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Can we bitch about working retail?

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H

Horse Detective

Why the long case?
Maybe even just non corporate retail, where unethical shit is okay.

Required to come in 10 minutes prior to opening time, show up, owner doesn't even have the shop open for employees to come in, usually smoking in the bathroom. We get in, and the guy loses his fucking mind screaming at the top of his lungs, "CAN SOMEONE OPEN THE FUCKING GATE?" Using profanity to describe his disagreement with the ways his employees are is a daily thing by the way. The other day a mystery employee was described as "some fucking idiot" for folding a pair of pants in half rather than thirds.

Bitches about our sales at least 5 times a day. We are taught to basically harass people into buying stuff, using tactics to divert them from stating they just want to look around. All day today he bitched about his profits this year being shit, meanwhile we get shipments of 8 million fucking different bags when we can barely sell one a day. We have a recorded amount of 2000 pairs of a particular brand of pants (literal amount, not my exaggeration, he hand counted them), and this man bitches at us for his profits being bad. Even he regrets the amount of stuff he buys per month, yet still blames the staff for not selling enough.

On top of this, their family clearly profiles black people, trans in particular, regularly insisting they shoplift in packs. Regularly compares their likeness to animals. Found out today he told one of our newer female employees that only the guys can wear company screen printed tees and that women should obviously have more put together outfits (fired this morning btw). This same girl was yelled at for coming to work while sick and coughing, being told she can't be that way around people, even though we don't have enough employees to cover shifts, and they would tell her to come anyway. Oh, and we don't have enough people because the yuppie hipster niche types they want have reasonably paying jobs, and the owners trash any email or resume from someone they suspect is from a bad part of town, or doesn't look the part.

fuck my life. I am ready to dive into traffic. I hate this
 
P

Pickman

Member
The Excalibur Effect is something every retail drone has witnessed and will continue to witness until the end of time.
The time is 8:45 a.m. and posted store hours are 9 to 9. Three people stand patiently outside the shop on their smartphones killing time, waiting for the door to open to conduct business.
Suddenly a fourth party appears, and unbeknownst to you or your peers, this man or woman believes themselves to be King Fucking Arthur of the retail world. Despite the other people standing around the front door and the lack of an open sign, this knuckle-dragging winner of our hearts and minds takes a firm grip on the door handle and pulls like they're trying to start a lawnmower.
Bad news for you, champ. This isn't Camelot, and you sure as hell aren't getting in until I finish my cup of coffee.

Wrote this up ages ago when I still worked in retail.
 
T

Team Alucard

Banned
Eh, from my experience it all comes down to management, location, and clientele (which is often predicated on location)

I work grocery (not exactly retail but close). I used to work at a store that was in a major commerce center next to upper middle-class housing developments and it honestly wasn't half bad. Certainly not something I'd want to do for a career, but customers were nice and friendly, management was accommodating, and the overall atmosphere was cheerful and positive.

I had to transfer to another store when I moved for college and ended up at a place that is basically in the ghetto. Its like night and day. The customers are a lot more hostile and angry, management is way more uptight and stressed out, and everyone is basically moody and grumpy all the time. Not to mention everyone who isn't fulltime only gets scheduled 4 hour shifts which sucks. At my old store I worked 3 days a week for 24 hours, now I'm working 5 days a week for 20 hours.
 
B

BKatastrophe

Member
Not retail, but food service. McDonald's killed me inside. Period of time where I was pretty sure I was the only not high as fuck, and the managers were incredibly verbally abusive.
 
H

Horse Detective

Why the long case?
I'm losing my mind right now trying to figure out how to reasonably lay out every single fucking thing I have seen here that disturbs me, but now as I imagine him making fun of this ex employee speaking spanish with a customer, I find myself unable to organize my thoughts. whats the point anymore

Its just a daily fucking struggle of keeping my sanity. I don't want to leave and have another job spent less than a year at. I want to be resilient and leave on a positive note with a decent amount of time put in but I fucking hate this sales pressure shit.
 
T

thekonamicode

Member
I did corporate retail for a few years in high school/college and it was just a job, so whatever. Back in 2001 however, I started working part-time for a locally owned gamestore and by 2003 I was the store manager and buyer for the company. I did that for about a decade and loved every minute, even met my future wife and made countless friendships. I'm still the buyer, but I have a fulltime job in insurance now to pay the bills. I miss it greatly!
 
R

ROUGE_BLOCK

Member
Pickman said:
The Excalibur Effect is something every retail drone has witnessed and will continue to witness until the end of time.
The time is 8:45 a.m. and posted store hours are 9 to 9. Three people stand patiently outside the shop on their smartphones killing time, waiting for the door to open to conduct business.
Suddenly a fourth party appears, and unbeknownst to you or your peers, this man or woman believes themselves to be King Fucking Arthur of the retail world. Despite the other people standing around the front door and the lack of an open sign, this knuckle-dragging winner of our hearts and minds takes a firm grip on the door handle and pulls like they're trying to start a lawnmower.
Bad news for you, champ. This isn't Camelot, and you sure as hell aren't getting in until I finish my cup of coffee.

Wrote this up ages ago when I still worked in retail.
Click to expand...

Well this is a very funny thing you came up with, it is not named correctly as Excalibur was given to King Arthur by the lady of the lake. It was the Sword in the Stone he pulled put out that gave him right to rule England, so technically it should be called The Sword in the Stone Effect.

However that is not very catchy and very little people I think even make that difference so it really doesnt matter ;)
 
F

Fancy Clown

Member
I worked in retail after college last year until recently and the job/management really wasn't that bad at all and I still basically wanted to kill myself
 
B

BKatastrophe

Member
NoblesseOblige said:
Basically any job where you interact directly with a bunch of consumers is going to be hell.
Click to expand...

I didn't mind the work itself at all. I did all positions there. I liked drive thru, because most of the time people weren't picky. They just wanted their food and go wherever. The part that made me hate it there was: 1) the sheer toxicity of the work staff; and 2) the fact that so many customers looked at me with pure disdain. I didn't screw up their order, was totally polite, and fast at getting them their food.

I felt like wearing a McDonald's uniform is like wearing a target that says "shoot the fuck out of me, please."
 
S

smurfx

get some go again
Horse Detective said:
Its just a daily fucking struggle of keeping my sanity. I don't want to leave and have another job spent less than a year at. I want to be resilient and leave on a positive note with a decent amount of time put in but I fucking hate this sales pressure shit.
Click to expand...
why put that kinda pressure on yourself? retail is shit for many reasons so unless there aren't many jobs available in your area i would just look around for better opportunities.
 
T

Tagyhag

Member
Never worked a retail job, and I think I would do pretty much anything but that, it sounds like hell on Earth.

Horse Detective said:
I'm losing my mind right now trying to figure out how to reasonably lay out every single fucking thing I have seen here that disturbs me, but now as I imagine him making fun of this ex employee speaking spanish with a customer, I find myself unable to organize my thoughts. whats the point anymore

Its just a daily fucking struggle of keeping my sanity. I don't want to leave and have another job spent less than a year at. I want to be resilient and leave on a positive note with a decent amount of time put in but I fucking hate this sales pressure shit.
Click to expand...

You do you, but I would honestly look for other jobs. There's no shame in finding a job that won't want to make you kill yourself.
 
n0razi

n0razi

Member
It's a rite of passage IMHO... every kid needs to work restaurant or retail once in their lives to appreciate the service industry and the value of money.
 
G

GamerSoul

Member
I think the worst part about retail is just how draining it is physically/mentally. At least it was for me. I worked in retail for about 6 years and it just became this monotonous task that sapped my strength most days. Looking back, I can't believe I lasted that long :l

Saying that, it's still better than nothing imo. But I'd definitely start looking for something else in the mean time. It's easier said than done, but give it a shot.

n0razi said:
It's a rite of passage IMHO... every kid needs to work restaurant or retail once in their lives to appreciate the service industry and the value of money.
Click to expand...

AGREED.
 
C

Clint Beastwood

Banned
Horse Detective said:
I'm losing my mind right now trying to figure out how to reasonably lay out every single fucking thing I have seen here that disturbs me, but now as I imagine him making fun of this ex employee speaking spanish with a customer, I find myself unable to organize my thoughts. whats the point anymore

Its just a daily fucking struggle of keeping my sanity. I don't want to leave and have another job spent less than a year at. I want to be resilient and leave on a positive note with a decent amount of time put in but I fucking hate this sales pressure shit.
Click to expand...

Unless you live on your own its probably not worth it to stay

I had a few jobs where I didn't last more than a few months without quitting but I still ended up getting new jobs afterwards. They asked why I didn't last and I explained the shitty situation and obviously they were fine with it or they wouldn't have hired me.

I don't think any future employers would fault you for leaving your current situation or maybe I'm lucky and it never seemed to effect me
 
S

smurfx

get some go again
n0razi said:
It's a rite of passage IMHO... every kid needs to work restaurant or retail once in their lives to appreciate the service industry and the value of money.
Click to expand...
at the very least you would hope they would learn to not be rude assholes to retail employees since they often have to put up with a lot.
 
H

Horse Detective

Why the long case?
smurfx said:
why put that kinda pressure on yourself? retail is shit for many reasons so unless there aren't many jobs available in your area i would just look around for better opportunities.
Click to expand...

Because I don't want to feel like one of those people who just thinks the world should shape shift to their comfort.

I don't want to constantly be in and out of jobs because I personally find them grueling. I just feel like I have bad luck and my past two experiences have been filled with some of the worst memories of my fucking existence
 
T

TsunamiOfSwagger

Member
Pickman said:
The Excalibur Effect is something every retail drone has witnessed and will continue to witness until the end of time.
The time is 8:45 a.m. and posted store hours are 9 to 9. Three people stand patiently outside the shop on their smartphones killing time, waiting for the door to open to conduct business.
Suddenly a fourth party appears, and unbeknownst to you or your peers, this man or woman believes themselves to be King Fucking Arthur of the retail world. Despite the other people standing around the front door and the lack of an open sign, this knuckle-dragging winner of our hearts and minds takes a firm grip on the door handle and pulls like they're trying to start a lawnmower.
Bad news for you, champ. This isn't Camelot, and you sure as hell aren't getting in until I finish my cup of coffee.

Wrote this up ages ago when I still worked in retail.
Click to expand...

That's a good one.

I'm not sure what happens to people's manners when they walk through the front doors of any retail place. They just seem to disappear.
 
X

Xero

Member
Pickman said:
The Excalibur Effect is something every retail drone has witnessed and will continue to witness until the end of time.
The time is 8:45 a.m. and posted store hours are 9 to 9. Three people stand patiently outside the shop on their smartphones killing time, waiting for the door to open to conduct business.
Suddenly a fourth party appears, and unbeknownst to you or your peers, this man or woman believes themselves to be King Fucking Arthur of the retail world. Despite the other people standing around the front door and the lack of an open sign, this knuckle-dragging winner of our hearts and minds takes a firm grip on the door handle and pulls like they're trying to start a lawnmower.
Bad news for you, champ. This isn't Camelot, and you sure as hell aren't getting in until I finish my cup of coffee.

Wrote this up ages ago when I still worked in retail.
Click to expand...

this was so fucking stupid how consistent this was. we close at 9 and at 9:30 some asshole waltz's right up to the fucking door with the hours printed right on it. Looks inside at us counting money on the counter, yanks on the door, then looking puzzled knocks on the glass. As we look at him he always asks "are you guys closed?" Bonus points if he says he will be real quick. How does this shit happen numerous times a month all with different people?
 
S

smurfx

get some go again
Horse Detective said:
Because I don't want to feel like one of those people who just thinks the world should shape shift to their comfort.

I don't want to constantly be in and out of jobs because I personally find them grueling. I just feel like I have bad luck and my past two experience have been filled with some of the worst memories of my fucking existence
Click to expand...
not being treated like shit shouldn't be a luxury and you shouldn't feel bad about not putting up with it. in the end putting up with it will only make you bitter and you will hate yourself for not leaving sooner.
 
choco-fish

choco-fish

Member
BKatastrophe said:
I didn't mind the work itself at all. I did all positions there. I liked drive thru, because most of the time people weren't picky. They just wanted their food and go wherever. The part that made me hate it there was: 1) the sheer toxicity of the work staff; and 2) the fact that so many customers looked at me with pure disdain. I didn't screw up their order, was totally polite, and fast at getting them their food.

I felt like wearing a McDonald's uniform is like wearing a target that says "shoot the fuck out of me, please."
Click to expand...

My wife works in retail, and I cannot believe just how much she gets looked down upon by from all quarters. Its a shitty, hard and low paid job without the consumers treating you like a piece of crap. Then the managers all think the retail staff as disposable, no investment in the staff at the bottom that know the products inside out.
 
B

BKatastrophe

Member
smurfx said:
at the very least you would hope they would learn to not be rude assholes to retail employees since they often have to put up with a lot.
Click to expand...

But that's the thing: retail employees can be the worst BECAUSE they expect whatever their output was for their job, and because they made themselves miserable doing it. "My job sucks, so fuck you."
 
B

Beartruck

Member
I've noticed that every retail place seems to have THAT customer. This person isn't necessarily an asshole,although assholish behavior can be a part of it. It's more accurate to say that this person is, through the stresses of life, fundamentally broken. At my old job it was a 50 year old in an electric scooter with chronic pain who would down enough pills to kill an elephant and serve around the aisles loudly singing. At my current one it's a 60 year old woman who lost her husband, is all alone and is desperate for human contact. Both will talk to you nonstop until you fake a call on your radio and run away.
 
F

Fancy Clown

Member
Beartruck said:
I've noticed that every retail place seems to have THAT customer. This person isn't necessarily an asshole,although assholish behavior can be a part of it. It's more accurate to say that this person is, through the stresses of life, fundamentally broken. At my old job it was a 50 year old in an electric scooter with chronic pain who would down enough pills to kill an elephant and serve around the aisles loudly singing. At my current one it's a 60 year old woman who lost her husband, is all alone and is desperate for human contact. Both will talk to you nonstop until you fake a call on your radio and run away.
Click to expand...

There are like 5 of those customers. A day.
 
H

Horse Detective

Why the long case?
choco-fish said:
My wife works in retail, and I cannot believe just how much she gets looked down upon by from all quarters. Its a shitty, hard and low paid job without the consumers treating you like a piece of crap. Then the managers all think the retail staff as disposable, no investment in the staff at the bottom that know the products inside out.
Click to expand...

The problem with my place is that the good hires are absolutely not disposable and should be valued. They rarely get applicants with enough of a passion for the products to convincingly sell them, and when they do those people don't become valued at fucking all. Just as disposable as some random person who doesn't get the products or particularly care about them.

I don't understand how they can pay what they do and expect such a niche, exact sort of person to stay there. Ironically enough, I have become this "ideal" image they want, and I still feel harassed
 
B

BKatastrophe

Member
choco-fish said:
My wife works in retail, and I cannot believe just how much she gets looked down upon by from all quarters. Its a shitty, hard and low paid job without the consumers treating you like a piece of crap. Then the managers all think the retail staff as disposable, no investment in the staff at the bottom that know the products inside out.
Click to expand...

Currently I work at a Kwik Trip, although it's strictly in the kitchen. Since I have to actually leave the kitchen to put food out, though, I am sometimes forced to interact. Sometimes, people just pop their heads in the kitchen (those motherfuckers irritate me the most). For the most part though, the customers aren't assholes. At least the ones I interact with. They can be picky and a bit irritating, but nothing like the vitriol gained from the average McDonald's consumer. Honestly, most customers range from tame to nice. But like I said, I'm primarily kitchen, so I'm not forced to interact on the level that register is. Not only that, but KT also hates losing employees. Seriously. They will do almost anything to keep you around.

It's honestly a fairly good company. I'm only disliking it now because my store got new management and they suck. Like, most if not all of my coworkers range from decent to fun to work with.
 
R

Rumblebones

Banned
It should be legal to slap people that are obnoxious to/attack employees over prices and policies they ain't got shit to do with setting.
 
B

BKatastrophe

Member
Rumblebones said:
It should be legal to slap people that are obnoxious to/attack employees over prices and policies they ain't got shit to do with setting.
Click to expand...
When I was at McDon's a lady once told to me to lower the price of our ice cream cones. I told her I had no control over that and she said "yes you do. Managers can change prices." I ignored her and sent her on her way
 
O

old manatee

Banned
One time I was working in the photo lab at CVS, and a customer asked me for a stamp. I told him that we didn't sell them individually, but I could sell him a book of 10, so he threw a handful of change in my face and called me a stupid cocksucker.
 
B

BTM

Member
Just worked my last day in retail yesterday. Place where I worked wasn't too bad but it feels nice to be out of it.
 
A

Autumn Wind

Member
Only thing I really hate about working retail is returns where we take anything back just about without a receipt. It just attracts theft.
 
B

Bam Chowder

Member
It almost sounds like you are working for Trump OP :( I'm sorry to hear that.

Horse Detective said:
Because I don't want to feel like one of those people who just thinks the world should shape shift to their comfort.
Click to expand...

I understand this sentiment but life is just too short to be dealing with shit like this imo.
 
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