People always ask what its like working in retail. Well I will tell you what my day consists of specifically. Well my day usually starts off with being stuck in traffic and taking forever to get to work. Thus starting off my day as flustered and irritated because I know I will have to park extremely far away. Then that means after work when its dark I will have to walk all the way to my car. Which is kind of terrifying to be honest so next time you cut me off for that close parking spot remember how I will be walking all the way across the lot at 8pm.
My day then begins spraying cards with the fragrances I sell. I love fragrance so much, and it so fulfilling to help someone find the perfect fragrance. The things that drive me crazy though is when you manage to spray the counter with perfume because then it leaves marks on the glass and looks gross. Or how you just took my card and sprayed it with another fragrance. So when you then make that face remember you are smelling my fragrance and another mixed together which isn't that great to be honest. Another thing that will make you crazy if you work retail is someone never being happy. Like I am trying so hard to make you happy, and you just tell me how you hate everything is not going to make my day any better.
Another thing to think about while shopping is you are not the only customer in the whole world. There are plenty of people who probably need help so when I tell you I need to help someone else. It does not mean I do not want to help you it means I just want to help that person who seems to already know what they. So when you then get offended when I help them remember there is not tons of workers and that person may just want to get what they need and leave and I'll be done in five minutes.
Then after a few hours I will go eat at the food court which is a challenge in itself. You end up eating only at the place with the shortest line or else you end up waiting 30 minutes for food and then hurrying to eat because you cannot be gone for too long. And then you are trying to hurry and walk back to the store and everyone is walking super slow and walking side by side and not leaving any room to pass. It will drive a person about crazy.
So to everyone shopping over Christmas remember that the average retail person especially come December works long hours and only gets short breaks. I would greatly appreciate it if next time you consider that yes you don't want to take the perfume sprayed card, but it would make me feel a lot better about my day.
