With Black Friday a week away the serial shoppers are gearing up and the retail associates are preparing for war. With long shifts and longer lines, not to mention vicious customers, no amount of caffeine will prepare sales associates for what is about to happen.
While you are getting the, “best deals of the year”, keep these things in mind for the safety and sanity of everyone around you.
Do not complain about lines, the sales and the overcrowded stores.
Of course on the biggest shopping day of the year the lines will be long and it will be hard to move and even breathe. I am SO sorry that you waited in line for two hours to get a five dollar discount on a $100 dollar purchase, but guess what?I did not make you come and stand in line, that means you can leave whenever you want. We as employees are trying to herd cats here by controlling the lines, stocking items and in all just trying not to get trampled. Complaining to me is not going to help, instead you are just going to make me mad. Retail stores are not going to basically give away items just to make the customer happy on a busy shopping day. Shop online, or just spend the extra money and get a good night's sleep, but please do not complain that our sales are not good.
Don't even think about starting a fight.
I have seen plenty of fights in my day, over TV’s, gaming consoles and whatever the “must have” toy is. Getting banned from Target for life because you clawed another soccer mom in the face over an Elf on the Shelf is not worth it.
Do not tell employees “It should be illegal for you all to work on Thanksgiving”.
Well, that sounds a little bit hypocritical coming from someone who has been in line since Wednesday now doesn't it? If you as a consumer wait in line all day and shop on Thanksgiving day then you are telling these retail companies that it is okay to open early.
Do not, in any way, shape or form, get mad at an associate.
Some of us retail associates will be working ungodly hours. If you are like me you will be working at two retail stores for almost 24 hours straight, but hey, that is retail. We tired, irritable, and we all wish we were at home but instead we working because someone has to do it. With that in mind do not yell because an item is out of stock. Do not scream or throw things because you are not getting what you want. You as a shopper have the power to just remove yourself if you get angry, retail workers do not have that luxury.
