As someone who has had a few jobs in retail, I've encountered many instances where I’ve come across those darned customers that you just can't stand. With that being said, I’ve decided to dedicate this article to the things customers do that annoy retail workers.
1. Don't dig through piles of clothes and make it worse.
We're more than happy to help you find the size you need. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve run into this issue. Nothing annoys me more than when I just finished folding a pile only for someone to come and rip right through it to find a size. There is no need to dig through a freshly cleaned pile. If you’re in need of a size, we are always there to help you find it.
2. Leave our fitting room like you would leave your closet (or don't, if you're a slob at home).
I speak for most retail employees when I say it would be much appreciated if we did not have to find expensive clothing sprawled out on the floor of our dressing rooms. Not only is it unsanitary to have to pick up clothing off the floor and have other people try on or buy those clothes, but it is downright annoying as well.
3. Working retail during the holidays is actually the tenth circle of Hell.
There are many reasons why it stinks to work during the holiday season. First, the many new “seasonal” employees that are hired have no idea what they are doing, which is understandable, but having to teach them during the busiest time of the year is not ideal.
This leads me to my second point: the holiday season is the busiest time of the year for all retail stores. Working Black Friday for retail employees is almost as bad as being stuck in purgatory. For most, it is not fun to have to work overnight, but when you take into account the fact that many of the employees left their family celebrations to come to work (plus having to deal with the never-ending line of people going throughout your store), please be sympathetic.
4. We're not idiots. We can see you stealing.
Just stop. You think you’re “doing it right” but you’re not. It looks super sketchy when you go off into a corner and look around the store to see if anyone is watching. All while you shove that pair of pants into your big purse.
5. Do not get angry at me when I tell you I cannot take your item back. We don't make the return policy.
It is not my fault that you went home, opened the package, threw out the receipt and then realized the clothes did not fit. Do not ask me to get the manager after I told you no because they will most likely say the same thing I just told you. If you are nice to me, I will do everything in my power to do the return for you. But if you yell at me when I try to explain to you that this is our store policy, I will kindly tell you to leave.
6. Keep track of your children or I'm going to let them chug my iced coffee and let you deal with THAT.
I understand kids will be kids. They can run around and have fun when they’re outside or at home. But please, when you bring your kids to the mall, keep track of them. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had children running amok around my store. Each time I’ve asked them to stop, and when they didn’t listen, they fell or ran into something and got hurt. Long story short: parents, watch your children and keep them in check. It’s for their own safety.
7. Our store is not a garbage can. Take your trash with you.
I can not stress this enough. Please, if you carry in food or a drink cup, carry it out. If you don't want to hold it anymore, ask one of our employees. We will be more than willing to hold your cup at the counter or throw it out in our garbage for you. Otherwise, carry out what you carry in. P.S.: There are many garbage cans located throughout the mall for you to dispose of your trash.
8. We are on our feet for most of the day, dealing with people like you, so understand that we're tired.
On most days, a retail employee will work anywhere from 7 to 10 hours a day. All of those hours are spent standing, either behind the register or walking around the store. Needless to say, we are tired. When we walk to the stockroom instead of running to the stockroom, please don’t get mad. We are trying our best.
9. Stop. Using. Expired. Coupons.
There is a date on the coupon for a reason. Please don’t come into the store the day after it expires and try to use the coupon. Chances are, I’ve already heard the same sob story you’re about to tell me from hundreds of other people that day. Also, please stop trying to use online only coupons in store. If the email specifically says “for online use only”, do not come up to my register and try to use it. You’re only wasting both of our times.
10. If you value your life, do not come in 5 minutes before close.
I speak for most retail employees when I say: please do not come into the store five minutes before we close. Chances are, we’ve all been there most of the day and want to go home, and when we see customers enter the store five minutes before we close, most of us will not be happy campers.
I can’t tell you how many times I've been done cleaning the store and about to close the registers when a customer just moseys on into our store and begins messing up everything I just cleaned.
Additionally, please refrain from knocking on the store doors ten minutes after we closed and locked them because you want to return something you just bought. If it’s that important, come back the next morning and we’ll be more than happy to help you. But if you come back ten minutes after we locked the doors, chances are the registers are already shut down and there is nothing we can do about it.
For anyone out there who works in retail and has to deal with this every day, I know how you feel. To those customers who are nice to retail employees and understand that we are only human, and doing the best we can: thank you.
