Might As Well Be Stealing From Santa’s Cart

(It’s Christmas time and online orders are coming in like crazy. I am pulled to help find items for the orders around the store. We have specialized carts for fulfilling online orders that look nothing like regular shopping carts or even the employee-only carts. I am in the infant department with my cart trying to find an outfit for an order when a woman wanders over to me.)

Customer: “It is just wonderful how you guys put out these clearance carts so there’s more product on the floor even when the clearance section is full. I love looking through what you guys have.”

Me: “Are you referring to this cart right here?”

Customer: “Yes.”

Me: “Ma’am, these carts are for picking online orders. All the items in these carts are already paid for and purchased by other customers.”

Customer: “I had no idea. I’ve been taking things I’ve liked for years!”

(Now I know why sometimes when we go to pack the orders, some things are missing, which causes us a lot of frustration.)