Originally published on September 10, 2009.
A lot of retailers seemed to really enjoy the last installment of That Customer that featured the (perhaps willfully) clueless customer who walks into a dark store without noticing that it’s, well, dark. And possibly closed. Or just about to be.
I thought it would be a good idea, or at least some fun, to set out the etiquette in such a situation. Emily Post doesn’t cover this stuff, so I might as well.
Retailer After-Hours Etiquette:
If you’re going to let someone in during closing, you have to give them the same attention and consideration you give any other customer. You can’t give them the evil eye while drumming your fingers on the counter. If you don’t want to help them, don’t let them in.
Yes, it is true that if they can see you from the street, they’ll be pissed if you don’t let them in. I recommend hiding as the most effective strategy against this form of perceived rudeness. Most cash registers are on top of a counter. Most counters can be hidden behind. I suggest you do this if you really want to get out of the store quickly.
Customer After-Hours Etiquette:
If you walk into a store and it looks like they’re in the middle of closing (dark lights, pulled blinds, frantic shelf stocking, cash counting) then they probably are indeed in the middle of closing.
Ask if this is the case. If the answer is yes, then this is not the time to leisurely peruse every single bottle on the shelf. This is not the time to have a 15 minutes phone conversation with your roommate about what she’s thinking of making for dinner. This is the time to tell the staff what you’re looking for so they can quickly point out some good choices and go about their closing chores while you make your decision. You shouldn’t feel pressured, but you shouldn’t feel entitled to lollygag.
And there you have it. My view of after-hours (or nearly after-hours) etiquette. It’s all about mutual respect and understanding.
And being more aware of your surroundings than your mobile phone conversation….but that’s probably the subject of anther post.