I have to be honest and say, I really had no idea what I was going to write about next. Being that I write about etiquette and social skills, a step outside my home, or to be honest, a step inside my home, clearly gives me enough material going to keep this blog going infinitely.
As we go through the motions of our average day, we all seem to get caught up in the hustle and bustle. I have to believe it is a rare person that stops before entering the grocery store and ponders on the courteous behaviors they will bestow upon their fellow shoppers that day. However, I do believe there are courtesies that need to be en-grained and flow naturally with mundane life tasks that we all need to accomplish.
Grocery shopping is one of those tasks. Being courteous while grocery shopping is not just about being polite, it’s also about time management. So I’ve compiled a few etiquette tips that if applied , could help everyone get in and out of the grocery store in a fashionable amount of time, and in doing so being courteous to others.
1. If you are only shopping for a few items grab a basket instead of a cart. This leaves the carts for the individuals who are there for a whole order. It also makes it easier for you. Instead of having to properly return a cart to the correct spot (which is listed below), a basket gets dropped off right at the register.
2. Think of your cart as a vehicle and the aisle as a road. Stay to the right of the aisle and pass on the left. And before pulling out of an aisle look to see if anyone is crossing.
3. When you stop to look for a specific item or brand, pull your cart to the side. Please don’t leave it in the middle of the aisle parked sideways, blocking all traffic.
4. If you discover an item in your cart that you decide not to purchase, put it back where it belongs. Dry goods do not belong in the baby aisle, and by the time it is located and put back by an employee, chances are it’s expired.
5. Believe me, I know what it is like shopping with children. Especially cranky and oppositional children. There are a few things I’ve always done to make this shopping trip easier on everyone. First, if there is an opportunity for you to go to the store without your children, take advantage of that. Second, time your outing right. Don’t go before, or during nap time. You really can’t expect a child to be reasonable when they are tired. Third, if a responsible and helpful individual is available to go to the store with you, they can be helpful with entertaining your child. If your child is past the calming down point let them take your child for a walk or out to the car while you finish up. And last, I know that more often than not you are left to accomplish this task on your own; so go prepared! Bring some healthy snacks (people giving there children highly sugared snacks in a situation like this have always perplexed me), crayons and paper, a small board book, or even a Walkman/ipod. I’m not saying pack a suitcase, but don’t go without anything to keep your young ones occupied and expect them to have good behaviors. And remember, reward your child at the end if he/she behaved the way you wanted them to.
6. When you finally make it to the checkout aisle, and you remember you forgot an item, leaving your cart there to go and get it is forfeiting your place in line. If you bring that helpful person as mentioned in #5, that is one thing, but to leave your cart unattended in a checkout line that is being inconsiderate to others who have successfully retrieved all of their items, and are anxiously waiting to be on their way.
7. OK, this is probably my biggest pet peeve at the store. When your vehicle is loaded with all of your purchases and your cart is once again empty, please (pretty please) put it in the cart corall. If this is a task that you never seem to accomplish because of not wanting to walk the three or four parking spaces to do so, try and park as close as you can to it when arriving at the store. And if you absolutely cannot bring yourself to return the cart to it’s designated area, kindly push it off to the side where it is not blocking a parking space, or cannot go sailing aimlessly through the lot forging towards someones parked vehicle.
Being polite and considerate of others is just a common courtesy. And throughout your day if you find that someone is lacking instinct of kindness just remember, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” And just to see were your shopping etiquette skills are here is a fun little test to take, and please feel free to share your results.
Happy Shopping,
Beccie June
In Good Company 