People say that “everyone should work retail or service at least once in their lives.” I couldn’t agree more. My first job and current job is in a clothing store. My days are filled with sorting, colorizing, sizing, and organizing. I love working retail and the pros far outweigh the cons. But, if you have never worked retail I'm here to fill you in about a few things you may not know.

1. If you talk down to me as if I am a lesser person than you, you will become an instant joke I tell to my friends and family. You turn into the conversation topic when my coworkers and I joke about the worst customers we have ever had to deal with. You do not want to be this person.

2. Leaving clothes all over the floor of the fitting room is the easiest way to piss off a retail worker. How hard is it to leave them on the designated rack right outside? I've seen children successfully complete the task.

3. The only thing worse than leaving clothes on the floor is sticking them on a random rack somewhere in the store. Now not only do we have to put them back in there proper place, but we also have to play a game of hide and seek to find them.

4. We do not get to go home at the closing time of the store. There is vacuuming, sweeping, and so much more that has to be done before we get to go home. So if you walk in 2 minutes before the store "closes" we are not going to be as happy as we are pretending to be.

5. We are not lying to you when we tell you we do not have something in stock or that the item you want is not on sale. And when you ask to speak to the manager after a sales associate just explained something to you, 9 times out of 10 the manager is going to tell you exactly what you just heard.

6. No, our prices are not negotiable.

7. Please get off your phone when you are at the register so I do not have to listen to you tell Susan about what your boyfriends best friends sister did last night.

So during this time of year, take the time to appreciate retail workers as they take the time to pick up the clothes you left on the floor, fix the displays your children are knocking over, and deal with the influx of last minute customers.