You know what’s coming up this week...the most cherished shopping spectacle of the year. Black Friday and Super Saturday, the shopping venture that exposes the true colors of us all. There is always a wonderful array of people that sales associates and store managers get to share holiday cheer and the joys of Black Friday with. But then there are the “holiday crazies”…
There are the yellers, the shovers, the “I’m not going to be happy or stop being rude until you find me precisely what I want”-ers, and my favorite...the whiners who pity themselves because they’re tired. All these people make sales associates and store managers cringe and make us wonder whether or not the money we’re making is worth dealing with horribly miserable people at strange hours of the night.
I only know because I worked three Black Fridays at my beloved Bath & Body Works Outlet (shoutout to my fam, I’ll miss you dearly this year). I’ve seen it all. I’ve dealt with it all. So here’s my number one tip to keep your sales associates sane:
Don’t be crazy. That’s it.
Now, I understand there are many definitions of crazy, so just read this list of things to keep in mind while shopping this holiday season so you don’t become a holiday crazy.
- More and more malls and shopping complexes are opening earlier on Thursday evening, so store managers and sales associates may have had to miss Thanksgiving dinners with their families to serve you. The least you can do is be friendly and thankful during this season of giving and thanks.
- Many of the associates on the sales floor were JUST hired and are still learning the merchandise. It may even be their first night working. Give them a second to respond before getting all frustrated with them...they’re still learning.
- Load your digital coupons before you get to the register. There are lots of people around and service is probably already bad at the register. You are making the people in line behind you angry when they have to wait for your coupon to load. This automatically makes those people mad at the sales associates behind the register. Come prepared with more screenshots of coupons than you know what to do with.
- We don’t decide what’s on sale. Our managers don’t even get to decide what’s on sale. Do not complain that the deals “aren’t good” because you’re not walking out of the store with 4 bags of free stuff.
- This is not the time to return things you bought 3 weeks ago...
- If you’re tired, I can guarantee that sales associate behind that register or the one running to the stockroom for you is more tired than you. Black Friday shifts are LONG. Like...9-12 hours constantly moving and dealing with holiday crazies long. It’s so, so exhausting, but a smile and a nice conversation can really make the night (or morning) somewhat pleasant.
