topic Re: Stores asking you to donate To this or that charity at checkout in Community Chat

Stores asking you to donate To this or that charity at checkout

SeaMaiden — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 20:04:17 GMT

Do not get me wrong. I believe in donating and giving to a charity or cause I believe in... and I do give when I choose to.....but today I felt angry almost at all the stores The check out person verbally asking me to give when checking me out.

One store wanted me to round my total to the next dollar for their program ....the next store asked if I would like to donate my change and give that to their charity....my last stop asked if I wanted to donate a dollar to their charity.....It seems as though it is getting worse and worse.

I mean COME ON! Give me a break! I do not think stores should put customers on the spot having the checker ASKING out loud if I I want to give ....and I have to verbally say NO with other people listening.....it just bugs me!

Some grocery stores will just have the question pop up on the credit card scanner where you can put in your answer privately. I have no problem with that.

What Do You Think?

Re: Stores asking you to donate To this or that charity at checkout

DoneTryin — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 20:04:18 GMT

I think the store cashiers probably hate that even more than you do. I imagine they get bashed a lot for doing what they're told to do by management. If I don't want to give, I just say "no, thanks."

Re: Stores asking you to donate To this or that charity at checkout

SeaMaiden — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 20:08:05 GMT

@DoneTryin wrote:
I think the store cashiers probably hate that even more than you do. I imagine they get bashed a lot for doing what they're told to do by management. If I don't want to give, I just say "no, thanks."

@DoneTryin I just do not like feeling I have to give an answer.....they just should not ask the customer anything like that verbally.

Re: Stores asking you to donate To this or that charity at checkout

Perkup — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 20:18:37 GMT

I think I'm an adult and capable of choosing my own charities. We usually do a few small donations each year, but our wills are set to leave the majority of our assets to one charity in which we believe strongly, and where their CEO isn't a multi-millionairs thanks to contributions.

I wish the stores would refrain from getting involved in charities - other than maybe the food banks, where you can donate actual food in a box at the grocery - but I am sure they have charity repa knocking on their doors constantly for help.

Re: Stores asking you to donate To this or that charity at checkout

deepwaterdotter — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 22:00:31 GMT

If I do not wish to donate I simply decline. That customers hear me do so has no bearing on my feelings.

I contributed an unsolicited donation to Warrior Canine Connection on Memorial Day.

Re: Stores asking you to donate To this or that charity at checkout

jaxs mom — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 20:10:24 GMT

It doesn't really bother me, but I'm not the type that has a problem saying no to people, nor am I particularly motivated by unrealistic expectations from strangers. I can see how it would annoy other people though. I agree with the PP that the poor cashiers probably don't like it either.

The admittedly minor annoyance I have with checkers is them always saying my first name to confirm that my "rewards" card number is correct. Also that I can't get out of the store carrying my own bags without 5 people asking me if I need help. I'm an average healthy woman still in the prime of my life and no where near retirement age, I can carry my bags. I do allow them to help me to my car if I have more than I can carry only because there is no cart return in the parking lot.

Re: Stores asking you to donate To this or that charity at checkout

Tyak — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 20:11:30 GMT

I used to feel almost guilty and put on the spot by things like this but, not anymore. The word "NO" just rolls off my tongue without any feelings of owing them anything.

Re: Stores asking you to donate To this or that charity at checkout

Moonchilde — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 20:11:35 GMT

There was a thread on this awhile back.

They do it too much, too often. It blunts the desired effect. If multiple stores are hitting people up almost every week, the nos will outweigh the yeses before long. People will become annoyed-immune.

I don't choose to give, even a dollar, to EVERY charity. So yeah, I say no about 70% of the time and yes the other 30%. I do buy the empty "bags of groceries" at holiday time for food banks, and I used to eat at one restaurant who did the "round up" thing and I liked that. But anything that gets to be every day/week also gets ho-hum/no pretty quickly.

Re: Stores asking you to donate To this or that charity at checkout

SeaMaiden — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 20:14:34 GMT

I always check to make sure how much of my donation actually goes to the cause.....when you are put on the spot at the checkout in store asking for a donation, how do know how much goes to the charity out of that dollar?

I asked one checker that question and she was clueless.

Re: Stores asking you to donate To this or that charity at checkout

chickenbutt — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 20:15:27 GMT

ITA.

I also recognize that those poor cashiers are probably told that they HAVE to do that, so I don't blame them. But, in the process, they kind of make you feel stingy and uncaring in front of everybody else in the room.

It reminds me of a time when somebody loudly proclaimed, in front of a whole room of people, that my check was not good (obviously, this was years ago but I still remember the humiliation) and the kicker was that they made a mistake! We called the bank. Bank person says 'oops, I made a mistake' (no apology) and I finished my transaction.

Meanwhile I was positively humiliated in front of quite a few people who heard the person tell me that my check was not good.

Anyway, even though I'm sure we all have our causes that we support, we don't need to be asked in front of everybody if we want to donate. Maybe they could just put a sign or something and if somebody chooses to respond, fine.

It doesn't ruin my day or anything so, for those with the 'don't sweat the small things' and 'get over it' lectures, it's not the biggest thing but it is annoying and they are just playing on peoples' sensitivities kind of like a blackmail to get people to donate so they don't look like Scrooge in front of all the other people.

Re: Stores asking you to donate To this or that charity at checkout

jonbon — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 20:15:43 GMT

Doesn't bother me in the least. I usually do "round up" or give a dollar or so to whatever they're supporting. If I don't want to, for whatever reason, I have no problem saying, "Not today."

Re: Stores asking you to donate To this or that charity at checkout

DoneTryin — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 20:17:49 GMT

Why bash the cashiers? Why not direct questions & complaints to the managers who make the cashers ask?

Re: Stores asking you to donate To this or that charity at checkout

Caligurll — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 20:19:38 GMT

I am not a fan of this practice either. I just smile and say no thank you.

The one exception to this is at PetSmart and I always donate when I check out. At least they don't make employees ask, it asks you on the keypad when you pay.

Re: Stores asking you to donate To this or that charity at checkout

SusieQ_2 — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 20:21:35 GMT

I agree that it can feel awkward to say no. I also think that @DoneTryin is right when she says it's harder for them to ask but they have to do it.

I've never had anyone give me "the cold shoulder" because I refused a request and I think they don't really care. It's just a part of their job and a part they'd probably rather not do.

That said, and this is probably not a PC thing to say, but I don't donate to a lot of charities. Not because I'm not the charitible type, I'm just lazy when it comes to deciding who to support. So, in my case, when the lady at the supermarket asked my to donate to Alheimer's, I was happy to do it. And when they had the adoption weekend at Petsmart I donated some dog food and a couple of bowls. It was nice because they made it so easy.

I don't really mind it. I'm lucky to have all that I have, so every now and then it helps for someone to remind me it's time to help someone else.

Re: Stores asking you to donate To this or that charity at checkout

SeaMaiden — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 20:22:13 GMT

@DoneTryin wrote:
Why bash the cashiers? Why not direct questions & complaints to the managers who make the cashers ask?

Yes. That is a good idea. I will.send a letter off to the head of the company say Safeway....not a small fry like a store manager.

Re: Stores asking you to donate To this or that charity at checkout

jaxs mom — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 20:23:01 GMT

The cashiers are under a lot of pressure. My local market actually has comment cards for customers and if any of the cashiers get less than a glowing comment, it goes up on a board of shame. It's just pathetic. I wouldn't even shop there but my choices are that chain, Walmart or one other significantly inferior store as far as choices.

Re: Stores asking you to donate To this or that charity at checkout

beach-mom — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 20:26:50 GMT

@Caligurll wrote:
I am not a fan of this practice either. I just smile and say no thank you.

The one exception to this is at PetSmart and I always donate when I check out. At least they don't make employees ask, it asks you on the keypad when you pay.

I, too, always donate at PetSmart. I will usually donate $1 if asked on a store's keypad. If I'm asked in person, it depends. Most of the time I will say, "Not today, thank you." But if it's a local need - like some child has been in an accident and is from the area - or something else like that, I will usually say OK.

Re: Stores asking you to donate To this or that charity at checkout

shaggygirl — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 20:27:29 GMT

That's one reason I do the self checkout at the grocery store. But with the exception of the Salvation Army red kettle during Christmas, I do hate when I head for the store doors and see a table set up for whoever happens to be collecting for whatever. And they're set up at both entrance/exit doors at either end of the store so you can't escape them. If they'd just sit there and be quiet I'd be more inclined to give something but when for example a bunch of high school cheerleaders practically assault you all at the same time, for car wash tickets or to help them pay for a trip they want to go on and who knows what else it irks me. Sometimes I get back in my car and go to a different grocery store.

Re: Stores asking you to donate To this or that charity at checkout

QVCkitty1 — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 20:27:42 GMT

I look at it like this, I'm lucky that I have a basket of items that I can afford, so a few bucks won't kill me. However, if I didn't want to. I would have no problem saying no.

Re: Stores asking you to donate To this or that charity at checkout

SeaMaiden — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 20:30:08 GMT

@jaxs mom wrote:
The cashiers are under a lot of pressure. My local market actually has comment cards for customers and if any of the cashiers get less than a glowing comment, it goes up on a board of shame. It's just pathetic. I wouldn't even shop there but my choices are that chain, Walmart or one other significantly inferior store as far as choices.

@jaxs mom Some of the checkers deserve to be on a wall of shame. Today I stopped in Albertsons...Bought my stuff.......got to my car....was over charged...went back in....she "supposedly fixed it.....got my change looked at the receipt and the change was wrong....finally got it fixed....got to my car a third time,... And she did not give me back my original receipt...HAD TO GO IN A THIRD TIME.....to get my receipt.

I mean PLEASE. I was a cashier for 25 years( before they started begging for money) and I never was an airhead.