Is this acceptable? Thrown out of shop early, not allowed to purchase items?

Copperplate

Hello,

This evening I travelled quite some way to buy items needed at short notice for work tomorrow morning from a store. This is a big international company, well known high street name. I checked the opening times before making the journey, entering the store half an hour prior to closing time. There were around 10 members of staff on the ground floor and 5 or 6 upstairs. Other customers were present in the store, around a dozen. I was having difficulty locating the item I was looking for and asked a member of staff where to find it and was directed upstairs. Staff were aware that myself and other customers were in the store at all times and at all times I was within touching distance of at least two members of staff. I was struggling to find the right item I needed (it was a small piece of tech) so I didn't find the item immediately and staff were standing around talking and weren't helpful but I headed to the till to pay 12 minutes before closing time. As I was heading to the ground floor a member of staff radioed and said "There is a customer here can you come and throw him out". I didn't for a second think they were referring to me, and thought maybe another customer was being abusive or shoplifting or something.

A second later a member of staff ran up the steps as I was half way down, where he stopped me and he said "We are closed, you have to leave now." I explained I was just going straight to pay anyway but he removed the items I was about to buy from me and repeated that the store had closed, they had locked up and I must leave immediately. I said I must have got the time wrong but then realised I hadn't and there was over ten minutes until the store closed. He said they were too busy, the tills were all closed and they needed customers to leave now.

At no point was any announcement made that the store was closing (but I knew it was and headed to the tills with enough time to make my purchase and go before the closing time). No one mentioned that customers entering the store would not be allowed to make purchases. The tills were closed 15 mins prior to advertised closing time.

4 of us were escorted out ten minutes before closing and other customers were apparently removed prior to that, none of us being allowed to make purchases with 3 staff still stood at the till and 12 of them stood in a line at the door, laughing at us. The item I was going to buy was worth £100.

Is it usual now and acceptable to turn paying customers away inside of advertised trading hours?

[Deleted User]

Copperplate wrote: »

Hello,

This evening I travelled quite some way to buy items needed at short notice for work tomorrow morning from a store. This is a big international company, well known high street name. I checked the opening times before making the journey, entering the store half an hour prior to closing time. There were around 10 members of staff on the ground floor and 5 or 6 upstairs. Other customers were present in the store, around a dozen. I was having difficulty locating the item I was looking for and asked a member of staff where to find it and was directed upstairs. Staff were aware that myself and other customers were in the store at all times and at all times I was within touching distance of at least two members of staff. I was struggling to find the right item I needed (it was a small piece of tech) so I didn't find the item immediately and staff were standing around talking and weren't helpful but I headed to the till to pay 12 minutes before closing time. As I was heading to the ground floor a member of staff radioed and said "There is a customer here can you come and throw him out". I didn't for a second think they were referring to me, and thought maybe another customer was being abusive or shoplifting or something.

A second later a member of staff ran up the steps as I was half way down, where he stopped me and he said "We are closed, you have to leave now." I explained I was just going straight to pay anyway but he removed the items I was about to buy from me and repeated that the store had closed, they had locked up and I must leave immediately. I said I must have got the time wrong but then realised I hadn't and there was over ten minutes until the store closed. He said they were too busy, the tills were all closed and they needed customers to leave now.

At no point was any announcement made that the store was closing (but I knew it was and headed to the tills with enough time to make my purchase and go before the closing time). No one mentioned that customers entering the store would not be allowed to make purchases. The tills were closed 15 mins prior to advertised closing time.

4 of us were escorted out ten minutes before closing and other customers were apparently removed prior to that, none of us being allowed to make purchases with 3 staff still stood at the till and 12 of them stood in a line at the door, laughing at us. The item I was going to buy was worth £100.

Is it usual now and acceptable to turn paying customers away inside of advertised trading hours?

They can do what they want it's their shop. Typically stores lock doors or have security stop new people entering a good half hour before store closing to ensure thy shut on time.

Next time don't leave it so late.

kazwookie

They can do what they want


Is it right to ask people to leave before closing time? possibly not.


Sounds like the staff wanted a quick get away.


If you feel that strongly about it write to their ceo / head office and tell them.

Pollycat

I've been in stores where they've made an announcement like 'this store is closing in 15 minutes. Please make your way to the tills'.

I would be pretty unhappy to be waiting in a queue at the till 10 minutes before their stated closing time and have my goods taken from me.
And would have taken great exception to the 'throw him out' comment (if that is indeed true).
I wouldn't object to being stopped entering the store 15 minutes before closing time.
I wouldn't object to being asked to leave if I was still browsing.


I would definitely write to the CEO of the store.

Copperplate

Thank you for the replies.

The comment was definitely "can you come and throw him out" and the member of staff was right next to me when she had said it. She could have said to.me, in a more polite way that they were closing early and I would have to go. I was upset that I was so close to members of staff in the time I was there and had spoken to one but at no point did anyone tell me that I wouldn't be able to make a purchase and I had items in my hand.

I'm also familiar with grocery shops and department stores not admitting new customers up thirty minutes before but new people were entering the store mere seconds before staff must have closed the tills. This store was more along the lines of Office World rather than Tesco so no chance anyone was going to turn up.at a till with a huge trolley at 18.58 when the store was closing at 19.00. Which, coincidentally was the actual closing time of this particular shop.

I have written to the company hq as I think staff need to make it clear that they don't serve customers after a certain time and purchases will not be able to be made. Also not happy about the throw him out comment.

Pollycat

Please let us know what response you get.

Copperplate

Well I've just had a response basically calling me a liar and saying the store didn't close until 8pm and that numerous announcements were made. That is just not true.

Alfrescodave

Absolutley unacceptable. This situation is where the camera app on your phone is invaluable. Switch it on and record the whole incident - doesn't need to be an Oscar winner.

Pollycat

Who did you complain to and who was the response from?
And was your complaint brief, factual and unemotional?

giraffe69

given that they behaved poorly and have given an unacceptable reply to your complaint why don't you name and shame here? you might also comment on their social media forum if they have one as well as making your complaint higher up. Probably depends how aggravated you are.

Copperplate

Another update. The initial reply was via social media but I found out about the resolver website late last night and sent a more detailed complaint via that. I've since had a further reply via resolver which says "sorry to hear you are disappointed. The store will investigate further to make sure it doesnt happen again." and a promise of a small discount on future purchases.