say about 20% of my checkout experiences have been unpleasant. This has been for a couple of different reasons. 

1. The cashier has an attitude before he/she even knows you're using coupons. Maybe they've had a bad day, just heard some bad news, dislike their job, whatever. They act like it's an inconvenience to scan and bag your items. 
2. The cashier sees you're using coupons and his/her attitude completely changes. They go from being nice and friendly to rolling their eyes and huffing and puffing. I think some cashiers incorrectly assume that you're making the store lose money by using coupons. WRONG! Stores get reimbursed by the manufacturer of the products if the coupon is redeemed on the correct product, PLUS they normally get an additional 8 cents for handling.
3. The cashier knows the register is super fussy and that it typically has problems when coupons are scanned. Sometimes you hear a loud BEEP when a coupon doesn't want to go through. This can indicate that it's being used on the wrong product, but it also often happens for no reason at all. It's unfortunate that a register malfunction can make a cashier refuse a coupon that is totally legitimate and valid.

Granted, some cashiers may have gotten in trouble for accepting coupons for the wrong products. Some people who coupon aren't honest about it. They deliberately use coupons on the wrong products or totally disregard the limits stated on the coupon. They've shown cases of that on TLC's Extreme Couponing and I've saw people brag about it on websites. That's NOT COOL at all. People like that give us "regular" couponers a bad rep and make stores become more strict on their coupon redemption policies. 

I always read the fine-print on my coupons and double check to make sure I have the exact product specified (size, brand, etc.) I'm an honest person and would never deliberately misuse a coupon. If you don't use the coupon the correct way, the store might not be reimbursed. That would make the store lose money. 

So, what do you do when you have a grumpy cashier? It's best to keep smiling and stay polite. Sometimes it's hard, though. Just today, I had a very rude cashier at a local grocery store. VERY RUDE. Possibly the rudest one I've ever encountered. (I've also had other rude cashiers at this same store--if the sales weren't so good, I'd avoid it completely.) She actually rolled her eyes and sarcastically said, "I love coupons." She had to type everything in because she said the register wouldn't scan them. She tried ONE coupon and it wouldn't scan, so she didn't feel the need to try scanning the other ten or so. I guess she wanted to make more work for herself. She was just so hateful. My mother and grandmother both noticed her terrible attitude. Oh, and by the way, it's not like I got everything for free. I had to pay $34 out-of-pocket in addition to my coupons. 

I hate leaving a store and not feeling like a valued customer. I wish that all cashiers would realize that paying customers (whether they pay with cash, credit card, coupons, whatever) are the reason they have jobs.  

So even if you get a rude cashier, keep your head held high and know that you deserve great customer service. Using coupons doesn't make you any less valuable to their business. In fact, using coupons may actually encourage you to buy MORE products at their stores, therefore increasing their profit. Be honest, use your coupons correctly, and learn your store's coupon policies. Don't be afraid to inform a cashier about their coupon redemption policy if they act clueless. Don't be afraid to stand your ground and talk to a manager if you know you're within the coupon acceptance guidelines.

Just remember that you're saving money! That's what I do. :)