Michael’s Spray Paint Policy

[Anonymous]

It pains me to say this, but I used to love shopping or even browsing and looking at merchandise and displays. Maybe I’d buy something, maybe not.

Those days are long gone. I get everything I want through Amazon Prime. Shopping is too stressful and a robotic transactional experience.

Last straw; went to TJ Maxx to replace a hairdryer - nothing fancy-about $30. Found what I wanted but it was locked in a case. Rang bell to have it unlocked. Waited. Employee unlocked and told me the hairdryer will be waiting at checkout that I was not allowed to place this high value item in my cart. All for a no name hairdryer.

[Anonymous]

OP here- thanks for the replies. I assure you I was calm. A shopper next to me even remarked that I was calmer than she would be under the situation.

I felt for the employee because she was unable to articulate the policy. She kept saying that she didn’t want to get in trouble. So, maybe one of her co-workers did get in trouble, though again in this circumstance I should have been able to purchase my spray paint. I wish I had been able to wait for the manager bc I fear that this situation will happen again and the customer won’t be as patient as I was.

I was able to get tape- so I did in fact “get a grip”.

[Anonymous]

Of course an adult with an ID should be able to purchase spray paint, even if they have a child with them.

[Anonymous]

??????

These stories are INSANE.

The fact the employees are flustered show how they themselves think the policies are unreasonable. Blame the employers.

[Anonymous]

Do you think the Michaels employee was cognitively impaired and therefore unable to make what should have been an easy executive deicsion? In the past I've such some employees at the Rockville Michaels, although usually not at the registers. I'm glad they're hired, and I would have stayed very calm as well. No point in harassing them.

[Anonymous]

I’d write about this on Twitter and see what the world has to say.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course an adult with an ID should be able to purchase spray paint, even if they have a child with them.

This. The cashier is over the top. I am served alcohol when I'm with my kids. I can buy cold medicine when I'm with my kids. What if my kid was a baby? Can I buy it then?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of the previous posters are seriously unhinged. You think a cashier making minimum wage likes to pester people for ID? That the cashier is making up requirements for fun? The way the system is set up is they have to mark they have checked ID or a birthdate because it is a law.

§ 131.03 SALE AND POSSESSION OF AEROSOL SPRAY PAINT CANS BY JUVENILES.
It is unlawful for any person to sell, exchange, give or loan, or cause or permit to be sold, exchanged, given, or loaned, any pressurized can or other container commonly known as an aerosol spray paint can or container which contains paint or dye to anyone under the age of 18 years. It is unlawful for anyone under the age of 18 years to purchase or otherwise obtain any aerosol spray paint can or for a juvenile to possess an aerosol spray paint can in a public place unless the juvenile is in the presence of his or her parent or guardian.
('83 Code, § 9.20.030) (Ord. 1048, passed - -91) Penalty, see § 10.99

So they program the registers to ask the question about birthdate or check ID. The cashier is just told- don't discriminate based on looks, check everyone's ID who wants to buy spray paint.

This. She doesn't want to get fired, fined, and possibly go to jail just because OP wants to play arts and crafts.

But this is DCUM where no one ever worked as a bartender, waitress, cashier, or any other job that required checking IDs because even as students, their only jobs were cushy internships at their Dad's corporation.

That cashier is out of her mind. Op was the one buying the paint not the son. She should have just checked op's id.

[Anonymous]

Aso Michael's has the most awful system. If you do an online or buy online pickup in store purchase and want to do a return, be prepared to go through the checkout line to the one old cashier who has to key in the item code and price (scanning will not work) for every single item. You will hold up the line, people behind you will start shifting their feet. Took me 30 minutes to return some individual craft paints that I did not need.

The store does not have a dedicated customer service counter either

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some of the previous posters are seriously unhinged. You think a cashier making minimum wage likes to pester people for ID? That the cashier is making up requirements for fun? The way the system is set up is they have to mark they have checked ID or a birthdate because it is a law.

§ 131.03 SALE AND POSSESSION OF AEROSOL SPRAY PAINT CANS BY JUVENILES.
It is unlawful for any person to sell, exchange, give or loan, or cause or permit to be sold, exchanged, given, or loaned, any pressurized can or other container commonly known as an aerosol spray paint can or container which contains paint or dye to anyone under the age of 18 years. It is unlawful for anyone under the age of 18 years to purchase or otherwise obtain any aerosol spray paint can or for a juvenile to possess an aerosol spray paint can in a public place unless the juvenile is in the presence of his or her parent or guardian.
('83 Code, § 9.20.030) (Ord. 1048, passed - -91) Penalty, see § 10.99

So they program the registers to ask the question about birthdate or check ID. The cashier is just told- don't discriminate based on looks, check everyone's ID who wants to buy spray paint.

+1,000 to the above.

It's simply mean and self-centered to blame the individual employees, who simply want to keep their jobs FFS!, for doing things they are told they MUST do for every transaction. Try to be civilized, all of you who proclaim such fury at the cashiers. Those cashiers hate it all as much as you do -- more, in fact, because for you it's just one transaction, but for them it's potentially many transactions each shift where they have to be the "bad guy" asking for IDs or denying sales, all based on polices entirely out of their individual control.

Making the cashier's life hell -- yeah, even for a few minutes -- gets you nothing, and makes that person's day a little sh**tier. If doing that to some random cashier makes you feel better, you need a serious attitude adjustment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of the previous posters are seriously unhinged. You think a cashier making minimum wage likes to pester people for ID? That the cashier is making up requirements for fun? The way the system is set up is they have to mark they have checked ID or a birthdate because it is a law.

§ 131.03 SALE AND POSSESSION OF AEROSOL SPRAY PAINT CANS BY JUVENILES.
It is unlawful for any person to sell, exchange, give or loan, or cause or permit to be sold, exchanged, given, or loaned, any pressurized can or other container commonly known as an aerosol spray paint can or container which contains paint or dye to anyone under the age of 18 years. It is unlawful for anyone under the age of 18 years to purchase or otherwise obtain any aerosol spray paint can or for a juvenile to possess an aerosol spray paint can in a public place unless the juvenile is in the presence of his or her parent or guardian.
('83 Code, § 9.20.030) (Ord. 1048, passed - -91) Penalty, see § 10.99

So they program the registers to ask the question about birthdate or check ID. The cashier is just told- don't discriminate based on looks, check everyone's ID who wants to buy spray paint.

This. She doesn't want to get fired, fined, and possibly go to jail just because OP wants to play arts and crafts.

But this is DCUM where no one ever worked as a bartender, waitress, cashier, or any other job that required checking IDs because even as students, their only jobs were cushy internships at their Dad's corporation.

That cashier is out of her mind. Op was the one buying the paint not the son. She should have just checked op's id.

That cashier, whom OP admits seemed nervous, likely was new to the job, had had very minimal trainiing, had been told that selling prain the "wrong way" would get her fired, and had zero authority to make any decisions on her own. Even if she messed up and could have sold the paint to OP, there is no reason to call an undertrained cashier "out of her mind" just because she might be afraid of losing her job, and her employer is terrible at training. Grow up and grow a little empathy too.

[Anonymous]

paint, not "praiin"

[Anonymous]

Training.

Poor training is the culprit here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Training.

Poor training is the culprit here.

A little common sense goes a long way too. If the employee is new, they should ask a coworker if the manager is on break.

[Anonymous]

I would have calmly asked her if her manager could please come explain the policy, because it sounds like the details are not correct.