Disclaimer: This has nothing to do with the clerks themselves.
The clerk placed the receipt in my hand, circled a number at the bottom of the receipt and proudly proclaimed:
“And here’s the money you saved today!”
He smiled at the great favor he’d done for me.
…
Hmm.
Ok.
Rationally, I grasp the concept: ‘The indicated figure reflects the amount of money deducted from your total expenditure due to lowered prices on particular items as the result of our in-store efforts to increase stock turnover or to provide an incentive to draw you, the customer, to our store more often. I have circled the sum total of the discounts provided that you might juxtapose the figure against the grand total of the bill and recognize the deduction as beneficial to your fiscal endeavours. This amount will not be drawn from your bank account, that you might use it for other transactions in the future.’
Sure.
But I just spent $147.56
I did not “save money.”
I spent it. I walked through your doors and my bank account will now reflect a debit amounting to the sum I tendered to this establishment in exchange for goods procured.
(And I spent a good deal; but, miraculously, it all fits into one cart. Five bags, which becomes three and a half in actual volume—some settling occurs during transit.)
It’s a simple matter, nothing more than a pet peeve. It’s really a matter of wording—I didn’t “save money.”
You simply didn’t charge me as much for those items—as a result, I spent more on other items. My choice, I understand.
However, you charged me quite sufficiently for those other items. Items which the store across town charges 1/3 less for. But it’s not as convenient to go there. So I willingly subject myself to paying a little more.
I’m not upset about your pricing.
You have a lot of employees, high overhead, and the red tape you need to deal with just to operate in California must be staggering. Couple that with the ski-stopover way-station that is my town, the bedroom community for all those HP and Intel workers, and the prices escalate even higher. Sure, I understand.
But I might just carry a fluorescent highlighter so when the clerk, who’s but the messenger and I appreciate his/her efforts, circles the figure at the bottom, I highlight the Grand Total and reply “And here,” (circle!) “Is what I spent.”
And I’ll say it with the smile of doing him a great favor.