SnowMongoose said:The only time people act badly towards me in a retail environment is when I'm at work...
which is sadly the only time I can't tell them to berkeley off.
Same here. I retired from my retail job 6.29.17. Since then, no one but SWMBO has behaved badly towards me. At work it was several times a day.
I worked at K-Mart during the summers when I was in College. After I graduated I moved to Florida and while shopping at K-Mart people would often mistake me for an employee. For a nanosecond I would be offended, but I actually knew the answers to their inquiries, so I usually helped them. It was just as easy to say, "it's in the back of the store in sporting goods" as to say I was offended.
Oh, the dumbest question you could ask me was in 1982 was, "Where are the batteries?" Because did you mean car batteries, watch batteries, giant Flashlight batteries, or regular D, C etc. (Automotive, camera and jewelry, sporing goods, and check outs.)
Trans_Maro said:There seems to be a lack of Walmartians up here in Canuckistan.
I see a lot of white trash there but nothing like the pictures I've seen.
We don't really have that at the Walmarts here either but on the opposite side of town, where they keep a security guard outside the liquor store through the weekends, there's a grocery store where it's not unusual to see people shop in their pyjamas
Having done my time in retail, I firmly believe that EVERYONE should be required to do 5 years in customer service.
Maybe more people would learn how to be a decent human being.
In reply to Trans_Maro :
I learned lots about life and people by working midnight shift at a local gas station chain in the greater Parkersburg WV metropolitan area for a few years. Depending on the night I would work the store next to the interstate on 7th, the store next to the strip club on Emerson, or the store next to the trailer park in Washington Bottom. Good times..... good times indeed......
In reply to Trans_Maro :
QFT, I worked in fast food. You know the guy who gets stepped on, screwed over, overworked and underappreciated and is generally just pissed off? He gets to talk down to the burger flipper and probably only the burger flipper.
I always feel like a weirdo when I'm dressed up in a suit and tie.
Over the weekend, I had to go to a wedding. After checking into the hotel, I got changed into my suit and headed out on a beer run. People look at you funny when you are walking around the "packie" (MA-hole speak for liquor store) wearing a suit and carrying around a 6-er of 'Gansett and a 4-pack of Boom Sauce tallboys. I felt like I was cosplaying a business executive that just got canned and decided to go on a bender. I got the hairy eyeball from more than one patron at that place.
In reply to Trans_Maro :
Retail. Retail never changes.
And I wholeheartedly agree.
akamcfly said:Trans_Maro said:There seems to be a lack of Walmartians up here in Canuckistan.
I see a lot of white trash there but nothing like the pictures I've seen.
They're a rare sighting here in T Bay, but when I lived in Niagara Falls I regularly saw a few that would fit the Walmartian category.
As an American that works in Canada, I can validate these statements. I never go to Walmart in the states because it's...Walmart. But in the BC interior where I am often for work, the Walmart is the Target equivalent as far as the patronage is concerned. Safe enough.
You think that's bad? I got asked if I worked at Wal-Mart last time I was in Wal-Mart. I was wearing my uniform shirt that says the name of the parts house I work at on it at the time.
Trans_Maro said:Having done my time in retail, I firmly believe that EVERYONE should be required to do 5 years in customer service.
Maybe more people would learn how to be a decent human being.
I had a long winded angry rant from my time in retail typed up, but decided it would be easier to just say I'd rather do 5 years in prison then work another day in retail. I actually think retail should replace prison, it's more of a punishment.
Retail was even worse than fast food, as far as customers go.
On topic, for some reason I get confused as a local when I'm on vacation, so people ask me randomly for directions, which I happily pull out of thin air to give them.
Being tall I usually get little old ladies asking me to get something down from a high shelf. No problem. I can help.
It’s the idiots in the store that get pissed because I point out that they are short and would they mind picking up that dime on the ground for me
There was one time I was at Home Depot wearing an orange t-shirt and another guy wearing an orange t-shirt asked me for help to leave the store. Since I too was being ambushed by customers we ran for the back door.
In reply to spin_out :
Store #4459 - Willowbrook, IL. 1979-1985. High school and College.
I remember management telling us in 1982-83 that Kmart was the #2 retailer in the nation and just might pass up #1; Sears in a year or two.
It was hard to believe then and some days I’m not sure I really ever heard that statement.
Aurora isn't part of Chicago. Trust me on this. There's a big difference.
RevRico said:Trans_Maro said:Having done my time in retail, I firmly believe that EVERYONE should be required to do 5 years in customer service.
Maybe more people would learn how to be a decent human being.
I had a long winded angry rant from my time in retail typed up, but decided it would be easier to just say I'd rather do 5 years in prison then work another day in retail. I actually think retail should replace prison, it's more of a punishment.
Retail was even worse than fast food, as far as customers go.
On topic, for some reason I get confused as a local when I'm on vacation, so people ask me randomly for directions, which I happily pull out of thin air to give them.
9 years in retail and counting. The only thing that has saved me is working at a nicer store in a more expensive department. You get less mouth breathers, but the clientele expects you to really kiss their butts. That or my time in the back of store, fewer customers.
I must have a face for public service. When I wear a suit and tie I used to get mistaken for Secret Service. Nowadays apparently I look more like the politician.
Datsun310Guy said:Being tall I usually get little old ladies asking me to get something down from a high shelf. No problem. I can help.
It’s the idiots in the store that get pissed because I point out that they are short and would they mind picking up that dime on the ground for me
Say What??
Hilarious
Trans_Maro said:Having done my time in retail, I firmly believe that EVERYONE should be required to do 5 years in customer service.
Maybe more people would learn how to be a decent human being.
I am totally, absolutely, completely 100% behind you on this statement! Especially since I often say the same thing.
This happens to me periodically. I'm a veterinarian in a Banfield, and have to go through the PetSmart store to get to the men's room. I'll be wearing scrubs and a white lab coat and people will still ask me for help in the store.
Years ago, I was in a Walgreens while on my way to perform in a classical music concert. I'm in my black tie / tuxedo and someone asks me for directions to a product! That must have been one fancy Walgreens.
There's a whole subreddit for stories like this. Don't click if you don't have time to waste:
https://www.reddit.com/r/IDontWorkHereLady/
if you do have time to waste, click and sort by "top" and "all time" and there goes a few hours.
I have to be careful if I go to Walmart after work and I don’t have a jacket over my uniform. Wrong W store people.
The story of my previous life... I worked for Coca-Cola on the delivery side for 9 years (age 20-29.) This means much of your day is spent doing work in stores you do not work for. For the places on your regular route it was just easier to learn where things were in the store (since most all stores have the same general layout and flow.)
dculberson said:There's a whole subreddit for stories like this. Don't click if you don't have time to waste:
https://www.reddit.com/r/IDontWorkHereLady/
if you do have time to waste, click and sort by "top" and "all time" and there goes a few hours.
Thanks for the recommendation, I was very unproductive at work today.
If it’s a simple question I know the answer to I don’t mind helping, but having to shop late at night I tend to get kooks and sometimes I’m bored and need to amuse myself. A few months ago I had a very angry woman come to me asking why she couldn’t Tide. I started saying I wasn’t sure but that got her angrier so I told her I lost a game of pinochle with the Wisk distributor and had to give them Tide’s shelf space. She had no problem buying that but couldn’t believe I wasn’t the night manager.
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