Can We Talk 2

How To Be A Thoughtful Shopper (from a fellow shopper)

Some advice for next year's Black Friday weekend (it used to be known as Thanksgiving Weekend):

Don't do returns or exchanges on Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Super Sunday, or Cyber Monday. Wait until the Tuesday after. You hold up all the other customers, who get angry at you, and take it out on the employees who aren't being paid enough to deal with stressed out nasty customers. If management is needed, you will be delayed because they will all be too busy to come on a timely basis.

The exception (there's always one). If you bought something at regular price less than 30 days before and now it's on a one day or a limited time much lower price. Be sure you have a receipt and take the item back. Be polite. You will do a return and repurchase, so have your id handy as a courtesy to the customers behind you. If it's less than $3.00, don't bother. Too much hassle.

Keep your receipts! Put a note about what it is to make it a fast find when needed.

If you have a layaway, have your paperwork with you before you go in the store. Sure they can look it up, but they have seasonal help in all those stores. Do you really have the time to wait while they find your account number? Just be a grown-up and have your paperwork with you.

For all layaways, returns, even exchanges, and price adjustments, have your picture id handy. These days, most stores to not take items back without an id, even if you have a receipt. They don't ask questions or make you sign. But when you return something, they need to know to whom they're giving money. They do need to know if it's damaged or malfunctioning, so that they won't try to resell it.

They are all doing "door busters" and other hot sales, so don't ask for a price match. Don't ask for a price match and try to use a coupon on top during any week. Choose the one that saves you the most money and go with that one method. Companies like the big chain that starts with a W are notorious for not having stock on advertised items. Price matches usually require that the competitor have it in stock the day that you want them to lower their price to match the competitor's. Otherwise, they're not snatching the sale from the competitor. (Price matches were not established for the customer, but for the retailer. Acknowledge this to use it to your advantage.)

When you find a store that consistently gives lousy service, doesn't have stock, etc., then don't throw a fit. Don't keep going back every week and complaining when it all happens again. Just refuse to shop there. Not going in at all is the best way to send a message to a company that is disappointing its customers.

One more tip: Be it the grocer, or the drug store, or whatever, have their company card handy before you get in the check out line or while you wait in a long line. Don't wait until the cashier asks you for their card, then you have to go digging through your purse or come up with one of five cell phone numbers to get the card number. You're wasting everyone's time including your own. It doesn't hurt to be courteous to the other shoppers around you, even if some of them are clueless.