Why Do People Act Like “Tax” Is A Strange New Concept?

I started work at a small retail store a few months ago. I learned so much, but one day, I had to get a rude customer who wouldn’t even listen to me as I knew what to do.

A lady approached my manual checkout with a hanging plant basket that we sell at $24.99. You can scan the barcode on the plant or use a three-digit code on a piece of paper at our checkouts for greenhouse items. I used the code as either one will come up with the same price. It rang up to $24.99, but here is the catch: we have a tax for greenhouse stuff. It added the tax of $1.50, so it rang up to $26.49.

The lady gave me an angry look.

Customer: “That isn’t right. It should be $24.99!”

I calmly explained to the lady that we have a tax for greenhouses and pointed to the sign mounted to our lamppost explaining that there was a tax, but the lady wasn’t buying it.

Now, with our rules and regulations, we can’t stand there and argue with the customer. We have to leave it to the manager on shift. I went to the customer service desk as the lady followed with the plant in hand, thinking I was grabbing the book or flyer we have for the greenhouse. However, I already knew the prices by now.

My manager for the shift was sitting doing the lottery. I mentioned the price of the hanging baskets, which my manager confirmed. The customer claimed that my checkout was wrong, and the manager came to my register to clarify the problem.

Me: “The baskets are $24.99 plus tax, correct?”

Manager: “Yes, so the total will be $26.49.”

The lady finally paid for the plant and left, but the whole time she kept looking at me like I was in the wrong and I had scammed her.

I don’t get people sometimes.