Cashier ringing up the next person in line

[Hawkwatcher]

At one of our local grocery stores, I had a weird experience.  While I was finishing my transaction using the debit card reader, my cashier started ringing up the next person in line and that person paid for her item with cash.  Is this normal?

[gadget--gal]

That's rediculous, the hadn't finished with you.

[thebadchemist]

At one of our local grocery stores, I had a weird experience.  While I was finishing my transaction using the debit card reader, my cashier started ringing up the next person in line and that person paid for her item with cash.  Is this normal?

My local grocery stores have their registers set up so that the cashiers can do that without mixing the two transactions. They can begin to record the prices for the next purchase while I complete my credit/debit card stuff. So, it's normal to me. It probably happened a lot faster since the person behind you paid cash. Usually, the person behind me needs the card thingy, too, but it saves time that the cashier doesn't have to wait until I'm completely done before starting on the next purchase.

I don't find it rude, because I'd rather go through the line faster. As long as there aren't any mix-ups, it's fine with me.

[Hawkwatcher]

At one of our local grocery stores, I had a weird experience.  While I was finishing my transaction using the debit card reader, my cashier started ringing up the next person in line and that person paid for her item with cash.  Is this normal?

My local grocery stores have their registers set up so that the cashiers can do that without mixing the two transactions. They can begin to record the prices for the next purchase while I complete my credit/debit card stuff. So, it's normal to me. It probably happened a lot faster since the person behind you paid cash. Usually, the person behind me needs the card thingy, too, but it saves time that the cashier doesn't have to wait until I'm completely done before starting on the next purchase.

I don't find it rude, because I'd rather go through the line faster. As long as there aren't any mix-ups, it's fine with me.

I think that this is my main concern.  If a bagger is having to deal with four bags belonging to two people, I think that it would be quite easy to hand the wrong bags to the wrong person.  I think that I would prefer to wait a few minutes extra if it meant improving accuracy.

[lolane]

This is normal where I live too. It's not a problem for me unless the person behind me starts invading my space before I've completed my transaction. I've never had my things mixed up either.

[Lisbeth]

At one of our local grocery stores, I had a weird experience.  While I was finishing my transaction using the debit card reader, my cashier started ringing up the next person in line and that person paid for her item with cash.  Is this normal?

Well, at my local grocery store, if you pay with a credit or debit card, the cashiers start ringing up the next person as soon as you get the notice "Approved".  Often I haven't finished putting my groceries into my cart so they're still on the counter.  I can live with that as long as s/he doesn't mix the next person's groceries up with mine or let someone cut ahead of me.

[Mrs. Eclipse]

At one of our local grocery stores, I had a weird experience.  While I was finishing my transaction using the debit card reader, my cashier started ringing up the next person in line and that person paid for her item with cash.  Is this normal?

Well, at my local grocery store, if you pay with a credit or debit card, the cashiers start ringing up the next person as soon as you get the notice "Approved".  Often I haven't finished putting my groceries into my cart so they're still on the counter.  I can live with that as long as s/he doesn't mix the next person's groceries up with mine or let someone cut ahead of me.

What about if the cashier or next person in line gets pouty because you don't gather up your groceries fast enough?  This happens to me all the time at my local grocery buying place and it drives me batty, the only thing about this arrangement I can't handle.  I mean, I can only go so fast, I really am trying.

[Rose2Bear]

That would drive me crazy, I like things done slowly so I can make sure everything goes smoothly.

A cashier once told me to swipe my credit card while she was still ringing up items. I suppose the computer can handle this, but I found it very strange, as I would have rather waited to see everything ring up, make sure I agree with all the prices (hey, sometimes they come up wrong, we all know that huh!) and THEN swipe my credit card.

I know its important to get people in and out quickly, but when its a matter of maybe a minute, and giving the customer the peace of mind that everything transacted smoothly, I think I would rather wait.

[Clara Bow]

I use WalMart and they have those little turnstyle things for their bags. When the cashier jumps the gun ringing someone else there's a chance that I might get one of their bags. One at a time people, it doesn't speed things up that much....

[Hawkwatcher]

At one of our local grocery stores, I had a weird experience.  While I was finishing my transaction using the debit card reader, my cashier started ringing up the next person in line and that person paid for her item with cash.  Is this normal?

Well, at my local grocery store, if you pay with a credit or debit card, the cashiers start ringing up the next person as soon as you get the notice "Approved".  Often I haven't finished putting my groceries into my cart so they're still on the counter.  I can live with that as long as s/he doesn't mix the next person's groceries up with mine or let someone cut ahead of me.

What about if the cashier or next person in line gets pouty because you don't gather up your groceries fast enough?  This happens to me all the time at my local grocery buying place and it drives me batty, the only thing about this arrangement I can't handle.  I mean, I can only go so fast, I really am trying.

I think that the cashier should help you gather your groceries if you are really taking that long or have the bagger assist you if available. 

[Lisbeth]

At one of our local grocery stores, I had a weird experience.  While I was finishing my transaction using the debit card reader, my cashier started ringing up the next person in line and that person paid for her item with cash.  Is this normal?

Well, at my local grocery store, if you pay with a credit or debit card, the cashiers start ringing up the next person as soon as you get the notice "Approved".  Often I haven't finished putting my groceries into my cart so they're still on the counter.  I can live with that as long as s/he doesn't mix the next person's groceries up with mine or let someone cut ahead of me.

What about if the cashier or next person in line gets pouty because you don't gather up your groceries fast enough?  This happens to me all the time at my local grocery buying place and it drives me batty, the only thing about this arrangement I can't handle.  I mean, I can only go so fast, I really am trying.

If that's happening, I'd ask the manager for help.  If I don't get it, I'd complain up the corporate chain and/or stop shopping there if that's practical.

[Slartibartfast]

If the cashier is good (and has been there long enough to know the routine inside and out), he or she can carry on two parts of the transaction at the same time and not get anything mixed up.  I have gotten this occasionally, but only from cashiers who knew what they were doing and were able to efficiently bag my groceries, hand me the pen, and let me sign my credit card receipt while they started on the next customer.  I have never had anyone do this when I had lots of bags, so I really don't mind (and I appreciate their efforts to speed up the line sometimes!).

I think this is fine as long as the cashier can do it without mistakes, but I don't think I'd trust most cashiers who didn't have a lot of experience!

[sweedetobee]

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I prefer that the cashier wait until I am done - meaning my bags are packed up (whether by bagger, cashier or myself), my credit card/cash change is back in my wallet and I'm away from the counter - before he/she starts with the next customer.

I wouldn't pitch a fit but I just think it is more polite my way. Otherwise I feel like I'm being rushed. I think it is rude to make me feel or actually be rushed, and I'm not slow-moving in any way so it is not like I tend to hold up a line. If I was slow-moving well then maybe I have a physical or mental disability that they don't know about, maybe I'm feeling sick, maybe my shoes hurt, etc. and in those cases the cashier should especially not make me feel rushed.

  If everyone did things my way I'd be much happier. 

[Mrs. Eclipse]

Fortunately, I will only have to make one grocery shopping trip there before returning home and never having to get my groceries there again.

But, actually, after I posted I got to thinking- how slow is slow?  I mean, I'm not moving like a turtle, but I'm not moving as fast as humanly possible either.  Is it rude of me to take some time to do it right, or should I just grab everything into my cart as fast as I can and sort it all out on the side?  I'm only worried about squashing my bread and stuff, and making sure I got all my stuff too.

Please ignore this thread if it counts as a hijack.  I can rarely tell

[Bea]

What is ironic is that the cashier can't really win either way.  I would assume that they have started doing this because people complain about lines being too slow, and now it's going to cause mix-ups (or everyone will be afraid that it will cause mix-ups, or that it's rude because 'you hadn't finished with me') and the whole point of it is to make customers happy. 

Customers need to take responsibility to watch and make sure they get their own stuff, to be as quick and helpful as possible during the paying process, and let the cashier do their job however they are required to do it.  I'm not suggesting any of you here are going to give cashiers grief about this, but I'm sure SOMEONE will- and of course it's most likely another one of those policies over which the cashier has no control.