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[Sober]

Aww man, I love it when people say that. "I've done it before" "You can do it at all the other stores". Especially when they make up ridiculous shit that doesn't exist, or things I physically can't input into the cash register. And yet they insist. Amazing.

Honestly every time I try to explain to a customer that this isn't a hole-in-the-wall boutique where I order, oversee tagging and sale of every item, I ask myself why I wasted energy on that or trying to explain having a humongous inventory and a POS system and how someone making minimum wage isn't going to go and memorize everything.

Also when "your manager said it was okay" and get offended when I call to double check.

 

[speedline]

I have a pretty good paying, cushy job now but spent 8 years working in grocery stores. People that have never had a shit job in their life don't always understand that those shitty jobs expect you to be 100% devoted to that crap. It's crazy to see the videos of the Walmart chants and claps on youtube, what bullshit. I remember a long time ago interviewing at Circuit City and they had this group type interview thing where you had to get together and do some stupid cheer, fuck that noise I was out of there asap.

 

[Kisaya]

Aww man, I love it when people say that. "I've done it before" "You can do it at all the other stores". Especially when they make up ridiculous shit that doesn't exist, or things I physically can't input into the cash register. And yet they insist. Amazing.

Lmao it's hilarious when people talk like they know shit more than you. I think that's the only time my patience runs out and I go into condensing bitch mode.

What also has me weak are when customers come into IKEA furious that what they want isn't in stock, and are like "oh my god I came all the way from JERSEY and I took a CAB for this CUP." At that point I'm really trying to not lose my shit xD

 

[Sober]

To be fair the running joke is that the IKEA layout is meant to infuriate people. Don't the staff have a series of tunnels and halls and stuff to get quickly around?

 

[shintoki]

Aww man, I love it when people say that. "I've done it before" "You can do it at all the other stores". Especially when they make up ridiculous shit that doesn't exist, or things I physically can't input into the cash register. And yet they insist. Amazing.

Oh, they can and maybe even have. They just bitched long and hard enough till eventually a manager folded over.

That is the absolute fucking worse. When you get thrown under the bus for you know, doing your job and they even say it.

"No you did the right thing, they were just a bitch and we wanted them gone".

You tell the customer I was rude and wrong, give them what they want, and then proceed to say keep doing what your doing? It's like fuck off.

 

[wanders]

Have you guys ever dealt with slickdeal/cheapassgamer type people?

Or people trying cheat the system?

The other day I had a customer try to price match an Asus WiFi extender from Amazon but I couldn't because they were different models despite looking similar.

His bitch ass went, "Cant you just price match it. Its the same, why do you have to make it so difficult?"

I wish a thousand pounds of fist came crashing to his face

 

[Rich!]

Had another incident at my store the other day. The shoplifter who went for me a few months back (I ended up knocking him out) came back in. Me and my duty manager told him to leave. He refused. I called the police, and then noticed he had a knife or something in his pocket.

he went towards me, I punched him in the face, threw him out through the doors. Kept punching him, tripped him and he smacked his head on a council bin.

Police turned up and arrested him.


Just another typical day in this shitty shitty place.

 

[Haribo]

Had another incident at my store the other day. The shoplifter who went for me a few months back (I ended up knocking him out) came back in. Me and my duty manager told him to leave. He refused. I called the police, and then noticed he had a knife or something in his pocket.

he went towards me, I punched him in the face, threw him out through the doors. Kept punching him, tripped him and he smacked his head on a council bin.

Police turned up and arrested him.


Just another typical day in this shitty shitty place.

Jesus, hope you're ok.

The joys of Old Christchurch Road. Basically anything further up from Beales should be nuked; barely any customers and just drug addicts/alcoholics screaming and lazing around. Add the fucking charity 'ARIGHT MATE' dickheads over the past week and I'm finding it an ever more depressing place to work.

 

[Kisaya]

To be fair the running joke is that the IKEA layout is meant to infuriate people. Don't the staff have a series of tunnels and halls and stuff to get quickly around?

No, we just know how to use the shortcuts since most customers don't want to bother.

 

[chaosblade]

Had another incident at my store the other day. The shoplifter who went for me a few months back (I ended up knocking him out) came back in. Me and my duty manager told him to leave. He refused. I called the police, and then noticed he had a knife or something in his pocket.

he went towards me, I punched him in the face, threw him out through the doors. Kept punching him, tripped him and he smacked his head on a council bin.

Police turned up and arrested him.


Just another typical day in this shitty shitty place.

Are you Docpan?

Where do you work, most places would probably fire someone for that.

 

[Kevtones]

I worked at a Game Crazy in college that was connected to a Hollywood Video...


- One night this 60 pound kid playing our Guitar Hero demo just starts uncontrollably vomiting all over the guitar and the floor. Had to be at least 45 pounds of vomit and the kid did it in about 7 heaves before his father came in, grabbed his arm, looked at me and said 'sorry' before bolting out of the fucking store never to return.

- This other time I was closing/doing the trash in the back and rose too fast and hit my head on a metal support. I was woozy, but thought it was a 'stinger' and kept working all half-speed. Some dude comes in at like 8:58 wanting a game and try to sell him the MVP card while he continually asks if I'm okay.

I get him out of the store and feel the back of my head and it's bloody/warm. I walk over to the Hollywood side while locking my front door and ask the manager to look at my head. He says 'holy shit your head is cracked open'. Sure enough, it was. I call my manager to no avail, manage to close the fucking store, get my roommate to drive me to the hospital.

4 staples/a diagnosed concussion later I come home at midnight. I then proceed to write an upper-division business management paper that was fairly offensive and nearly got me kicked out of the program before I told them the circumstances.

 

[Rich!]

Are you Docpan?

Where do you work, most places would probably fire someone for that.

I run it. I can't fire myself, and the police support me.

 

[RELAYER]

I run it. I can't fire myself, and the police support me.

BACK IT UP
BACK IT UP
YOU NEED TO BACK IT UP

 

[TOP SHOTTA]

It's crazy to see the videos of the Walmart chants and claps on youtube, what bullshit.

I almost forgot those existed. Yes those things are terrifying to me. They are the kinds of videos that the /r/cringe subreddit was made for.

 

[dreamcastmaster]

Had another incident at my store the other day. The shoplifter who went for me a few months back (I ended up knocking him out) came back in. Me and my duty manager told him to leave. He refused. I called the police, and then noticed he had a knife or something in his pocket.

he went towards me, I punched him in the face, threw him out through the doors. Kept punching him, tripped him and he smacked his head on a council bin.

Police turned up and arrested him.


Just another typical day in this shitty shitty place.

See username.

Well done.

 

[BHK3]

Lmao it's hilarious when people talk like they know shit more than you. I think that's the only time my patience runs out and I go into condensing bitch mode.

What also has me weak are when customers come into IKEA furious that what they want isn't in stock, and are like "oh my god I came all the way from JERSEY and I took a CAB for this CUP." At that point I'm really trying to not lose my shit xD

Same shit happened to me yesterday. Lady came from god knows fucking where for a shitty comforter set that was on sale, we didn't have it in king. "WHAT DO YOU MEEAAANN YOU DON'T HAVE IT IN KING?!!? THIS IS RIDICULOUS I DROVE ALL THE WAY FROM BLAH BLAH AND YOU SHOULD HAVE ONE IN KING I MEAN HOW DID YOU RUN OUT?"

"Ma'am if you want we can order one for yo- I DON'T WANNA ORDER IT THIS IS CRAZY I WANT TO SEE YOUR MANAGER"

-Manager comes-
"What seems to be the issue"
"THIS KID TOLD ME THIS SET IS SOLD OUT IN THE KING SIZE AND HE SAID I SHOULD ORDER IT AND I DON'T WANT TO"
"Is it sold out in king? Yes. Did you check the back? Yes. Ma'am the only thing we can do for you is order it, FINE I DONT WANT TO PAY SHIPPING thats not a problem at all ma'am"

Really seems like every other day someone comes in, blows their top and gets free shit, she was all tired during the transaction too, was it really worth the effort for no $10 shipping?

 

[Succinct Verbosity]

I really enjoy my job, but I wish I could get more hours. The people I work with are great and the customers aren't that bad (for the most part). That being said, I can't wait to move onto a higher paying job eventually. Please.

 

[Liljagare]

I'm so glad to be out of retail, have many, many stories from it, but at the end, I just wanted to kill every last person that behaved like an ass, so I knew it was time to change..

Such a shame, enjoyed it for a long time, on and off for 25 years, but finally couldn't stomach another completely uncalled yelling at.

I always wondered how people think when they behave badly in stores, I'd never do it, we're all people after all.

 

[The Last Wizard]

A coworker supposedly had a blazer throw in her face and she ran into the break room crying and quit, wish I could've saw it.

 

[Winterfang]

I got fired a couple of months. Is kind of weird not interacting with hundreds of different people daily.

 

[Neki]

Reading the thread has been fun. The only things I have to contribute are:

We have some items on sale at our grocery sale only when you have a club card. Pretty often, people come in and don't realize this, and when I tell them, they literally sound like a 6 year old saying "well I'm not buying any of this then unless I get the discount!" This also happens with people who forget their card, they act like their entitled to the card price when they don't have one. I usually grab one from another customer, but holy shit, the sense of entitlement is astounding.

And the worst are people who come in without enough money and look at me like I'm supposed to do something. Most people take off items when they realize they can't afford it, but I occasionally get that one person who stares at me blankly like I can do something for them. It's really annoying, like I'm a cashier, I can't just let you go when you're short 2 dollars. Like, why are you buying so much shit if you can't afford it, put back those god damn chips and pay for your shit already. Ugh.

If it wasn't for my co-workers, I'd probably quit a long time ago. They're all super nice to me, even when I was a lowly untrained cashier, lol.

 

[Vox-Pop]

The "Post your job title and degree (if any)" thread has me depressed.

 

[The Last Wizard]

Fuck inventory, that is all.

 

[BrightEyedPanic]

So who else feels awkward when you have to tell a small child "no" when their parents let them have the run of the store?

A couple weeks ago there was a cute little girl running around, but she was going under the tables, behind the checkout counter, in overstock areas and her mom was doing NOTHING. She even came behind the counter next to me, while mom was checking out and her mother didn't bother calling her back over. I gave her some bubbles from an Oz promo we had going on and told her to go show her mommy what i gave her. It's ridiculous I have to control people's children like that, because they did nothing. It's not my place.

 

[Kisaya]

So who else feels awkward when you have to tell a small child "no" when their parents let them have the run of the store?

A couple weeks ago there was a cute little girl running around, but she was going under the tables, behind the checkout counter, in overstock areas and her mom was doing NOTHING. She even came behind the counter next to me, while mom was checking out and her mother didn't bother calling her back over. I gave her some bubbles from an Oz promo we had going on and told her to go show her mommy what i gave her. It's ridiculous I have to control people's children like that, because they did nothing. It's not my place.

I don't really feel awkward, just a little annoyed that I have to do it. I just say something like, "Hi sweetie, don't run/sit on the merchandise/throw everything please~" They stop most of the time, and rarely do I have to directly tell their parents.

Once I had job shared at the Children's area, and this kid had piled up a shit ton of all the small toys on one of the beds. I had asked him earlier if he could put them away after he was done doing whatever, but when I glanced at his father he chuckled and shrugged with a "whelp, kids huh!?? x]" look. Of course neither of them put them away and I had to put them all back

 

[Mully]

There's always one asshole.

I may take $1100 worth of merchandise back from a customer because he's thrown a temper tantrum, treated my employee's nastily, and hung up on me twice when I asked him if he could stop by and pay out his balance that he's promised twice he'd pay today.

My aunt owns the nursery I manage, and has said that it's my decision whether to take the stuff back or not. I might just do it out of spite because I know he's a house flipper that has a little less than a week left before he has to sell the house. It'd be a nice middle finger to his childish attitude.

I don't care who the fuck you are or how much pressure you have, you don't treat anyone the way you've treated the entire staff of my nursery.

 

[Manus]

I love doing returns for people as slow as possible, especially when I know they just wanted to use the product than return it. Some people get so upset when I don't let things get returned when they forget small things like the Spanish manual or something minor.

 

[Heysoos]

What's up with these people that come into stores and talk down to people? I had a customer come in on Monday to see if we had gotten the Chromecast yet, but he came in with such a shitty attitude.

"Hey, do you guys have the Chromecast yet? Not that I expect you drones to know what I'm talking about. Just look it up on your system."

This is literally word for word what he told me.

Like, really asshole? At least I have the satisfaction of having sold the last one we had in stock right in front of him on Wednesday when he finally came in for one.

 

[x Power Pad Death Stomp x]

People are just fucktards. The same guy comes in every week and asks for a certain shoe in a certain size. We don't have it but for no extra $ it can be shipped to his home in 4 business days. Nope. Just will not order. He could have had them 39 times by now.

He also acts like its a "macho" contest if anyone tries to give him customer service. Bro, I don't really give a shit how you're doing today, it's my job to ask, it's not an affront to your masculinity to say "good thanks"

 

[Assault]

I've been working part-time in a well-known supermarket here in the UK for close to two years. I can relate to a lot of the posts in the thread - I honestly didn't realise how stupid and obnoxious people can be until I started working here.

However, the one thing which irks me the most is the fact that the store manager fails to acknowledge my presence every time he comes near me. Like, if he walks past my station, he will never say hello. Not even make eye contact. Ever.

Spoiler

Although I could probably say hello first and not cry about it here.

 

[PartTimeWarrior]

Gotta share my experience from a couple days ago

10:50 PM: Guy comes in, picks up a hand cart, stuffs it full of teeth whitening products and protein powder, runs out the store with it

5:30 AM: THE SAME GUY returns to the store to put a prescription in at the pharmacy. He gets another hand cart and stuffs it again.

We call the cops, show them the tapes, he gets arrested. What an idiot

 

[PhoncipleBone]

Gotta share my experience from a couple days ago

10:50 PM: Guy comes in, picks up a hand cart, stuffs it full of teeth whitening products and protein powder, runs out the store with it

5:30 AM: THE SAME GUY returns to the store to put a prescription in at the pharmacy. He gets another hand cart and stuffs it again.

We call the cops, show them the tapes, he gets arrested. What an idiot

Best part of the story.

 

[Rich!]

Just an update - I was fired as a retail store manager on October.

I'm now working an office job (customer service for google) and it is absolutely fucking amazing. I earn almost the same amount, there's no uniform, no stress, it's fucking amazing.

Fuck retail!!!!!!!!

 

[Son Of D]

Currently unemployed, but I did used to work at a Blockbuster (UK) in the nearby city. It had it's ups and downs. Mostly downs. Got death threats for stopping someone from stealing a bag of £1 Milkyway buttons amongst other things. Got a rape threat from someone who didn't bring a few films back.nAnd of course there were the "Why the fuck do you work in a film store if you don't watch every film?". Fuck that, I am not watching shit I know I won't like such as Twilight, Rock of Ages or Horror Sequel #257.

Then when the stores were closing down I was getting annoyed with people asking the same questions word for word "Oh what are we going to do for film rentals?" etc. It got to the point where I just raised my voice at times so everyone in the queue (maybe even the store) could hear me... then I'd get asked again by the person behind the one I served. Also during that time I got more and more tempted to just say "Fuck your rentals what about my job?!", never did though.

I didn't outright hate the job, my work colleagues were (mostly) really great people, the benefits were good and there were some nice customers as well (heck I still have a handwritten note to my managers from a customer talking about how they liked my service), but sheesh the bad really got to me and made days there miserable.

I needed that rant. Just hope that my next job isn't retail, or at least somewhere less stressful.

 

[Rich!]

Currently unemployed, but I did used to work at a Blockbuster (UK) in the nearby city. It had it's ups and downs. Mostly downs. Got death threats for stopping someone from stealing a bag of £1 Milkyway buttons amongst other things. Got a rape threat from someone who didn't bring a few films back.nAnd of course there were the "Why the fuck do you work in a film store if you don't watch every film?". Fuck that, I am not watching shit I know I won't like such as Twilight, Rock of Ages or Horror Sequel #257.

Then when the stores were closing down I was getting annoyed with people asking the same questions word for word "Oh what are we going to do for film rentals?" etc. It got to the point where I just raised my voice at times so everyone in the queue (maybe even the store) could hear me... then I'd get asked again by the person behind the one I served. Also during that time I got more and more tempted to just say "Fuck your rentals what about my job?!", never did though.

I didn't outright hate the job, my work colleagues were (mostly) really great people, the benefits were good and there were some nice customers as well (heck I still have a handwritten note to my managers from a customer talking about how they liked my service), but sheesh the bad really got to me and made days there miserable.

I needed that rant. Just hope that my next job isn't retail, or at least somewhere less stressful.

I was a Blockbuster UK manager for three years. Sup.

I left when I did the horizons management course and was told by Fran o Donnell that the company wouldn't last another year. lol byeeee!

 

[delta25]

Been working in retail for a long time and there's two things that retail has taught me, the customer is never right and the holidays fucking suck.

 

[Sentilly]

Oh god this thread is glorious and just what I needed; i've had my share of magical moments with customers (and even co-workers) as well. I don't know what's more mentally scarring, finding used dirty panties on the floor of the clothing department, going into the washroom and finding an woman dumping a basin/jar thing of piss in the sink or watching in frozen horror as your co-worker brushes his teeth in the communal kitchen sink in the break room.

 

[mre]

Oh god this thread is glorious and just what I needed; i've had my share of magical moments with customers (and even co-workers) as well. I don't know what's more mentally scarring, finding used dirty panties on the floor of the clothing department, going into the washroom and finding an woman dumping a basin/jar thing of piss in the sink or watching in frozen horror as your co-worker brushes his teeth in the communal kitchen sink in the break room.

Let's be honest. Given your first comment, can you be surprised he used the break room sink to brush his teeth?

 

[PhoncipleBone]

The moment when you go into the public restroom and you see a guy is packing up a shaving kit and washing his hands before he leaves. And there is all this loose hair all over the sink area along with bits of blood and scraps of toilet paper. Yeah, that was a fun clean up.

 

[DoktorEvil]

I feel like I'm missing out on a shared bonding experience of retail hell, because I was a stock boy at Foot Locker. I never dealt with customers, or was handed a key to the register. I just stared at Jordan's & Nikes all day, and some basic janitorial stuff. Bathrooms were never an issue, because the place didn't allow anyone into their back rooms who wasn't staff. My co-workers were kind of dickish, however, and took every liberty of hooking up their boys' to get free or severely reduced pairs. Also, never work on the day of an exclusive dropping, because mobs of teenage/20-something assholes will come and f up your store for 1 pair of sneakers a kid donated his life for.

I'm so glad I'm not a sneakerhead, because it's criminal what these sneaker companies get away with in order to hock their goods.

I've been considering jumping back into some kind of retail thanks to the minimum wage increase near me. Does anyone have any companies they favor as far as work conditions?

 

[warpony663]

I work for a large hardware chain in the UK, its the one with an & to give a hint. Had a few painful moments in my time there but the ones that come immediatly to my mind are

- The guy who threatened me with a petrol chainsaw and demanded to speak to Sanchez,there isn't a Sanchez at my work. Continues to rant and rave about how it should work. Reason it wasn't working was he didn't pump the petrol into the motor before he tried to start it.

- The former Chancellor of the Exchequer, rocking a pair of Bermuda shorts punching a self service till because it wouldn't work. Then demanding I put the items through for him.

- Customer telling me he was going to report me to Management for asking him to pay for an order.

- I work in the timber section now where we have a large timber saw for cutting sheets of plywood, MDF worktops etc. The amount of customer who will not help me lift 8x4 sheets or 3M long worktop and then get pissy when I tell them I'll have to go get someone to help me lift it if they aren't going to help lift it.

-My personal favourite from the last few weeks, serving a customer for a large order of bulk bags of aggregate materials talking to the guy about delivery, while his order is being paid for the deputy manager comes up to me and demands to know what I'm doing. I tell him I'm serving this customer, the manager proceeds to try and berate me. Telling me what about the order, why are you at the checkouts. The customer interrupts him and pretty much told the manager to fuck off and that I was being more helpful than anyone else he had talked to in the store. That customer will always hold a special place in my heart.

 

[Hackbert]

i work for a german grocery chain called Combi. Daughterfirm of Bünting, if anyone heard about the tea ^^?

the guy with the glasses ^^. The job is fun most of the times, given the one or two crazy customers every other day. strong frequented store, are located right beside a university

 

[AtomskEater]

I work in a restaurant, and 75% of my time is spent at the juice bar. I usually am scheduled to work alone, which means running the register to take orders and making the juices, coffee, and getting people their desserts.

I absolutely hate when I'm already engaged in making a juice, and someone walks in and walks right over to me while I'm running the juicer (which are pretty loud), and they proceed to rattle off a bunch of things.
"Yes I would like lemon and orange and kale and celery and"
"Ma'am. I'll be with you in just a moment."
Like, I can understand your eagerness for the cool, delicious touch of a freshly made juice, but please wait until I'm available. I'm doing the best I can to get everyone their things in a timely fashion, and I'm not going to remember a damn thing you wanted in your drink besides.

It's terrible when I get no support from the food side of the restaurant. How it should work is that if I get 3 or more orders, I go around the corner and get the attention of someone on the food line so they can come over and help out until we've cleared the queue. How it is in reality is that I go around and tell them I need help, then go back and do everything myself anyway because they never send anyone over. They've got two people on the register, 3-4 people serving, and other people back in the kitchen, so they'll have to forgive me for the days I become cross when we have a convention in town and I was stuck with ten orders and people staring holes in me like that would speed things up.

People who wait until the exact moment I turn on the juicer to strike up some inane conversation. CAN'T HEAR YOU.

People who came in once before and look at me like "make me one of those things I had yesterday."
Because apparently I store every order ever in a little chip in my brain.

People who come in and do the whole "I have that juicer at home and this isn't how I make it!" thing.
Please make your juices at home, then.

People who ask questions like "WHAT'S GOOD FOR A COLD (or arthritis, upset stomach, fatigue, etc)?!"
I dunno, oranges maybe. Ginger? It's just juice, it's not going to cure anything.

People who take offense at our prices and want to complain to me. I don't set the prices, and for what it's worth they're paying for fresh, organic, etc.
I had one lady go "$10 for a salmon platter?!" and then pay but snatch her food out of my hand and literally stomp out the door. Why would you order something if you weren't aware how much it cost, then get mad at the person on the register for it?

People.

Usually these are all pretty minor annoyances, aside from the not getting help when I need it thing. It's just that when they each happen time and time again it gets grating. Plus management sucks and the owner is a crazy asshole. I just depressed myself, and I have to go in today.

 

[Denzar]

I was showered with gratitude this saturday when I reunited a mother with her lost kid.

The little fella, around 4 years old, was walking around the second floor, crying. He lost sight of his parents. Talking to him on the way down I ask for his name and tell him everything will work out fine. Smart kid! On the ground floor, I would use the intercom to announce that little Jordi was waiting for his parents downstairs.

While taking the escalator down, the kid spots his mother waiting by the exit. He stops crying, runs down, arms open, wanting to hug his mum. She greets him by slapping the kid across the face real hard. It sounded like a big tree branch snapping.The kid started bawling while holding his hands in front of his face.

I'm baffled of course. Choosing not to meddle I told the mother that her son was running around alone, lost and panicking. She replied that she would have found her son herself and that it's none of my business what happens to her kid. He's old enough to know that he shouldn't run away, he should stay put. The kid is four years old for christ's sake!

No longer able to shut my mouth I told her that her kids are indeed her responsibility. Apparently she's not able to handle that responsibility. I continue that a four year old should not be left alone in a giant store like ours and it should be looked after. I finished by adding that it's not okay to slap a kid in the face, not in any circumstance and especially not after a traumatic experience for that kid. She was equally baffled, had no reply. I looked her in the eye, called her a cunt and walked away.

Man, I was pissed.

 

[whytemyke]

As much as I hate retail, my company increased my paid time off to six weeks starting this year. That's unbelievable. How am I supposed to get angry and quit when I'm throwing away pretty decent benefits? (Also they match on 401k)

 

[AtomskEater]

I was showered with gratitude this saturday when I reunited a mother with her lost kid.

The little fella, around 4 years old, was walking around the second floor, crying. He lost sight of his parents. Talking to him on the way down I ask for his name and tell him everything will work out fine. Smart kid! On the ground floor, I would use the intercom to announce that little Jordi was waiting for his parents downstairs.

While taking the escalator down, the kid spots his mother waiting by the exit. He stops crying, runs down, arms open, wanting to hug his mum. She greets him by slapping the kid across the face real hard. It sounded like a big tree branch snapping.The kid started bawling while holding his hands in front of his face.

I'm baffled of course. Choosing not to meddle I told the mother that her son was running around alone, lost and panicking. She replied that she would have found her son herself and that it's none of my business what happens to her kid. He's old enough to know that he shouldn't run away, he should stay put. The kid is four years old for christ's sake!

No longer able to shut my mouth I told her that her kids are indeed her responsibility. Apperently she's not able to handle that responsibility. I continue that a four year old should not be left alone in a giant store like ours and it should be looked after. I finished by adding that it's not okay to slap a kid in the face, not in any circumstance and especially not after a traumatic experience for that kid. She was equally baffled, had no reply. I looked her in the eye, called hur a cunt and walked away.

Man, I was pissed.

Holy shit. As I read I was like "wait this is not what the first sentence implied. D:"
Some people, you have to wonder how their brain works.

 

[Jintor]

I was showered with gratitude this saturday when I reunited a mother with her lost kid.

The little fella, around 4 years old, was walking around the second floor, crying. He lost sight of his parents. Talking to him on the way down I ask for his name and tell him everything will work out fine. Smart kid! On the ground floor, I would use the intercom to announce that little Jordi was waiting for his parents downstairs.

While taking the escalator down, the kid spots his mother waiting by the exit. He stops crying, runs down, arms open, wanting to hug his mum. She greets him by slapping the kid across the face real hard. It sounded like a big tree branch snapping.The kid started bawling while holding his hands in front of his face.

I'm baffled of course. Choosing not to meddle I told the mother that her son was running around alone, lost and panicking. She replied that she would have found her son herself and that it's none of my business what happens to her kid. He's old enough to know that he shouldn't run away, he should stay put. The kid is four years old for christ's sake!

No longer able to shut my mouth I told her that her kids are indeed her responsibility. Apperently she's not able to handle that responsibility. I continue that a four year old should not be left alone in a giant store like ours and it should be looked after. I finished by adding that it's not okay to slap a kid in the face, not in any circumstance and especially not after a traumatic experience for that kid. She was equally baffled, had no reply. I looked her in the eye, called hur a cunt and walked away.

Man, I was pissed.

you're a awesome human being, sir.

 

[Philia]

I was showered with gratitude this saturday when I reunited a mother with her lost kid.

The little fella, around 4 years old, was walking around the second floor, crying. He lost sight of his parents. Talking to him on the way down I ask for his name and tell him everything will work out fine. Smart kid! On the ground floor, I would use the intercom to announce that little Jordi was waiting for his parents downstairs.

While taking the escalator down, the kid spots his mother waiting by the exit. He stops crying, runs down, arms open, wanting to hug his mum. She greets him by slapping the kid across the face real hard. It sounded like a big tree branch snapping.The kid started bawling while holding his hands in front of his face.

I'm baffled of course. Choosing not to meddle I told the mother that her son was running around alone, lost and panicking. She replied that she would have found her son herself and that it's none of my business what happens to her kid. He's old enough to know that he shouldn't run away, he should stay put. The kid is four years old for christ's sake!

No longer able to shut my mouth I told her that her kids are indeed her responsibility. Apperently she's not able to handle that responsibility. I continue that a four year old should not be left alone in a giant store like ours and it should be looked after. I finished by adding that it's not okay to slap a kid in the face, not in any circumstance and especially not after a traumatic experience for that kid. She was equally baffled, had no reply. I looked her in the eye, called hur a cunt and walked away.

Man, I was pissed.

Man, I hate those kind of irresponsible parents more than anything and to proceed to slap a child, my god. I'd be in rage. Good on you sir for keeping your composure and explaining the lowdown to her.

 

[FeenieVonKarma]

I don't work retail any more, but I did have a couple of stories from when I did. This was around 10-12 years ago now, though.

My first job was in a "Poundland" (as the name implies, a general store in the UK, where everything costs £1) - to be honest, most of it is a blur because I worked Saturdays and it was so damn busy. However, every day there was a hilarious dude who would ask how much something cost. (I'm sure one day in a fit of teenage irritation I just said "Oh, it's a million pounds!" Not proud of it but hell I was only 17.) And I remember people trying to return an item that was "faulty" when it clearly wasn't. An item that cost them a goddamn £1.

Also worked in an electronics store that really isn't very good, they don't really exist now. Anyhow, there was a guy who insisted that his promotion offers weren't being shown on his receipt. I took a look, and they were just on a separate section, and if you added everything up by hand, it became obvious he received his discount.
He didn't believe me, and after a while he said "You'd think they'd employ people who can add up!" Man I got so mad, but I just went ice cold, and called over my supervisor, who explained the same thing I just told him, and basically told him to GTFO. He got a bit sheepish and said "It looks like I have to apologise..." All I could manage was "Yes you do!"
Jeez, been a long time since I got that mad.

There were also lots of general occasions in there where someone would ask about a product (like a memory stick, or whatever) and I'd explain, and they'd just ask the guy next to me instead. I'm pretty sure they just didn't believe that a female knew anything about it. (One occasion, okay, but it happened so much that it was obviously for that reason)

I salute you Retail GAF, you are braver than I.

(as for Deepack's story - well done for (hopefully) making her feel a bit rotten about herself!)

 

[Denzar]

you're a awesome human being, sir.

Haha, thanks, but I just felt really bad for the kid

Man, I hate those kind of irresponsible parents more than anything and to proceed to slap a child, my god. I'd be in rage. Good on you sir for keeping your composure and explaining the lowdown to her.

I can tell that I was boiling inside. If I wasn't on the job, I'd have surely lost my shit.