"without raising the cost of the actual product". Technically true I guess
I just bought a new knife and I was asked to tip. I was kind of taken aback.
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Corradobrit1
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Ahh the old guilt trip approach. Always effective.....
I recently bought a couple things there, had some questions over email to which they were very helpful, and I'm satisfied with the experience. I don't recall seeing a tip section, and I probably wouldn't have been too put off by it if it defaulted to no tip.
Either way I can't see myself tipping at a retail store, definitely not for an online purchase, and I've recently seen default tip options in stores that turned me off. Who and why am I tipping 20% on an overpriced t-shirt that I picked off the rack myself with no assistance? The profit margin is built into the products and I don't feel it should be up to customers to pay the salesperson's commission (or in this case, the rack).
I recently went to a place in NC where the staff refused tips because they earned livable wages and believe in building a successful business where that's possible through great product and service. They went above and beyond, the prices didn't seem inflated, and I almost felt bad I couldn't tip them. Reverse guilt trip? It was a real breath of fresh air.
Either way I can't see myself tipping at a retail store, definitely not for an online purchase, and I've recently seen default tip options in stores that turned me off. Who and why am I tipping 20% on an overpriced t-shirt that I picked off the rack myself with no assistance? The profit margin is built into the products and I don't feel it should be up to customers to pay the salesperson's commission (or in this case, the rack).
I recently went to a place in NC where the staff refused tips because they earned livable wages and believe in building a successful business where that's possible through great product and service. They went above and beyond, the prices didn't seem inflated, and I almost felt bad I couldn't tip them. Reverse guilt trip? It was a real breath of fresh air.
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they may want it, and can get it...over here tipping is not mandatory and taxes are included on menu items...tipping is done, as a thank you for good or great service but there is no 'expected tipping percentage'...when visiting the US I always had my US collegues do the math since the tips IMO were ridiculous and the percentages voodoo....so much for the water guy, that much for the door man, this amount for that one....aaaaarghhh, I just want to order, eat, enjoy and pay whatever the total menu items cost and leave...and I'll add gratuity when it's appropriate.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gratuity
Oh it drives me crazy with non-restaurants, because it becomes really dicey. Then you also see people say things like "no tip if they own the business". It's a bit too complicated.
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for a foreigner it's completely incomprehensible, I almost need a list with roles and percentages, and a calculator to get around without brawls in the US ;-)
It;s not as if other countries do not have their quirks, crazy service charges are a fave pastime in tourist traps in Italy and France...15 bucks for cutlery, 20 for a table with a view.....really inventive.
Corradobrit1
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Like having a coffee in an Italian cafe. Stand and it's one price. Sit and you get slapped with a surcharge. Or the weirdest one, being charged to enter a retail establishment. A lot of shops have 'Entrata Libera" or free entrance on the door to avoid confusion. So much for La Dolce Vita
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Jovidah
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As long as the slider defaults to 0 I don't have a problem with stores adding this. Who knows, maybe they genuinely have people who have enough disposable income that they feel like tipping.
In general I always found it odd how there's this system of norms around who to tip and who not to tip. No one tips the callcenter helpdesk employer, the garbage man, the sewer worker or the street sweeper.
In general I always found it odd how there's this system of norms around who to tip and who not to tip. No one tips the callcenter helpdesk employer, the garbage man, the sewer worker or the street sweeper.
Got down the rabbit hole a bit reading the bad Google reviews. @Corradobrit1 was right, the owner certainly does not let any 1-star go without retort. Gets a little dramatic honestly.
Where I am, the garbage men leave a Christmas card asking for tips. I don't know if I'm the only a-hole on my block that doesn't tip them, or if it really is as strange as I think it is.As long as the slider defaults to 0 I don't have a problem with stores adding this. Who knows, maybe they genuinely have people who have enough disposable income that they feel like tipping.
In general I always found it odd how there's this system of norms around who to tip and who not to tip. No one tips the callcenter helpdesk employer, the garbage man, the sewer worker or the street sweeper.
i've never heard of them asking for tips, but i know it is a thing in some areas to leave money on the garbage can for them on xmas. we do it here. no clue why.
I'm also in Chicago! It's definitely getting out of hand.
And as a knife store owner myself here in the city, I've decided to not put the option for tips.
Some people ask I'd they can leave a tip, especially on sharpening services. But I set my prices the way they are to not have to rely on tips to make money. Some will leave extra cash and I'm very grateful of that, but not necessary. I try my best to go above and beyond for my services and feel that doing that is just being a good business owner and a good worker/person.
I guess I should clarify that they leave a greeting card that tells us their names and asks us not to leave the tip in the mailbox or easily seen location. It feels like passive aggressively asking for tips imo.
Best is to write a reply in the card and tape it to the lid of a trash can.
"Thank you for the card, Jim and Sean. I left your tip in a secure place -- my wallet."
We have a lot of restaurants that you have to order at the register and either they call your # to pick up or they drop at your table. No real service, yet they all seem to have automatic 10%,15% or 20% tip set and if you aren't paying attention and just click ok or next they get your money for nothing. Food trucks which charge more than the sit down restaurants here are bad for this too. We have a lobster truck that the bill is usually $50 and automatically tries to add 20% to that you have to opt out. You should never have to opt out of tipping on a screen.
After traveling in Ireland and places where they give you a strange look if you try and tip it really drives me insane dealing with this here on a daily basis. I like to calculate a total in my head as I buy stuff. It is impossible to do in the US between taxes and tipping though. It always ends up costing more than I thought and leaves me feeling like I got tricked into paying more than I wanted to spend. It has become so ingrained in Americans that they are ruining it in some places abroad where tipping was never a thing. I can't even image what it feels like for someone who comes from a culture where tipping doesn't exist and then coming to the US for the first time. That would be such a mind Fudge.
After traveling in Ireland and places where they give you a strange look if you try and tip it really drives me insane dealing with this here on a daily basis. I like to calculate a total in my head as I buy stuff. It is impossible to do in the US between taxes and tipping though. It always ends up costing more than I thought and leaves me feeling like I got tricked into paying more than I wanted to spend. It has become so ingrained in Americans that they are ruining it in some places abroad where tipping was never a thing. I can't even image what it feels like for someone who comes from a culture where tipping doesn't exist and then coming to the US for the first time. That would be such a mind Fudge.
Corradobrit1
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In some cultures, mainly Far Eastern eg Japan, it's actually rude and considered a slight if a tip is left.
Tipping culture in the US is out of control – we’re even asked to tip self-checkouts | Arwa Mahdawi
Just thought about this thread
Just thought about this thread
I guess this is meant for their sharpening service .
Tipping online is a no go for me. I tip for quality service not for people just doing their jobs.
