14 Things HomeGoods Employees Wish Customers Would Stop Doing

Today's economy has us all pinching pennies, which has led to an uptick in sales for discount stores from customers looking to save more on home essentials. Whether you're a longtime fan or new to HomeGoods, it pays to be a considerate shopper who respects the tough work employees do every day.

From messy aisles to endless price checks, these are the top customer habits that frustrate HomeGoods employees.

Technically, the HomeGoods return policy allows for a non-transferable merchandise credit without a receipt, but employees would rather you didn't. The best practice for returning an item is to present the item in its original condition, along with a receipt, within 30 days of purchase.

The window may be extended for winter holidays, but all returns are subject to the refund verification system to prevent fraud or misuse of the policies.

We've all had that moment of realizing we don't actually want something we've put in our cart, but it takes a special sort of person to just shove it on any old shelf instead of putting it back properly.

If you change your mind on a purchase, employees would rather you just take it to the register and let the cashier know — it's much easier for them to return it to its proper place that way.

There's no secret hidden stash of merchandise in the back—stores want everything on the floor to sell. If items are in the back, they're usually on pallets mixed with other products, making it unrealistic for employees to dig through.

Instead, ask for tips on how to find what you need, and staff will share what they know.

HomeGoods stores are built on a treasure hunt shopping model, so it's not the same thing as calling up your local Target to see if something is available.

Most employees will probably still try to help if you call, but there isn't an inventory system they can check, so even if they have it, the employee looking could miss it.

Even store managers don't know what's coming until the delivery truck arrives, so the best employees can do is tell you when that typically happens. The stock is purchased through department or specialty store cancellations, manufacturer overstock, closeout deals to move end-of-season stock, and other non-traditional options that allow the store to keep a widely varied and discounted stock — but they don't know what's coming next.

Employees don't want to keep asking you to sign up for the card any more than you do, but they get in trouble if they don't. Instead, try asking for the management member responsible for the card policy and let them know it's a terrible policy.

It's unfair for employees to be treated poorly by customers who do not want to open a store card.

Don't wait until the last minute to check out—hop in line a few minutes early so employees can wrap up their shift without delays. After all, everyone appreciates leaving work on time.

If you want to throw your clothes on a bench next to your closet or leave them in your laundry basket, that's your choice — but a store is not your home, and employees hate it when customers toss clothes over the rack instead of hanging them back up on the hanger.

Reddit users noted that if a customer complains to corporate, managers are pressured to issue write-ups — which can even put their own bonuses or records at risk.

A former manager explained that the managerial bonus structure is based on a combination of profit over loss, customer service, and a few other things, so every time a complaint goes to corporate, it comes back to the manager and impacts their pay.

If you open it, you'd better be buying it. This is especially frustrating to older generations who grew up with the societal expectation that you didn't open anything until after you paid for it.

If you're worried that something is wrong, open it in your car so you can exchange it immediately if you find a problem.

There is no standard policy on holds, but reasonable requests will often be accommodated at the store level.

Smaller items will generally be held for the day, but larger items that won't fit in your vehicle can often be held longer so the customer can make transportation arrangements.

It would be wildly illegal for that information to be stored at all, let alone accessed by any employee. If you don't bring a form of payment with you, then you can't purchase anything. Period.

It's not just employees who want people to return their carts; it's also other customers. Nobody likes finding a cart blocking a parking spot or left in the middle of an aisle.

Not all cashiers mind if you want to talk on the phone during your transaction, but please don't expect them to talk to you if that is the scenario.

If you have questions or otherwise need to discuss the transaction, it's best to tell whoever's on the other end you'll call them back in a minute.

HomeGoods can be a great place for shoppers to save money on common household essentials, but their store credit card has a very high APR that can easily be beaten by the best cash back credit cards.

Using the store card can help customers who pay in full, but read the fine print—and be considerate of the employees working hard while you shop.