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https://story.pincarts.com/?p=748

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What Is the Future of Retail?

Where on one end, retailers have been pursuing technology relentlessly, technology experts are making sure it has a long shelf life and that it has something for everyone. Shoppers of the future are only too delighted, as almost every idea is being stirred into their direction, making sure they get the best of all the worlds. Technologists and retailers are putting their heads together to curate the best possible and carved-out-of-a-niche experience for the future of retail, and the best part is, it couldn’t have been simpler. Here’s looking upon at a few of the rapidly growing trends angled from the not-unheard-of concepts of beacons, bluetooth, location, digitization in the form of virtual or augmented reality, analytics and much more.

Given that today shopaholics are getting a much better shopping experience than a few years ago, with the integration of all possible mediums and channels, future shoppers will surely have a lot more expectations. In addition to this, shopping experiences shall also be integrated across fashion brands and high street stores or even malls. What this means is, an easy transition from purchases, needs, entertainment and recreation to services too.

Discussed here is an overview of each of these futuristic ideas; a detailed explanation will follow soon.

Proximity Marketing

Tapping on location is no big deal for the technologists of retail, to establish limited range connections between brands and consumers. Concepts like Bluetooth (BLE), location mapping, geographical fencing, WiFi, Near-Fence are gradually becoming mainstream and challenging the old norms of offline retail marketing. Even though these differ slightly from each other, Bluetooth amongst these is the most sought after and implemented, because of its multiple benefits, like being harmless, more efficient and more reliable.

BEACONS

      Beacons help shoppers have smooth indoor navigation and sends them real time information

      Beacons will empower retailers to deliver the right content at the right time in the right place in relevancy to shopper

BLUETOOTH TECHNOLOGY

      Millennials have said they would love to receive personalized communication through beacons

      Bluetooth wearables, will become mainstream to enhance customer experience & store operations

LOCATION {Bluetooth & Geographical Fencing}

Micro level location tracking allows retailers to connect with shoppers at retail touch-points: {common areas, outside and nearby the store and once they enter}

      Major tenants of malls: fashion retailers, food, cinema & entertainment and recreation can leverage micro-level location tracking of shoppers using geofencing

Personalization

A truly personalized experience in retail outlets will be achieved through digital signages, that are interactive, address shoppers by their names, shows them personalized content, based on preferences, past purchases and favourite brands, offers, etc. Personalized push notifications are also expected to deliver a better experience to shoppers because every customer will receive unique notification messages through their mobile App.

DIGITAL SIGNAGE

Digital signages inside retail stores will interact and engage with consumers, not only providing them real-time information, but also communicate with them about their likes, preferences, choices, purchase history, recommendations and customized offers.

      Digital signages greet and welcome customer with their name and display their shopping profile

      Digital signages have the potential to convert customers upto 200% and there has been a 40% growth in their usage year on year

Customized attention inside stores

Millennial shoppers have admitted that they would love to receive personal attention inside high street brand outlets, shopping malls and their favourite brand stores that they frequent. That includes their willingness to receive personalized push messages through beacons, customized mobile coupons, seek recognition through their past purchases and then getting recommendation based on that and so on. A majority of shoppers feel that this will enhance their overall shopping experience and they are more likely to repeat visit such stores and shop. They have also admitted that it is not an invasion of their privacy, to share minimal personal details with the retailers if it is fruitful.

Customized mobile coupons deliver key information about offers, deals to shoppers just before making purchase decisions.

Customers want stores to remember their purchase history, and offer them deals/suggestions based on that

Shoppers are even willing to share a little bit of their personal information, if that will help enhance their shopping experience

Shoppers are seeking recognition inside stores through their smartphones

Retailers are shedding inhibitions about investing in futuristic technology that’s mutually beneficial

Mobile Technology

     Smartphones are influencing a major portion of total in-store sales currently

     Mobile devices are at the center of the new retail experience that can be leveraged to build experiences and collect consumer data

Shopaholics are using smartphones for an omnichannel shopping experience

Shoppers prefer to visit retail outlets which allow them to browse the product online first

     Smartphones can act as Bluetooth devices & establish instore connection

    Mobile payments will soon become mainstream, making check-out queues a history

Retail Analytics

      Review & analyze vital information about footfalls, visits, demographics, purchase patterns, point of sale information, dwell time, etc.

      Analytics can also provide real time information about a customer’s journey instore, thereby enabling relevant and optimized push notifications to influence purchases

    Analytical reports help retailers curate an incredible shopping experience and build brand loyalty

   Retailers have begun to merge the browsing histories of omnichannel discovery to accurately profile the customer

Integrating customer profile across all purchase channels (Universal Loyalty)

Augmented Reality

The idea of creating a 3D virtual experience in brick-&-mortar is becoming hugely popular

Virtual fitting rooms – faster decisions and purchases and save time spent in physical trial rooms

Fashion apparel brands and even cosmetic brands can use augmented reality to simulate a person’s appearance

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Yummmss!!!!!

The best of both worlds. 

Pumpkin Pie Crumble via Food52

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7 Things To Know About Beacons

Beacons beacons and beacons! There're everywhere: being talked about on the internet, discussed about on social media, implemented in retail, in institutions, in service industries, in transport and travel industries too. It becomes inevitable to know some very basic facts about Beacons. Even though Beacon or Bluetooth technology is pretty popular and is not rocket science it is relatively newer, and that justifies that there could be possibly some misconceptions around it. To be well oriented with these humble devices beforehand, let’s highlight the basic features or facts about Bluetooth Technology and about Beacons

1. Bluetooth Beacons are like lighthouses, that simply signal about their exact location to nearby devices. Beacon/s cannot 'see' other devices; the devices can locate the beacon/s. 2. Beacons do not use/work on WiFi or data; they send low energy data packets using remote location technology. 3. Bluetooth technology is more accurate than satellite or GPS due to the proximity factor. 4. Bluetooth does not 'steal' data or identity; nor is it 'invasive or intrusive'.  5. Beacons are meant to detect distances through a system called Received Signal Strength or RSS

6. No specialized hardware support is required for beacons; a mobile device can also act as a Beacon.

7. Beacons are compatible with any operating system, device or smartphone. 

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Infographic we put together about bluetooth adaption with beacons and how easily beacons are being utilized to their full potential everywhere in the world. The next big thing revolutionizing retail and changing the future of retail world be it fashion, accessories, luxury fashion, essentials, food and beverage, hospitality, smart homes, travel & tourism, entertainment or even education (university campuses, libraries and institutions. 

Easy Bluetooth Adaption Infographic prepared by PinCarts Pvt Ltd - a retail technology based start-up based in Mumbai, India. To create awareness about bluetooth technology and beacons being used widely everywhere around us, especially at public gathering areas, to connect with users; this is economical, harmless and really efficient.

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Easy Bluetooth Adaption Infographic prepared by PinCarts Pvt Ltd - a retail technology based start-up based in Mumbai, India. To create awareness about bluetooth technology and beacons being used widely everywhere around us, especially at public gathering areas, to connect with users; this is economical, harmless and really efficient.

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10 Ways Retailers Can Benefit From Proximity Marketing

Most offline retailers these days have begun to optimize their business operations around the concept of proximity marketing to its potential, converting the omnichannel online traffic to accountable offline business. Proximity marketing is already creating waves in the retail industry by delivering results positively; such that every other offline retailer is enthusiastic and eager to test its potential. Wikipedia defines proximity marketing as

the localized wireless distribution of advertising content associated with a particular place. Transmissions can be received by individuals in that location who wish to receive them and have the necessary equipment to do so.

Simply put, it uses Bluetooth technology in the form of Beacon devices or geofencing that connects with Bluetooth-enabled smartphones of visitors in the vicinity of high street stores or shopping malls. Technically speaking, proximity marketing does real-time location tracking, and also micro-level location tracking and sends out personalized push notifications to first time and repeat visitors using Bluetooth technology.  Let us throw some light on what benefits does proximity marketing draw for retail businesses practically.

Push notification content is not just visible, but is also editable in real time. The content that you show to your users can be modified right away. Which means, optimizing it, personalizing it for specific customer/s or a purpose, is quite doable and efficiently at that.

Offers and deals can be tweaked right away according to real-time shopping behaviour information or demands on products and categories.

Proximity marketing helps to maximize store interaction and also establish real time connect with customers shopping inside stores.

Not only that, it also helps to connect with potential shoppers available in the vicinity of stores, for example in the parking areas, lobbies, or common areas and food courts for instance. 

In certain rare cases, some fashion media and events also take benefits from proximity marketing, by tracking user/reader activity to recommended products available in retail shops.

The results of proximity marketing can be measured in real-time, and timely decisions can be put forward that might be favourable.

Proximity marketing drives immediate conversions; from online traffic to footfalls and from footfalls to high-value brand shoppers and consequently into loyal shoppers.

Proximity marketing helps make direct connect to customers without 3rd party involvement, hence it is simple, hassle free and economical too.

It facilitates in maximizing the benefits of omnichannel customer engagement and online-to-offline shopper traffic.

Shoppers and visitors receiving personalized and optimized relevant content in the form of push notifications are more likely to bring higher conversion values – say statistics. This is also a benefit of using proximity marketing in offline retail.

In addition to the above benefits, PinCarts’ retail partners have one more: being a part of our three-month pilot program to test the idea, without spending a penny. To partner with us and to know what are our customized business plans for higher conversions in your high street retail outlets, get in touch with PinCarts on contact@pincarts.com

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Some Myths & Facts About Beacons and Bluetooth Technology

Even though it may be a known fact that beacons – small devices that run on Bluetooth technology for location tracking – are becoming increasingly popular across the globe, and finding utilization in nearly every field of public services, there could still be some apprehensions around it, and that’s okay. Ever since the inception of this idea in 2013 by technology giant Apple, many manufacturers and technology firms have cropped up whose core business revolves around beacons and Bluetooth. For those who haven’t been there done that yet, are still giving themselves some more time to think through, research a bit more, gather reviews from users and are willing to come on board for pilot projects and trials. PinCarts is offering a period of about three months for testing the waters with this not-so-unique-yet-intelligent concept of leveraging the Bluetooth technology to its maximum potential. The amazing part about this idea is, there is nothing to loose, it is harmless and noble – will take nothing and give out results with confidence.

Having said that, let’s address some basic yet genuine concerns about beacons and beacon technology here; what are some of the myths and the corresponding facts. In case you find something missing in the list below, do write to us with your queries and we shall be glad to address those.

Myth #1. Beacon Technology is Intrusive

Fact: Contrary to popular belief, if we look at some real-time information, we would be glad to know that customers in the vicinity of beacons or say those in the vicinity of smart shopping centers would like to receive personalized notifications from beacons and that they are likely to respond to it better than not getting messages or getting generic messages.

Also, first-time users are asked for their permission to connect with them, and in most cases, users are also aware of the benefits and pros of the technology. Moreover, that large number of smartphone users and tech-savvy people use Bluetooth in various forms and widely, reinstates the fact that at least there isn’t any skepticism from the consumers’ end about Bluetooth technology. Beacons also, never pry into personal or confidential information about users/consumers, but instead gather only momentary information, while in proximity like shopping habits, purchase patterns, brand preferences, etc.

Myth #2. Beacons Send Push Notifications to Users’ Smartphones

Fact: Beacons are humble technology driven devices that are Bluetooth enabled, and they connect to other Bluetooth-enabled devices in the vicinity, like smartphones. It is a low energy Bluetooth device; it emits a low energy signal, that allows the connection and it is through beacons that retailers have to program messages or notifications. Even though personalized messages are sent, it is through beacons and not by beacons. The signal notifies the receiving app of another device and informs it of its presence.

Myth #3. Bluetooth Consumption Will Drain Battery

Fact: Most Bluetooth devices run on minimum battery consumption and that is the USP of beacons as well; they consume very little power of the connected device/s and themselves run on single battery charge for about 3 years.

Myth #4. Beacon Adoption is a Challenge

Fact: Nearly 80-85% smartphone users are constantly using one or the other bluetooth device through their cellphones; if not, they are using either of the bluetooth devices – wearables, wrist watches, speakers, headsets, remotes, presentation jacks, and more. Bluetooth is widely in use the world over, already and the numbers are only expected to go up, with millions of sales and more expected in the coming years.

Myth #5. Beacon adoption could be technically challenging

Fact: Bluetooth technology adoption or beacon usage is perhaps the simplest of modern technologies that has become popular rapidly. All that needs to be done is switch the bluetooth application on and establish connection and you are ready to go!

Hope this was helpful and useful, in case there are any more queries regarding the above topic, feel free to start a conversation with us.

Sources: Moca Platform Blog and Bfonics Blog.

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Technology Must-Haves For Retail Businesses in 2017

Rapidly selling smartphones, frequent upgrades of smartphone technology, frequent purchases of upgraded versions, rapidly growing utilization of smartphones for shopping – well, retailers have got some serious food for thought here. Today we shall discuss about the mandatory technology retailers must have in their stores and in their operations to make life easier for them and for their shoppers. Not only that, technology is curated for specific purposes and objectives; here, to help make retail businesses run smoothly. Some of these discussed below are currently in use and some are futuristic ideas that are fast moving toward a tangible reality. Retail technology experts like PinCarts aim toward achieving a smooth business model that’s also sustainable – for their retail associates.

#1. Revolutionary Mobile Technology: Mobile technology is fast catching up in the retail business space – both and online and offline, as the number of smartphones users have been constantly increasing year on year. Right from discovering a product through a simple PinCarts App, to browsing store inventories from nearby locations, to purchasing them, or locating nearby stores, arranging store pick-ups, and also guiding shoppers within stores through indoor navigations, geofencing and beacons right until mobile check-outs: Mobile Technology does practically all your shopping, with a few swipes. What this means for retailers is that without mobile adoption, their business is kind of incomplete. Small retailers or big, all are taking this plunge forward to incorporate this simple, economical yet highly effective idea into their business models. PinCarts app offers all of the above mentioned features and what’s more, they are soon going to launch the first phase of their trial period with their partners.

#2.Video Trends Revolutionizing Retail in 2017: Live videos have become catalysts for establishing relationships between buyers and sellers, like nothing else. This is one technology that retailers should seriously consider. Video technology is revolutionary and is also engaging without much ado. The best advantage of this technology is that the content shown to a customer can be edited, tweaked and changed in real time, as per relevance, thereby making this channel the most relevant and hence, an essential. It is predicted that the number of live video streaming amongst shopaholics will only increase in 2017 – something that will influence shopping behaviour the most.

#3. Evolution of Social Commerce: There is no denying that with the increasing use and popularity of smartphones, social mediums have really become the e-store, for regular shoppers, thanks to the blurring boundaries between the physical and digital channels. Interestingly, smaller brands, have higher opportunities to create unique content and conquer the organic reach volumetrically. These are not ideas that involve intensive investment or are not practically implementable. In fact, they have been developed with intense research, surveys, studying consumer behaviours over years and in sync with the latest trends.

“If I had to guess, Social Commerce is next to blow up” – Mark Zuckerberg

PinCarts offers a business model that integrates the best methods of proximity marketing through beacons and Bluetooth marketing, geofencing, a 360 degree collaborative marketing strategy, awareness campaigns for consumers & shoppers, retail analytics. To collaborate with the trial period of PinCarts’ marketing and promotion program, please get in touch at contact@pincarts.com or visit www.pincarts.com

Cheers!

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Why Beacons Must Be A Part Of The Retail Marketing Strategy

More and more retailers every year try to incorporate one or the other new idea into their marketing strategies to maximize their business and also build brand loyalty at the same time. One of those strategies – the very latest one that’s creating revolution – is proximity marketing through Bluetooth beacons. Looking at the possibilities it creates, the upsurge it gives in business, the changes it brings to customers’ shopping experience, altogether, has prompted retailers to rethink their strategies. There is lesser hesitation now to take the plunge to implement new technologies into the offline retail space. PinCarts is a technology solution provider for retailers – big and small – that works right from the scratch till the very end to build sustainable business models.

What retailers have realized in the long run is that, the current retail marketing scenario is: Challenging, Expensive and Inefficient. There could be gaps or miscommunication in it; and this is why an omnichannel integration/synchronization becomes a necessity and so does proximity marketing for a near 100% outreach. PinCarts is working with these brand retailers to curate the perfect hassle free shopping experience personalized for every shopper – in a way to maximize profit volumes and sustain brand loyalty too.

Including Beacons or proximity marketing for that matter into your retail marketing strategy, has several benefits as below:

# Majority of offline shoppers (read: shopaholics) have expressed that they are likely to buy a product if prompted by a Beacon push notification, addressing them by their name. Very few retailers are actually doing that now. This creates the need to allow PinCarts to strategize the whole business plan inculcating beacons in it. Interestingly, facts and figures also have revealed that shoppers are more likely to visit a store if notified through push notification messages, that show them relevant content.

# PinCarts will launch a mobile shopping App soon, that allows users to virtually discover and browse through the products available at nearby stores/malls. The app will also tell them the exact location of a few stores in the vicinity where the product of their choice is available, the distance of the store, how to travel and also book a cab on the same app. Once the customer lands at the location, Beacons shall intimate the retailer/s about the same and the retailer shall be able to then connect with the shoppers, welcoming them, offering them personalized deals, notifying about new arrivals and so on. All of this, optimized for each customer

# Not only the above, the Beacons can also help identify, micro-locate and engage with customers, available at crucial retail touch points like common areas, lobby, parking places or food court and even cinema booking windows. Which means maximizing business from the high-value shoppers, driven to stores through proximity marketing campaigns and geofencing as well.

# Since Beacons are low energy Bluetooth devices, they do not use any internet data pack or do not give out any harmful radiations or signals; hence they don’t even consume any battery power as compared to data operated devices. Beacon marketing for the retailer, is nearly free of cost, sparing a one-time installation and integration charges; sending push notifications, messages and other communication through beacons is free of charge as compared to the other forms of marketing, saving the retailers time, money and effort.

# Beacons always come with multiple benefits. For the retailers, beacons will help gather vital consumer information like their shopping habits, without invading their privacy & that becomes the key to crucial retail decisions. PinCarts will go a step ahead and do retail analytics – pre-sales and post sales – for all its retail partners, which right now, retailers are busy breaking their heads with.

Now, if you think you are convinced enough and would like to be a part of our awareness cum trial campaign (free of any commercials) do feel free to give us an appointment to share the complete plan and proposal with you in person.

Cheers!

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How Retailers Can Fix Their Challenges Using PinCarts Technology

Given that the retail industry is always in a race for survival of the fittest, customer experience and customer reviews are what each retailer thrives upon. It is only natural that every retailer will “try their best” to “give their best” to their valuable customers/buyers. That they are ever so willing to endure hardships and bravely face challenges and survive them, is commendable. Unarguably, it is the retailer who truly understands both – the business and the customer – the best and is in a position to not only take mutually-beneficial accurate decisions and implement them, but also to empower their business equally well.

It is understandable how difficult it is for retailers to keep their customers completely happy, manage recruits, train them, manage their business – accurately, all in the same breath. However, the question remains, why should retailers care to use PinCarts technology, despite all the arguments, convincing grounds that experts attempt. Let us refer to these as challenges and not as problems or issues, remaining positive.

Footfall – Conversion of Online Traffic to Offline Visits

The Mobile App of PinCarts will have the facility of mobile cataloguing and inventory discovery of the entire inventory of nearby malls, high street stores and showrooms. All that the customer has to do is, simply use the PinCarts App to discover products and use the location services to go and shop at a store nearby. The app shall definitely guide them to nearest stores – associated with PinCarts – upon searching product wise, location wise and offers wise. People will now not hesitate to visit stores and malls because PinCarts app will give them indoor navigation, online catlogue discovery and updates about ongoing sales, offers and deals on their preferred brands/outlets.

Inventory

Managing, updating, calculating and price computation of the inventory is one thing that bothers physical retailers the most. Well, with the PinCarts association, all the inventory dump will be taken care of by our cloud storage platform; which means, PinCarts will be managing the retail inventories which will be discoverable in real time. Not only that, this facility will also help retailers manage their post-sales inventory stock taking.

Visitor Demographics

This information will be a part of the retail analytics that PinCarts will do for retailers, that will be available either on their dashboards or as a computed report, easy to comprehend. Customer profiling, visitor information, sales-related information, price point analysis, individual store performances, and much more shall be included in pre and post sales analytics – managed entirely by PinCarts.

Customer Engagement

Engaging with the customer in the right way, becomes a challenge for retailers, given there could be crowd of potential, high value shoppers at a given time in their physical stores. How do you ensure a good shopping experience for them? Beacons will help with that. Beacons installed at various strategic locations by PinCarts, inside and outside the stores will send personalized, customized push notifications to the users. This is also known as peersonalized proximity marketing, a key feature of PinCarts’ business model. This shall also help retailers understand customer preferences and behaviour pretty well. See, how technology makes everything simple yet competent?

Retarget, Track.

Of course, this is also a primary post-sale concern that plagues most retailers. This leads to building brand loyalty, but then how many retailers or malls are actually able to do that? Once a customer visits the showroom, their information and shopping habits are fed into your system; while they are exiting, they receive push notifications thanking them and encouraging them for a repeat visit. Frequent visits will also let them earn reward and credit points thus helping build a long term relationship and brand loyalty that sustains. Even when they are not really inside the store/mall, but are in vicinity, they shall receive push notifications thanks to geofencing and proximity marketing technology which will inform them in real time, about sales going on inside their favourite stores or favourite products.

Not only that, in the near future, there could be look-forward-to concepts like magic mirrors, smart changing rooms or virtual reality features inside these brick and mortar stores, which will take the shopping experience up few notches. PinCarts will be only happier to constantly receive feedback from its retail partners about improvisations and further optimizations as per individual needs. The whole idea lays around betterment of customers’ shopping experience. Also, PinCarts will have a three-month trial period program for all of the retailers coming on board on the initial phase. This will allow us to try and test and improvise all of our features that we have to offer.

Cheers!

Originally published on story.pincarts.com

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Large sports equipment centers may soon use gait analysis to understand and analyse movements of sports-shoppers and optimize their experience accordingly, by giving them accurate and personalized suggestions and also guide them to navigate the endless aisles inside the stores. Smart move and smarter idea. 

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Can’t agree more! Reality check: Am i courteous toward the store staff? Before i can even think of complaining against their inefficiency and ignorant attitude toward customers? Am i really encouraging their courteous behaviour or discouraging it? 

Working retail is honestly such a bizarre experience because literally within the span of five minutes you could have one customer who makes you think “wow I love this job, people are so nice, what a great day and age to be alive” and then immediately afterwards you have a customer who makes you go “wow I cannot actually believe that we have explored space and transplanted major body organs and carry mini computers in our pockets but PLEASE and THANK YOU are considered too advanced for some people’s vocabulary”

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I was about to write the same stuff; but i m glad someone did! I find these habits by shoppers extremely annoying. Maybe if customers obey these etiquettes, sales staff might be able to actually attend customers’ queries and help make wiser purchase decisions. 

Retail Etiquette

AKA a few ways you, the customer, can help make a retail worker’s life easier.

1. If you don’t want something, put it back where you found it. Not sitting on a shelf nearby. Not halfway across the store. Right where you found it. On the peg/ however it was displayed originally. Please. I know it’s super easy to just drop that thing where you are, especially if you’re across the store, but imagine having to put that one thing back times a hundred. That’s what we have to do. Every day. It’s like the world’s worst scavenger hunt that takes literal hours. All work that is avoided if you take five seconds to put that thing back where you found it.

1.5. Don’t trash the shelves looking for that one perfect package in the back or whatever and leave it. Fix what you mess up, or what your kids mess up.

2. Clean up after yourself. Don’t leave trash lying around - cleaning the store and keeping it clean is a monumental task itself without people leaving empty cups on shelves. We have trash cans, use them. Wipe your feet. If you spill something, alert somebody.

3. Do not come in right before close, unless it’s an emergency and you know exactly what you need. In, grab the thing you need, and out before close. If you come into a store 10 minutes or less before close, you’re being (albeit mildly) rude. The staff has closing tasks they need to get done, often before the store actually closes and you’re keeping them from that. If you’re fast, no problem. If you linger and shop around, you’re being rude.

3.5. Do not linger after close. Know when a store closes, and get out when it does. Every minute you stay after close is a minute later the staff actually gets home. You are literally keeping the staff from going home to their family if you stay after close, and it’s deeply rude. Your time is not more important than theirs, especially AFTER the hours they’re obligated to give you their time.

4. If you break something, just tell the staff. They’re not going to make you buy it, it just goes into the ‘store damage’ bin in most places. Don’t try to hide it (world’s worst scavenger hunt part two) or just set it back on the shelf for someone else to find it and complain. Please.

5. Listen to the staff. They know what they’re talking about when they say they don’t have it in the back. They spend almost every day in the store - odds are they know even without looking. Listen to recommendations. Listen to them on policy. They know this stuff, you don’t no matter how long you’ve been a customer. They’re TRAINED, you’re not.

6. Be kind. Be polite. We all have bad days, but if a service worker can be polite and accommodating for 6-8 hours despite that, you can be for ten minutes. Don’t lose your temper if staff messes up. Service workers can only do so much; they’re the bottom of the entire corporate chain, and have literally no authority. Is that two dollars really worth demeaning another human being over?

Re: the Usual Comments:

“But it’s your job to put things back/clean up after me!”

It’s not. It’s deeply strange how people suddenly feel so entitled inside a store. A staff member is there to assist you shopping, not be your nanny. We shouldn’t have to clean up after you. You are not a child - clean up after yourself.

“I’m creating jobs when I -inconvenience store workers in some way-”

No, Cheryl, you’re not making jobs by leaving your empty starbucks cup on my shelf. I would have this job regardless of you making it more difficult, and my company isn’t going to hire more people just because you do. They just expect me to deal with it.