# What happens when theres a power cut in a supermarket?



## ajapale (3 Oct 2009)

A friend of mine had just completed a 1 1/2h shop in a (discount) supermarket today when there was a power cut. 

All the shoppers were just told to leave the store and the assistants put everything back on the shelves.

My friend went to Dunnes just over a 1km away who had a generator and did her shop there instead.

The lesson - shop in Dunnes the difference is "they have power"!


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## DaveD (5 Oct 2009)

I don't think thats a valid reason to shop in one supermarket over he other, regardless of whether is a "discount" supermarket or not. Its not a very likely occurrence, although that said it did happen in Tesco last year, only a brief power cut of about 20 seconds but still took about 20 minutes to get all the tills online again.

BTW, I've no idea how someone could spend 90 minutes doing a shop in either Lidl or Aldi, unless they have a huge one somewhere


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## Bronte (5 Oct 2009)

I once worked in Quinnsworth at Xmas time.  There was a power cut and the way it worked then was we asked the customer to estimate the price of the good in the trolly and accept that as payment.


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## Pique318 (5 Oct 2009)

Cool, the Honour system. That would never be abused !!

Full xmas shop, inc beer/spirits/wine....20 quid do ya ?


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## Bronte (5 Oct 2009)

Actually it worked quite well.  People were so shocked and stressed (xmas)  that they were very honest.   We had a fair idea of the prices as well as you would if you had stacked shelves !


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## Rois (5 Oct 2009)

Maybe ok if you can pay in cash but shop wouldn't be able to take laser/credit cards with no power.


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## truthseeker (5 Oct 2009)

Bronte said:


> Actually it worked quite well. People were so shocked and stressed (xmas) that they were very honest. We had a fair idea of the prices as well as you would if you had stacked shelves !


 
Lucky you - I worked in superquinn years ago and in the event of a power cut we had to sit using a hand scanner and calculator to price the contents of the trolly - there was no way they would have sent the customer home without the goods, and thus lost a sale!


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## xavier (6 Oct 2009)

> What happens when theres a power cut in a supermarket?



Trip over something and then shop there for free for ever more


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## Bubbly Scot (6 Oct 2009)

A few years ago, while living in the Uk, a big supermarket opened nearby. A couple of times when I was there and the weather was really bad the power would knock everything out. One time the manager estimated my shopping at £15 and sent me on my way...it was worth at least ten times that!

I don't think he was under any obligation but being new and one of the "big 4" it didn't do their customer relations any harm at all. Infact, during storms, there would be a huge increase in (hopeful and sometimes lucky) customers.


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## Berni (6 Oct 2009)

Rois said:


> Maybe ok if you can pay in cash but shop wouldn't be able to take laser/credit cards with no power.


Most stores will have a manual imprinter to take a copy of the card to process later. 
Its basically the same as the old fashioned machines they used to use before all transactions were done online in real time.


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## Bronte (7 Oct 2009)

Rois said:


> Maybe ok if you can pay in cash but shop wouldn't be able to take laser/credit cards with no power.


 
Laser cards are only relatively new and the few people who paid with a credit card, well it was the old fashioned type that didn't need power.  I think there were probably a lot of cheques too but mostly cash.  A time when people had more sense with money.   As it was xmas we didn't have time for calculators the store was gone crazy with stressed out shoppers.


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## truthseeker (7 Oct 2009)

Rois said:


> Maybe ok if you can pay in cash but shop wouldn't be able to take laser/credit cards with no power.


 
Same as Bronte, we had old fashioned CC machines that didnt need power. Although we also used to do a thing called a 'customer bill' where you agreed to let the customer come back and pay you later. Only done if the customer was recognised by someone as a reasonably regular shopper, not offered to complete strangers.


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