I usually don’t mind waiting in line at the store. But lately, I’ve hit some pretty long waits at a local Wal-Mart. I’ve walked in between 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on some weekdays, and only two or three cash registers are open (not including the self check-outs or the "10 items or less" registers). Lines of people pushing packed carts are looped in a zig-zag pattern at each cash register. There’s hardly room to get by them or to actually get in line.
I realize that many retailers shut down some cash registers later in the evenings, but I consider 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. still to be early.
I caught up with Mike Young, the market manager for Wal-Mart stores in this region, to ask him why so many cash registers have been closed lately. His answer is interesting.
He said the daylight savings time shift likely has changed shopping patterns. The stores usually plan their shifts according to their busiest times. So, in the winter, when it was dark earlier in the evening, fewer people shopped after 6 p.m., and Wal-Mart planned its staff accordingly.
Now, since it’s light outside until at least 8 p.m., people are out later and perhaps the store hasn’t adjusted, Young said.
He also explained that every Wal-Mart is different. For example, the Bonsack Wal-Mart typically sees one of its largest rushes of the day at 1:30 p.m. That’s when lots of parents stop by for groceries and other items before they pick up their children at nearby elementary schools, which let out in the mid-afternoon.
Young said the Bonsack store tries to have plenty of employees available for this afternoon crowd.
But as with any retailer, shopping patterns vary from day to day, especially if bad weather is looming.
“One day and one week is never the same,” Young said. “You try to hit it right.”
Still, in my opinion, the more lanes open at any store, the better. Perhaps I just need more patience!
Share your horror stories about waiting in line at the store, if you have them.
I hope you enjoy the long weekend ahead of us. I won’t be blogging this Monday, Memorial Day, but check back with me on Tuesday.
Happy weekend!
Comments
[May 23, 2008 10:13 PM]
Other JohnI always avoid Wal-Mart in between 8 am and 10 pm just because of the lines. It doesn't really matter which one either, because they all seem to stink. The one in Christiansburg is always super busy, but they seem to keep lines at a reasonable length because they have a multitude of available registers. But the Fairlawn store is terrible. The most registers I've ever seen open is maybe 4, including the 20 items or less lines....which are frequently stuffed by people with full carts. Checking out always seems to take an additional 20 minutes, unless I luck out and can get checked out in the Pharmacy, Jewelery, Electronics, or TLE departments. Thankfully, Kroger, Food Lion, and Lowes are a whole lot better, which is why I tend to go to those stores first if I can help it.
[May 24, 2008 12:54 PM]
MichelleLowes has been crazy this week! I went on Wednesday and there were only two cash registers open. Right before Memorial Day! They must have sold five grills just in the time I was standing in line!
[May 26, 2008 1:55 PM]
wilson weaverI had a similar experience once at a big-box home improvement warehouse (the blue one, not the orange one). The manager didnt like my suggestion that when they build those stores they could save money by installing two registers instead of 15, because they only ever have two open anyway. Can't imagine why...
[May 27, 2008 11:43 AM]
Rhonda RaderWal Mart is crazy with long lines. My last visit was Saturday 5/23 and there were only 4 registered open and lines galore. Another one that is bad is Food Lion... they never have enough registered open and never a bag boy around...you have to wait for the cashier to finish ringing your groceries and then he/she has to also bag them. This is really bad and lately I've been going to UKrops..they bag your groceries and take them to your car, even if only 2 bags.
[May 27, 2008 1:03 PM]
DennisWilson, I love it! Wish I could have seen that manager's face!
The Wal-Mart in Salem NEVER has enough lines open! I get so mad in there, but stupid me I still go there at times. That "market manager" can say what he likes, but the truth is they DO NOT have enough lines open most of the time!! Like Other John, I go elsewhere whenever I can.
My "pet peeve" is when you are in line somewhere, stand there for a long time, and then they open one or more new lanes...and everyone BEHIND you gets to go first! Boy does that make me mad!
The Hardee's on W. Main St. in Salem does it right...they have it roped off so that everyone goes into one line, then the first person in line goes to the next available cashier. I wish everywhere did that!
[May 27, 2008 1:12 PM]
SamThe same thing occurs in the morning. I was at WallyWorld on Memorial Day at around 9:30am which isn't that early. They had 2 registers open and both were backed up with about 5 people in each with buggies full. None of the 'quick' lanes were open. The rest of the employees were all in the back of the store having a 'team' meeting. The best way to take care of your customers is to just do it, not stand around talking about it.
As for the manager and his daylight savings time theory, this happens every year. It isn't rocket science. Funny how there is always an excuse for poor service, but never a solution.
Whatever happened to the days when a couple of members of management would run out and get on a register until more helped arrived or the rush was over.
What gets me about Walmart and Lowes...they both installed self-service registers, and half the time they are closed.
[May 27, 2008 3:21 PM]
EricI used to be a cashier at Home Depot on 220 and we always had people complaining about the long lines. I agree that stores need to open more lines. There were times when I was the only casheir there in the evening. I could not open a regular register because I had to run the self serve registers. Customers hated to use them. Fortunately I was able to check customers out there when they refused to use the self serve registers. Most stores want to get the customers in the door, but they don't care how long it takes for them to get check out!
[May 27, 2008 4:18 PM]
Other JohnBased on these comments, it seems to me that the Lowe's in Fairlawn is run a lot better than other Lowe's stores in the area. The management staff there, including the store manager, frequently jump on registers to assist during heavy times at the checkouts. They usually only keep 2-3 registers open at the main checkout, but have additional registers near lumber and the garden center than seem to help. But the service at that store has seemed far better than Christiansburg or the ones in ROanoke I've been to.
[May 28, 2008 7:57 AM]
JennyEric, It's interesting that you found that people don't like to use the self-check out registers. Why do you think people prefer to use the regular check-outs? And I agree with many of you, it would be nice if other employees quickly opened up extra registers when lines grew long. I wonder if there just aren't enough employees to go around, possibly because retailers are scaling back on workers' hours due to a slowing economy.
[May 28, 2008 8:05 AM]
Geo EWe hear about a "slow economy, high gas prices", but check out the local Wally World parking lot. Wonder why / how they are attracting business, yet the wait in check out lines can be horrendous.
[May 28, 2008 9:16 AM]
BillThere are two tricks at Lowes to get out fast, one go to the tool section register...it is typically always open and since it is further away from the other registers no one uses the line. Second, most weekdays the contractors registers are open which are at the opposite end of the store near the wood supplies, and they will take anybody.
As for Wally World the only thing that drives me crazy is when some one thinks that the 20 items or less line can be used to get a whole cart worth of stuff just because the other lines are longer...then they act like they had no idea they were doing something wrong. I've only mentioned it one time when a lady tried to check out two carts worth of stuff. I am sure they tell the cashiers are told to be non confrontational, but they really need to regulate those lines better when the store is really busy.
[May 28, 2008 9:21 AM]
Other JohnI think the reason Wal-Mart stays busy is because they sell the essential items that people cannot live without, like food and clothing, not to mention shoes and school supplies. But look at places where non-essential items are sold like home decor, and they have slacked off big time. My wife and I haven't even been in a Pier 1 or Bed Bath & Beyond in months because of increased expenses. We didn't really buy much at those stores to begin with, but more or less went looking for sale items we could get a good deal on. Now we just stick with Wal-Mart because even their regular prices ususally beats another store's sale...although sometimes the quality isn't quite there, but we live with that. We also started shopping a lot more at places like Big Lots because we can get a bunch of stuff there far cheaper than anywhere else. The slow economy is taking its toll...but people are adapting from what I've seen and experienced.
[May 28, 2008 11:09 AM]
HenryIf the economy is so slow, why do we have all these lines of people buying stuff?
[May 28, 2008 2:22 PM]
DanaMy mother-in-law was at a Wal-Mart in the 20 items or less check out lane. A man behind her came up with a huge cart full of stuff. The cashier politely pointed out that he needed to go to another line. He refused to leave her line. He even got nasty with her saying that he would make a scene and call over a manager. The thing is, is that the manager would have sided with the mean customer. So, there's really no point for the cashiers to even say anything. I hope people don't take frustration over long lines out on the cashiers. It's usually not their fault that people are either in the wrong line or that the lines are long.
[May 29, 2008 12:38 PM]
KaraLong lines are no fun, retailers know when their busy times are, so they should be able to keep the stores appropriately staffed so the lines can be reduced and moved through a lot more quickly. However, the all mighty dollar has taken the place of good customer service, and retailers are more interested in keeping their overhead down while taking your hard earned money at the same time. A bigger part of the reason customer service has suffered in this country is because of what Dana said. "... the manager would have sided with the mean customer." The manager is more concerned with getting the customer's money than making sure their employees are happy. Customers are important because they are the source of income for the retailer, but customers also need to be considerate of the people working. Happy employees will give good customer service and good customer service will encourage customers to visit the store more frequently and ultimatly spend more money. If we would all learn to treat each other a little better this would be a better world all around. And I am now getting off my soap box and putting it away.
[August 7, 2008 1:04 PM]
DiSo the manager blames it on daylight savings time... hahaha... oh, splitting a gutt laughing at that. Those in management do know how to spin a story don't they? The problem is under-staffing.... that's apparent by walking into any Wal-Mart store any time of day any day of the week, and it's getting worse. If store managers expect me to wait in long lines while my half gallon of ice cream is melting in the cart, I'll leave the cart and go elsewhere.