30 Things You'll Relate To If You've Ever Worked In A Retail Store
For one, the customer is NOT always right!
1. Having to tahan being on your feet for several hours straight
2. When your manager makes you yell "Welcome to [shop]!" and follow customers around
Confession Time: You personally hate it when other retail workers do that to you.
3. Listening to customers complain about how expensive the stuff in your shop is compared to another store
Hah, as if you have any control over the pricing.
4. Maintaining a fake smile and nodding politely even when a customer is yelling at you for some reason or other
You've lost count of how many times you cursed whoever invented the phrase "the customer is always right" because that person has obviously never worked a retail job before.
5. Customers not believing you when you tell them you no longer have any new units in the storeroom
You, internally: "Trust me, I live here."
6. When you're answering the phone, manning the cashier, holding in your pee (all at the same time) ... and a customer asks you for help
I'd like to, but my hands are kinda full right now...?
7. Getting complained about your "bad attitude" when in fact, you weren't able to help that one customer because you were busy assisting another
8. The struggle of staying friendly with your co-workers even though you're low-key competing for sales
Teamwork is low priority when you have individual targets to hit.
9. When a customer tries on everything in the store... only to end up buying only one thing or worse, NOTHING
10. Having to pick up after customers who simply leave their rubbish all over the store
Our job is to keep the store clean, not clean up after a grown adult.
11. Or worse, finding food that's supposed to be refrigerated on a random shelf for God knows how long
FUN FACT: Any food item that's supposed to be refrigerated gets thrown away if they are found outside of the refrigerator.
12. SCENARIO: You've just straightened out the merchandise and fixed the displays. Then 10 seconds later...
14. Long-lost friends and distant relatives hitting you up so they can take advantage of your staff discount
Sometimes, "loyal customers" try to do it too.
15. Spending most of your hard-earned money in the shop you're working at because (a) employee discount and (b) you have no self control
16. You can only go out with your friends on weekdays
You probably don't get to take time off during public holidays too, because that's when the store needs you the most.
17. Oh God, Public Holidays. *cries*
But you soldier on anyway because there's double (or even triple) pay if you work on public holidays. :D
18. Unless your boss doesn't recognise a public holiday so you don't get double pay. *double cries*
19. You've had to delay your lunch breaks because you're understaffed and the customers just keep coming like:
20. When you finally get to go for your break and you're too tired to care about the rest of your colleagues
21. Stressing out about being assigned to the cashier on a busy day, because HOLY SH*T what if your till ends up short?!
22. Actually putting your math knowledge to good use!
It's especially useful when the customer gives you change AFTER you've keyed in the amount they gave you.
23. When a customer puts money on the counter even though you've already put out your hand to receive it
24. When the credit card machine loses connection halfway through the transaction and you have to swipe the card again
Please don't yell at me sir, I'm not "double-charging" you.
25. The awkward moment when a customer's card is declined and you're wondering how to explain that without embarrassing them
26. You're a little worried when kids start running around the store while their parents buat tak kisah and continue shopping. #NotYourBabysitter
Seriously, what if they fall and flatten their face on the ground, or worse, hit the sharp edge of a shelf or glass table?
27. When teenagers walk in because they're so loud and look like they may break something with their flailing arms
28. When a customer decides to sneak in at 9.55pm despite the half-closed shutters and continues shopping for the next 30 minutes
29. Through all of that, you've gotta keep a permanent smile on your face all day long so when you finally get home...
30. Even if you've left it all behind, you still retain the reflexes you learned during your retail life
Hands up if you still find yourself straightening out merchandise when you walk into a random store, putting things back where you found them, or having your hangers face the same way.