Have You Ever Worked In Retail?

[AndyC]

Now that you mention it, I think people are generally in a much friendlier mood when grocery shopping, and the staff at grocery stores seem far more cheerful and helpful.

I wonder why that is? Maybe because we visit the grocery store a little more often, and people are more familiar. Or maybe it has something to do with the types of things we're buying.

[Mr. DS]

Now that you mention it, I think people are generally in a much friendlier mood when grocery shopping, and the staff at grocery stores seem far more cheerful and helpful.

I wonder why that is? Maybe because we visit the grocery store a little more often, and people are more familiar. Or maybe it has something to do with the types of things we're buying.

Good observation.  My guess would be its because people are less apt to check what price things are being rung up at seeing they're busy unloading their cart.  Large quantities of items bought probably mean less of a thought on the actually price.  Which is in fact odd because there are many dollars to be saved at the grocery store.  Sure there will be receipt checkers after the fact and they very well should check.  Hence the service desk staff being less courteous in my experience.  

At the store I worked at people would get about ten items tops.  I had people looking at the check out screen like a hawk waiting to pounce on a baby rabbit.  I guess my feeling on the store I was at was there was really no big savings.  They'd put out sales where one could save 10 cents on a roll of paper towels.  Little did the morons know, they could have bought it at Walmart for much cheaper without a sale price.  Then again, we had a lot of older clientele who refused to drive the extra 5 miles out of town.  

[Mr. DS]

Side note, what are the ultimate pet peeves you had/have for customers no matter how minor or major?  I had a HUGE issue with people not handing me the money.  Especially the older ladies who emptied out their purse.  They always seemed to pull thi sh!t during a major rush.  Older ladies I found I either loved or hated depending on who it was.  There was no in between.  

I also had a major beef with several photo department clients.  You had the ones who insisted on looking at every god*mned photo to check for dust spots.  Then there were the ones that insisted the pictures were off color which many weren't.   I can guarantee most people buy their photos, look at them once and put them in a drawer where they stay forever.  

Then there were the people who didn't say "hi" back when you greeted them.  Hell even today I make sure I say "hi" to every cashier I run into even before they greet me.

[flackbait]

I've worked retail in three places. The first was the backroom guy at Sears, it was a nice job, I got along with the boss okay, I didn't really have to do alot in the way of customer interaction and all I really did was refurbish ratchets all shift.

My next job was at Meijers (a Michigan version of walmart) as a stocker. That job was hell, boss was always railing on you for every freaking mistake, and i frequently was pulling 50-60 hour weeks. I've always been glad that i've never had to go back.

My current job is at the college cafeteria, working as a grill guy, dishwasher and custodian. I usually try to put pride into the food I cook, but sometimes I just could care less. My biggest pet peeve is when people don't take care of the dishes properly . When its clearly marked in big letters where your plates, glasses and silverware goes how hard is it to put it in the proper spot? Apparently it's to hard for most college age kids to grasp!

[the ghoul]

I once worked at Macy's for several months, then I worked at this appliance/electronics store called Lechmere for about the same amount of time.  The one thing that stands out for me about working in retail is that it can seriously make you hate the human race.

[sprite75]

I worked at Wal-Mart for just under two years.  That was enough.  It was so nice to go from retail into a job where December was considered the slow season.  It was so nice to be able to stay away from the rat race, to have a life again, and be able to attend family events on a more regular basis.

[Couchtr26]

Many times, Big Lots, K-Mart, Target, Ward's, JC Penney, Wal-Mart, Radio Shack.  I am not a huge fan but I'm much better in a sales position.  You can relate a bit better to customers and there are certain demands that are removed.  Often times, by nature you can deal with them much longer and turn their opinion around then when you are a cashier or stocker or such.  My first retail was in Wal-Mart and didn't last long.  Toy's associate and it sucked worse then I could imagine.  First being the "babysitter" for parents in the store and then we used to have this family that would ransack it all the time.  I hated the experience.  K-mart was next and much better overnight stocker.  I liked it, nobody to deal with just stock.  Big Lots wasn't bad but being a stocker there, you also had to cross train as a cashier.  Didn't like the quick change from one to the other.  Target was anal about facing.  I spent from close at 10 pm - 2 am just facing.  Never fun.  JC Penney, Wards, and Radio Shack were the most enjoyable.  They were all sales and you basically got to deal with customers as much as needed.  There were no gears to switch as your job was to sell product.  I was good at it and you got to learn about people and get to know them pretty well.  I liked that nature and that it was my responsibility to get things done.  No one wants to think about that fact but sales job are very much self paced.  As it was said "Sales is either the lowest paid easy job or the highest paid hard job you can ever have." 

[The Gravekeeper]

Not from retail, but from ticket scanning for a carnival. If you're going to hand somebody something as small as a ticket, please either put out your cigarette or put it in your other hand! Nobody likes cigarette burns!

[ImaginaryFoot]

I work at a convenience store/ gas station on the west side of knoxville tn. Its amazing to me how little things like common courtesy and respect and kindness go right out the window when it gets around this time of the year.  I  get yelled at on a daily  basis because of the high gas prices, like i have anything to do with that . I got robbed at gunpoint last friday evening, this is the 3rd time ive gotten robbed while in this line of work. Im tellin you now if my MegaMillions numbers hit tommorow night,  my fat butt wont be behind a counter much longer

[Couchtr26]

I work at a convenience store/ gas station on the west side of knoxville tn. Its amazing to me how little things like common courtesy and respect and kindness go right out the window when it gets around this time of the year.  I  get yelled at on a daily  basis because of the high gas prices, like i have anything to do with that . I got robbed at gunpoint last friday evening, this is the 3rd time ive gotten robbed while in this line of work. Im tellin you now if my MegaMillions numbers hit tommorow night,  my fat butt wont be behind a counter much longer

I actually worked at Circle K for awhile.  I feel for you.  The customers seemed much less friendly then anywhere else I have worked.