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Stores provide less and less service
Published Saturday, May 3, 2008
Fergus Falls is a small community whose stores are providing less service and are less personable.
I have shopped at one of these stores about once a week in the past month.
There are only two clerks that check out groceries. Carts have been lined up four to five deep at each till that has a clerk. As you move toward the cash registers you feel as if you are in a cattle shoot.
You can be the sixth or seventh person in line at a till with a clerk, or choose to move further down the shoot and use one of the four self-check out registers. The store management will not send extra clerks to help you.
Store management knows you will become frustrated and move your cart further down the shoot so you check yourself out.
At the self-check out register the shopper uses his credit card. The credit card company makes a profit of four cents for each dollar spent at the store. I doubt if all the clerks and stock boys are paid in income and benefits as much as the four cents for each dollar spent for the credit card use at the self-checkout.
I notice a lumber store is also turning into a big box store. They a providing less service and more self-checkouts.
High school and college students at Fergus Falls are given less of an opportunity to earn money for college, as fewer jobs are being provided.
The Fergus Falls Chamber of Commerce could encourage storeowners to give a four-cent discount for each dollar spent using cash. The Chamber should encourage stores to provide more service.
Marvin Gunderson
Elbow Lake
Comments
The Daily Journal is happy to host community conversations about news and life in Fergus Falls and the surrounding area. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means we don't threaten or defame each other, and we keep conversations free of personal attacks. Witty is great. Abusive is not. If you think a post violates these standards, don't escalate the situation. Instead, flag the comment to alert us. We'll take action if necessary. It's not hard. This should be a place where people want to read and contribute -- a place for spirited exchanges of opinion. So those who persist with racist, defamatory or abusive postings risk losing the privilege to post at all.Posted by neon_freak (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 10:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
totally agree with this 100% its ridiculous
Posted by thethinker (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 11:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Welcome to America. It is obviously too expensive to have actual people around to help you checkout or answer your questions. Instead of blaming the local employers, or asking the Chamber for help, how about you look and see where almost everything you buy is made? Will it say Chicago? New York? Fargo? No. I would bet well over half of everything you own is made in China or some 3rd world nation where they can make the goods much cheaper than can be done here in the USA. Maybe we should demand more merchandise be made right here in America - or do what I try to do and purchase as much American made stuff as I possibly can. It's not easy...USA produced items are often more expensive or worse - you can't even find the product you are looking for that's made in the USA. Sad, very sad.
Posted by Clara (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 11:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I absolutely despise the self-check outs. Since a clerk is not being paid to do the job, the least a store could do is give me a discount!
Posted by eripsni (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 11:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Umm...wasn't this exact letter on the site on April 15? Are we that short on news/topics to reprint letters a few weeks later!?!?! WOW
Posted by concernedcitizen (anonymous) on May 6, 2008 at 4:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ask yourself "Why do so many people of Fergus Falls go to either Alexandria or Fargo to shop?" One reason might be that those two towns support their businesses or commerce, not tax them into obliteration. Small/Medium businesses have to find a way to cut costs just to remain in business. And unfortunately one way is to cut help which impacts service. Can't be helped.
Posted by comment (anonymous) on May 7, 2008 at 6:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am one of the many people who like the self checkout and use them all the time. You should try it before you say such negative things about it. You do not have to use a credit card, they accept cash, I have paid with cash many times. Know your facts before making such foolish comments.
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