For the past three years, I have worked summers and major holidays in Retail Hell. Most everyone who knows me knows exactly which conglomerate I work for, but because this a publication that will live on into the far reaches of the Internet, I shall simply call it Big Red.
Now, despite my incessant complaining to everyone who would listen, working at Big Red hasn’t been as bad as I make it out to be. Sure, I hate it there, but what young adult doesn’t loathe their part-time job? Anyway, aside from the truly inane jargon that was forced on me—Team Members instead of employees, Guests instead of customers, and ETLs (Executive Team Leaders) instead of managers—my workplace is a fair and friendly place.
The aspect of my time in retail that makes me want to harm small animals and drive into the sides of buildings is the people who shop at Big Red. Most of the time I work as a cashier, being Fast, Fun and Friendly as I check out and bow to the whims of Guests. Occasionally I work the sales floor, which entails picking up after messy and thoughtless customers and helping people find things I’m not even sure we carry.
It would be extremely unfair to say that I hate everyone who shops at my place of work, because this is far from the truth. I have experienced many wonderful guests and gone whole days without incident. But when there is a bad customer, boy, is it bad.
For some reason, the people who shop at Big Red seem to think that they are entitled to some kind of special treatment simply because our prices are slightly above our Blue Competitor. If they have to stand in line for more than 30 seconds they become agitated, and if their expired coupon doesn’t go through they insist on speaking to a manager.
News flash: retail workers are people, too. If an item is accidentally put on a clearance rack, it is 99 times out of 100 the fault of another careless customer. Every time you put something you don’t want randomly around the store, we have to put it back. And every time you buy anything, we have to come in behind you and move up every item on the shelf.
The worst part about retail, though, is the attitude of the customers. I’m sorry if the dress you want to buy that is clearance from $30 to $6 is missing a belt. If the milk you picked up is leaking, you are more than welcome to get another, but it’s not my fault. If you want to return something without a receipt, there’s only so much I can for you.
It seems to me that people just don’t understand that retail workers are people and that sometimes we make mistakes. There’s nothing worse than having to apologize to a raving soccer mom that you misprinted her receipt because the tape was put in upside down.
You’re shopping at Big Red, people, not Saks Fifth Avenue. Learn to deal.
Rebekah Locke can be reached at [email protected]
