I Work(ed) in Retail, and Now I Understand...
 

Just because :)

I never leave clothes I try on and dont like in the dressing rooms. It annoyed me to no end when I worked at Express and would have to put back armloads of clothes.

After once working retail, I understand that...

...paying full price is for suckers
...never work in a place where you are required to wear their clothes
...people are, for the most part, pigs
...that retail is unforgiving on the body, and if you don't get commission, unforgiving on your wallet
...will make you feel jaded and unappreciated
...half your fellow employees are stealing and don't care that you know
...unless you love the customers, the brand, the product or the vibe, the job will break you down.

At my store/company, I was top salesperson in the NATION (100+ stores) for a 6-month period (contest based on sales, units, customer service and hours worked), and I got a crappy neon green plastic watch that broke and a raise from $4.25 to 4.55. They always kept me under the 35 hour line so that they didn't have to pay benefits (insurance, vacation, sick time, etc.) and scheduled shifts less than 8 hours so they didn't have to give us a lunch break.

I worked at Blockbuster as an undergrad.

- I always have my items ready whenever I get to the register. I can't tell you how many people would be digging through their purses/pockets/wallets looking for cards/cash/coupons when the line is wrapped around the store. Take care of this while you're waiting in line!

- If a store is sold out of something, I go to another store. I don't bitch and complain because it's not that person's fault.

- I know we're in a cell phone society, but the world will not end if you put your phone down for 2 minutes while you check out.

I don't see the problem. Is it dehumanizing or something?

Yep. I know so many ways to steal from BBV, it's ridiculous. Of course, there's no need to do that, since I still get employee discounts, thanks to my friends.

YES. I can't believe how nasty adults can be, and how they can tolerate their kids being nasty asses too. There were several occasions that I'd be cleaning up for the night and find random items left around the store.

"good" end: old coke cans, tissues

horrible end: spit cup for someone chewing tobacco, pieces of shit on the floor, in the drop box, and stuck between movies (not even joking)

Yep. All the time.

Same thing happened to me. I look back and wonder how I was able to survive on ~$6-7 and hour.

Please don't get mad at the cashier for trying to sell the stupid rewards card or other ridiculous incentive thing you don't want - they HAVE to do it or they'll lose their job. At least, when I worked retail, if I didn't say that pitch every time, I would get in trouble, and if my numbers on selling those things wasn't high enough in a shift, I would get in trouble, and we were on a three strikes policy :(

I never grab the display for a gift because so many husbands / boyfriends do that the week before Christmas, and I had to rebuild so many displays every night.

It's rude.

At BBV specifically, we had to scan the card and go over anything that's happening on the account. If I'm trying to tell you "you have a movie that's due on Thurday" and you're hushing me, that's a problem.

Also, if you're engaged in your conversation, there's a higher chance that 1) you're going to be slower and 2) there's going to be a mistake made/the perception of a mistake [ex. "OMG I GAVE YOU A $20! WHERE'S THE REST OF MY CHANGE?!" when the person handed over a $10].

We had kids take a crap right on the carpet and the moms just laugh. (We went out and bought a special vacuum cleaner just for these type of incidents.) Nasty.

Me neither!

After working retail, I understand........to fold the clothes and put them back where I found them.


I used to HAAAAAATE it when I just folded up the clothes and some lady takes a shirt from t he middle of the pile, ruins my stack and then just throws the shirt she grabbed on top of the pile. I used to wish that I could grab those people and make them fix that pile that I just did.

From working in retail, I have become painfully aware that more people than I ever imagined are rude, inconsiderate, and feel as if they are entitled to something, just because they are the customer.

I've also learned just how cheap people can be. Today I had a lady ask me if she could have a discount on a dress because it was missing the belt (that she didn't want), on top of her 40% off she was getting. Seriously?

Never underestimate how cheap people can be.

I worked seasonal retail at Macy's one year (PURE HELL). I cannot count how many people would come to the register with a huge pile of whatever, whip out a stack of coupons, and then have me ring up a dozen individual purchases just so they could use all their coupons. UGH. So annoying for me, and the 20 people behind them in line who would then take out their frustration ON me.

I worked at Rich's/Macy's on 9/11. I would've thought people could have showed some compassion that day. Nope. They still trashed the dressing rooms, argued with me about prices, etc.

The customer is always right ;)

I had a really awesome retail job (with REI) just before I got my new job, to help supplement my income. It was a great place to work and I got paid and compensated well.

BUT.

- I will always fold and hang clothes up.
- I will always put things on the cart if there is one.
- I will NOT leave random things in random parts of the store.
- I will be uber patient if the salesperson is helping more than one person.
- NEVER on the phone. NEVER. I would never approach a customer who was on the phone. Just wouldn't even begin to help them. It makes my job too complicated, it's annoying, it's rude, and I don't want to hear your conversation. I'm trying to fit you for hiking boots, I have to actually have a conversation with you.
- I will never use the phrase "you people".
- I will never talk to a salesperson like they are stupid or uneducated or "beneath" me, just because they work in retail. That was what got under my skin the most...don't treat me like crap because of where I work. You're not my superior just because you have money. That's not how that works.

Same here. And when I take a shirt or jeans out of a stack I refold them and put them back again. Even before I worked in a clothing store my mom told me stories about working in a shoe department and how many people would leave things out, move things, etc. She always made a point when I was little to put the clothes she tried on back or on the rack by the dressing rooms and would make me help, so it's been drilled into me.


It doesn't bother me if the person can put the call on hold for a second. There are the people that will say, "Hold on a sec" to the person on the phone when they get to the counter, finish the sale, then talk again. No problem. But I totally understand about people having full on conversations when you're trying to check them out.

I worked in a clothing store that sold girls' clothing. Their training video was 90% about shoplifting, mostly in really odd ways. We were required to wear clothing without any visible label or logo as we couldn't fit into little girls' clothing...but we had to look nice, too. This was when a lot of my clothes were left over from high school and I didn't have any polos or button downs without a label of some kind. It was such a pain. They would also put you on call constantly. I had to get up at 6, get dressed, then call in at 8 and get there in 30 minutes which was hard to do. And then they'd call me. I told them the day I was hired that I had told my second job I would work nights and I always needed to be out of the store by 4 so I could get the in time. I also made it clear I couldn't be scheduled from 4 on since I would be working somewhere else. They called me almost every day wanting me to come in, and would seem all put on when I repeated, every single time, that I had told the manager on day 1 that I could not work after 4pm. It wasn't the manager's fault...she had told me it was no problem, and told the assistant manager who was making out the schedules, but THAT girl obviously never ever listened.

The worst customers were the ones that think their children are so adorable that everyone will be delighted when they pull clothing off of racks, run around in circles screaming, or in a couple of cases, start loading the little gimmicks by the cash register into their pockets. Also the harpies with 3 inch talons and gigantic hair that would come in on tax free days. The STATE had a tax free shopping day before school started that year, but of course there were still city and county taxes. They would argue me down and some would scream at me, which would always result in my bringing the manager in to further attempt to convince these jello for brains that we weren't trying to cheat them. And these were always the women dripping in Yurman wearing actual designer brands, screeching their Hummers out of the parking lot.

That didn't bother me as much, either. As long as I could say what I needed to say, I was good. I worked at a location in an upper-middle class suburb, though, so the customers rarely did this.

I haven't had any conversation that was SO important that it HAD to continue while I was checking out of a store. If I get a call while in the store, I will stay out of the line while I'm talking. If I get a call at the register, it'll wait until I get outside. If there are life and death situations going that require me to be glued to my phone, then Blockbuster is probably low on my list of priorities.

Aw, I worked there too - when it was just Rich's, then Rich's-Macy's then finally, sadly, just Macy's. I started at North Point, left there, then got on several years later at Perimeter. Loved it. I would still be working retail if it paid the mortgage. I worked there evenings/weekends to make a little extra money and joked that my 9-5 job was just so that I could support myself working retail. :D

But - here are just a few of my favorites:

The mother of the groom buying an ill-fitting all white dress for her son's wedding. I showed her the same dress in blue a size larger, and she looked stunning. Nope, she bought the white one. Even though it made her yellowing gray hair look yellower.

A repeat offender compulsive shopper returning wrinkled, smoke-scented, cat-hair covered clothes from six months earlier.

Several young things trying to pull one over on me by switching tags on clothes and taking them out of Juniors to have me ring them up. Sorry kids, I may look un-hip, but I know a denim BabyPhat jumpsuit isn't $19.99. I always told them it wouldn't scan and I'd just go grab another off the rack. Funny, they were never there once I got back.

The couple that decided to get it on in the lingerie dressing room, leaving...er...evidence of their assignation.

The anonymous soul who left a trail of poo balls en route to the bathroom. The MOD was frantically paging housekeeping who pretended not to hear him. He got a pair of gloves and had to deal with it himself.


The incessant Christmas music from October on. I still haven't started enjoying it again.

But honestly. I loved it.

In high school and college, I cashiered at a place called Harry's Farmers Market, and that was my favorite job ever. Seriously.

My backup plan these days is that if it all goes tango uniform, I'm going to apply at Trader Joe's.

As someone who talks on the phone a lot, it is not that the phone conversation is SO important, it's that the transaction is not. There's not really a reason why I couldn't stop talking, and usually I do, but I don't always.

I worked in Macy's - started off in Men's with a seasonal job which I was told would become full-time if I did well. I was the top salesperson every week, but when I asked for my new i.d. the manager hemmed and hawed. December 24th he gave me the news that the full-time job had been eliminated. He hadn't told me earlier because they didn't want to lose me.

Merry Christmas!

I came back working in the Bridal Registry. "Bridezillas" is missing a bet - they should film the goings-on in Bridal. I was in charge of crystal, and the buyers would come and ask me what I needed. "Iced tea glasses for my Baptist brides!" I answered. They looked at me as though I had two heads. What a shocker - a few years later Macy's ended up leaving Texas. They are now back - wonder if they learned anything . . .

Now I understand -
- why etiquette dictates you should send the wedding gift before the wedding. You don't want your guests running through the store an hour before the wedding.

I worked at Marshalls and people amazed me by how cheap they could be. One particular instance that I will never forget. A woman comes to my register trying to buy a very nice set of china. It was already marked down at least twice. And she says she wants an ADDITIONAL discount because ONE of the dinner plates has a chip that is smaller than a centimeter on the bottom (not even a noticeable place like the rim). When I told her there was nothing i could do she proceeded to cuss me out and then insist that she wasnt leaving my register until the manager came and marked down her item. Mind you the line has quietly snaked its way all the way to the back of the store and I am the only person working the register!

SN: one of my biggest pet peeves working at Marshalls was people who had items with no price tag but would wait until you had already gotten halfway through ringing up their (sometimes quite literally) 50 other items. If an item doesnt have a price not only do i have to send someone out to find a same/similar item, i also have to go and print up and attach a price tag!

I also use my phone quite a bit, but again, it comes off as rude IMO if you can't spare a minute or two to acknowledge the person who is assisting you.

And, like I said before, a lot of the people who were "OMG I MUST FINISH THIS CONVO" were slower and thought there were problems with the transactions. Those things could have been eliminated with a simple "Hey, I'm checking out. Let me call you right back."

When in a book shop, particularly B&N.....

*I always put the book back in the right spot and, if I don't know where that is, I drop it off at the Info desk.
*If they say "We have one left" I understand there really aren't any because that "one" in the system is the one no one can find.
*I know to put back what I don't want BEFORE I get to the counter and to never take back a book with bent/dirty pages.
*I know to never leave my trash or empty cup on a random bookshelf (I can't BELIEVE how many Starbucks cups get left in random places).
*And most importantly, if I ever need a book, I never come with less than the full title and details of the cover art. Because I have had my fair share of "I don't know the title or the author but I know the cover is blue" or "It's a series about horses.....I think."

BTW they were "Something Blue" by Emily Griffin and the "Heartland" series. I was just that awesome.

I acknowledge and say hi, but if i'm not in the mood for a conversation with the cashier, and more interested in continuing to talk on the phone, then I'm not going to feel compelled to stop.

Usually I just toss the phone, still on, in my pocket anyway so it's not like I'm even hanging up. I'm a multitasker and it works for me. I'm never rude unless simply being on the phone is rude, in which case people can deal with it. ;)

I don't try to fold anything and put it back because I used to hate when people didn't fold things the right way. Each store I worked at had a specific way shirts and jeans were supposed to be folded. It was more annoying to go through the denim wall and re-fold and re-order the jeans that the well meaning customers tried to stuff in.

However, I do not grab a shirt from the bottom of the pile messing up all the other shirts in the process. I used to hate that!

On the phone issue, I worked at CVS for four years, specifically the photo department. It was annoying when I would ask the people their last name so I could get their order and they would look at their phone like "Hello I'm on the phone" like I was the person being rude.

I hated when people would assume I'm an idiot because I was working at CVS. I got talked down to a lot.

Now I work at a college and I've learned that everyone thinks its someone else's department that handles things. I work in the maintenance area, answering the phones, and I've gotten phone calls transfered to me about withdrawing from the university and how to use our online class add/drop system.

I worked at a drugstore/pharmacy and was amazed by how:

- People steal. A lot. From make-up, to tooth paste to candy. So many people steal it's ridiculous!

- People assume you're stupid when working in retail/restaurants

- People are cheap. Wanting a discount on something that is allready 70% off and in perfect condition... seriously?

- People with kids think their kids should be free to do whatever they want. Even is that means breaking things, chewing on stuff and then not buying it. Worst thing: kids putting things in their mouth and the parent handing you said drool-covered item demanding a clean one. *sigh*

I completely agree. Staying on the phone while someone is trying to help you is basically telling the other person they are not important. I remember asking for some help on a registry item from an associate in a store. My cell phone started to ring and she actually asked if I was going to get that. I looked at her and said no and that I asked for her help and that person can wait. I could have knocked her over with a feather.

When I started my first management job, the DM told me to always check the dressing rooms after each client, because she once had someone do their business in a tube sock in the fitting room.

When I was working in a 4 room lingerie store, we had a customer with a leaking colostomy bag. Yeah, we didn't notice right away and there were dribbles all over the carpet. We had a cleaning company come that night.

I once had a kid run in from the mall and clear off a table full of ties. There were probably at least 300. Dad came in and laughed. I did not.

Ah, yes. Andy and I refer to that as the carrot.

The funny thing is that in the first store I managed, every one of my employees had a college degree or were in the military and getting a college degree. They all just needed that little extra cash to get by with, or with my management team, the pay was just better at the time.

So, I'm double posting, because I was afraid I'd time out. I have seen just about everything while working in retail, and will probably contribute more, but here is my bee story.

One day, while working at KB Toys, a woman came into my store and asked if she could used our bathroom. She had a bee in her dress-and yes, she was serious. Okay, that part isn't that strange. The strange part is she drove about an exit on the highway and went to the second floor in the mall before doing something about it. I was a part timer at the time and got the manager who went back there with her so they could kill it after it was out.

As a former retailer, I try to be really nice to all the associates and pick up after myself and talk to them, because I know it helps their day go by faster. Because of that, they remember me when I go into my regular stores. I even get hugs from some of them as a hello or goodbye. It makes shopping easier, because they help me and I also get every discount, both advertised and not advertised whenever I shop. I get the newest stuff that hasn't even been put on the shelves yet, if they know I will like it. I've had managers buy me coffee when I was going to be shopping for a while and one even brought me a mini heater one day when I mentioned how chilly the fitting rooms were in passing (that was at Talbot's, by the way). Being polite and friendly will get you some extra perks. I've been offered 2 jobs in the past year too while shopping (and not from my regular stores) and jobs are really hard to come by around here.

Now, believe it or not, I HATE shopping and have actually had to be dragged out to go to the store by Andy for clothes and shoes because I needed them so badly. (How many husbands can say that!) I only go out when I really really need something.

When I worked in the shoe dept at Wal-mart, I could watch someone take off their old shoes, put them in the new shoe's box, hide that box, put the new shoes on their feet and rip the tags off, and I couldn't do A THING about it until they actually stepped foot outside the store...at which point, they were pretty much gone.:rolleyes:

That no one who is in retail management has a soul. And neither do most of the customers.

I worked at Victoria's Secret for two summers and a winter break. After that experience, I'm now always extremely careful when looking through pile of jeans, shirts, whatever, as to not destroy the display. I LOATHED working in Pink because you'd get a bunch of idiots who would destroy the panty bar (yes that's what that table with the 5 for $25 panties is called). I would spend 20 minutes making sure that panties were laid out with the right number of sizes, in the right order, etc. It seemed like someone would always come by within a minute of me finishing a row and then pull a panty out from the center of the row and just destroy what I had just cleaned up. I'm not sure why, but I was really set on keeping that thing in order, so that always drove me CRAZY.

I also try my best to not get frustrated when the sales people ask if you need help 943577465203845038 times. I know at VS we were required to ask every person (unless you were already helping someone) who walked through your section if you could help them find something. It's just a part of the job, they're not trying to annoy you.

Same things goes for the credit card thing. No, I don't need a credit card for every store that I shop at, but the sales people are required to ask. At VS, we had to open up 2 credit cards every for hours. If you didn't make the requirements, you'd get some sort of punishment. For example, the people who closed who had the least amount of credit cards for the day had to take out the trash, which sometimes was a HUGE chore, especially if we got lots of inventory that day.

I also NEVER take out my anger on the salespeople when there's something not in stock. It's not their fault!!! I had a few people yell at me on CHRISTMAS EVE MORNING about being out of stock on a few things, and not having any more gift card holders. MAYBE YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE YOUR SHOPPING 3 WEEKS AGO!!! And if I ever try to return something but don't have the receipt or something, I will promise not to yell at the salesperson for only allowing me to have store credit for the sales price. I know they did not make up that policy themselves just to piss me off.

However, I do have to say that I have found one place where the customer is not always right: bra sizes.

Ladies, if you've gained weight, ACCEPT IT. Size is just a number that will help you find something that looks flattering on your body. I can't fathom why women are so stuck on being a certain bra size that they would rather wear that size that is too tight, uncomfortable, and makes them pop out everywhere, than wear one that is the right size at makes them look good! I don't know how many times I've measured someone, told them their size, and then they give me a dirty look and tell me I'm wrong. Excuse me, I have the measuring tape in my hands, I would know.* I had one woman who insisted she was a 34D. I measured her and she was in fact a 38C. She looked at me like I was nuts and refused to believe me. I gave her 38C bras to try on in addition to the 34Ds she grabbed. She called me to her fitting room when she had the 38C to check the sizing. As I knew it would, it looked like a perfect fit for her. However, she insisted it was "too big" and bought her 34Ds anyways. That's fine, you can walk around with back fat sticking out from under your bra because you're insisting on wearing the wrong size, just so you can say you wear a 34D. Have fun looking horrible.

*From experience, the measuring tape system is not a perfect system. With all clothes, you really just have to try them on. However, it certainly does get you very close to your size, so don't tell me you're a 34D when I just measured you and got a 38C!!!!!!!!

lp88, that cracks me up. I was like that when I was younger. At one point, I was a 34D... then a 36DD around the time I got married. I adjusted accordingly. But I was so confused when I kept buying 36DDs as the years went by and they weren't fitting right! Finally went to Macys and had a little old lady measure me. Afterwards she reminded me that after having a baby, your ribcage expands. She suggested getting measured once a year. So now, that's what I do. :)

lp88 - gotta tell you, Gypsyboots and I stopped even asking VS clerks for help when one measured my 36 C cup daughter and told her she was an A cup.

I am an A cup.
I know an A cup.
Gypsyboots is no A cup.

So she just handles her bra fittings herself now.

Haha, yep, definitely a good idea to get measured at least once a year (at VS, we were told it's 6 months, but I personally think that's excessive.) I mean, even a small weight gain/loss that isn't too noticeable otherwise can make a big difference in your bra size. I learned that first hand too, lol

- that some people just don't get it.
 

One of the biggest lessons I learned is that for many people, gift giving is a chore. YOU ARE MISSING THE POINT, SCROOGE.

- If you are shopping for a wedding present, it means someone you care for is starting an exciting new chapter in life. You should be filled with joy and enthusiasm. If you can't muster at least a good grace about it, order on-line.

- If you are shopping for Christmas/holiday presents, you presumably have both some money AND friends and/or family. Lucky, lucky you! What a gift to be able to share with others. Attitude is everything. If you are going to go around the mall with a black cloud over your head, stealing everyone else's joy, do us all a favor and stay home. DON'T take out your frustrations on the clerks, who are overworked, underpaid, and just trying to do their jobs.

I agree with you. But then I was raised to acknowledge people. I hate it when people do things like stay on the phone or continue a conversation when the waiter/sales clerk is trying to get an order or check them out. It's basically saying "You are beneath me and I therefore do not have to acknowledge you". Definitely rude. And they do always seem to be the most confused at check out, simply because they aren't listening.

I had one lady tell me to stfu because I asked her whether her card was credit or debit (if we didn't key it in first they had to and the machine would freeze) because she was having a super important conversation on her cell phone about her hair dresser. I would've agreed with her as her horrible skunky streaks were tacky, but I'm willing to bet that wasn't the hairdresser's fault.

Re the "They probably never finished high school" attitude...I filled in for a friend recently at a mom and pop I used to work at and had some asshole pull that on me because I was trying to help him by looking online to locate an item I knew the store didn't carry and wouldn't but would be willing to order. I suppose myself and the internet weren't on his schedule for the day, so he demanded to know if I even finished high school. I informed him that yes, I did in 2005 and now have a bachelors degree and am working on my second. He just grumbled, but the store owner, who apparently went to high school with this dude, told me later THAT guy barely finished high school and only lasted a semester into college before flunking out. What a douche.

Well clearly that associate was just not as awesome as me when it comes to bra fittings :D

ETA: Hence why I also put my little disclaimer there--the measuring tape system is not perfect. I have no idea why the person who measured your daughter was so off. Could have been new? I would have asked for a second measure from someone else in the store. But my point was more that when I size you, see you try on that size and it looks PERFECT, then see you walk out wearing your old 34D and can see it squeezing you to death from under your shirt, I'm right. ;)