Holidays

Shopping Cart Courtesy

by Randy Foncree
12/10/15
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Shopping Cart Courtesy

          I’ve been meaning to write this article for a couple of years now. I just got around to writing it, and right in time for the holiday season. It’s about something I have tried to practice for some time now, and that is shopping cart courtesy. There is something about putting the needs of others above ourselves when we shop, that makes for a more peaceful shopping experience.

           When each of us go to a store such as Walmart, Kmart, grocers, etc., to shop, we have the privilege of using shopping carts to put our items in, so we don’t have to carry everything in our hands. The retailers offer shopping carts to make our shopping experience more convenient. The idea is to get us back to their store.

           At the end of our shopping experience and we’ve taken our groceries and items out to the car, what do most people do with the shopping cart they just used? I’ve seen many people just leave it unattended in the parking lot. To me, this shows discourtesy to the store and its customers. I’ve seen wayward shopping carts do unnecessary damage to someone’s car by the cart rolling and “banging” into it. In other situations, people would have to get out of their car to move a wayward cart so they could back out of their parking space.

           Why do you suppose the store provides shopping cart stalls, and why doesn’t everyone use them? Is it too much to ask that someone take the extra steps to adequately secure or return the cart before leaving the store? With the holiday season fast approaching, all of us need to have courtesy on our mind when we go to shop. This courtesy isn’t just about what we do with our shopping cart, it also has to do with how we treat other shoppers as well. Are we kind and polite? Do we give someone else the right of way in line, just to avoid a confrontation? These are things we all need to consider. It isn’t the end of the world if someone gets to check out before us.

           What about how we treat cashiers? They don’t have an easy job, especially on the holidays. How about offering a kind word, or a word of encouragement, to make them feel better about the job they’re doing? How about saying “thank you”, or “excuse me” when you accidentally get in someone’s way. There is a lot we can do to make someone else’s shopping experience a pleasant one. Many people become extremely self-centered when they go shopping, but we don’t have to follow suit. If we follow the golden rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”, we’d all be better off.

          When we get done shopping, put the cart back in its stall. And if there are no outside stalls, take the extra effort and return it to the store. How much extra effort does it take to show proper etiquette when out shopping? If we take the time, we will always set a good example to those who may be watching us. As a Christian, I always try to be conscious of others around me, and their feelings and concerns. God smiles down on us when we take the time and effort to demonstrate shopping cart courtesy. Who knows, maybe we’ll be the one who brightens someone’s bad day. Maybe we’ll even help everyone’s shopping experience to be just a little bit better. God bless you and happy shopping.

 Written by Randy G. Foncree