I just began my first retail job and it is everything I ever imagined it would be. Customers who yell at me, long hours on my feet and of course, discounts. As I've began this new job, I've come to see so many more things than I ever would have thought. Over the course of my first few weeks, these are just a couple of a small realizations I've come to see first hand.
1. When customers throw money down in front of you even though you're holding your hand out
To each their own. I get that, I do. But if you see my hand outstretched, please just put it there. Just put it in my hand. Plus, my nails make it like a thousand times harder to pick up every single penny you just slapped onto the counter.
2. New things in your store make you very excited
As lame as this may sound, nothing gets us who work in retail more excited than a new shipment of holiday clothes that scream "Merry Christmas ya filthy animal."
3. There's that one coworker who you always have the same shifts as, have the same Pandora stations, like the same type of guy and probably share some DNA.
Your work bff. You couldn't make it through a shift without them and when they don't show up you feel like a lost puppy. But when they are there, you shift is a little less painful than normal.
4. You and all of your friends are on totally different schedules
Social life? LOL. What's that? I want one!
5. When you immediately regret picking up an extra shift
You thought it was a good idea at the time because that little extra cash made you smile when asked to pick up another shift. And then reality sets in and you realize what you've done.
6. You can plaster on a the worlds fakest smile whenever a customer walks by when the only thing you're thinking about doing is ripping your hair out.
You know how to rock a fake smile whenever a customer comes up to you and asks for a shirt that just happens to be right in front of you.
7. You always meet a customer who insists that they're right when you know they are so wrong
"No, last week you had this shirt." Well yeah, the company decided to change things around, not me.
8. When you know how successful you just were as you helped a customer out with what they needed
You just helped out the sweetest person who only wanted one thing and that happened to be the one thing you know has not moved at all in forever. When they say your name when they cash out and you know that when asked who helped them they'll say your name. Then they say goodbye to you and wave with a smile on their face when they leave...like a civilized person...and not the person who spent an hour and a half trying on different clothes because they were "bored."
9. You get seriously overwhelmed whenever you step into your backroom/stock room
Many people (*cough*cough*customers*cough*cough*) think that when you are out of something on the floor that you can just run to the back and within like .5 seconds return with exactly what they asked for. No. I wish it was that easy. Its a scary place back there.
10. There is always that one customer that wants to pay half credit card and half cash
No, its okay. Don't expect that all of our machines are the same speed and not to mention you just made the one thing I have to do a register harder than dealing with your annoying self. But, yes, let me process that transaction for you.
