Store Refuses Shopper's Payment In Coins

http://www.wlky.com/news/29661621/detail.html ^ | 11/2/2011

[Sgt_Schultze]

I doubt anyone has "whipped out a purse FULL of Food Stamps" in a long time.

To save embarrassment, the government issues an EBT card

Kentucky

California

Maryland

[Morgana]

“The trouble is when some smart alec tries to pay in pennies in order to harrass.”

No the trouble is that I am not the cashier because I am Queen of the Smart Alecs!!!

[gardencatz]

I’ve never had to bring or buy my bags at Sav-A-Lot. I usually bring my own because they’re sturdier than those stupid plastic bags (and I have the cutest set of chicken bags) but I’ve forgot numerous times and not been charged. That may be on a state by state basis. I know CA charges no matter what store you’re in...gotta save the planet dontcha know...one plastic bag at a time.

Cindie

[cripplecreek]

I posted this because I was angry that here are those who would do this to her or anyone.

Or you could do what a conservative would do and grumble about it on your way to another store. I can find all kinds of reasons to be upset but what's the point?

Imagine you're a bar owner in Michigan as you watch your business evaporate because non smokers are bothered by smokers in your business so they ran to the state to force you to comply with their wishes.

[PLMerite]

I’m sure there’s a good story behind that.

[Morgana]

Do we even know that she has an account at any bank.

Do you know that you have to have an account at a bank to do what you asked? Some banks may do it if they need the coins that day or are just nice. Most however require an account.

If she was this destitute she may not have a bank account.

[Morgana]

“Or you could do what a conservative would do and grumble about it on your way to another store..........”

Well what I would do is this. ***warning what I am about to say is not politically correct***

Just to piss off the Hippies at Wall Street I would take her change for the items that she wishes to buy because “I am an evil, greedy, Jewish, capitalist who want to be RICH RICH RICH”
So take that Hippies on wall street!
BWAAHAHAHAH

[familyop]

It’s interesting to read about life around the plantations once in a while. I don’t visit grocery stores very often. ;-)

[traditional1]

"To save embarrassment, the government issues an EBT card"

Embarassment?

The 4th generation welfare tribes I see don't care about embarassment whatsoever...they have no pride (except beign PROUD that they have a right to handouts that others pay for).

[Pontiac]

I feel for the woman but economic realities are what they are.

Coins have become nearly worthless. A store manager can not afford to have employees stand there for 20 minutes counting change.

I having been a waiter who had to take money and run a register I know that I would count it twice. If I was shorted it came out of my pocket.

If the woman has a bank account the thing to do would be to take the change to her bank and deposit the money. Banks have coin counters and they should not be charging a fee to customers to count them.

[Morgana]

“Chances are this is the only time the cashier will ever have anyone with that much change going through her line. Maybe the only time this YEAR in the stores.”

Since we are doing advance math on this thread I would say that in all probability you are correct.

[Hoodat]

The equation is in three parts. The first part obviously is two-tenths of a cent. The second part contains an irrational value i, which equals the square root of (-1). The term e^iπ equates to cos(π) + isin(π), which equates to 1. And the third term - the summation - equates to 1. So the entire term comes to $2.

[Dust in the Wind]

"Coin money is legal tender."

That is what I said to the manager of a store one time. They were denying my son's coins. I told them I had been trying to teach him to save his money and then purchase what he was wanting. They did relent and two of them helped count it up. I still shop there.

[Hoodat]

Scratch that. The second term comes to (-1), so the entire equation comes to two-tenths of a cent.

[heartwood]

Still a problem with rolled coins - how can the cashier tell that a roll of quarters doesn’t have only 38 in it, or 10 Chucky Cheese tokens, or a couple of French francs? She’s still got to open them and count them.

[NCLaw441]

We don’t know. You may be right. Most banks in my area would have no problem accepting rolled coin, and I have asked banks for paper wrappers for coins many times. I have never been asked if I have an account with the bank. Even if you are right, this poor lady could have at least separated the coins by denomination, or could have gone to the customer service counter to get bills for her purchase. I understand times are tough. I have been there.

At the same time, there are ways of handling this issue by cashiers that should not result in embarrassing a customer, just as customers can avoid the possible embarrassment if they think ahead a bit.

[ssschev]

I would have not problem with the “smart alec”. We move the shopper to a clear space. I would then assign one of the stockers to assist the shopper in counting the change, place in in coin slips, have the shopper put their name and phone number on each coin slip. The shopper is then processed back through the checkstand. Any Manager worth their salt should know the difference in needs.

[x_plus_one]

What is fungible now will not be fungible later. Coinage is worth more than than paper due to the intrinsic value of metal.

[CharacterCounts]

A clerk worth hiring or keeping can count through $32 worth of pennies in eight minutes or less.

The article says loose change, not pennies. Assuming there were quarters, dimes, and nickels, the time could have been considerably less. It would almost certainly have been less than the time to restock all the groceries.

[NCLaw441]

The cashier can put the customer’s name on the rolls. Now, if the customer obtains the property by false pretenses, that is fraud, a crime. If we’re dealing with that sort of question, the customer is just as likely to shoplift the stuff she wants/needs. Nevertheless, I see your point.