Ever abandoned a shopping cart? (price, discount, stores, best)

[MoMark]

This afternoon I made a special block in time to devote to the most major grocery shopping I'd be doing since late November. I've been writing everything on a notepad for ten days and adding things as I thought of them and this was to be the BIG ONE grocery shopping trip where my truck bed gets filled up and it takes me a half hour to unload.
I went to the local Price Cutter and it didn't seem too packed, but the produce looked bad. The onions had rot spots, the potatoes were tiny, the avocados were teeny and shriveled looking, but expensive, and I spent about an hour and twenty minutes carefully fulfilling my list with intentions of steaming green beans with bacon tonight, chicken-frying some cube steaks, and sitting back with a cup of Cafe Vienna afterward. Instead, I filled the cart up with everything from vegetables to meat to frozen Red Baron pizzas on sale to milk, cheese, frozen hashbrowns so I could make a casserole, cans of soups for meatloaf and cooking, instant soups for the slowcooker, bleach for housecleaning, shampoo cause I've been using soap recently... , shaving cream, blades, bread, cough drops, eggs, Cafe Vienna... a 10lb. bag of potatoes... and a TON more stuff. When I got up front, there were only four checkers and the lines were so long that people were backed up into the aisles. I HATE THAT!!!!! !
I will not spend forty minutes in line because they refuse to pay enough people to open more checkout lines. I've been in this store before and it's usually a slow checkout, and when I've asked them to put more checkers on line, they ignore me. This time was too much.
I had probably $350 worth of groceries in the cart...I mean..it was STUFFED. And I stared at the lines for a bit longer and was getting angrier, and I finally snapped in my brain and said. "F it" and left the cart in the middle of the checkout area and walked out. I will go shopping tomorrow instead at a different store where I actually have a discount card too.
Anyone ever done that? Or, was that just plain evil to do?

[seashelly]

(Did you happen to get a chance to read the latest headlines in the check-out lane's gossip newspaper or did you not make it up that far?).

Don't feel bad about leaving your cart. I've done it before too. Just consider it as making your statement and hope that the management picks up on the clue.

[kimmieyky]

Nope - not an evil thing to do, and yes, I have done it before. The boys were little and they and I had all we could take. The cart was semi-loaded, Joshy was crying, Alex was hanging off the cart, and I thought ...'I must be a horrible mom to punish my kids like this'. It was nap time, and there was nothing in there I had to have THAT second - so we left it.

We returned later that night with DADDY - and started again! That time, we got it done!

(Oh, and I am beginning to think that offering 'suggestions' to the mangement does no good at all. They are so stressed and so out of it, I don't think they hear us. I know the hourly employees don't - and I wouldn't dare say anything to them anyway. I have walked in their shoes a long, long time ago. Unless they are rude and hateful first, then I will politely let them know what I think.)

Kimmiey

[Lannie]

Originally Posted by MoMark

This afternoon I made a special block in time to devote to the most major grocery shopping I'd be doing since late November. I've been writing everything on a notepad for ten days and adding things as I thought of them and this was to be the BIG ONE grocery shopping trip where my truck bed gets filled up and it takes me a half hour to unload.
I went to the local Price Cutter and it didn't seem too packed, but the produce looked bad. The onions had rot spots, the potatoes were tiny, the avocados were teeny and shriveled looking, but expensive, and I spent about an hour and twenty minutes carefully fulfilling my list with intentions of steaming green beans with bacon tonight, chicken-frying some cube steaks, and sitting back with a cup of Cafe Vienna afterward. Instead, I filled the cart up with everything from vegetables to meat to frozen Red Baron pizzas on sale to milk, cheese, frozen hashbrowns so I could make a casserole, cans of soups for meatloaf and cooking, instant soups for the slowcooker, bleach for housecleaning, shampoo cause I've been using soap recently... , shaving cream, blades, bread, cough drops, eggs, Cafe Vienna... a 10lb. bag of potatoes... and a TON more stuff. When I got up front, there were only four checkers and the lines were so long that people were backed up into the aisles. I HATE THAT!!!!! !
I will not spend forty minutes in line because they refuse to pay enough people to open more checkout lines. I've been in this store before and it's usually a slow checkout, and when I've asked them to put more checkers on line, they ignore me. This time was too much.
I had probably $350 worth of groceries in the cart...I mean..it was STUFFED. And I stared at the lines for a bit longer and was getting angrier, and I finally snapped in my brain and said. "F it" and left the cart in the middle of the checkout area and walked out. I will go shopping tomorrow instead at a different store where I actually have a discount card too.
Anyone ever done that? Or, was that just plain evil to do?

Ummm, yes ~ pretty bad. Now some highschool kid or maybe a mom working a 2nd job to support her kids will get to put all of your $350 worth of items back because you didn't want to wait in line like everyone else. How rude and inconsiderate of you! YOU should have put your items away and then left. Wonder how much stores have to raise their prices to cover the charge of extra work created by this type of childish behavior....

[SandyCo]

Your frustration is understandable. It's funny, though, because I've gotten used to standing in line, sitting in traffic, etc. That just goes along with life in L.A. these days. It wouldn't occur to me to complain, or abandon my cart. What is that called - "learned helplessness"?!!

I don't think the manager got the message, though, if that was part of your plan! The employees will just think you're an arrogant, annoying SOB. (My daughter worked at a clothing store for two years; she has some amazing stories about how customers behave!)

[hightrump]

Yes, I have done that too. It makes a statement AND the cost of placing the mdse back on the shelf could be considered punitive for you wasting your shopping time. Eventually they will figure out that it is cheaper and profitable to pay for an extra employee.

[shannon94]

LOL!! Ever notice at Wal Mart or Target they have like 40 checkout lanes and only 4 of them actually going most of the time.....makes me so mad!! I have to say ....being someone who has worked retail (management) in the past....managers are told all the time to cut back on employees...they have no choice. The donut eaters behind the desk don't care as long as their money is coming in. They say they want 110% for the customer...but they really don't care. Good for you!!

[christina0001]

I have walked out once or twice, but never with a cart quite that full! Don't feel bad about it. I've worked retail myself and putting stuff back on the shelves is one of the more fun tasks to be assigned to. For a long time I have avoided shopping at peak hours, and if I need to shop at a busy time I'll even go to a smaller, more expensive store just to save time, but sometimes I still get stuck in a really long line. I usually just pick up a magazine and read it to pass the time.

[MoMark]

Originally Posted by christina0001

I have walked out once or twice, but never with a cart quite that full! Don't feel bad about it. I've worked retail myself and putting stuff back on the shelves is one of the more fun tasks to be assigned to. For a long time I have avoided shopping at peak hours, and if I need to shop at a busy time I'll even go to a smaller, more expensive store just to save time, but sometimes I still get stuck in a really long line. I usually just pick up a magazine and read it to pass the time.

I forgot to mention...I had time to go through Star, Enquirer, and read all about Oprah's school opening in South Africa... did anyone find it odd that she wore huge diamond drop earrings worth literally $1-2,000,000 around kids who are totally impoverished? I just thought it was ... strange and misplaced.
I think the replies but for one here are right on the mark. It's not the employees fault, it's upper management. Even though I recognize this, I am still unwilling to be hostage to their lack of customer service. I forgot the tomato sauce anyway I realized after I left. Tomorrow I won't forget it as I have to make a spaghetti dinner for a dinner party at my house next weekend and I do a pretty mean spaghetti sauce for a Norwegian/Irishman

[I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA]

MoMark, I think you let your anger get the best of you on this one. I understand your frustration about the situation. Here is a tip a got a few years ago, I can't say I always remember it, but when I do, it helps me, remember the word HALT.
Never become too

Hungry
Angry
Lonely
Tired

When you do, you open the door for the devil to come in. Just a thought.