Cheeky checkout chick

[AustinRacing]

At the checkout when I say not a member, after being asked, the chick scans one of the cards taped to the bench. She or one of the other associates gets the bonus points. Which is it? Smart, cheeky, dishonest, illegal, or other?

[Upnotover]

Helpful?  Aren't you supposed to be a member to shop there?

[terryq]

The alternative is to send you back to the help desk to get a temporary membership number, would you prefer that ?

 

To stop her or  colleagues getting any bonus points/rewards get  a temp membership no. at the help desk before shopping.

 

Without entering a membership number the cashier cannot ring up the sales.

 

 

[AustinRacing]

Fair point. If one is not a member or doesn’t wish to be a member and they can’t ring it up one would think they should refuse the sale in adherence to their policies. But instead the checkout chicks bend the rules in their own personal favor. The question is whether the company encourages this behavior. Come to think of it, it makes sense-win-win for them. 

[AustinRacing]

22 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

Helpful?  Aren't you supposed to be a member to shop there?

Not necessarily 

[Denim]

24 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

Helpful?  Aren't you supposed to be a member to shop there?

 

No. Not at our local one anyway.

[Gottfrid]

30 minutes ago, AustinRacing said:

Which is it? Smart, cheeky, dishonest, illegal, or other?

Definitely other, as their rules say you must be a member holding a card to shop at Makro. Therefore their system demands a card to be able to serve the customer. This way, they let you shop there anyway. You should be happy, instead of trying to figure out negative things about nice people.

[Gottfrid]

2 minutes ago, Denim said:

 

No. Not at our local one anyway.

That´s only because they, on the side offer to scan another person code instead of denying you to buy things.

[CharlieH]

How do you know its not a neutral account card, assigned to no one so they can both help the customer and log how many and to what value this category of customer  produces for company development plans, marketing etc.

[Upnotover]

1 hour ago, CharlieH said:

How do you know its not a neutral account card, assigned to no one so they can both help the customer and log how many and to what value this category of customer  produces for company development plans, marketing etc.

That sound far more likely, especially as it's taped to the counter, rather than the independent actions of a "cheeky chick".

[Dr. Zorg]

What is the point of the OP? It's been like this forever at Makro.

[Freddy42OZ]

3 hours ago, Upnotover said:

Helpful?  Aren't you supposed to be a member to shop there?

 

 

You can shop in Makro without a membership.

[georgegeorgia]

2 hours ago, Denim said:

 

No. Not at our local one anyway.

Oh you do, please denim correct your info Daddy 

[Upnotover]

1 minute ago, Freddy42OZ said:

 

 

You can shop in Makro without a membership.

Well clearly yes, but not without a member card being scanned, which was the point of the thread.

[worrab]

2 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Definitely other, as their rules say you must be a member holding a card to shop at Makro. Therefore their system demands a card to be able to serve the customer. This way, they let you shop there anyway. You should be happy, instead of trying to figure out negative things about nice people.

In fact you do not need to hold a card to shop there or be a member in Thailand. Being a card holder does not get you any benefits unless you have a business. 
UK you have to be a member and hold a card though.

[Chalong circle]

No scan at all at my local Makro. 4 years a go, you needed to have a temporary card, not anymore.

[BigStar]

32 minutes ago, Dr. Zorg said:

What is the point of the OP? It's been like this forever at Makro.

 

To demonstrate exceptional shrewdness regarding the wily behavior of Thais. +1 in forum cred w/ the peanut gallery. Remain vigilant!

Edited 23 hours ago by BigStar

[LukKrueng]

3 hours ago, AustinRacing said:

Fair point. If one is not a member or doesn’t wish to be a member and they can’t ring it up one would think they should refuse the sale in adherence to their policies. But instead the checkout chicks bend the rules in their own personal favor. The question is whether the company encourages this behavior. Come to think of it, it makes sense-win-win for them. 

Last year, in another country I was visiting, a particular chain of fashion shops had a promotion: 3 items of any kind in some categories are sold for 1000 Baht. I found 2 items I wanted, and as it would have been more than the 1000 Baht for these items out of the promotion, I selected 1 more item so I can get into the promotion.

Went to the cashier to pay, and was asked for my membership card, which of course I didn't have. So he asked me to wait and took the next customer up. She was a member. So after he finished charging her, he asked for her approval and used her membership to ring my items. I was happy to get the discount, he was very helpful, and she was nice to allow it. If she got credit points for my items - I'd be happy for her, not upset with her!

[BerndD]

3 hours ago, AustinRacing said:

At the checkout when I say not a member, after being asked, the chick scans one of the cards taped to the bench. She or one of the other associates gets the bonus points. Which is it? Smart, cheeky, dishonest, illegal, or other?

In fact, you can also shop at Makro without being a member. Not a member? A barcode is then scanned, which sets the cash register system to “no member”. As a result, no extensive invoice, as is necessary for tax assessment, is printed out, but rather a receipt as is common everywhere. It's that simple. So none of this: 'Smart, cheeky, dishonest, illegal, or other?'

[Bundooman]

4 hours ago, terryq said:

The alternative is to send you back to the help desk to get a temporary membership number, would you prefer that ?

 

To stop her or  colleagues getting any bonus points/rewards get  a temp membership no. at the help desk before shopping.

 

Without entering a membership number the cashier cannot ring up the sales.

 

 

That's simply not true. I use Makro a lot here in CM.

They ask me if I have a membership card, I always reply that I don't.

All cashiers then just ring up my purchases and I pay, get checked on the way out 

I then go home.

I have never had a problem in 15 years.

[AustinRacing]

3 hours ago, CharlieH said:

How do you know its not a neutral account card, assigned to no one so they can both help the customer and log how many and to what value this category of customer  produces for company development plans, marketing etc.

I looked at the cards. They had person’s name on them. Whether they’re dummy names or not it’s hard say. 

[AustinRacing]

53 minutes ago, BerndD said:

In fact, you can also shop at Makro without being a member. Not a member? A barcode is then scanned, which sets the cash register system to “no member”. As a result, no extensive invoice, as is necessary for tax assessment, is printed out, but rather a receipt as is common everywhere. It's that simple. So none of this: 'Smart, cheeky, dishonest, illegal, or other?'

The point of the op is that rather than having a company barcode to allow servicing non-member, it seems the cashier used own/friends cards. 

[AustinRacing]

36 minutes ago, Bundooman said:

That's simply not true. I use Makro a lot here in CM.

They ask me if I have a membership card, I always reply that I don't.

All cashiers then just ring up my purchases and I pay, get checked on the way out 

I then go home.

I have never had a problem in 15 years.

Ok maybe you can shed more light. Have you ever noticed if they scan another card when you say not member?

Edited 22 hours ago by AustinRacing

[fulhamster]

There are no points at Makro anyway, I have always shown my card but have yet to receive any benefit

[Scouse123]

Never received any benefits with a card and frankly, the deals are not that much better over a normal supermarket IMO.

 

When I broke my card previously, they made us get a new one at the desk before we could do our shopping.

 

I wish they had done for us what they did for the OP.

 

Even in 7-11 etc. I give back to them those silly stamps, I don't want them and if they are of use to a member of staff, good luck.

[NoDisplayName]

5 hours ago, AustinRacing said:

At the checkout when I say not a member, after being asked, the chick scans one of the cards taped to the bench. She or one of the other associates gets the bonus points. Which is it? Smart, cheeky, dishonest, illegal, or other?

 

 

Easy remedy.

Stand up for your rights, man!

Refuse to allow the cheeky checkout chick to scan the card.

Don't enable her flouting of the rules.

Livestream on TikkTokk for added justice.

[Sydebolle]

Makro is the planet's biggest wholesale cash and carry operation. When the Dutch opened their first stores in Thailand some 30+ years ago, only registered businesses could access the store against a membership card which was issued in the name of the company as per the registration with the Ministry of Commerce. 
The Dutch left, CP reogranised the structure, that their existing mother company Siam Food Services took over the Makro operation and from that day on things went South. Any Tom, Dick and Harry could shop there, mostly retail customers with an apple and 200 grammes of minced pork clogging the cashier lines, ripping wholesale packaging open etc. 
In order to stay in line with the business licenses (most likely), they can only process a sales at the cashier against a membership card/number. Well, Russian tourists without a word of English, forget Thai, just get scanned on the code 9999999999 or some pre-defined membership numbers. 
In turn, Carrefour (Casino France) as well as Lotus (Tesco Lotus UK) meanwhile pulled out and guess, who is running Lotus's today? 

[1FinickyOne]

5 hours ago, AustinRacing said:

Fair point. If one is not a member or doesn’t wish to be a member and they can’t ring it up one would think they should refuse the sale in adherence to their policies. But instead the checkout chicks bend the rules in their own personal favor. The question is whether the company encourages this behavior. Come to think of it, it makes sense-win-win for them. 

I am not a member and have never been questioned.. But, Mark is a big store and I am sure management knows everything that is going on, especially at check out... but I don't really care... it does not make the slightest difference to me... 

[Keeps]

2 hours ago, BerndD said:

In fact, you can also shop at Makro without being a member. Not a member? A barcode is then scanned, which sets the cash register system to “no member”. As a result, no extensive invoice, as is necessary for tax assessment, is printed out, but rather a receipt as is common everywhere. It's that simple. So none of this: 'Smart, cheeky, dishonest, illegal, or other?'

I agree. A friend of mine shops there for his business of restaurant/bar. His card is scanned so he can obtain the detailed invoice to provide to his accountant for tax purposes etc. I don't know whether the accountant can reclaim any VAT/tax/write-offs or similar on his behalf when preparing his annual accounts.

 

When I shop there as a non business customer no membership card is needed. I haven't even noticed if they scan a card at the check-out as it is makes no difference to me. If somebody else does get benefit from it then good luck to them. Up until around 4-5 years ago I would get a temporary member card when entering the store which they insisted on. Now no need.

[lavender19]

It's a temporary membership code nothing to do with points.  Would you rather they told you to become member and not serve you. Up to you as they say here