Getting change in shops

Z

zag

Registered User
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When I were a lad, people (including me) behind the counter in shops used to count back your change after making a purchase.

These days it seems like people just hand back the money in a big steaming heap, with some coins on top, some underneath, notes all over the place - spending the time (which I do) checking the change to see if it is correct runs the risk of annoying the people in the queue behind.

Am I the only person to find this annoying ? It seems like such a basic thing to do and I know that up to about 15-20 years ago you would always get your change counted back.

You could put it down to everyone being in a hurry because Dublin has become such a metropolis, but in Tokyo (hardly a sleepy little town) you always get your change handed and counted to you.

z
 
I reckon its part laziness on behalf of the staff and the hope that the customer wont bother over a couple cent, since we are all loaded!!
 
Hi Zag
There is no need to count back change ... the amount of change is usually displayed on the cash register ... it's probably not in the job description to do any more than hand back the change ... putting the onus back on the consumer to do the sums and ensure thay have the correct change. Unless the shop assistant has a particular interest in improving mental arithmetic, I don't see things changing.
 
I find it annoying too but I always check as its surprising the amount of times its incorrect. I'm always suspicious of someone who lumps loads of change together and its on them occasions that I actually check in front of them. I have returned from outside the shop once or twice to complain and have never had the old 'you must check your change immediately' thrown at me. (probably because they were trying a fast one anyway and they knew well)
 
(probably because they were trying a fast one anyway and they knew well)
Click to expand...

I don't think you can generalise here. They were probably more embarased that they gave you the wrong change. Most people working at the till just want to earn some money and go home - not try to rip off customers.

It's actually pretty difficult to get away with this type of scam, especially in larger supermarkets. The cameras can zoom right in to see what change till operators are handing back. The till operator log-on times are also recorded, so discrepancies can be tracked and isolated.

When I used to work behind a till, we weren't allowed to carry money onto the shop floor and had no pockets in our uniform.

We didn't count the money back because it took too long. We were instructed to repeat back to the customer what notes were given to us. More likely that the customer would try to rip the shop off!
 
Everyone is coming at this from the assumption that the risk exists whereby you are 'under-changed'. What would you do if you were 'over-changed'?
 
check the larger denominations and assume that the law of averages will even out any possible overcharging/undercharging with the small change
 
When you were younger??? I haven't had that happen to me since I made my holy communion.... I think the reason is that we are all is such a rush these days and don't even have the time to say hello to a friend let alone a person behind the shop counter...

In short Toyko people are nice people and the asian belief is to pass good karma on etc.... maybe if we got all the staff from these shops in tokyo and moved them to the local centra then that would be different...
:
Oh Wait... that has already happened .... :-( and its still the same
 
Think its a lot more to do with the fact that cash registers do the subtraction for people. Counting up from the price was a help to people doing the maths
 
A slight digression...
When are we going to get rid of 1 and 2 cent coins?? Lived in Oz for a few years and never wore the pokets of my trousers out on account of the dearth of coin buildup...
 
"never wore the pokets of my trousers out on account of the dearth of coin buildup..."

That problem is easily solved. All our coins up to and including all 10p go into the charity jar which is usually donated at Christmas.
 
Firstly Sue what is the difference between a moderator and a super moderator? Secondly like you Sue in our house we have a pig ( not me ) and all loose change goes into it . Even down to the youngest child (14) everyone puts their loose change into the pig. In July it goes to a missionary priest friend of mine and in December it goes to the Saint Vincent de Paul. Last year the total came to nearly € 900 . Thirdly always check your change. . The bar manager in my local 4* hotel is renowned for short changing customers even up to €20 a go.
 
As bad as being handed your ice-cream cone and then your change - leaving you with no hand free to put the blinkin' money into the purse! Have boycotted Mauds icecream shops cos they never have those cone holders on the counter - unlike the Australian Icecream co.! So there!
 
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