If you decide to visit Japan and try its konbini, do not try this. (Image via Live Japan)

Survey: Don't do this at Japanese convenience store

Alfonsus Adi Putra
Business & Industry
Foods & Service
Apr 10, 2020
2100
The Japanese convenience store is a part of its own culture. Known by its Japanese pronunciation “konbini”, it is a place where the Japanese could do things beyond buying things. It is a place where extraordinary items could be found.

That’s a konbini’s atmosphere, at least. But, when you are working, either part-time or full-time as a konbini clerk, things could be pretty different, more than what you bargained for. It is not always a smooth sailing.

Therefore, a Japanese artist released a thread about “Four behaviors disliked by the convenience store employees” on his Twitter page, @kimuti_X. It earned at least 50,000 likes and 12,000 retweets. Bet some of those engagements came from the konbini clerks.

1. Showing barcode without saying anything.
We know that the Japanese culture teaches respect by saying “please” (onegaishimasu) and “thank you” (arigato gozaimasu) after. If you are making a short visit at konbinis, make sure you still keep the respective attitude toward the clerks.

2. Requesting items by its generic names
They are not mindreaders, so you need to be specific! Let’s say, you wanna buy a cake, a Baumkuchen. You need to provide details such as the size, the flavors, and other details. Why? If you only say the vague item, “Baumkuchen”, the store clerks will need to clarify further so that they don’t get things wrong.

3. Get angry easily
Look, it is perfectly normal if the Japanese clerk wants to clarify your order. So, it is pretty usual for them to ask you to repeat your order. Sometimes, there are customers who speak under their breath, and the clerks did not hear it. It is for your own good, so no need to see red, right?

4. Run to get something mid-transaction
As a child and pretty much teens, it might be pretty terrifying when you had to wait for your mum to get something in the middle of the transaction. Now, the Japanese konbini clerks don’t like it when a customer suddenly forget an item and decide to do a quick run mid-transaction. The clerks will have to endure the cold, intimidating stares from the other customers who are being put on hold because of you.

Source: https://bit.ly/2RtH12x

Business , Convenience-Store , Service , Shopping , Labor , Employment , Konbini , Asia , Japan