To Retail Customers,

Contrary to popular belief, retail is definitely not the easiest industry to work in. Whether someone has worked in retail full-time or part-time, I am sure customers have unfortunately treated employees with disrespect. Even if you have ever shopped in a store, I am sure you have seen somebody treating a retail worker with disrespect or you have been the person disrespecting the said worker.

Whatever the case may be, it is clear that many people do not treat retail workers with respect. As a part-time retail worker, I deal with angry customers all the time. Customers who refuse to believe that regular, non-managerial workers know the store policies and how to do their jobs.

Many people look down on those who work in retail, just as they do with people who work in the fast food industry when in actuality it is anything but an easy job. It takes a lot to work directly with people for hours upon a day. We deserve the same respect you would expect to receive at your own job.

I have noticed that it is mostly the younger generation who do not treat retail workers with respect. I have yet to encounter a member of the older generation who gets angry and causes conflict when a coupon does not work on their items or they cannot find what they are looking for.

Despite what you may have heard, the workers at pretty much any store cannot control the company's coupons and we cannot discount damaged items at the register. We cannot take the money off no matter how much you yell at us and try to get us in trouble for doing our jobs.

Unfortunately, there are the policies that, as an employee, I agreed to uphold. I apologize for any inconveniences that can cause customers but I am just doing my job. I understand your frustration, but being rude to me will not help the situation. If I could do more to help you, I would, but I am just following management and company instructions.

So, please hear me out and do not be rude to retail workers. People who work in retail deserve the same amount of respect as people who work in other fields. We tend to deal with a lot that people do not think we deal with.

Just treat the store and the workers with the same respect you would want others to treat you and your home. Thank you.

From,

Your Local Retail Worker