We all know what fall means. It's the crunching of leaves and warm sweaters, pumpkins and cinnamon everywhere, and all those movies that you've been waiting all year for finally come out. Fall is a time for Halloween and Thanksgiving; spending time with your family is a plus, too. For a lot of people fall is one of the most fun times of the year, but for us retail workers it's anything but that. So here are a few things that most of you lovely retailers must be thinking right about now as the fall season is kicking into high gear:
1. Do I really have to come into work at 6 A.M. to do a floor set? Now for those of you that don't know what a floor set is... consider yourself lucky. It's basically when the whole store is changed up to fit the season and workers either come in early or stay late so that they can make it look extra beautiful the next day. It consists of everyone dressing sloppy, floor set plans, and way too many boxes.
2. But the holidays aren't even until December...? Now after you come into your store at whatever awful hour it is, you realize that the decor you're putting up is for winter and the holidays. You wonder what are they thinking while you hang snowflakes from the ceiling in the beginning of October. There's still so long before holidays are even a thing, but your store is ready.
3. You're playing Christmas music already? Now that your store is decorated all nice and pretty for the holidays, you have to start up the music. While you usually play a few hip songs on the mixed CD for your store, you are now getting into Christmas mode. That means you will only listen to the same three Mariah Carey songs and Justin Timberlake remixes during your shift and if that doesn't drive you crazy I don't know what will.
4. Black Friday is coming. And your managers make sure you know it. While you still have a month or so to go, you're already taking some training courses on your 'days off' so that you can be the best employee you can for your company on the busiest times of the year. In the back of your mind, though, you're just internally screaming when you think about being at work at 1 A.M. so that you can ring up people that are way too tired and angry to even be in a mall.
5. The customers have already gone crazy. Like I said, it's WAY too early for holidays to even be considered, but here comes Jane Doe with her long list of things she wants to get for her kids, grandkids, cousins, and extended family on the other side of the world. Now when you don't have what she's looking for she decides it's time to throw a fit and ask for your manager. Working retail is so much fun when people come looking for things and won't let you help them, isn't it?
Fear not, my working companions. We've all probably done this a few times before and if not, you're definitely in for an experience. Working retail is extremely hectic, crazy, and unforgiving, but at least you get paid. If you work for a company that appreciates you, they'll make it known when you give it your all. So don't let those nasty customers bring you down or those evil floor sets suck your soul. Everything will work itself out one way or another. If I can do it, so can you!
