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Cashier Vocabulary

This page lists words and phrases that cashiers need to know in an English-speaking setting. Each word is shown with its contextual meaning and an example sentence.

After reviewing this vocabulary, you may like to try our cashier vocabulary quiz.

word meaning
action code a number cashiers type on the register to tell the computer to do something (#2A=void item)
adjustment a change (usually related to price change)
age restricted items products such as alcohol, tobacco, and restricted movies and videos which cannot be purchased by minors
aisles long narrow areas that a room is divided into
associate another employee who works with you
bag verb to place purchased items in a bag for the customer
bank card a card that allows customers to purchase an item using money from their bank account (also called debit card)
bar code a series of lines that a computer reads to determine the product and price
bill the total amount owed by the customer (also called receipt)
break a short time for an employee to take a rest from work
bulk items that are purchased in large amounts (also refers to items where customer collects the amount desired from a large bin)
cash paper or coin money that the customer gives for payment
cash advance money given to an employee or customer that he will have to pay back later
cash register system used to key in purchases; also makes mathematical calculations and records payments
change the money you give back to a customer
charge verb to request a certain payment (They charge fifty dollars an hour.)
charge verb and noun to pay (payment) with a credit card
checkout the place where customers go to pay for purchases
clerk person who serves customers; usually stands behind a desk
coins small amounts of money; circular shape (also called change)
company procedures the rules and practices outlined by the employer for the employees
competition other businesses that offer similar products or services
counterfeit money that looks real but is actually fake
coupon a piece of paper that offers a set discount on a product or service
consumer the person who buys and uses the products and services
coupon a piece of paper that offers a set discount on a product or service
currency type of money used in each country (eg. dollar, yen)
customer the person who buys the product or service
customer service fulfilling the needs of the people who buy products or services
damaged; defective does not work or does not look new
deactivate remove security device
debit to take money out (also refers to paying with a bank card)
denomination related to type of currency (eg. ones, tens, fifties )
department store a store that sells a wide variety of personal and household needs, such as groceries, furniture and clothing
discount a price reduction
estimate guess the right amount
float the amount of money in a cash register or till before and after a person's shift
feed to insert the end of a roll of paper into a slot
gift certificate; gift card a pre-paid card that a customer uses to pay for purchases
gift receipt a receipt that documents a purchase but does not include the price of the product
identification photograph and official document that proves who a person is
initials first letter of a person's first and last name
inquiry a question
key in to type a code into a cash register
(put on) layaway to put a product away for a customer who will come back to purchase it at a later time
log a record of sales information
manual instruction booklet
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merchandise things that customers buy
multiple item a product that a customer is buying more than one of (eg. five balls)
multitask do many things at once
NOF an error code that means a product price is not on file
on sale costs less than usual
orientation a time for learning about the company and job
peak time the busy time of the day
perk a little bonus that employees enjoy on top of their wage or salary (eg. restaurant employees get free lunch)
personal check a written document that allows a business to retrieve funds from a customer's bank account
price override change the automated price of a product or service
POS system Point of Sale system (cash register)
price tag the sticker or ticket that tells customers what a product costs
produce fresh fruit and vegetables
promotion a special discount or offer
prompt service to help customers quickly
punch in/out record the start and end time of your shift using a time clock system
rain check a ticket given to a customer that allows them to receive an out-of-stock item or attend a cancelled event at a later date
receipt a piece of paper that records the place, time, and price of items or services purchased
reduce(d) price is less than usual
refund get money back
register area the place where a cashier stands and serves the customer
register tape the paper that goes into the cash register and provides a printed record of all transactions
retailer a store or business that sells products for the manufacturer
ring in type the product code or service item into the POS
safe a secure cabinet where a large amount of money is locked up; requires a code or key to open
sale a price reduction
scan pass a product over a laser (scanner reads the bar code and transfers the data (price, product name) to the POS system)
schedule a table that identifies the weekly or monthly shifts for each employee
security device a device attached to products that will set off an alarm if it is not removed by the cashier
serial number a number system used to identify products and services
shelves long rows of flat wood or metal used to hold products that are for sale in a store
shift report a record of notes that must be handed in by a cashier at the end of a work shift
sign in/sign off indicate that one is starting or finishing
supplies things that are needed to do a job (eg. calculator, pens, paper)
supplier the company or business that provides a retailer or wholesaler with products to sell
swipe slide quickly across (eg. Swipe your credit card through the card reader, please.)
tally add up
tax exempt a special case in which the customer does not have to pay taxes
tender money
terminal a single computer or POS system
till the drawer that holds money in a cash register
transaction the sale and purchase of a product or service
UPC Universal Product Code: a number the identifies the product and the retailer
void cancel a transaction
wholesale the sale of a large quantity of goods to a retail outlet
workstation the area where a cashier works