Problems in Supermarkets in Germany

[snowingagain]

I once did something similar (distracted by toddler). I did not get caught, but went back in and paid for the items explaining what had happenned. It is a place I use all the bloody time, items were minor in cost compared to those I had paid for. The way I was treated, for weeks onwards put me off owning up if it happenned again (though I am super careful now, and toddler is now 20 and possibly more distracting but we rarely shop together).

[Franklan]

Goodness, after seeing mention of checkouts…..just had a flashback to old TT. Did Poppit/Poppet (RIP) post a little funny checkout story that got the most likes ever? Perhaps someone can remember how it went before I bodge it completely

I remember it like this: He had loaded all the goods on the belt, and then there was a discussion with the checkout clerk; So he left the place... Without the goods, leaving them on the belt...

[Fraufruit]

I vaguely remember that as well.

[Emkay]

Goodness, after seeing mention of checkouts…..just had a flashback to old TT. Did Poppit/Poppet (RIP) post a little funny checkout story that got the most likes ever? Perhaps someone can remember how it went before I bodge it completely

I remember it like this: He had loaded all the goods on the belt, and then there was a discussion with the checkout clerk; So he left the place... Without the goods, leaving them on the belt...

I think it was something like…..Mr Poppet had placed his goods on the belt in Lidl. Cashier then said her till is now closed, go to a colleague expecting him to remove all items. He said, sure I will go to a colleague….in Aldi. Left everything on the belt and exited Lidl!

[kiplette]

Yup, that was exactly it. He had a proper full shop on the conveyor belt and she wanted him to shift it all over to another one

Bonkers.

What a dude.

We had a much less dramatic one where our Edeka had a great wine/beer offer on, so we loaded up with various kinds and went to the till where they weren't ringing up properly with the offer price. The manager came over to help, and informed us that the offer was now over, they just hadn't changed the signs, which was proper irritating - no apology, obviously, and none of this 'if we mis-label you get it free/cheap' or whatever that we have seen (maybe just a UK thing)- just a terse statement. So we abandoned our very full trolley at the till and left. Aint got no interest in re-shelving all that lot, thank you!

[Emkay]

It’s very different to the UK supermarkets where the cashiers helped pack and didn’t start with the next customer until all sorted. It can be awful for elderly customers to be so rushed.

@kiplette, that’s annoying about the wine. I thought prices shown are valid even if they got it wrong. I’d have left it all there too. Our Edeka is pretty gloomy. I think they still don't have bio meat. Only place to get cheddar though! I once bought some jam there. After it tasted odd, I noticed it was a year out of date. They argued that jam is fine for a long time. Well clearly not if it tastes odd. I eventually got a new replacement.

[Robinson100]

I thought prices shown are valid even if they got it wrong.

In Germany, the actual contract of sale takes place at the checkout - so whatever price is shown by the scanner is the current price for an item.
It isn´t good, but something to be aware of.

[Fraufruit]

I've had success a few time when I got a higher price at the Kasse with what I saw on the shelf.

[Alberto]

It’s very different to the UK supermarkets where the cashiers helped pack and didn’t start with the next customer until all sorted. It can be awful for elderly customers to be so rushed.

My trick not to be rushed, at the Discounter, when I buy much, is to split my items in two. As if it was TWO different customers. It's always worked great.
I pay the first half only after I bagged them all. And same with the 2nd half. The cashier always surprised the "next shopper in line" is still me.
Diabolic and it works great.

[alma.freya]

It’s very different to the UK supermarkets where the cashiers helped pack and didn’t start with the next customer until all sorted. It can be awful for elderly customers to be so rushed.

My trick not to be rushed, at the Discounter, when I buy much, is to split my items in two. As if it was TWO different customers. It's always worked great.
I pay the first half only after I bagged them all. And same with the 2nd half. The cashier always surprised the "next shopper in line" is still me.
Diabolic and it works great.

My trick: every 4th or 5th item on the conveyor should be something the cashier has to weigh. It works so well that I'm often waiting for the cashier to continue scanning items.

[Alberto]

At Tesco in England, I bought one beetroot (yes, just ONE), and the perplexed cashier looks at me and asks: "is this a fig?".. I'm not making this up.

[Fraufruit]

My trick: every 4th or 5th item on the conveyor should be something the cashier has to weigh. It works so well that I'm often waiting for the cashier to continue scanning items.

The problem with that is that I want to put all of my weighable things, fruit and veg, in to top of my shopping car so they don't get crushed. Therefore, I put them on the belt last. Bottles, juice, heavy stuff first.

[Robinson100]

My trick: every 4th or 5th item on the conveyor should be something the cashier has to weigh. It works so well that I'm often waiting for the cashier to continue scanning items.

I wonder if you folks even know that staff in certain stores get a written warning if they are "too slow" on the till?

As far as I know, Alma, you are a fully-fit, "normal" individual, so why on earth make things so difficult for another person?!

If it "works so well", you could at least cut back a bit, couldn´t you?

[pappnase]

I wonder if you folks even know that staff in certain stores get a written warning if they are "too slow" on the till?

^^^ This is in fact the problem, not people like Alma or Alberto making life easy for themselves.
You (and most other store workers) work damned hard for your money, and store-owners making your life hard for being nice to customers just sucks.

Of course their best fix in this sad capitalist world would be to vote with their wallets and boycott stores with such policies, but in "gotta get the best deal" Germany, that won't work because everyone else will still flock to the places with the lowest prices and the downward spiral continues.

I've been shopping in German supermarkets for 30 years and the improvements have been massive, but when you compare them to supermarkets in France or the UK, they are still like the stone age.

Either way, the "be two customers" hack doesn't affect anyone, your number of customers per minute stats don't change because there are twice as many transactions.

[Robinson100]

Either way, the "be two customers" hack doesn't affect anyone, your number of customers per minute stats don't change because there are twice as many transactions.

Actually, it does, since it goes by the number of items scanned per hour, and cashing-up takes time.
As some of you may know, some discounter stores now have double tills, with two card terminals, one for the first block where your goods land, and the other for the second.
Since these tills have been introduced, a certain company is of the opinion that a cashier should be able to scan 50% more items per hour!

My point is that any cashier will be doing their best to serve you correctly, and to not get in trouble, so it would be very much appreciated if you don´t make their work even more difficult!!!

[pappnase]

Well all I can say is that's really shitty of those employers.
I don't do anything to make life harder for my cashier, I try to only shop in supermarkets with self-scan and there I never even speak to a cashier other than if i need approval to buy some item that requires an age check.
In supermarkets where I do have to use a "real" checkout, I'm always careful to load stuff off the checkout and into the cart as quickly as possible, I always have my card ready to pay via chip and pin, and I'm often through with the transaction and on my way out the door before the receipt is printed, but I still maintain it's your bosses making things shit for you not your customers.

[alma.freya]

My trick: every 4th or 5th item on the conveyor should be something the cashier has to weigh. It works so well that I'm often waiting for the cashier to continue scanning items.

I wonder if you folks even know that staff in certain stores get a written warning if they are "too slow" on the till?

As far as I know, Alma, you are a fully-fit, "normal" individual, so why on earth make things so difficult for another person?!

If it "works so well", you could at least cut back a bit, couldn´t you?

That's a good point and I wouldn't want a staff member to receive a warning due to my behaviour. However the time taken to scan and weigh all my items is the same regardless of where they are placed on the conveyor. Either the cashier weighs all my fruit and veg at the end, or they weigh my fruit and vet in between scanning other items. The bottleneck isn't the cashier's scanning speed; it's the speed of the scales.

[Alberto]

I've been shopping in German supermarkets for 30 years and the improvements have been massive, but when you compare them to supermarkets in France or the UK, they are still like the stone age.

Interesting.
All in all, I prefer supermarkets in Germany than in England. In England I faced that friendly attitiude of the cashier that always made me wonder it was real or a business trick to win your sympathy. "would you like help with your packing?"

Add to this the constant private school kids financing their school cricket trip to New Zealand that want to help putting stuff in your bags (and presumablyt expecting payment from you). Good for them if daddy is wealthy enough that on top of paying 20k/yr for private school fee, can also send them on a fun trip the other side of the globe. But me contributing financially towards it? No, thanks.

No-frill German discounters, I like them better.

[Alberto]

Since we are on the topic...

One thing that annoys me at the supermarket here in Germany is that it is by expected customers do not by default pay by card but rather by bargeld. Unless I specifically inform the cashier that I intend to pay by card (well, phone), the card reader is not engaged.
Why??????

I agree this is now changing, but until no long ago when I told them they reacted almost surprised.

[Tap]

Since we are on the topic...

One thing that annoys me at the supermarket here in Germany is that it is by expected customers do not by default pay by card but rather by bargeld. Unless I specifically inform the cashier that I intend to pay by card (well, phone), the card reader is not engaged.
Why??????

I agree this is now changing, but until no long ago when I told them they reacted almost surprised.

Cash is still king here, there's more cash used in Germany than any other European country, and, according to some of my students, it's going to stay that way for a while longer.