There are so many things that you learn when you work retail and so many things that annoy you to no end. I grew up, as I like to call it, in retail, where because my mom had worked before in a store she taught us how to behave in one. Well, when I started working as a sales associate I was in for a shock. Here are some things I wish everyone knew about retail.
1. We know what's in our backroom
So many customers do this where they ask for an item in a different size, and I will go in the back to check with no luck. I will then tell them we do not have it and they immediately ask the next employee if we have it in the back. Here's a fun fact, we do floor sets almost every two weeks, trust me when I say we know what we have, and when we are not sure we will double check for you.
2. The story of "The other store let me do this"
Most times when you say this it's literally for something that our system does not allow. When I say that I mean the computer literally locks us out by popping up a little window that says you can't do it, so no another store did not let you do it. On top of that even if they could and did, I won't because it's against policy and I need my job.
3. Figuring out what your willing to buy while ringing up items
Seriously the prices are right there on the clothes. Now, this is not really annoying all the time, only when you get that one person who grabbed 30 items and is only willing to buy two. Now I have a stack of clothes behind the register that I need to put back.
4. Destroying the stacks
Some customers come in and just completely destroy all the displays. For me, I work in a clothing store so it's extremely annoying when an entire table is now this disaster pile that I now have to spend time fixing just because you decided to yank the pile.
5. The threat of "I'll call corporate"
This is hilarious most times because most customers never actually mean it. They use it as a threat that really does not get them anything. Trust me we try to make amends and help you out when something goes wrong, but if you're being straight up rude to me, odds are I am fine to do the bare minimum. Even if you do call corporate, most times we, the employees, are not at fault so yes they will try to calm you and give in, but if you think we are getting in trouble think again. Also, this is awful cause when someone is yelling at you it's hard not to take it personally even though the complaint has nothing to do with you itself.
6. Holds
Literally, so many people put items on hold and then never come back for them. This is annoying because no one can purchase that item until the hold wears off in 24 hours. All stores want the product to sell, especially clothing stores where you have to make room for the new items you will receive.
7. Returning online
This is honestly awful, especially when someone walks in with a huge cardboard box full of items that didn't fit. This isn't really a store or customer problem though. Most times the sale online is better and that makes it hard for stores to compete, and when buying online you obviously can not try it on. However, it's extremely annoying to receive the old product, and new, from a giant online order return.Please be polite when shopping, stores have a lot of work go into keeping it. There are so many simple things that you can do to make it easier and a better experience for those of us working. It's fine to ask us for help, but stop mindlessly destroying displays, and threatening us when you don't get what you want. I love my job but sometimes my job makes me hate humanity.
