I have worked retail since the minute I turned 16 and could get a job. 3 years later…I’m still here. If you have ever worked retail you can relate to every single example below. If you haven’t, you will, and then you’ll understand what I’m saying. Everyone thinks retail is the best job out there, and it’s okay most of the times, but sometimes it’s just too much. Here are just a couple of things I have learned working in retail.
1. The customer is not always right.
This is literally the first thing they teach you when you start working. But it’s not true. Like ma’am I understand that you’re telling me you bought this shirt January 25 and you should be able to return it…but it says in the system that you bought it January 5 and now your return period is over. So no. I can’t do a return for you. So get out of line so I can take care of other customers.
2. Your feet are always going to kill you by the end of your shift.
It doesn’t matter if you wear nurse shoes, your feet are still gonna kill. I thought maybe the Dr. Scholls inserts would help, but they don’t.
3. You'll become a pro at folding clothes.
After working even a week in retail, you’ll have folded over 200 shirts and you can do it perfectly very time.
4. Your back is going to hurt probably by the middle of your shift.
That’s all there is to say about that.
5. The customers are going to try your patience.
They ask you to do fifty price checks and then only end up getting one thing and now you have all these go-backs behind the cash wrap that you’ll have to put back at some point. But you have to be nice to them so you gladly accept the clothes they don't want and toss them behind you on the counter.
6. The customers will try and do anything they can to try and convince you to give them an extra discount on your purchase.
I CANNOT GIVE YOU EXTRA MONEY OFF. I’m sorry you left your coupon at home but I can’t do anything for you.
7. Go-backs are a real thing and they are horrible.
These are all of the clothes that customers have returned or tried on and didn’t want. They pile up in the fitting room and then at the end of the day the associates who close have to put all of these clothes back out on the floor. This is the sole reason when you close, you’re at the store at least 2 hours past what your schedule says.
8. You are never going to get out on time.
Even if you’re supposed to get off at 4, your managers are going to ask you to do multiple things before you leave, so plan on leaving 30-45 minutes past when you’re supposed to.
9. Hours fluctuate like crazy.
One week you’ll be working 25 hours and the next week you’re working 4. It happens. It’s because of payroll, it has nothing to do with you personally.
10. It'll prepare you for any job you have in the future.
As annoying as working retail is, especially during the holidays, it teaches you everything you’ll need to know for any job you’ll have later on in life. It teaches you patience, team work, how to answer the phones properly, how to put outfits together, how to manage a team, and how to work with different types of personalities.Plus so much more.
Retail is something that everyone needs to do at least once in their life. It can be frustrating and annoying and crazy but it’s also so rewarding and fun and it’s something different every day.
