# What exactly is a Wal-Mart greeter? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 27, 2007, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-wal-mart-greeter/409639 "2007-06-27T14:10:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-wal-mart-greeter/409639/21 "2007-06-27T15:29:20Z")
[QUOTE=vetbridge] GAH! I was vacationing in the southern US a few years back, and we stopped for breakfast at a Waffle House, IIRC. The waitresses (every damn one of 'em) said, “Good Morning” to _every freaking soul_ who walked in the door. By the time we finished eating, we just wanted to get the hell out of there! [/QUOTE] Not an uncommon feeling at a Waffle House. Just make sure to ask for an extra helping of grease with your grease. 🙂 -Joe ---
**Author:** ![rackensack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rackensack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rackensack)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-wal-mart-greeter/409639/22 "2007-06-27T15:29:55Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] \*Three times! Three times I get the camp kitchen and three times I get it home and open it to find it broken! Either Coleman sucks (possible) or Wal-Mart has chimpanzees stocking the shelves. [/QUOTE] Why is that either/or? That both are true seems like the most plausible hypothesis. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-wal-mart-greeter/409639/23 "2007-06-27T15:35:22Z")
In my Florida experience, they are cigarette blondes\* that get too old to be flight attendants in American Airlines. They just say “hi dahling” when you walk in and try not to faint from the exhaustion. \*cigarette blondes: old ladies with white hair turned yellow because of their chain smoking habits. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-wal-mart-greeter/409639/24 "2007-06-27T15:37:01Z")
Greeters are (thankfully) a largely unknown phenomenon in the UK, although my local B&Q (a big DIY/hardware/furniture store) has one or two old retired guys on the door to greet customers. The one who’s normally there looks about 75, and I don’t think he’d be able to do much to keep “undesirables” out. Still, he’s friendly but not annoyingly so. > [@](#): > > Oh, right, I forgot about that. The red dot tells Customer Service that, yes, you walked in with this camp kitchen that was broken in the box\*, and you didn’t merely take another one off the shelf and get a refund for one you didn’t purchase. A red dot as in a round red sticker? If I was an exceptionally cunning thief, I might be able to come up with a way round that system! ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-wal-mart-greeter/409639/25 "2007-06-27T15:38:23Z")
[QUOTE=vetbridge] GAH! I was vacationing in the southern US a few years back, and we stopped for breakfast at a Waffle House, IIRC. The waitresses (every damn one of 'em) said, “Good Morning” to _every freaking soul_ who walked in the door. By the time we finished eating, we just wanted to get the hell out of there! [/QUOTE] Yeahbut, it the South, I think they actually \*mean \*it! And when they say, “Come on back now!” when you leave, I really believe they want me to, you know, return. And not just for my money. Maybe they’re just better at faking it. [QUOTE=rackensack] Why is that either/or? That both are true seems like the most plausible hypothesis. [/QUOTE] Indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Like\_Fry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@Like\_Fry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Like_Fry)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-wal-mart-greeter/409639/26 "2007-06-27T15:42:43Z")
I think I can explain the purpose of greeting customers at a store. A few years back in my previous job the head company sent trainers to talk to all the managers about how important it is to greet a customer within 15 seconds of entering the store. They apperently did a study and found out the people were more likely to buy if they were greeted imediately upon entering. I know blockbuster does this too, no matter how busy they are they have to say “hi” to all customers. Fry ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-wal-mart-greeter/409639/27 "2007-06-27T15:46:20Z")
The greeters usually don’t bug me much on the occasions that I run into one. Since I’ve only ever been to Wal-Mart twice in the last three of four years (this past Saturdays as a matter of fact; one of the only clean Wal-Marts I’d ever been to), most of the greeters are at other stores. In fact, I remember greeters greeting me at Meijer long before there were even any Wal-Marts in the state of Michigan. Aside from the duties described above, they also hand out the in-store circulars. Oh, yeah, the reason they don’t bug me much is usually because I’m not a slow poke like 95% of the rest of the people in the world (maybe “the world” is too broad; let’s say “shoppers” instead). While the greeters are busy fussing with all the pokey people, I just breeze on through. The Targets the I have the pleasure of going to don’t have security guards, but they do have greeters. The Home Depot that’s right next to my office has a security guard, though, and I always say hi or 'morning or something on my way in, and about half the time I’m acknowledged in return. If you know Home Depot, though, the way in isn’t the way out, and there’s no guard on the way out, so I’m not sure what good the guard really is. The other Home Depots or Lowes that I go to don’t have security guards at all, at least not visible. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-wal-mart-greeter/409639/28 "2007-06-27T16:01:50Z")
I read an article about WalMart greeters a while back, which included some explanations from a WalMart executive. They serve a couple of purposes - as the title suggests, saying “Hi” to people when they walk in to be friendly, help with shopping carts or buttons or whatnot, and also to deter shoplifters. WalMart found that simply having someone look everybody in the eye when they walk in the doors helped cut down on theft. Thieves do not want any confrontation at all, including just being spoken to by a store employee. It’s rare that I’m in a WalMart but it doesn’t bother me at all. Sure it’s an artificial greeting but so are the checkers at Safeway who have to look at my receipt and say “Have a nice day Mr. XXX” (and they invariably mispronounce my name). Like others have said, it beats a scowl. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-wal-mart-greeter/409639/29 "2007-06-27T16:13:51Z")
[QUOTE=Valgard] “Have a nice day Mr. XXX” (and they invariably mispronounce my name). [/QUOTE] I can understand how that would happen. Is it pronounced “ecks” or “icks”? ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-wal-mart-greeter/409639/30 "2007-06-27T16:17:13Z")
[QUOTE=Colophon] Greeters are (thankfully) a largely unknown phenomenon in the UK, although my local B&Q (a big DIY/hardware/furniture store) has one or two old retired guys on the door to greet customers. The one who’s normally there looks about 75, and I don’t think he’d be able to do much to keep “undesirables” out. Still, he’s friendly but not annoyingly so. [/QUOTE] Actually, I wasn’t talking about grandpa Fife tackling an undesirable so much as his signaling security about someone that they should spend extra time watching on the security monitors. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-wal-mart-greeter/409639/31 "2007-06-27T16:18:31Z")
[QUOTE=Colophon] A red dot as in a round red sticker? If I was an exceptionally cunning thief, I might be able to come up with a way round that system! [/QUOTE] It’s not a red dot at our local Wal-mart. It’s a rectangular green sticker like a price sticker, which has printed on it “Wal-mart” and some numbers, which, I suppose, indicate that you are the whateverth person returning something. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-wal-mart-greeter/409639/32 "2007-06-27T16:42:57Z")
“Crucifixion? Right you are. Out the door, line on the left, one cross each.” ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-wal-mart-greeter/409639/33 "2007-06-27T17:46:38Z")
Please do not disparage the WalMart Greeter job lest it be eliminated. With the single exception of mild Asperger’s I am certain I am otherwise qualified, and I am working on the former. Two more years, baby, and I’m goin’ for the Vest. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-wal-mart-greeter/409639/34 "2007-06-27T17:51:50Z")
My Wal-Mart greeter seems to be broken, they don’t greet. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-wal-mart-greeter/409639/35 "2007-06-27T18:33:40Z")
[QUOTE=control-z] My Wal-Mart greeter seems to be broken, they don’t greet. [/QUOTE] The dyslexic Wal-Mart graters are really unpleasant, though. Ugh. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-wal-mart-greeter/409639/36 "2007-06-27T19:39:08Z")
Shoplifters are less likely to steal from a store if they’ve had contact with an employee. The store is no longer a faceless entity but now a place where Nice Grandpa Joe works. At least according to every loss-prevetion seminar I’ve ever attended. This is part of the reason why many stores want staff to greet every customer within 5 seconds or something. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-wal-mart-greeter/409639/37 "2007-06-27T19:40:20Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] \*Three times! Three times I get the camp kitchen and three times I get it home and open it to find it broken! Either Coleman sucks (possible) or Wal-Mart has chimpanzees stocking the shelves. [/QUOTE] Not possible. Chimpanzees are unionized and prohibited from working at WalMart. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-wal-mart-greeter/409639/38 "2007-06-27T19:48:43Z")
[QUOTE=FatBaldGuy] They greet you when you come in and sometimes will hand you a shopping cart. [/QUOTE] At the Wal-Mart near me (Cleveland Heights, Ohio), it’s usually a retarded person. Sometimes the greeting sounds like a long moan. In this case, I don’t think the greeter can do more than just greet. If you think Waffle House is bad, you haven’t been to a Gates Barbecue restaurant in the Kansas City area. HI MAY I HELP YOU!!! Seriously, they _yell_ it. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-wal-mart-greeter/409639/39 "2007-06-27T20:04:05Z")
[QUOTE=alice\_in\_wonderland] Shoplifters are less likely to steal from a store if they’ve had contact with an employee. The store is no longer a faceless entity but now a place where Nice Grandpa Joe works. At least according to every loss-prevetion seminar I’ve ever attended. This is part of the reason why many stores want staff to greet every customer within 5 seconds or something. [/QUOTE] Bingo. That’s the theory I was told loooong ago. A lot of stores now make the point of turning and saying hello as you enter, even if serving another customer. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-wal-mart-greeter/409639/40 "2007-06-27T20:26:29Z")
From my brief experience in shopping at the super malls in Japan, I noticed that nearly every store there has it’s employees greeting the customers as they enter. “Konni’chi wa” followed up with my robust “Howdy!” I think it’s to make the customer feel a tad more at ease, to make them feel that their patronage is valued. In the case of WalMart, there may be secondary purposes, too, like the shoplifting/security suggested above. Also, they may be able to answer the silly questions like “Where’s the restroom?” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-wal-mart-greeter/409639.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-wal-mart-greeter/409639.md?page=3)