I absolutely love the holidays. I love the lights and decorations, the warm and inviting smells, the music, and the holiday cheer. It's easily my favorite time of the year, outside of work, that is. Working retail during the holidays can quickly turn employees from Buddy the Elf to Ebeneezer Scrooge; we're under a lot of pressure and extremely stressed. Here's a letter to holiday shoppers that could possibly change the way you shop during the holiday season and give both yourself and your sales associates a happier holiday.
Dear holiday shopper,
I'd like to start by saying that no, I'm not a grinch. I'm one of the biggest holiday junkies that starts buying Christmas decorations the second they're put out. I may come off as grumpy or not in the holiday spirit when you see me, but you would be too if you were getting yelled at by customers over matters that are not in your control.
I want to get my holiday shopping finished just as much as you and the next customer. Instead, I'm here for hours on end, usually no less than seven hours a day, making sure you're able to finish your shopping and making sure I can pay my bills. Please be courteous and don't make a big deal over the lines. I have no control over the amount of people that decided to go shopping at the same time as you. Each of our registers has a cashier at it and I cannot make new registers magically appear.
Just as I cannot make the lines go any faster, I cannot change prices to whatever you think they should be. While I can get sign checks, yelling at me because you thought the 30 percent off sign for the shirts two racks over was for that $60 peacoat you want will not make me change the price. I know we all have our holiday budgets and we all want to save as much as possible, but I do have rules to follow and you yelling at me isn't worth losing my job over.
Please also keep in mind that what you mess up, we have to fix. I'm going to be honest and say that I was that kid that used to hang something up in the wrong spot and think, Oh, they'll fix it. That's their job. That mindset quickly changed when I began working retail and that was my job. Please be thoughtful when you decide to completely annihilate that table full of 200 sweaters. That table alone adds at least an extra hour of work to my day. There are plenty of sales people working the floor that would be more than willing to find the size and color you're looking for.
I understand it's the holidays and I want to have a happy holiday just as much as you do. I try to be as cheerful as I can and no, I don't try nor want to be a grinch, so please don't make me. I cannot control prices or lines, nor can I control what we do and do not have in stock. I cannot make the store look any neater while you mess up what I've fixed or let your children run rampant. I cannot change prices or let you use that coupon outside of the expiration date.
Please just remember that the holidays are supposed to be happy and cheerful, not full of gripes and complaints over factors out of us retail workers' control. Be patient and understanding during your holiday shopping and we'll be more than happy to make sure we do what we can for you to leave satisfied.
Sincerely,
That retail worker
