Is it appropriate for cashiers to hustle customers for charitable donations?

Question

I am getting sick of this...all we want to do is cash out and resume our lives, and we get the "we're raising money for Single Mothers Without Spleens, would you like to donate a dollar?" pitch.

I figure personally...if I was going to donate, I'd do it directly for tax purposes.

Answer 1

I don't like being put on the spot like that either but it's becoming more and more common recently. Pretty soon the bell-ringers will be camped outside of store doorways hitting people up for their loose change. 'Tis the season, I guess.

Ps
LOL @ "Single Mothers Without Spleens".

Answer 2

What I hate worse is when I sign the reciept for my highly overpriced coffee. There it is, a line for tips looming right above the total. It makes me feel bad to have to strike through it, but I already can barely afford it, plus, it's not like the've provided any other services other than making my coffee, such as waiting on me, or anything like that.

Also, at HEB (grocery store), I sometimes grab one of those donate food ticket. It's easy, they don't bother me for it, and I probably would just never get around to it otherwise. However, I don't like swiping my card at Petsmart and getting asked by the machine if I want to donate a dollar before I sign it off.

Answer 3

I don't mind if they have a jar there to collect like McDonalds has a change thing for Ronald McDonald house but they don't ask if you want to donate. Some people don't itemize so it is a way to toss in a quarter or the 17 cents they got in change.
I hate when kids try to get you to buy overpriced stuff when you are going in or coming out of stores. I don't care to support their school, I don't even know where it is or any students.

Answer 4

You are absolutely right-- I get tired of it too. Getting to the point of telling the cashiers I choose my own charities to support, and that I will do business elsewhere if they won't stop. Of course, it is the corporate HQ that is telling the little local stores to compete and see who can raise the most charity $, to me it is all a scam to give them a warm and fuzzy or to have bragging rights.