Monday, April 16, 2007

Happy Faces Forbidden

OK, so this is another shopping rant, sorry. I just got back from Costco and just had to share this terrible new policy of theirs. First of all, I love Costco. I love that they pay their workers decent money and how you know when you buy something there it is usually of good quality and if you are unhappy with anything, you can just bring it right back and they don't mess with you like some other places...ahem, Target. But today as Hannah and I waited in the line at the exit where they go through your receipt and make sure neither you, nor Costco has been ripped off, I asked if the worker could please make a happy face on the receipt for my daughter. They had always done this in the past, and it made the kid's day. And if a worker had forgotten (like it appeared they had on our last couple of visits) Hannah would be disappointed and I'd have to hear about it the whole ride home, and then try to explain that the worker was busy, or maybe he or she didn't know how to make a happy face, or maybe they drew her a stick, or a snake instead.

But after I asked the worker, hoping she would just quickly draw the little happy face on the receipt, she said she was not allowed to anymore. I didn't argue or protest, as there was a line behind me, but disappointingly said, "Oh." The nice young man that helped me get all my groceries into the truck (I can never lift the water bottles up there) was explaining that he had heard something before, and that another mother had complained because of the same thing (he he, glad I'm not the only Kathie Lee Gifford) and they said it had something to do with using up too much of the ink from the highlighters they use to confirm that the receipt is correct. Can you believe that? The amount of money that store makes, and they're getting cheap on the highlighter ink?

BRING BACK THE HAPPY FACES!!!

I'm going to send a letter.

7 Comments:

Blogger Christina said...

Pavlos loves the happy faces, too:) Or the hearts. there's a Costco up near Seattle where they put a stamp on the receipt (can't remember what it was, though). I will back you up in the bring back the happy face cause!!!

4:06 PM  
Blogger Kassianni said...

I think it's our duty as people to ignore as many of these utterly banal and bureaucratic rules as possible. I wonder why the kids like it so much? my boys are 10 and 12 and they still get a kick out of it. it's sweet.

9:21 PM  
Blogger Kassianni said...

(maybe bring your own highlighter for them to use. haha)

9:22 PM  
Blogger Munkee said...

We got a bird once...kind of a sad bird but it was a bird!

9:04 AM  
Blogger Rebeca said...

Send a letter! Start a petition! Something! This is ridiculous.
I'm so glad you found a doula you love!

3:06 PM  
Blogger Thomas Ham said...

every 1/100 of a penny matters in business!

5:47 AM  
Blogger Belladonna said...

I honestly do not believe this has ANYTHING to do with the amount of ink used.

I asked once about why the check the receipts, because in many cases the people hardly look at what's in the cart. ONE reason for marking receipts is to check to be sure it matches your actual purchase. But the MAIN reason they do this is because some people were scamming stores by actually buying stuff and getting a receipt and then later going BACK to the store and putting those SAME items in their cart and then trying to leave without paying for them. If challenged they whipped out their receipt at proof they had paid. So the marking prevents doing this.

Next time you are in Costco, I'd stop by customer service and ask them what their actual policy is on how receipts get marked. If they say there really is such a rule (and not just someone being a turd about it) then I would challenge that!

I have to drive an hour and a half to get to my closest costco, but I do manage to get there about once a month. Love the place!

12:46 PM  

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