In all of my shopping adventures, I’ve found an unusual anomaly. It seems that when I coupon shop in my own lower middle class neighborhood, the clerks and managers have very little patience with me. However, when I travel to say, Frankfort or Tinley Park, I find that the clerks are so coupon friendly that if I miss a deal they suggest one. I also find there are more couponers in the higher income areas than in my neighborhood.
This brings me to another strange occurrence. Why does fruit cost more than chips, or candy. Why is water more expensive than pop? Doesn’t it seem like it should cost more to have several ingredients combined than to have a single ingredient bottled? Why do groceries cost more in lower income areas? Could it be because of the cost of insurance? Maybe, but wouldn’t the cost of property be lower in a lower income area?
I once asked a particularly nasty Walgreens clerk why it was that she hated me so much, (not in those exact words). After all, I am a very conscientious shopper. I have everything organized before I even get to the store so that I don’t annoy employees and customers in line. She responded, “What’s wrong with you, do you want something for free?” I answered, “Doesn’t everybody?” She then went on to tell me how every Sunday a busload of senior citizens descend upon the store and buy up all the sale items and argue over coupons. Okay, I can see how as a cashier that could be a little daunting, but it doesn’t explain the attitude I had from her on a Wednesday. Across the board, I find that the drug stores near me have a bad taste in their mouths regarding deal seekers. Maybe we deserve it, especially when we’re unprepared.
In contrast, I will describe a recent experience in a Frankfort Walgreens. In this Walgreens, the cashier gave me tips on how to use my coupons (which I already knew, but still…). She wasn’t stressed out that there was someone in line behind me, and she even smiled at me!!!
The moral of this story? The purpose of this entry? I don’t know. I just wondered if I’m alone in my observations….
3 comments:
I believe the problem occurs more often in lower income communities because they face more pressure to increase sales volume. Large companies (Walgreens, CVS, etc.), will naturally award higher grossing stores and seek to continue customer satisfaction and sales volume. In the same vein, they will seek ways to cut cost at lower producing stores, this usually means a smaller sales staff because their corporate offices will cut their payroll. Thus creating a conundrum because it causes stress in the employees to increase their sales and combat theft with fewer employees on shift, very frustrating. So yes, shopping in a higher end market can reduce stress on the shopper, but if you want to keep that local drug store close and in the neighborhood, you may want to keep shopping there, encourage the staff and try to be understanding to why they are facing frustrations. I've been at both ends of the line, and both can be frustrating!
In our area, the employees at the higher end supermarkets are always more friendly and cheerful. They open more registers when a line gets long, they don't seem flustered by my bringing in reusable shopping bags, and they do point out in-store savings and deals.
My theory is that they are better trained, better managed and possibly paid better.
I completely agree! And at times it doesn't matter if the store is in a high end or low end neighborhood, I still have knots in my stomach when I need to hand in my coupons.Heck! Sometimes I don't even have a coupon and if I have several items to be rung up then that is a cause for anxiety. For me, it is rare to come upon a cashier who is friendly and patient especially considering I have 2 very loud toddlers in tow. Now I have it down to a science, in the few stores I go to I know whose line to go in. If I need to wait longer its a small price to pay for a smile and a sticker for the little ones versus a grimace, a rude comment and a cashier who usurps me to correct my children. Yes, this has happened. And my kids are pretty great when it comes to shopping.
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