No, It's Called a Check Tier Limit

A customer came in to purchase a PSP in my store yesterday. Cool! $$$!

She was going to purchase the game system a game and a magazine. Yay! Then, she pulled out her check book. I politely said "Before you fill out a check, I need to let you know that I can not accept checks written for more than $200.00."

She looked at me like I was joking. I said "I'm sorry, I can not take a check for more than $200."

She told me she couldn't get the items and left the counter so her friend could make her own purchase.

Then her boyfriend/husband started ranting. "That's discrimination! This is a black thing isn't it? Isn't it? Huh? Well, isn't it? It's a black thing! It's called racism!"

I said "No, it's called a check tier limit." (My register won't accept a check payment for more than $200, it is impossible to override.)

Then he proceeded to mock me and tell his girl friend that I could take the check, I just won't because they are black.

I just roll my eyes and shook my head. Some days I think that there is not much more ignorance that I can take. It is amazing to me that people pull the "race card" over every, little, insignificant thing and so many times it has nothing to do with anything. I just wish they understood that they hurt their own "cause" when they start spouting that stuff! They really make themselves look ridiculous!

I said "it is company policy to not accept checks over $200." Then they said "Let's see that policy!" So, I pointed to the policy sign on the register well. I read it to them as the woman followed along with her finger "Checks are only accepted up to $200".

That still wasn't good enough for the man. He still continued on calling me racist saying I was discriminating. Now the next thing that they decided to complain about was the fact that the display I had at the counter was obstructing the view of the policy. They not-so-politely suggested that I should move that display so people could see the policy.

I said "you are right, it should be in view, but I have to have those free samples displayed. There is only so much room on the counter. It is rare that people write checks in here anymore, because most people now use debit cards. My associates all know the policy, and just like I explained it to you before you began writing the check, they would inform any other customer the same way."

The friend that the couple came into the store with wrote a check for $164 and as we closed the transaction, that woman apologized to me for the way her friends were behaving.

As they all three left, I could still hear the couple grumbling about the discrimination.

You have to love retail!

(Since they are from out of state, I am confident saying that the check the one woman wrote me will most likely bounce. I'll have to update this story when I get the bad check list in a month or so.)