Have you had enough of being asked whether you’d like a muffin with your coffee, a coffee with your muffin, a gigantic block of chocolate with your newspaper or a loan with your overdraft?
I know I’m not the only one annoyed with shop assistants upselling me extras when I get to the till. Helen contacted us via the Which? Convo inbox saying:
‘I think the sales pitch that now always graces the end of the Post Office counter worker’s spiel is deeply annoying and totally unacceptable.’
And it’s not just the Post Office. It seems most chain shops now have standard lines that their staff are forced to jump in with when you’re at the till.
Sugar and a cherry on top?
Like Helen, this annoys me intensely. Every time, the same thought runs through my mind: ‘But if I’d wanted that attractive range of mortgage products, bottle of fizzy water or cut-price sandwich… I would have asked for it.’
I’ve yet to have a Michael Douglas/Falling Down moment of rage where I snap this back at the poor person serving. Instead I bite down my natural reaction and mutter a “no thanks” before walking off, with the goods that I actually wanted to buy.
Who will buy my till-side extras?
So I’m annoyed. But I channel that annoyance into making sure I never buy the extra thing I’m being offered, even if I am slightly tempted. That doesn’t seem to work out very well for the company concerned – if everyone acted like me, the company wouldn’t make any money from the tactic.
I can think of just one time I actually bought the extra – recently when buying a card I did actually need some stamps… so I popped next door to the bank to get a small loan and then bought them too. (OK, I was joking about the bank – I bought the stamps with the card).
But am I in a grumpy minority here, or does this strategy work with you? Do you sometimes say ‘go on then’ and buy the extra item suggested?
Are you bothered by being ‘upsold’ items when you’re at the till point?
Yes - if I wanted the extra thing I’d have asked for it (80%, 209 Votes)
No - I don’t mind, occasionally it’s useful (20%, 53 Votes)
Total Voters: 270
Loading ...
