Extra selling at the till

nomoneytoday

If I offered the goods to the cashier, then I would accept the managers insisting on upselling are the people responsible for annoying my shop.

However, the word, "just", preceding my purchase moves the responsibilty for trying to upsell the new fragrance to the deaf or stupid (IMHO) cashier.

sillyvixen

actually, the best i ever came across, was in an independent shoe shop - did i want any black polish with my purchase??? what for purple shoes!! no wonder they have closed down this week!!

boo_star

dontone wrote: »

Savers are the worst for it around here. There's that much stuff near the till, there is barely enough run for your baskets. And they don't seem to give up either, it goes like this -
'interested in any fragrance today?'
'No thank you'
'It's reduced from £19.99 to £5.99'
'No thank you'
'We also have a special on eye shadow......'


The thing is, is that that Savers is terrible for queuing anyway, by the time they have run through the list, they could have served about 4 people. It's annoying.
Funnily enough, the staff at Superdrug don't seem to bother with the offers, they just serve you and that's it. We just want to get our items and go. Shopping is stressful enough as it is sometimes without having someone trying to flog you tat.

Ever watched Undercover Boss?

I don't think the UK version is still going but the US version still is.

It does a very good job of showing how distanced from reality CEOs and executives are.

They think that pushing an extra line of products at the checkout is fine. Customers (and by extension checkout staff) despise it.

enfield_freddy

sillyvixen wrote: »

actually, the best i ever came across, was in an independent shoe shop - did i want any black polish with my purchase??? what for purple shoes!! no wonder they have closed down this week!!

Purple shoes? she was probably doing you a favour , so as not to embarrass yourself




(joking)

bluenoseam

nomoneytoday wrote: »

Cashiers that don't understand the word, "just", irritate me.

i.e. "Just this product please"; which the idiots follow up with, "would you like x with that?". IMHO they must be deaf or stupid..!

Customers who don't understand the reason we do this irritate me - little hint, if it were up to me I'd never try to sell you anything at the till, but unfortunately it's not up to me. See there are people at a head office location who think it's VITAL to business that we do this as a result we're told we HAVE to do this. There are these little things called "KPI's" - key performance indicators by which we're "judged". I can be the best staff member in the shop from a customer's perspective, but if I don't sell X% of Y I'm failing in my job & believe me, I'll hear all about it.

Takes nothing for a bit of civil mindedness & understanding - believe me, as a customer it annoys the hell out of me but ultimately it's the person doing their job. I've been in companies where it was REALLY bad to the point where it becomes soul destroying but ultimately if it's your job it's what you have to do. These days I have less "pressure" but I still have 5 KPI's I HAVE to hit & regularly a further 2-3 that are expected - and a little hint, I have control over 0 of those KPI, they're 100% reliant on the customer wanting them!

To me I don't mind a bit of banter with customers while I'm serving them & don't really want to sell you anything, but some idiot with an inflated title doesn't think that makes money.

(Incidentally, you really want to anger me then you can be one of those eejits who uses the line "but it's cheaper..." as if I actually set prices myself.)

bubblegumcola

Unfortunately when you work in retail these days the pressure is on you to upsell, be it extra products or loyalty cards and you get a huge amount of hassle from your boss if you don't do it. The retail staff are doing what they are told to do to increase profits from up selling or data capture from getting your details for a loyalty card so the company understands it's customers better by seeing what you buy. It's difficult to avoid large chains as most of them have something to flog for add on sales. I hate being asked myself when I'm out shopping but I also hate having to ask where I work but it's part of the job. We are constantly observed to check we are up selling, etc.
A polite no is all that you can do or shop elsewhere, they are only doing their job.

Money-Saving-King

nomoneytoday wrote: »

If I offered the goods to the cashier, then I would accept the managers insisting on upselling are the people responsible for annoying my shop.

However, the word, "just", preceding my purchase moves the responsibilty for trying to upsell the new fragrance to the deaf or stupid (IMHO) cashier.

As someone wrote above staff also get randomly observed without knowing so no matter what the customer says they still have to do it. To call them deaf or stupid is just ignorant IMO.

System

Another candidate for upselling at the till.... Store Twenty One.

Always want to try to buy one of their flimsy fabric bags - which are rubbish. Even I bought two small items I put into my shopping bag, wanted me to buy one.

Pollycat

I must be incredibly laid-back but this just doesn't annoy me at all.

I don't find it hard to say 'no thanks' and smile.

The various £1 shops do it but I usually get there first and say 'No thanks' to chocolate/mints or whatever they are pushing that day before they ask.

vikingaero

ThumbRemote wrote: »

I'd suggest it doesn't - it's a classic case of short term benefit at the expense of long term growth.

Yes, the store might flog a couple of extra overpriced Chocolate Oranges or whatever other tat they are trying to shift, and in doing so convince themselves that they've increased sales. But in the long run it irritates customers who are less likely to shop there.

I agree that the upselling deters customers. I'd say that 5 years ago I would buy Autocar/Auto Express weekly from WHS. Then I'd buy TopGear/Evo/Car/LRO/ModernMini/Photography Mags/countless computer and tech mags. Whilst in there I would buy junk if I had The Vikingettes in tow.

Now I haven't been into WHS for a year. Why? It's a tat shop. They sell overpriced tat that has no relevance to their core business. The tat annoys me because it gets in the way of what I want - who the hell wants a fart machine for £9.99? OK bring the crap out at Christmas/Easter/Valentines like most shops do. The aisles are overflowing with crap, they have staff stocking it all, yet only one or two people on the tills. The magazine sections have been reduced to ridiculous heights and widths.

WHS should take a look at how Rymans have modernised themselves - All the quality stationery gear but with "decent tat" for the kids and to draw people in.