Why I hate working retail during the holidays...

[Jughead P. Jones]

this one woman customer I had last night REALLY tried my patience.

Let's set up the story.

Because our store was short-staffed (yet again), I was left covering housewares, small appliances, paper goods and cleaners and food. It was also 5 days before Christmas, so the mood is tense enough as it is.

Then I run into this lady, who I dub "roasting pan b#@$h."

Here's the actual conversation...verbatum.

WOMAN: Excuse me, I need help with something.

JPJ: What do you need? I can try to help.

WOMAN: You got a flyer?

JPJ: No, we're out of flyers at the moment. (since the new flyer took effect the following day, we ran out of old flyers)

WOMAN: Well, I'm looking for an electric roasting pan that was in the flyer.

(at this point, JPJ scratches his head, because he hasn't heard of an ELECTRIC roasting pan)

JPJ: Okay...

WOMAN: Now, I called in on Monday, and they said they had 10, so I come today, and now I can't find them! I hope they didn't lie to me!

(At this point, JPJ feels like saying...'well, they might have had 10 on Monday, but this is WEDNESDAY)

JPJ: Well, let's go look around...they're probably in Housewares.

(So, JPJ takes the woman to housewares, and not exactly knowing where the thing she's looking for is, take her to the roasting pan area...here's where the fun begins.)

WOMAN: Why did you take me here?

JPJ: Well, this is housewares, and I think we'll find it here.

WOMAN: But, these AREN'T electric roasting pans.

JPJ: I know, we're going to start looking here.

WOMAN: But, they aren't ELECTRIC!

(JPJ's blood pressure begins to rise)

JPJ: I know, please...work with me here...we're STARTING to look here.

WOMAN: I'm sorry...I don't mean to be sassy...but THOSE AREN'T ELECTRIC!

(at this point, JPJ needs an Excedrin, but presses on)

JPJ: Well, since we don't have a flyer, can you tell me anything about the...ahem...electric roasting pan?

WOMAN: I know it's in the flyer.

JPJ: That doesn't exactly help, since we're...you know...out of flyers.

WOMAN: I know it's $39.96.

JPJ: Good! That's a great start! What is the make of it?

WOMAN: I don't know...but I know it's $39.96, and that you had 10 on Monday!

(JPJ at this point wants another Excedrin as he calls a manager)

MANAGER: Yes?

JPJ: I have a customer who is looking for an electric roasting pan that's advertised in the flyer.

MANAGER: I've never heard of an electric roasting pan.

JPJ: Me either...just humour her.

(As the manager looks through the flyer on the other end of the phone (all managers have a copy on their person), the woman is screaming at me "There was 10 on Monday, and if you don't have them, it's false advertising", and other redundant garbage. Finally, the manager tells me that no such item exists)

JPJ: Are you sure you read this advertised in OUR flyer?

WOMAN: Do you think I was born yesterday, boy?

(JPJ thinks. "Well....." :D )

WOMAN: I need this electric roasting pan now!

(JPJ gets frustrated and begins to pull out random items that LOOK like the "electric" roasting pan, because he knows that he has to fill milk up at some point, since he normally works the grocery department)

JPJ: Is THIS it? :)

WOMAN: No, that's not a roasting pan.

JPJ: Is THIS it? :rolleyes:

WOMAN: Does that price tag SAY $39.96?

JPJ: IS THIS IT? :mad:

WOMAN: It might be, but I doubt it.

(JPJ needs whole bottle of Excedrin now at this rate...FINALLY, we find the item...which is a ROASTER and NOT an ELECTRIC roasting pan)

JPJ: Okay, well, we have the item.

WOMAN: Is this the ONLY one you have left?

JPJ: Yes...it is.

WOMAN: Then, you had better go get me a shopping cart to put this in, because I don't want anyone else's grubby fingers to get all over MY electric roasting pan.

(At this point, JPJ would have loved to have clubbed her over the head with ANY roasting pan, electric or not, but instead, JPJ ran to the front to grab a shopping cart to put the stupid...whatever the heck she bought...inside)

WOMAN: Thank you...now, since WE'RE done here, you may as well help me in toys too.

(JPJ: AAAAAAUUUUUUUGGGGGHHHHHH!!!! :mad: )

Fortunately, we HAD a toy associate.

But, with all of that, I'm amazed I lasted 2 years in retail.

Thank god I have Christmas Eve off...I don't think I could handle THAT!

[MouseWife]

Oh gawd. You are going to hate me.

I also work retail. I cover jewelry, purses, watches, wallets, womens' 'foundations' {i.e. bras, panties, girdles, hosiery}, pj's and maternity. This place always gets thrashed...so much worse over the days leading up to the holidays.

Well...management always understaffs. But, this time I think I am a scapegoat. I put in for time off to be home with my son in August. She approved it but then hemmed and hawed. In the end, it was approved. Well, she didn't inform the person who makes the schedule so I have been on the schedule but not there. No one has been. There are others who work it and, luckily for them, they are getting extra hours. {my friend and she wanted the extra hours}.

That all said. Man. I so do not envy you. But, I give you a big pat on the back {and a couple of Excedrin, too!} for the patience you had with her!! Oh my gawd! And she wanted your help in toys, too? Can't people shop on their own? Ugh, and if your store is like mine, we have to help them.

I have to say also you had a lot of patience in not going off on her about the call on Monday and it being Wednesday. I give the 'guests' a ration of it when they try to say they got something on a shelf that was marked something else. I tell them 'Hey, people put things down all of the time. This obviously isn't that item'.

What is wrong with people when they go shopping? This priveledged attitude comes around here and they want to be compensated and they have so many rights.

Poopie on them.

I hope you feel better now. Play some Suduko on line. It will help. I do it.

[CoasterMatt]

People act the same way at theme parks.

[Kevy Baby]

Oh

My

Gawd


That is insane Jughead. Thank you for reminding me to NEVER work in retail!!!

[MouseWife]

People act the same way at theme parks.


Which is sort of funny you say this because we are all theme park multi-visitors {?}.

Reminds us to keep ourselves in check, no?

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Eesh! That's misery. Sorry to hear about that (but enjoyable to read the horrid encounter in screenplay format. :) )

[Mousey Girl]

One of the girls I work with at the party rental store took a side job at the mall. She was working at a video store (notice I said was). When she took the job she made it very clear that it was only a side job, that she already had a full time position. After they kept schedualing her way too many hours she gave her 2 week notice. They still had her working this past weekend 21+ hours in 2 days. This is a small but verrrrrry busy store. When she was schedualed they only had 2 people working, but during the day there were 3-4. Wednesday night shwe was there unti midnight, trying to get the thrashed store cleaned up. It was the last straw. She had no choice but to quit. She works 45-50 hours as an d event coordinator and then another 40+ at the mall.

Things like that make me very glad I am no longer a mall rat. I did my retail time, for many, many years. I totally sympathize with anyone still doing it.

[Strangler Lewis]

My most annoying experience as a waiter at Hamburger Hamlet was not with any of the mindblowing customers but with a district manager who was in the restaurant as I set up for brunch one Sunday. The restaurant proudly served cornbread, and I grabbed a piece to eat as I worked. The district manager asked if I had paid for it. "No," I said. "The register's not open yet." "Well," he said, "that's kind of like stealing, isn't it."

The cornbread was one of our employee half price items. Some were full price. The lobster bisque was forbidden to us to keep it special. That rule had a strangely brain washing effect.

[Snowflake]

Retail, always the closer you get to the actual holiday, gets worse and worse as the late shoppers converge all looking for the hottest item of the year.

This is why I am so grateful for online shopping, no muss no fuss. I find I go into the stores less and less every year.

Xmas at Tower was always maddening and fun. Fun behind the register and maddening when you could not even walk through the crowds in the aisle.

[CoasterMatt]

"Do you work here?"

"No, but I look good in this uniform, how may I help you?"

"Never mind, I need somebody who knows what they're doing"

[Jughead P. Jones]

"Do you work here?"

"No, but I look good in this uniform, how may I help you?"

"Never mind, I need somebody who knows what they're doing"

I always said that my uniform was the hottest new fashion trend for 2007. :D

[innerSpaceman]

Whew, I worked in retail for more years than I'd care to count ... and, despite some nimrod customers, never had a real problem.

I feel like I dodged a bullet.

[Alex]

Librarianship is the closest I've come to working retail. And at least there deep down the customer knows (except in academic librarianship but then the customer knows you're going to save their ass) you're smarter than them so if you play it right you can usually work the interaction around to where you need it to go.

[Not Afraid]

I'm in the service industry but my customers either bark, meow, chirp, squak or just drool. Sometimes, they do pee on the floor, however.

[tracilicious]

I'm in the service industry but my customers either bark, meow, chirp, squak or just drool. Sometimes, they do pee on the floor, however.


My last retail job we had a customers do all of the above. And they were human. Add pooping to that list.

[CoasterMatt]

Do I need to go into detail about the "Indiana Jones and the Improvised Urinal" story?

[Cadaverous Pallor]

We get our share of jerks at the library. I feel for anyone working retail at this time of year.

My response is to bump up my game and be as nice as humanly possible to them. If they see that you're put out by them, the terrorists win.

Just remember - "ma'am" and "sir" mean "bitch" and "jackass".

[CoasterMatt]

I had a guest cry in front of me today, and she didn't even hear what I said about her ugly mutant kids...

(It was a "happy" cry, she was having a very bad morning, and I did something nice for her and the family - no matter how annoying her kids were)

[MouseWife]

Sometimes, they do pee on the floor, however.


Aw,a little boy pee'd on the floor at the register behind mine once. I really felt badly for the kid. His dad had bought him popcorn, saw he pee'd and said 'No popcorn for you!!' Come on. It isn't the kids fault if you don't take him to the bathroom!!!! The mom was in line and the dad could very well have taken him. :mad:

So, what did you do to make the lady 'happy' cry?

[Mousey Girl]

Whenever I take an order I let my customer know that we close at 5:30. This was especially true of yesterday, since we are closed until the day after Christmas. This chick comes in at 5:25 to pick up some chairs. she is dragging a guy with her, who immediatly heads to the bathroom.

This should have been an easy one, since I already processed the payment. All we had to do was print out the contract and send her around to have the chairs loaded.

Nope. She then decides that she wants linens for 2 tables. Not just any linens, but specialty linen overlays. These 2 tables would have cost her $80 to cover. However, we only had enough linens for 1 table. She said to forget it, and was pretty bitchy about it.

She knew we were now closed. Her pet idiot was still in the bathroom, where he was talking on his cell phone (one of the guys in the warehouse had heard him).

I handed her the contract and told her she needed to pull around to the side to have the chairs loaded. She said she had to wait for her friend. I told her again that we were closed and we needed to get the chairs loaded and she really needed to pull around to the side. She flat out refused to leave. I told her that I would tell her friend where she was, but that it was now 5:40 and we had been closed for 10 minutes and it was time for her to either get her chairs or load them herself.

She glared at me and went and pounded on the men's room dooor yealling that we were kicking them out.

By the time I clocked out it was 5:45.

Normally the owner, who was listening to this entire thing, would have been ticked with me for rushing a customer. He didn't say a word. I was totally professional and curteous about it. What I really wanted to say was, "Look Bitch, I told you we closed at 5:30. If you want he damn chairs then drive around. If not I will cancel your order. We don't need your $30 bad enough to cater to your Hummer driving attitude."

[lindyhop]

I spent about a dozen years in retail so I could go on for days. It's been 20 years but I still have the dream where customers start wandering in even though we're not open yet. The worst part was the day after the day after Christmas because that's when we would get all the returns, one after another all day long.

There was the woman who returned the outfit for her newborn because he didn't look good in that color.
There was the woman who returned the bathrobe because it clashed with her bathroom.
There was the woman who put a curse on me because I wouldn't (couldn't!) do what she wanted. She didn't speak English so her grandson got to translate her special message to me.
There was the family who bought their fast food lunch in the mall and then set up their picnic on the (until that moment) lovely display in front of our department.
There was the customer who asked "Are these sunglasses guaranteed?" and the exasperated salesperson (me) who replied, "Guaranteed to do what?"

So extra good wishes to all of you serving in the trenches of retail this time of year.:cheers:

[sleepyjeff]

Whenever I take an order I let my customer know that we close at 5:30. This was especially true of yesterday, since we are closed until the day after Christmas. This chick comes in at 5:25 to pick up some chairs. she is dragging a guy with her, who immediatly heads to the bathroom.



Heh heh.....I got so fed up with a series of similar situations at my store that about two years ago I started locking the bathroom a half hour before closing time.

Today is my last day of business until next Wednesday.....I just know that 15 mintues before closing time someone will call and say they're "on their way in" and "could you please wait"......:mad:

2 hours to go...:)

[alphabassettgrrl]

My heart goes out to anyone working retail. Especially at this time of year.

[BarTopDancer]

I respect anyone who works retail; especialy this time of year.

I was in a 10 minute line at Bath and Body Works the other day (it was just that busy) and the line host (the girl at the front of the queue directing you to the nearest cashier) and cashier was apologizing for the wait. I just smiled and said if you're in a hurry you should not be in the mall in December.

[Morrigoon]

Okay, you've totally left me hanging... what did she end up buying? Was it a deep electric skillet???

[Kevy Baby]

I was unable to shop for Susan until yesterday. I braced myself for the insanity. I was pleasantly surprised to find all of the stores I went to were tolerable and people were being nice. Totally shocking.

[Betty]

I did a bit of shopping yesterday. Aside from having trouble finding a parking space at the grocery store - it wasn't too crowded. What did surprise me was all the Valentines day stuff out at Big Lot's and Target.

[Motorboat Cruiser]

I actually got all of my shopping done yesterday in just under 3 hours. I was expecting it to be more like 5 or 6. The stores that I went really weren't that bad. I was pleasantly surprised.

Matthew, on the other hand is just finishing up his 6th day in a row of holiday madness, working at Pier One. He's ready for a couple of days off.

[Alex]

Ended up in two malls (I somehow lost my watch so need a new one) yesterday and all things considered they weren't that bad.

Went away empty handed though. I'm very picky about watches and the only one I found in about 12 stores that I'd actually wear was $2,100. Unfortunately my price limit for a watch is about $400 so maybe I'll go watchless for the next 22 years and then buy that one.

[Kevy Baby]

I'm very picky about watches and the only one I found in about 12 stores that I'd actually wear was $2,100. Unfortunately my price limit for a watch is about $400 so maybe I'll go watchless for the next 22 years and then buy that one.Just start saving your hundred dollar bills and you'll have it no time!

[Ghoulish Delight]

Unfortunately my price limit for a watch is about $400 so maybe I'll go watchless for the next 22 years and then buy that one.But how will you know when the 22 years has ended with no watch? It's a catch-22 I tells ya'.

Okay, you've totally left me hanging... what did she end up buying? Was it a deep electric skillet???


(JPJ needs whole bottle of Excedrin now at this rate...FINALLY, we find the item...which is a ROASTER and NOT an ELECTRIC roasting pan)

[Alex]

I use watches to tell the time. I use calendars to tell the day.

That's part of why buying watches is difficult for me. I want plain simple elegance.

No digital. Digital is the opposite of elegance.
No numbers on the face. I know where they're supposed to be.
No date indicator on the face. I know what the date is.
No day indicator on the fact. I know what the day is.
No second hand. I don't need that level of precision.
No little doohickys where the numbers would be if there were numbers. Like I said, I know where the numbers go.
No barometers, compasses, calculators, depth calculators, etc.
Thin, low profile. I'm not compensating for a small penis with a huge SUV watch.
Metal band. Leather is uncomfortable.
Clasp band, not stretching. Stretching metal bands just pull the hair out of my arm.
Circle face. Putting a round device into a rectangular face is just stupid.
Preferably a black face but I'm open to variety.

All of these make Movado a prerfect brand for me, but the entry point for Movado is about $800. Skagen has in the past had some good designs (and that is what I lost) but none in stores right now.

Citizen has some good Eco-Drive watches with blank faces (since they are fancy solar watches with the solar panel built into the face lack of decoration helps) but the solar panel element is apparent under bright light.

This is a good watchface for me, though this specific model is thicker than I'd like:

http://bigbuycity.com/products/SKA256LSXB.jpg

I don't wear jewelry except watches and I recognize I'm horribly picky.

[tracilicious]

That's a very nice watch, the band isn't very thick. Not that I agree with your big watch=small penis analogy. I think it's just a matter of taste.

You must be impossible to buy gifts for.

[Alex]

Watches are about the only thing where I'm so picky. But of course it is a matter of taste. I don't care if other people wear giganto watches that will do dishes and tell you the phase of the moon as viewed from Mars. I just don't like them.

I'm impossible to buy gifts for because there really aren't a lot of things that I want and I make enough money that I simply buy them as the want occurs to me.

Fortunately for the people who might buy me gifts they all accept that I don't really want any anyway so they're not inconvenienced.

[Ghoulish Delight]

You must be impossible to buy gifts for.

Which I'm sure helps accomplish his goal of convincing his friends that he doesn't want to receive gifts.

I'm also picky about watches, though I don't have a point-by-point list that identifies an ideal Greg watch. I just know it when I see it. Definitely prefer classy to flashy I'm not against numbers and second hands, but the size of most watches confounds me and having more dials than a steam engine ain't for me.

[Alex]

I didn't have one either, but after a day at malls with Lani having to explain why watch after watch wasn't quite right I developed one.

I knew we were in trouble when the first display case she went to at Macy*s was the Tag Hauer (a brand that epitomizes ugly watches) display.

For a while I actually bought several Disney watches since they frequently meet most of my preferences but after three failed to meet the important requirement (that is: ability for function for more than six months) I stopped doing that.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Is this too much phantom number indication for you?

http://www.fossil.com/images/us/local/products/detail/FS4166.jpg

[Jughead P. Jones]

Okay, you've totally left me hanging... what did she end up buying? Was it a deep electric skillet???


A roaster. A nice one made by General Electric for $39.96.

And, if anyone else asks me about them again, I swear to god, I'll beat them over the head with a frozen turkey!

[Alex]

It is more than I'd like but within the range of consideration.

However, I will never own a Fossil watch again. Every one I've ever owned (three, two were gifts) has proven to be even more fragile than Disneyland watches.

[MouseWife]

I did a bit of shopping yesterday. Aside from having trouble finding a parking space at the grocery store - it wasn't too crowded. What did surprise me was all the Valentines day stuff out at Big Lot's and Target.

Already? Hmmm...that must mean they are already marking down the X-mas stuff.....

[Alex]

Ok, so the malls weren't too bad yesterday. But I just got back from Safeway.

That was a zoo.

[lindyhop]

Already? Hmmm...that must mean they are already marking down the X-mas stuff.....

"After Christmas sales" are pretty much a myth these days. Most stuff is on sale before Christmas. I bought some Christmas stuff that was 50% off two days ago.

[Kevy Baby]

All of these make Movado a prerfect brand for me, but the entry point for Movado is about $800.I took a look at Overstock. They have this watch (http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?PAGE=PROFRAME&PROD_ID=1433506) for just a little above your max price of $400 ($432.99) (ETA: They have the same watch at Jomashop (http://www.jomashop.com/movado-0605023.html) for $345.00):

http://images.overstock.com/f/102/3117/8h/www.overstock.com/images/products/P1021875.jpg

Though I gotta say that I fancy this one (http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?PAGE=PROFRAME&PROD_ID=2114209) myself (though I wear watches too infrequently to justify the $630 price tag):

http://images.overstock.com/f/102/3117/8h/www.overstock.com/images/products/L10395604.jpg

[Alex]

Yeah, I'd looked at both of those in the malls yesterday but wasn't willing to play the list price for them so one of the things I told Lani was that I'd check online.

The cheapest thing would be to pick one of my old watches and get a new battery put into it but I want to move forward.

When it comes to these things I do have expensive taste. We were in a Movado store in Walnut Creek last night and they had the full array. I looked them over and picked one to try on. It was, of course, the $2,100 one.

[NickO'Time]

On Friday the Mall in our town had at least a 45 minute wait for parking. I was working my shift at my place of work.
The Ugg boots are still hot 4 years running after Oprah made a blurb about them. ~~cough~ ~lemmings~~ cough~~

We sold these boots out at our store. We would get about 20 calls in one morning just asking for them. No exaggeration.
This one lady comes in acts like we are criminalizing her because we need the product back in condition to re-sell if she chooses to return them. Saying we are more concerned about the product then the customer.
I can somewhat see what she is trying to say, but no reason to get "bent" about it. :(

[Ghoulish Delight]

It is more than I'd like but within the range of consideration.

However, I will never own a Fossil watch again. Every one I've ever owned (three, two were gifts) has proven to be even more fragile than Disneyland watches.Wow, really? I've had a Fossil watch for 4 years and other than a couple battery changes, it's taken a licking and continued to tell time (or something like that). Of course, the evidence of that abuse is unfortunately apparent as the glass face is not-so-cleverly convex. So I can't give Fossil full design points, but durability hasn't been an issue.

We hit our loca mall yesterday (Saturday). It was definitely crowded, but not to zoo proportions. Though there was an inexplicably long line for Panda Express.

I'm sure CP's brothers (one works at Target, the other Toys-R-Us) will have some good stories to tell.

[€uroMeinke]

The longest lines I saw were in downtown LA in front of the store with the giant chicken statue. I think this is a holiday tradition I am unaware of.

[Ghoulish Delight]

The longest lines I saw were in downtown LA in front of the store with the giant chicken statue. I think this is a holiday tradition I am unaware of.
The longest line we saw was for Build-A-Bear.

[innerSpaceman]

at 9pm on Christmas Eve, no less.