I visited the store on 3012 17th Avenue, SE Unit #5 today the 9th of October, 2021. I bought 3 items, Mrs. Potato Head, Orajel and Johnson's body wash for kids. I avoid using self checkout as much as possible to prevent any form of embarrassment. I got to the counter and there was nobody manning the station. I waited a few seconds and decided to use self checkout. I did so, put my items in my backpack and left. As I was leaving, the lady at the check out point came back, and as soon as i tried to step out, an alarm went off. She ran towards me and asked for the items I bought. I was embarrassed. I emptied my backpack of all items immediately and she said an item I bought had a sticker on it that required some form of processing. I was very upset and asked why she had not stopped any other person but me. Another staff came up to help and stated the sticker on the item needed to be processed. He took me back to the self check out and showed me how to scan the sticker. I asked for his name. Right before leaving, an older man standing at the check out point made this remark: They are regulars here aren't they? And gave me a look. The checkout guy knowing what the man meant but also knowing I had done nothing wrong mumbled an embarrassed response. I felt really bad. I had done nothing wrong.


I went back after 30 minutes and asked to speak with the manager. I explained to the manager how embarrassed and angry I was. He stated the same thing about the sticker.
I asked how I was supposed to know a little sticker on some of the items i bought had to be scanned. I have visited Shoppers drugmart at various locations thousands of times, and I never had to scan a sticker. I also asked what steps have been taken to inform customers on how to look for and scan the stickers, rather than wait till they are about to leave and have an alarm triggered as though you did not just pay for the items. He looked at me and gave no response.

Issues: He kept cutting me off without letting me fully explain. He went ahead to tell me I was not letting him explain, even though i had not fully explained why I was upset. I told him about how the lady had not communicated properly and made me feel worse, and he shrugged it off and said it was just miscommunication. He was defensive through out the whole interaction and i left even more upset. He did not engage in active listening to understand my complaints and refused to acknowledge the emotions of anger, embarrassment and sadness that I felt. I went into that store happy and came out angry and embarrassed. Why can't customers be educated on how the little stickers need to be sorted out before leaving. Why wasn't there any employee close to the self check out or regular check out points for over 2 minutes. The manager kept making excuses that the employees had to go an attend to other customers in the store. Stating that as the reason the checkout points had no employees close by. Not one word of apology was given, all i got were defensive excuses. Yes you do have your processes, but if those processes result in a customer having a bad experience at any store, then something needs to be done.

I bought items, paid for everything and still got treated as though I had done something wrong. That is not fair