Other National Chain Store ~ Vent: Dollar Tree ~ Here's my "The cashier said what....!" Story

[my3littlextras]

Ok you know how you go into a store and you have one of those "The cashier said what....days, well here's mine!!

I've been going to the same DT for over 3/4 months now. Not every weekend, just when there is something that I really want that week in Q's. Well I went this weekend and there were bales of newspapers on the floor (2), a cart full of newspapers and a rack full of newspapers. So I ask how many were in the bale on the floor. She said oh there's 10 in each bale. I'm thinking to myself ok I'll get the 2 bales cause it would be easier for me to carry then her putting them in those flimsy plastic bags. So I go to pick one up and she says, "They're going to stop allowing so many papers." I'm thinking to myself, Allowing so many... what is she trying to say? So I said, " Oh there gonna stop bringing so many newspapers, well I guess I'll have to take my money some where else then." Smiled and paid my bill and stated, "They don't sell this paper in Norfolk..." and walked out.
Granted I live in the same city that the store is in but I do my shopping mostly on the Norfolk side which is 10 minutes away and they don't sell this paper. I just didn't understand if I'm paying money for all the papers that I'm buying why the remark?!! They had over 60 papers in the store!! What in heavens name could I be doing with all these papers....teepeeing someone's yard, make millions of paper hats, lining a thousand cat litter boxes or what?!! I just don't understand what goes thru people's minds when they say things. If you don't want people to shop in your store then don't open your doors for business. I paid for every one of those papers and if she wanted to know what I did with them she could have asked! I would have told her, I take the coupons out, 1 papers worth of flyers and give the kids the comics and then the rest go to the SPCA for the dogs. Can you tell I'm a little ticked? :shrug7:

[queenofthehivemomof5]

I think any store has the right to set limits but as long as they are selling the newspaper and there are enough for other folks then I don't really see a problem with you purchasing as many papers as you want.

[manders13]

yea, they do have the right to limit, but i would ask a manager to see if there really is a "limit"

[nurseannette]

I understand they have the "right" to set limits. But if I was manager of
the store, in these hard times, I kinda think I would sell everything I could
to anyone willing to pay for it.(except sudafed products, or alcohol/cigs
to minors) Just my 2 cents

[Sweet_Southern_Mama]

I have to agree with the OP . . . especially about papers because the unsold papers just get thrown out anyway.

[jgoodell473]

I don't know. I say if she has the cash and is paying for them, first come, first serve. I also get raised eye brows when I buy 2 or even 3 Boston Sundays at the gas station. I generally explain I'm buying the coupons.

[Joyfulmom4]

I understand the need to set limits in some circumstances. The managers don't want one person clearing the shelves of everything when it's an item that's going to be in high demand, thus resulting in multiple disgruntled customers and many complaints.

Otoh, some limits are ridiculous. If the items isn't going to be sought after by multiple customers and/or if there are plenty of items on the shelf, then limits are unnecessary.

Case in point: I was at Walgreens buying two boxes of Benefiber drink packets for the sale/RR thing. The cashier missed a coupon so she had to call over the manager. The manager stated that "you know we have the right to limit how many special items a customer can buy so that we have enough to go around for all of our customers". I'm thinking this is really stupid b/c the special requires you to buy two boxes and I was buying just the two boxes and using two coupons. I seriously think he just didn't want me to get my RR or something. I dunno... Anyway, I just looked at him and said, "Well the shelves appeared to be fully stocked with this product today, so I don't see where that should be a problem. Unless of course you were anticipating a really big run on Benefiber this week???" He stammered a little bit and you could tell he was trying to come up with a response to that, but then he just shook his head and said, "fine, just give them to her". Huh?

If there were 60 newspapers in the store and they were trying to prevent you from buying 10, that seems pretty stupid. There would be 50 left. How many do you suppose they sell? Yeesh.

Personally I think sometimes it's a control thing. The cashier or manager doesn't like that you're getting such big bargains so they are trying to exert control over you.

[contrecoup]

I really have no idea if I am correct in saying these things, but a few things to think about:

1. I don't know what cost is on Sunday papers for the Dollar Tree. If they are selling them below cost to gain customers, I could definitely see them setting a limit.

2. I'm pretty sure that if they have extra newspapers left over, they get reimbursed for those by the distributer (as with magazines).

3. I don't know what this woman's tone of voice was, but is it possible she was just attempting to warn you about a possible upcoming policy? Cashiers often don't have much control over the choices managers make.

[lmagee]

I definitly approve of selling limits as long as they're reasonable. Our 99 cent only store sells the Sunday newspaper on Saturday and Sunday for 99 cents (it's usually $1.75). Even though they get about 350 newspapers on each day, before thy set the limit for 2 per customer, I couldn't seem to get there early enough. The cashiers said that 5 or 6 people would come in every weekend and get about 50 a piece right when they opened. Now, I can only get a total of four (2 Saturday and 2 Sunday), but as long as I get there before 10 AM, they always have a few left.

I'm pretty sure that the newspaper is not selling them for that price, I suspect that the store is taking a loss in order to build business. If only five or six customers get all the newspapers, then that defeats the purpose, and the store will just quit selling them altogether.

[mom2lucas]

Our DT doesn't sell newspaper that I know of, but they have set family limits on loaves of bread and other high demand items at times. Bread flies off the shelves, and they finally set a daily limit of 4 loaves per family.