Tipping in Great Britain (or more specifically, England).

[Kilimanjaro]

Three of my FLGSs serve food and drinks. Their POS systems ask for tips on all purchases. I assume they're not advanced enough to know what you're buying.

 

[payn]

Three of my FLGSs serve food and drinks. Their POS systems ask for tips on all purchases. I assume they're not advanced enough to know what you're buying.

Now that I think of it, one of my FLGS does too. Although, if the OP got asked for a tip in a pure retail spot, id certainly turn it down. Even in the states a non-service retail spot doesnt ask.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Wait people have FLGSes that serve food and drink? Look at these fancy lads and lasses! Back in my day we went to Orc's Nest up hill through the snow both ways and the shop could barely fit six people and one of those people was always an unwashed dude buying MtG cards and arguing with the cashier!

 

[payn]

Wait people have FLGSes that serve food and drink? Look at these fancy lads and lasses! Back in my day we went to Orc's Nest up hill through the snow both ways and the shop could barely fit six people and one of those people was always an unwashed dude buying MtG cards and arguing with the cashier!

Here in the Twin Cities I hear we are blessed. We have a good number of FLGS'. Though, they come in two variety. Tiny strip mall closets that have maybe one table for gaming and a few smallish shelves that can fit 5-10 people comfortably, or sprawling locations that have tables for 50 people or more. The big difference is in variety of offerings for sale. The bigger places need not just RPG stuff, they need collectible card games, board games, comic books, anime, manga, tchotch·ke collectibles, etc.. Also, branching into food and drink to expand margins ever further to make the space work.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

So, hear me out, as this relates directly to RPGs.

I recently bought a few RPG books from a company that I'm pretty certain is operated mainly from the UK, and specifically in England. I believe I know who the owners (knowing who they are and knowing them personally are two different things, I do not know the owners, just who they are) are and they are English.

So, as I went to buy them, there was the "opportunity" given to leave a tip. It wasn't a demand, but it was there.

It was a bit of a head twister, as tipping is more of a US thing, and this thing where you tip for anything and everything is almost definitely a US thing...or so I thought.

These were RPG books. I don't think I've even been asked to tip for RPG books at FLGS's in the US yet (maybe they have some that do there as well)?

Is this a thing in the UK or Great Britain, or England?

Have any of you been given the opportunity to leave a tip as you buy RPG books or similar or related items recently?

Was I supposed to? I was unaware that this was a thing in the UK these days. I thought it odd that there was even a chance to?

Have people demanded to be given the "opportunity" to do so?

It's just, very weird to me. I'm rather old I suppose, so perhaps I should not be surprised by culture and society changing, but this is the first time I have had this happen in anything related to RPG buying.

Am I supposed to leave a tip now? How much is appropriate if I am supposed to do so? How much is polite?

This company operates in the US as well, perhaps it's influenced by something that has gone on there? I spent over 300 £ there, so it may have had to be a sizeable tip I suppose. I'm just not sure what I was supposed to do (and to be clear, there was no pressure to do so, it was just that there was the opportunity given to leave a tip if so desired).

Is it possible the purchase site is built using a generic online shop framework (e.g. Shopify) and that tipping option is just a configuration item that is turned on by default?

i.e. the tip request may be inadvertent

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Wait people have FLGSes that serve food and drink? Look at these fancy lads and lasses! Back in my day we went to Orc's Nest up hill through the snow both ways and the shop could barely fit six people and one of those people was always an unwashed dude buying MtG cards and arguing with the cashier!

Orc’s Nest is certainly best suited to very tiny orcs!

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Is it possible the purchase site is built using a generic online shop framework (e.g. Shopify) and that tipping option is just a configuration item that is turned on by default?

i.e. the tip request may be inadvertent

There's no real possibility, no.

The very first time you tested your shop - and everyone tests their shop before it goes live - you'd absolutely notice the tipping, and think wow that's weird, and turn it off, because if you're technically competent enough to set up one of these shops and get paid, 100% you are technically competent enough to find and toggle the tipping.

If it's a physical shop that serves food/drink, then it's a different issue, sure.

 

[Ryujin]

There's no real possibility, no.

The very first time you tested your shop - and everyone tests their shop before it goes live - you'd absolutely notice the tipping, and think wow that's weird, and turn it off, because if you're technically competent enough to set up one of these shops and get paid, 100% you are technically competent enough to find and toggle the tipping.

If it's a physical shop that serves food/drink, then it's a different issue, sure.

Things happen during software updates

 

[GreyLord]

No, tipping for retail purchases is not something I’ve ever encountered here. Sometimes a charity request, but not a tip.

Tipping for food services is becoming more common here these days, but that’s a different topic.

Did you leave the tip?

No, I didn't. Wasn't quite sure what to do. It wasn't mandatory, it just sort of popped up when trying to pay with a CC. I didn't quite know how to react.

 

[Tonguez]

Requesting a tip is very American and I’d have thought it antithecal to most sensibilities, at least outside charity stores who may collect donations. If you encountered it they were being opportunistic, which may well be a sign of the times