Stores closing earlier than advertised time

chopps

Just to repeat again, the gripe is with stating a misleading 'closing' time.
If the store advertises it's 7pm but in practice does not allow entry after 6.45pm then why not state a 7pm closing time but add an explanatory note stating no entry after 6.45pm so then there's no confusion.
Whether the checkout staff are paid up until 7.00, 7.15, or 7.30 is not the issue here it's about what they confusingly advertise as 'opening' hours.

Middy

chopps wrote: »

Just to repeat again, the gripe is with stating a misleading 'closing' time.
If the store advertises it's 7pm but in practice does not allow entry after 6.45pm then why not state a 7pm closing time but add an explanatory note stating no entry after 6.45pm so then there's no confusion.
Whether the checkout staff are paid up until 7.00, 7.15, or 7.30 is not the issue here it's about what they confusingly advertise as 'opening' hours.

It may be the norm for the store to stop customers entering the shop 15 mins before the closing time.

MoaningMyrtle

When I worked in a supermarket (on Sundays) we would let people in at 1559 but as soon as the clock changed to 1600 we would'nt let any more customers in. The store lights would change from 'trading' to 'stocking' which made most customers rush to the checkouts as it got pretty dark! Any stragglers would be told individually that the tills were about to close.

chopps

Middy wrote: »

It may be the norm for the store to stop customers entering the shop 15 mins before the closing time.

That's fine, just wish they'd make it clearer on their opening hours notices.

chopps

MoaningMyrtle wrote: »

When I worked in a supermarket (on Sundays) we would let people in at 1559 but as soon as the clock changed to 1600 we would'nt let any more customers in. The store lights would change from 'trading' to 'stocking' which made most customers rush to the checkouts as it got pretty dark! Any stragglers would be told individually that the tills were about to close.

That's what I would expect to happen, flick the lights, stop the music, pa announcements etc. as it's past the 'closing' time but at least they kept to their advertised times.

Middy

chopps wrote: »

That's fine, just wish they'd make it clearer on their opening hours notices.

If the store in question is a large store, you have got to do something to prevent customers entering the store to do a large shop 10 mins before the store closes. Otherwise, the staff have to spend 20 mins gathering the dwindling customers to checkouts and subsequently, the exit. Its down to the individual store managers. I know this has nothing to do with store closure policies, but I am on my 3rd store manager since I joined Sainsburys and each one has/had their own stamp on the store. Some managers adopt previous manager's tactics etc.

From my experience, the regulars that come in the store about 10 mins before store closing have no care for the shop staff, think they have all the time in the world and complain that we have ran out of certain things - if they turned up earlier they would been able to get them. Some of them are pensioners and have all week to do their shopping!

Plan your day so you can get more opportunity of buying stuff that has a tendency to run out and aren't rushed by shop staff wanting to flight tills etc.

chopps

I asked a checkout operator in the same store and he said they should normally allow customers in up to the stated closing time.
However today I had a reply from tesco who say it's up to each store manager to do what they want - this seems surprising that they have no nationwide policy as it means it's pot-luck which store you go to.

rob_wiltshire

When I worked in a supermarket many years ago we had a particular customer that would come in during the last five minutes of the trading day about two or three times a week. He would then wander about taking ages to buy a very small number of items and keeping people working late - we nick-named him 'Annoying Bald Man' for obvious reasons

The store normally kept the doors open until the exact stated closing time had been reached but one evening one of the managers spotted him driving in to the car park at about two minutes before closing and sprinted from one end of the store to the other to lock the doors before he could come in :rotfl:

Middy

chopps wrote: »

I asked a checkout operator in the same store and he said they should normally allow customers in up to the stated closing time.
However today I had a reply from tesco who say it's up to each store manager to do what they want - this seems surprising that they have no nationwide policy as it means it's pot-luck which store you go to.

I reckon the reason that the store manager closed the doors 15 mins earlier that last year, s/he had some customers still milling about in the store 20 mins after it closed. It could be the same store as the one you had your experience with or another store they were managing as store managers change stores about 18-24 months.

If you have read any of my posts on this board about reductions etc then store managers can do whatever they like. For example, yesterday, our store manager allowed us to take home a Christmas plant for free. There were £15 poinsettias, little ornamental rose trees etc. My friend works for another Sainsburys and they were charging £1 for them! I picked up a Guzmania as I can't keep poinsettias.

Lynsey76

Sometimes I think peoples christmas spirit disappears overnight. Advertised time or not, common sense will tell you that you need to complete your transaction at closing time, not be just starting it! On Christmas Eve staff will have had the hectic day from hell and want to go home to their families. Also, many retailers close in order to prepare their sale for boxing day. When I worked for a shoe store we had to stay behind sometimes til midnight to put the sale on! So the longer we had last minute customers faffing about the longer we were stuck there. I now work at a high street chemist, and on Boxing Day my store manager was horrified when she had barely opened the doors and a crush of customers basically shoved through her in their desperation for a bargain. Good manners and courtesy gone out the window as they swore and shoved at eachother for most of the day.
Anyway thats my mini rant over! Although I agree that the poor MSE trying to replace the turkey should have been allowed in