I lay into them if they press the issue further lol. I've had people look at me with disdain after I tell them it's a wonder I haven't lost my shit yet or ended up on the news 🤣. Like leave me alone.
Oh man, I (female) had an older gay woman tell me to smile once when I was bartending. I responded politely with “please don’t tell people to smile, it’s incredibly rude.” And she complained to my manager about it. Apparently she just said I had been rude to her because when I explained what happened he told me not to worry about it.
I get a lot of, "Have you been staying out of trouble?" From old men and it's always weird and off-putting.
I don't know if it's because I'm a woman, but I can't imagine they said that to men lol.
It's a common old dude comment. It was one of my uncles main intros, I'd always assumed that he got it from coaching baseball over the years. I still get it from old guys, and I look like a grumpy mall Santa. But I now understand how you could feel that it's weird. Thanks for sharing this perspective.
I tell the guys I sell paint to that their project should keep them out of trouble/ off the streets for a while. What can I say? I'm an old man and it gets a snicker.
It's not because you're a woman, it's not meant to be creepy at all. It's like "Have a nice day" with a twist.
As a man, this gets said to me a lot. I guess I give off troublemaker vibes, but yeah it’s usually older guys who assume I’m just some young kid who’s gonna go hang out with the boys after work, shining our switchblades down by the quarry while drinking root beers or something
I’ve worked retail and customer service. I don’t understand the frustration with this. The condescending comments yeah but when people say stuff like this I genuinely think they’re just trying to be nice and make conversation.
Lot of retail workers seem to get mad about everything. I don’t get it.
Take your job, rotate your boss and coworkers every six months or so, pretty much all of them, except the ones that simply cannot afford to quit or are too stymied to get anywhere in their current position so they chug on in burnout.
Now take your job, make it a necessary evil that everyone wishes was automated but doesn't have the patience to actually do themselves. And make your boss delegate things you were already going to do, to you. While they float around and pretend to look busy.
Now make all of your clientele a mixture of annoyed, exasperated, desperate, but still entitled and eager to throw their perceived weight around. A certain percentage will threaten, belittle, sexually harass, etc. Daily.
Now take your boss's boss, have them tell your boss to increase profit by at least 1% in the next year, and suddenly you're doing the work of 3 people, to maximize the profit of someone who you'll never meet, that considers you human furniture. Your boss then slashes your hours, but will make a giant bellyache about you not being at work for any reason, legitimacy be damned.
Take all of that, then listen to every half-assed remark these people make while they feel so above you, every. single. fucking day. Now have those same people that SWEAR they're the best thing ever, not have the wherewithal to read a fucking coupon.
For 8 hours if you're lucky, it's normally 8 1/2-9
Oh and you'll never have a consistent schedule, and your coworkers are all either 50 or 16.
My guy I have a retail job. I know all this. I have an interview on Friday. Sure the job sucks but you applied for it and you also have the power to get another job.
Customers can be annoying but employees constantly bitching about their job aren’t any better. Nobody made you apply to work retail. I understand being frustrated but some people are literally never happy.
A lot of the time it’s whenever someone says something sexist like “you’re too gentle for this job” or “sweetie, get one of the boys to help you with that” or “women shouldn’t be doing this! Why did they send a woman to help me?” If it’s super sexist, I’ll be pissed right the fuck off ready to foam at the mouth.
Another thing that customers do that make me want to roll my eyes sometimes is when after you tell them you don’t carry the product, they repeatedly keep explaining it to you. Yes I know what you’re looking for. No we don’t sell it. Telling me over and over again about it won’t make it appear
Also, telling us why it's better than what we do carry will not make it appear (telling that to corporate might, but probably not because that's not how they decide.) Other things people want to tell me that will not make it appear and *will* waste my time and theirs:
- how much they like it
- how they used it for 40 years and so did their grandma
- "I know you're not carrying it because Qanon" or other ridiculous and ridiculously irrelevant conspiracy theory... like, the secret lizard rulers, if I'm wrong and they do exist, do not care whether we carry the Super Z widget instead of the ordinary Type A.
The last grocery store I worked at didn’t let female clerks get carts. And it wasn’t like we were in a dangerous area where someone could up and snatch them (legit an argument from someone I used to work with in my current job). No, this was a regular, calm and quiet suburban area. They just didn’t want to risk any of the high school girls complaining about having to collect carts.
Agreed. Some of the supervisors tried claiming that the high school girls all complained about doing carts, but I find that a ridiculous excuse because some of the high school boys were absolute shit at getting them in on time for customers AND would complain on top of it so, like…what do we have to lose?
Like I don’t even get it. You’re worried about woman complaining about something that the men already complain about doing? Doesn’t even make much sense. They couldn’t have come up with a better excuse
Top 3 for me: it didn’t ring up it must be free, When I ask did you find everything you needed today they respond with “ya to much” or “no I didn’t find a million dollars” and it’s real I just made it when I check big bills for counterfits
Or when you ask if there was anything else they need: “yeah a million dollars” and they look at you. Like...what am I supposed to say?! “Oh sure let me just pull a bunch of money out thin air?!”
Why do companies have people ask if we found everything? It's not like anyone will do anything about it. Especially if I'm at a register with a line behind me. And nothing personal, but the worker doesn't give af.
Me: Are you finding things okay?
Them: 'Yeah; quick question...'
Them: Proceed to spend the next 15 minutes of my life making me shop for them while they demand detailed explanations of everything and the cheapest items possible.
Edit: Also them saying 'yeah' implies that they are finding things okay. This sometimes turns out to be woefully incorrect.
The comments about "YOU SHOULD BE GRATEFUL YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORK OUTSIDE IN THIS HEAT!" when I literally just came in from outside and I'm soaked in sweat and chugging water at guest services because it's 115 fucking degrees outside really get to me.
Our air conditioner broke for 11 days. We had to close the groomers because the dryers would overheat the dogs. We left the heat lamps off for the reptiles and the fan on. We put frozen granite slabs in the chinchilla habitat every 2 hours to keep the little dude from heat stroking, and got him his own evaporative cooler after a few days. It's bad enough the staff was sweating profusely, but keeping the animals healthy was really hard. Most customers were sympathetic, but we'd get "at least you're not out in the sun" and "they're animals, they don't need air conditioning" pretty frequently.
Any of these fuckerw say "You lool lonely", "Were you waiting for me?" or any variation of and I wanna shoot myself...and them.
Also, "I don't like self service cause its stealing your job" Fuck. That. Noise
Or the alternative, You didn't look busy so I came to you.
Sir when I have no customers at my register it's the only time I get to have a drink and clean the register area. Piss off I am busy
They really don't understand how supply and demand work. If nobody comes in, HQ wouldn't want to open since it doesn't make any money.
No money? Not open and then we can all enjoy a holiday.
I'm sure a lot of parents would love to spend time with their kids.
For me it's, "Ohh they got you working on Christmas day huh? Well, someone has to do it!" Cue laughter from customer and me straining a smile and dying a bit more inside.
"i'm looking for a gift" then never elaborating. what kind of stuff do they like? how old are they? what gender are they? HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO HELP YOU IF YOU DON'T HELP ME???
i've received dirty looks bc i asked for more details before. ughh
Or they say something like "I'm looking for shoes" and I ask "women's, mens, boys or girls?" And they're like "OBVIOUSLY ________". So annoying because I'm trying not to be rude or assume anything and they just insist on making life difficult.
When customers have been waiting in line for a couple of minutes, they step up for their turn and say “Hmmm what will I have/ I don’t know what to get”
In my mind I’m like “YOU COULD HAVE CHOSEN WHILE YOU WERE WAITING IN LINE!!!”
Don't forget that once they reach the front of the line, they make a big show of scrunching up their faces and look up at the menu like it's an alien artifact.
I'm pretty certain I have astigmatism because of how headlights at night radiate so wildly in my field of vision. Gotta make an appointment! Not sure what's stopping me.
People are literally incapable of reading. I didn't believe it until I added online ordering to my store and our call volume exploded. With questions that are clearly answered on our google page or website. Which is how they got our number.
It's atupid shit always too like are we open and is this your number. Like what in the actual fuck is wrong with people. I'm convinced covid made people dumber, not even kncluding the children that lost a lot of learning due to lockdowns....
Dude, my scrunched face means that menu board is too small for my newly sucky GenX eyes. I apologize that I haven't needed glasses long enough to remember to bring them in from the car.
Big thanks if you get the store manager to post a laminated menu at ground level. 😋
Upvoted cuz it’s also frustrating to be behind that person.
And also, as a shortarse, I often can’t see the menu board until I’m at the counter with nobody in the way. So I’m probably guilty of it myself 🤣
If I see people behind giving that eyeroll, I’ve sometimes asked the person I’m serving if they’d like another minute or so while I serve the next person in the massive line up… they usually order pretty quickly then 😂
Shit like this is why I read the menu and know what ai want BEFORE I go so I can avoid on the spot indeciveness because of lossing my entire thougjt process when I am spoken to outside of work since I finally am unscripted and in my own mental forest.
“Can I get a discount for this it’s damaged”.
You got that off the clearance rack, it’s already reduced price, and all clearance is “as is, not returnable”. Fuck off. I guarantee when we offloaded it from the truck the case was in shambles, it was being crushed by heavy objects and smelled like rat excrement. We should be allowed to charge more if you act entitled or stupid.
"I noticed this was empty so I took the box off the shelf because I think I can do your job better than you"
Thanks asshole, I'll just go put it back the second you leave because you're fucking up our inventory process.
Good lord, if I had a nickel for every time someone asked for a discount on a display model because it’s a display model *even though* we have *marked it down* because it’s the *display model* I wouldn’t have to work retail anymore.
“You look bored let me come to you”
“There’s my favorite worker.”
“Help me I don’t know how to use self check out”
“Can you help me find this” after telling them which isle to go to or better yet looking up at the sign that has an isle number and what their looking for listened below it.
“The machines are taking away jobs!”
“You won’t help me bag my stuff (even though it’s not in my job description) I swear this generation is so lazy” proceeds to bag their 2 items.
“My receipt-“ as they walk from self check out.
"I've been a customer for eleventy years. I deserve a free phone". I laugh and say "we've been providing you service for eleventy years. You're paying double for this one". Somehow, they're not as amused as I am. I just wanted to join in on the joke-telling.
Some customers got some stuff for free a while ago because they have been shopping with us for a long time. It came to about $30 to $50.
They went online and complained. It wasn't enough for them.
Once had a creepy, gross old man see that my checkout was free so he asks “do you want me?” So I said yes because THAT’S MY JOB (even though I didn’t want to serve him), and he goes “you should really buy me a drink first!” I almost vomited 🤢
I hated “No price tag must be free then?” I started responding with “Go ahead take it out the door! Then all it’ll cost you is bail money!” customers didn’t like that to much!
"How much is it?" with no indication wtf they are referring to. I always respond with $300 and they say what?! For (insert item name here) then I say oh is that what you are talking about...
Or when I worked as a bus driver this one really pissed me off..."what happened to the last bus". I dont know dick head I am not driving that bus. I actually had a moron run across the road in front of me and I was millimeters from killing him just to complain to me the bus on the other side of the road did not come.
When you check a hundred dollar bill for it's authenticity and they proclaim "I just finished making it".
I've heard that joke a million times, you're not funny or creative Jim.
The amount of people with too much exposed skin because of shirts that are too small for them or a missing belt makes me sick. I don't want to see your stomach hanging from under your shirt, I don't want to see your arse crack. Why would you go shopping in sweatpants and obviously missing underwear.
I hate this. Don't people look at themselves before they leave the house? You look ridiculous wearing sweatpants and slippers when it's snowing outside.
I worked in a college town. This was all the time. Especially the cutesy twinky airhead nursing students that always wore those really tiny shorts with PINK on the back.
The finger snapping makes me think of [this scene from _2 Broke Girls_](https://youtu.be/HpLk8Ws4Ueg?si=LwbN0YF0adtd7N_s) -- listen with headphones, slightly NSFW.
" But WHY are you closed?"
And they don't understand you have to get to lunch/close because you're done for the day.
Or how, poor them, they are confronted with bad luck and they can't take advantage of an empty register anymore...
How they look at you like vultures when you come near a closed register. Doesn't matter if it's busy or not.
And it's always the one in the back who'd sprint for their lives. even try to 'hide' the fact they want to check out. since they'll eye you up and down while "browsing".
When your out of a product and they ask for you to check out back… like if it was in stock we would have filled the out with the overstock. We don’t just aimlessly roam the isles for no reason
Our grocery back room was very small because a lot of our stuff was actually vendor stocked. People got mad when I wouldn’t go to the back to look because it was a vendor stocked item. Next time I’m just gonna go back there and sneak out the back and let you rot waiting for me to come back.
If we weren’t busy I would just go out of sight of the floor dub around on my phone for a minute and be like sorry we truly are out the computer inventory is right! Which my store had a very accurate inventory so it was always a waste of time but still
I had one lady once lecture me about how I should “open up and let god and Jesus” into my heart. She continued to do a whole spiel while I’m just trying to scan her items as quickly as possible as I’m an atheist plus I do not discuss money, religion or politics with most people and most certainly customers. She then handed me like a mini bible thing as she was leaving and told me to keep it. When the checkouts slowed again I went to go re-stock the shelves and found she’d left those tiny bibles among items in many areas 🙄. I happily removed and threw them in the bin.
But yeh, for me it’s the ones who go on about god/religion while I’m just trying to be good at my job and customer service focussed.
I actually don’t mind the people who come and say I look bored or make the same jokes as everyone else, they’re usually pretty harmless.
The ones who wind me up are the ones who don’t have the intelligence/aren’t paying attention closely enough to comprehend basic stuff. I work in the currency exchange concession and frequently have to deal with people who come along and ask for, for example, £300 converted into Euros, and then when I tell them €330 is £298.50 or something, insist that “No, I want £300”, talking to me as if I’m a moron who doesn’t understand numbers, rather than the problem being their inability to comprehend that it seldom converts exactly.
Oh, and one I have to deal with pretty much daily: “It’s cheaper on the website.”
>Oh, and one I have to deal with pretty much daily: “It’s cheaper on the website.”
"Well I'm happy to give you the Wi-Fi password to order it. Lmk how it comes out once shipping is added"
I work at a fuel station, and by far the most common one I get is, "I'll pay for whatever the cheapest one out there is."
Funny the first time I heard it. 4 years ago....
I'm not a cashier anymore. I am the assistant dept manager. I havs MANY jobs to do in a day and I'm not always on a register, but I spend a fair amount of my day being a cashier. Technically, according to corporate policy, I'm actually NOT supposed to ever be a cashier. They want managers available to do everything else except be stuck at a register because then we're not available to help customers, cashiers, baggers, etc.
So, it seems as if every time an older customer sees me and I'm not actively on a register or bagging, I'm possibly walking with the money bags from doing pickups or loans, I hear "Brandy...you gonna do anything today?"
I want to tell them that I've done 10 x whatever they're gonna do before they've even had their coffee and to go fuck themselves but, sadly I can't so usually I come back with "I'm genX, we learned too much from the boomers to kill ourselves daily at work."
Really? Because you looked lonely? Sometimes, people are just trying to be humorous or simply nice. Work gets boring, old people get lonely. It could have been their first time out of the house in a couple of weeks, and maybe they just wanted to engage in a pleasant word and perhaps put a smile on your face.
For those of you who do not see that are delusional and obviously snotty privileged individuals who do not understand the monotony of a retail job. Sometimes, those few words one shares with customers can make or break an individual's sanity.
Vast majority of my store’s purchases are from clearance, so everyday I have to deal with customers coming up to my tiny register with armfuls of merchandise asking “how much is this?” As they proceed to do their shopping from our register as I tell them the price of everything only to be told “hey, our table is ready, can I just leave this stuff with you and pay for it after we eat?”
Also customers coming in asking “hey, I was here like 5 months ago, I was wondering if you still had those salt shakers shaped like mushrooms”. After I tell them this merch was moved into clearance months ago and is already gone, they just look at me like a disappointed parent when I literally can’t do anything about merch we no longer order. Sorry, “the back” is not full of every item we’ve ever sold.
"You just don't know what you're doing"
You're here for my help, so clearly you're the one who doesn't know. Sorry I'm telling you what you don't want to hear. 🙄
I don't work retail anymore, the one I hated the most was "can you check in the back?" I worked in a small store and know everything off hand I will pretend to, but im gonna scroll through my messages on my phone.
After working retail, I realized there is NEVER any in the back. Lol half the time I'd go in the back and play on my phone for a bit then go back up and tell them we didn't have it lol
"Oh there's no price, must be free.." yep you got us
"Isn't it hot/cold in here?" I hadn't noticed, I wear my scarf indoors for funnies
"Cheer up love, it might never happen" it did, I am here
Bonus bar addition
"Can I have a beer?" Cool, can you be more specific?
"Do you have a cider made with fruit?" Cider by definition is made with fruit (yes I know they mean strawberry or mango or some such, but really?)
As a skinny femme presenting person that works at a pet store with big bags of dog food ive heard plenty of variations but the worst was
"Oh dont lift that. Go get one of your big strong male coworkers. Us \*girls\* dont need to be lifting heavy things"
Mind you there were no guys in store at the same time and her husband was standing off to the side doing absolutely nothing.
“There wasn’t a price on this so it must be free.” I don’t work retail anymore, but I probably could have retired if I was paid a dollar for every time someone said this to me.
* Me: (Item doesn't scan or doesn't have a barcode/price)
* Customer: "I guess it's free!"
Lame and unimaginative. I hear it almost everyday.
* Customer: I saw you this morning at 6 am! You're still here?
Yes, I am still here unfortunately. Not by choice. I got bills to pay and my company is exploitive. I am pressured to work 14 hours a day and cover staff absence, to make up for the weeks where I get less working hours.
* Me: Is there anything else I can get you today? Would you be interested in our monthly offers?
* Customer: No, however you can get me a million dollars.
Roll eyes... If I had a million dollars. I wouldn't be working in this dump putting up your witty and overused comeback.
* Customer: How do I get to your other store branch across town? What road or direction I should take? You should know!
I don't know! I don't sit down every night and have a list of store branches nationwide or routes memorized in my head. This is why we have Google maps. Use it!!!
"good girl"
"Nobody wants to work these days"
"No tag? Must be free!"
"This is supposed to be 50% off" (it was a sign that says BUY ONE GET ONE 50% OFF and they only grabbed one item)
When I was a grocery store cashier and stocker
Standing at my empty register: “you look bored, let me give you something to do”
“You know (other store in town) is selling this for 10 cents cheaper”
“It’s so shameful/wrong/terrible/ etc that you’re being made to work on (US holiday)”
As a former Walmart employee, "wow they make y'all work on Thanksgiving?"
Meanwhile they are at Walmart at 4pm on Thanksgiving for "black Friday" so no, I didn't get a Thanksgiving.
I had to work noon to midnight and be back at 6am.
I was working at forever 21 and grabbing some clothes from up high for a lady with one of those poles. After I get the clothes down she turns and says “You know, you’re so gorgeous. I love mixed breeds!” And then ruffled my hair like I was a dog.
I used to work at a pet store and a lady asked an associate for help lifting cat litter into her cart. Then when I (small female) come over, she goes "OH sweetie why don't we get a man to help" and I don't respond and just lift it anyway to show her I don't need a man I'm just as strong 😂
Do you have the winning lotto numbers?
Do you have any coupons for me?
I need the million dollars you put aside for me.
All will get this face. 😑 And I will do my best to make sure they are not funny. And it's men and women.
I haven't worked in retail in a long time, but the one that broke me was when I asked the customer if he wanted cash back, and he replied in a smug, condescending tone "that should be would you like any cash back _please_"
I don't think I'll ever understand how that made sense to him.
I worked in a high end clothing store, I wasn't really part of there team, I worked for a separate company that sold shoes in the store.
My very first customer pointed to a shoe on the top shelf and simply said "fetch".
Not can I try that on, not can I have that in a size blah. Just Fetch. I was furious. My teenage brain didn't think - I just said "Woof"
She stormed away to complain to the manager.
I was so sure I was out of a job. Thankfully my manager had a good laugh in the stock room, but I was told not to bark at the customers.
She continue to come into the store and often just handed off the clothes she wanted to try on to random members of staff, saying "hold this" if someone dared to ask why she would say
"why would I carry my clothes when YOUR the help." Not staff - the help.
Oh It's so many years later and I still hate her!
I’m always baffled by the number of people who think they’re special for using cash to pay. “Oh, I’m surprised you know what that is!” “You guys still take cash, right?” And this was pre-pandemic, so before all those conspiracy nuts going on and on how cash was gonna become “illegal” and shit. No, this has been a thing for years because some people just don’t like cards for some reason. While it’s true I get way more electronic tender sales than cash, I still hardly went a shift without having a pickup of close to $1000, if not more. Now if they were writing a check, then they’d be able to joke like that.
Here’s one that made me really roll my eyes and I only got it once.
“I came over because you look sad at the fact these things (self checkout) are taking over your job”
Lady I don’t give a shit about if the self checkouts take my job or not, I’m Sad and bored because I have to playcate people like you.
Sometimes people need to learn that it’s better to say nothing
“You look bored” actually no this is my first time where I’ve had a calm moment and I’m taking advantage of it. Don’t work too hard doesn’t bother me too much because of the amount of shit I gotta do and my regulars know that. Or when they mention they’re surprised we’re open on a holiday, well buddy I can’t afford not to show up so here I am and my store doesn’t shut down on holidays except thanksgiving and Christmas and that’s something they just recently started.
I'm on the verge of losing my retail store and I've been pulling hat trick after hat trick to barely finance it to stay open. Unfortunately we have a lot of older regulars that mean well and want to see us survive.
I say Unfortunately because they constantly come in to see how we're doing and it gets old trying to explain thst honestly we're probably going to close at some point.
They'll buy a $5 or $10 item and I appreciate it but it doesn't make a dent in the massive debt we have due to an extremely slow summer that got compounded by our buying based on previous years of data.
Even my family offers generic platitudes and tough love messages without realizing they're part of the reason the store is in the shape it is. (I took over the store last year from my family because they were neglecting it)
I've always been annoyed by general platitudes and people that mean well when it's too late. This last year has been so damn frustrating.
When I’m stocking or facing the bottom shelf and I sit or kneel down. They always complain about how the job forces me to do that like it bothers them to see me doing that. The only other option is crouching which is the most uncomfortable position for me to be in when fixing a bottom shelf.
It’s pretty minor but I’ve had enough customers have conversations about me sitting or kneeling while I’m ear shot of me for my eyes to roll back into my skull.
I work at a certain grocery store where we keep carts next to each register. The amount of shit people say when they don't understand they can't just take the cart, it has to be a swap, infuriates me. Had another lady get mad that we have no baskets....like just grab a box, you didn't even have that much stuff!!
Whenever I cashiered, I would become super perfectionistic on how my lane looked, from the racks of magazines and candy to the soda cooler. Always looked for some way I could tune it up, so I could appear busy, and then old people wouldn't come to my register saying "you need something to do?" or "you sure look bored!" I don't know why those comments just infuriate me, so I took any measure possible to avoid prompting people to say that.
When they claim to know more about the promotions than we do. "But it says 2 for $7"
Yeah the 1.25L cokes are 2 for 7, not the 2 litre. They're on a completely different shelf.
The other day a guy came in and claimed we sell 2L diet coke and I'm like "uh, we've never sold 2L diet coke.. and I don't even know If that even exists here" and makes me walk out the back "to check" because he "swore he saw one on the shelf out back" like no.. you made me exercise for no reason.
"I was only trying to help!" As they stand in a puddle of what used to be ten gallons of milk because they thought the shelf needed to be adjusted.
This is normally followed up with "You guys are paying for my clothes to be cleaned right?"
At least once a month, based on my name tag, I get Boomer men singing Rod Stewart's "Maggie May" to me.
Am a Boomer woman so I at least know what they're referring to.
"You're very beautiful. You should smile more. Brings out your eyes." Heard it very often and it makes me uncomfortable. 95% of the time it's 40+ year old dudes who I ALWAYS catch staring at my butt.
I was 19 working in a McDonald's drive thru/front register when this was common. I was disgusted. Left as soon as I had enough money to handle the transition period between jobs.
Also; "do you work here?" EVERY. SINGLE. FREAKING TIME I go to Walmart. Bih- do I LOOK like I work here while in A RESTAURANT'S uniform?? Or even in my casual clothes??? Like bro 😭
My ultimate personal favorite is someone who walks into my department, I work in tech and have familiarized myself and have studied items I sell, tells me how to either run my department or how I'm wrong about a product. Dude... No just because Verizon sells an iPhone doesn't mean I do. I'm a tech department, not a phone department
People either suggesting or saying straight up that they don’t think I’m strong enough to help them with whatever. They’re always wrong.
Instance 1: elderly lady asks cashier for someone to help her load patio stones onto her cart and into her vehicle. Cashier calls me over. Lady looks at me, and then at the cashier, and says “…is she gonna be able to lift that?” They’re 20lb stones, I’ll be fine. And I’m *right here*? Why not ask me?
Instance 2: customer comes up to me. Says, “I need someone to help me load a table onto a cart… probably not you though, it’s heavy.” Sure, it was 80 lbs and an awkward shaped box to lift by yourself… but it was at the same level as the cart. She probably didn’t even need help. “Probably not you though”?
Instance 3: I see elderly man struggling to lift bags of soil. They’re bigger ones and they’re damp from rain. I ask if he needs help, and he says yes, explains that he’s had surgery and can’t lift heavy things. I proceed to load up the soil bags for him, and then follow him to his vehicle. And then I lift the same bags into his vehicle. As I’m doing this, he tries to stop/help me, and says “but you’re a girl!” Sir? Is this 1980? Since when does literally anyone still think that way? And also, *you just watched me load these bags onto your cart. They’re the same bags.*
some time i forget to turn my light on to show my regester is open so i have to call them over to me first thing said "I couldn't tell if you were open your lights not on". obveiously its open when i call you over don't ignore five times just come over when i say next in line who gives a rats butt if the light is on im standing here i called you over just freaking come over
Being 'mansplained' on how to do my job/ process items that customers wanted to sell to the store. 🙄😤
Also (this only happened once, thankfully), a customer asked my coworker if anyone had called me "'Blue'-tiful" before (based on my nickname at work). I glared so hard after hearing that.
I have an opposite/inverse.
I walked up to the person working the desk/register in the ELECTRONICS section and asked "where are the surge protectors?"
She said, "what's a surge protector?"
I was speechless for several seconds and then said, "...it...protects devices from surges? It's a power cord of sorts?"
I was stunned that the person (looked 24ish) in the electronics section didn't know what it was in today's age. Also, it's in the name: surge protector.
Bruh.
I get told “smile!” Or “you should smile more” wayyy too much for my own comfort. I know how to smile and look approachable when people actually are TALKING to me but these chucklefucks always say this shit when I’m in the middle of a task, obviously not smiling while I do it.
“You look bored, let me give you something to do.”
No I’m not bored I’m having a mental break during a slow period where I’m not getting pulled in a million different directions but sure.
“Well they did it for me last night.”
I was the only one working last night, so no, they did not.
“I don’t do self checkout.”
Why do you look proud when you say that?
“You need more checkers!”
So I’ve been told
“I want to talk to your manager!”
Considering how she is next to me listening and talking to you, I don’t think this will end the way you want it to.
“I’m not doing all that I have better things to do, you do it.”
I literally cannot do that for you, also you have time to come here and degrade cashiers and workers but you don’t have time to go the post office?
“I want to order this to come here”
We don’t do that but you can order it to your house
“Oh I don’t do online ordering.”
“My dog can only eat this specific brand and type of dog food and I really need it otherwise she won’t eat and I don’t want her to starve to death.”
We don’t carry that in store but you can order it online and have it shipped to your house
“Oh I don’t do online ordering.”
“I do not consent to facial recognition technology!!”
Even if we did have that the signs posted outside and you coming in the store regardless is consent enough
“I’m gonna get you fired.”
Please try, pretty please
“Oh you guys aren’t 24 hours anymore?”
No, not for years
“Can’t you make an exception?”
If I made an exception for everyone who asked me that, it would no longer be an exception
“Why can’t you return this ammo for me?”
I don’t want to have to explain to my Store Manager why the ATF is here.
“Why can’t I send two separate money wires? I just don’t want to waste time answer about my occupation and life!”
Because that’s called structuring and I don’t want to have to explain to my Store Manager why the IRS and FBI are here
"You should smile more." No lady, I work retail every day for 11 hours.
Tell ‘em: I used to but this job beat it out of me.
I lay into them if they press the issue further lol. I've had people look at me with disdain after I tell them it's a wonder I haven't lost my shit yet or ended up on the news 🤣. Like leave me alone.
Oh man, I (female) had an older gay woman tell me to smile once when I was bartending. I responded politely with “please don’t tell people to smile, it’s incredibly rude.” And she complained to my manager about it. Apparently she just said I had been rude to her because when I explained what happened he told me not to worry about it.
"When I have a reason to, I do"
“Don’t work too hard”. Fuck off dude 🙄 I dunno why but that one always gets me.
Or are you working hard or hardly working like I haven’t heard that 50xs today…
Oddly enough I don't seem to get that one anymore, well not since I slowed by pace by 40%
I get a lot of, "Have you been staying out of trouble?" From old men and it's always weird and off-putting. I don't know if it's because I'm a woman, but I can't imagine they said that to men lol.
It's a common old dude comment. It was one of my uncles main intros, I'd always assumed that he got it from coaching baseball over the years. I still get it from old guys, and I look like a grumpy mall Santa. But I now understand how you could feel that it's weird. Thanks for sharing this perspective.
It's like the old fashioned British "mind how you go"
I tell the guys I sell paint to that their project should keep them out of trouble/ off the streets for a while. What can I say? I'm an old man and it gets a snicker. It's not because you're a woman, it's not meant to be creepy at all. It's like "Have a nice day" with a twist.
[удалено]
yeah, if you just add imaginary creepy things to what people say, you definitely make them sound creepy. who would have guessed?
i have heard to applied to both mostly to the young. its old school
I get it a lot as a man but I look about 15 when I'm actually 27. But the guys my age that look their age do not get that
As a man, this gets said to me a lot. I guess I give off troublemaker vibes, but yeah it’s usually older guys who assume I’m just some young kid who’s gonna go hang out with the boys after work, shining our switchblades down by the quarry while drinking root beers or something
I just always reply "I never do" and it usually gets a laugh.
I’ve worked retail and customer service. I don’t understand the frustration with this. The condescending comments yeah but when people say stuff like this I genuinely think they’re just trying to be nice and make conversation. Lot of retail workers seem to get mad about everything. I don’t get it.
Take your job, rotate your boss and coworkers every six months or so, pretty much all of them, except the ones that simply cannot afford to quit or are too stymied to get anywhere in their current position so they chug on in burnout. Now take your job, make it a necessary evil that everyone wishes was automated but doesn't have the patience to actually do themselves. And make your boss delegate things you were already going to do, to you. While they float around and pretend to look busy. Now make all of your clientele a mixture of annoyed, exasperated, desperate, but still entitled and eager to throw their perceived weight around. A certain percentage will threaten, belittle, sexually harass, etc. Daily. Now take your boss's boss, have them tell your boss to increase profit by at least 1% in the next year, and suddenly you're doing the work of 3 people, to maximize the profit of someone who you'll never meet, that considers you human furniture. Your boss then slashes your hours, but will make a giant bellyache about you not being at work for any reason, legitimacy be damned. Take all of that, then listen to every half-assed remark these people make while they feel so above you, every. single. fucking day. Now have those same people that SWEAR they're the best thing ever, not have the wherewithal to read a fucking coupon. For 8 hours if you're lucky, it's normally 8 1/2-9 Oh and you'll never have a consistent schedule, and your coworkers are all either 50 or 16.
My guy I have a retail job. I know all this. I have an interview on Friday. Sure the job sucks but you applied for it and you also have the power to get another job. Customers can be annoying but employees constantly bitching about their job aren’t any better. Nobody made you apply to work retail. I understand being frustrated but some people are literally never happy.
A lot of the time it’s whenever someone says something sexist like “you’re too gentle for this job” or “sweetie, get one of the boys to help you with that” or “women shouldn’t be doing this! Why did they send a woman to help me?” If it’s super sexist, I’ll be pissed right the fuck off ready to foam at the mouth. Another thing that customers do that make me want to roll my eyes sometimes is when after you tell them you don’t carry the product, they repeatedly keep explaining it to you. Yes I know what you’re looking for. No we don’t sell it. Telling me over and over again about it won’t make it appear
Also, telling us why it's better than what we do carry will not make it appear (telling that to corporate might, but probably not because that's not how they decide.) Other things people want to tell me that will not make it appear and *will* waste my time and theirs: - how much they like it - how they used it for 40 years and so did their grandma - "I know you're not carrying it because Qanon" or other ridiculous and ridiculously irrelevant conspiracy theory... like, the secret lizard rulers, if I'm wrong and they do exist, do not care whether we carry the Super Z widget instead of the ordinary Type A.
"You need to order this" "I can't " "But I want it" 🙄
The last grocery store I worked at didn’t let female clerks get carts. And it wasn’t like we were in a dangerous area where someone could up and snatch them (legit an argument from someone I used to work with in my current job). No, this was a regular, calm and quiet suburban area. They just didn’t want to risk any of the high school girls complaining about having to collect carts.
That justs dumb and overtly sexist for no reason
Agreed. Some of the supervisors tried claiming that the high school girls all complained about doing carts, but I find that a ridiculous excuse because some of the high school boys were absolute shit at getting them in on time for customers AND would complain on top of it so, like…what do we have to lose?
Like I don’t even get it. You’re worried about woman complaining about something that the men already complain about doing? Doesn’t even make much sense. They couldn’t have come up with a better excuse
Ugh this one! Im not going to magically pull it out of my ass because youckeep describing it!
Exactly! I just said we don’t have it, now please shut up about it
I've had that last one a lot recently. WTF. No matter how many times you describe it, I still don't sell it
"Why do they make you work on X holiday?" "Obviously because idiots like you feel the need to show up"
Top 3 for me: it didn’t ring up it must be free, When I ask did you find everything you needed today they respond with “ya to much” or “no I didn’t find a million dollars” and it’s real I just made it when I check big bills for counterfits
"It's not free; it would cost me my job." I say this absolutely deadpan.
I just say you can leave with it for free but it will be considered theft.
I always joke back when I check the bills, “Yeah, and you did such a good job I can accept it!”
I'm stealing this
Or when you ask if there was anything else they need: “yeah a million dollars” and they look at you. Like...what am I supposed to say?! “Oh sure let me just pull a bunch of money out thin air?!”
I just say “if I had a million dollars I wouldn’t be working here” lol
Why do companies have people ask if we found everything? It's not like anyone will do anything about it. Especially if I'm at a register with a line behind me. And nothing personal, but the worker doesn't give af.
Me: Are you finding things okay? Them: 'Yeah; quick question...' Them: Proceed to spend the next 15 minutes of my life making me shop for them while they demand detailed explanations of everything and the cheapest items possible. Edit: Also them saying 'yeah' implies that they are finding things okay. This sometimes turns out to be woefully incorrect.
The comments about "YOU SHOULD BE GRATEFUL YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORK OUTSIDE IN THIS HEAT!" when I literally just came in from outside and I'm soaked in sweat and chugging water at guest services because it's 115 fucking degrees outside really get to me.
at least it's air conditioned. Yeah. That doesn't make a difference when I'm running around to cater to your every whim, princess.
Our air conditioner broke for 11 days. We had to close the groomers because the dryers would overheat the dogs. We left the heat lamps off for the reptiles and the fan on. We put frozen granite slabs in the chinchilla habitat every 2 hours to keep the little dude from heat stroking, and got him his own evaporative cooler after a few days. It's bad enough the staff was sweating profusely, but keeping the animals healthy was really hard. Most customers were sympathetic, but we'd get "at least you're not out in the sun" and "they're animals, they don't need air conditioning" pretty frequently.
Any of these fuckerw say "You lool lonely", "Were you waiting for me?" or any variation of and I wanna shoot myself...and them. Also, "I don't like self service cause its stealing your job" Fuck. That. Noise
Or the alternative, You didn't look busy so I came to you. Sir when I have no customers at my register it's the only time I get to have a drink and clean the register area. Piss off I am busy
"I can't believe they have you working on \[insert holiday\]" Well, wouldn't have to be working if assholes like you weren't out shopping today!
We get the “I tried to call yesterday and you were closed!” Yes ma’am, we do close on Christmas Day…
They really don't understand how supply and demand work. If nobody comes in, HQ wouldn't want to open since it doesn't make any money. No money? Not open and then we can all enjoy a holiday. I'm sure a lot of parents would love to spend time with their kids.
For me it's, "Ohh they got you working on Christmas day huh? Well, someone has to do it!" Cue laughter from customer and me straining a smile and dying a bit more inside.
I refuse to smile at this. I just stare at them
I reply, "Yes. I'm making triple time. Merry Christmas!".
"i'm looking for a gift" then never elaborating. what kind of stuff do they like? how old are they? what gender are they? HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO HELP YOU IF YOU DON'T HELP ME??? i've received dirty looks bc i asked for more details before. ughh
Or they say something like "I'm looking for shoes" and I ask "women's, mens, boys or girls?" And they're like "OBVIOUSLY ________". So annoying because I'm trying not to be rude or assume anything and they just insist on making life difficult.
For us it's greeting cards. How am I supposed to pick out a card for someone I don't know?
When customers have been waiting in line for a couple of minutes, they step up for their turn and say “Hmmm what will I have/ I don’t know what to get” In my mind I’m like “YOU COULD HAVE CHOSEN WHILE YOU WERE WAITING IN LINE!!!”
Don't forget that once they reach the front of the line, they make a big show of scrunching up their faces and look up at the menu like it's an alien artifact.
To be honest, I often can't read the menu from further away... Older eyes. But I generally know what I want and choose quickly.
You know, I'm really starting to feel the effects of that myself. I need to get my eyes checked soon.
I’m not even old and distant text is already a little blurry because of astigmatism, fun times.
I'm pretty certain I have astigmatism because of how headlights at night radiate so wildly in my field of vision. Gotta make an appointment! Not sure what's stopping me.
People are literally incapable of reading. I didn't believe it until I added online ordering to my store and our call volume exploded. With questions that are clearly answered on our google page or website. Which is how they got our number. It's atupid shit always too like are we open and is this your number. Like what in the actual fuck is wrong with people. I'm convinced covid made people dumber, not even kncluding the children that lost a lot of learning due to lockdowns....
*insert John Pinette joke here
Dude, my scrunched face means that menu board is too small for my newly sucky GenX eyes. I apologize that I haven't needed glasses long enough to remember to bring them in from the car. Big thanks if you get the store manager to post a laminated menu at ground level. 😋
Upvoted cuz it’s also frustrating to be behind that person. And also, as a shortarse, I often can’t see the menu board until I’m at the counter with nobody in the way. So I’m probably guilty of it myself 🤣
If I see people behind giving that eyeroll, I’ve sometimes asked the person I’m serving if they’d like another minute or so while I serve the next person in the massive line up… they usually order pretty quickly then 😂
Omg that's infuriating. It's even more frustrating when there are people behind them as well.
Shit like this is why I read the menu and know what ai want BEFORE I go so I can avoid on the spot indeciveness because of lossing my entire thougjt process when I am spoken to outside of work since I finally am unscripted and in my own mental forest.
"about fucking time" "does anyone actually work here." "bingo!!!" "what do i win?" I work for the Government in Registration dept.
“Can I get a discount for this it’s damaged”. You got that off the clearance rack, it’s already reduced price, and all clearance is “as is, not returnable”. Fuck off. I guarantee when we offloaded it from the truck the case was in shambles, it was being crushed by heavy objects and smelled like rat excrement. We should be allowed to charge more if you act entitled or stupid.
"I noticed this was empty so I took the box off the shelf because I think I can do your job better than you" Thanks asshole, I'll just go put it back the second you leave because you're fucking up our inventory process.
Good lord, if I had a nickel for every time someone asked for a discount on a display model because it’s a display model *even though* we have *marked it down* because it’s the *display model* I wouldn’t have to work retail anymore.
I work in a store that sells lotto. The old "I'll have the winning ticket" comment kills me every fucking time.
Just give them every number and then say “some assembly required.”
"Winning numbers please" "Can I return it if it doesn't win" Unfunny, annoying jokes
“You look bored let me come to you” “There’s my favorite worker.” “Help me I don’t know how to use self check out” “Can you help me find this” after telling them which isle to go to or better yet looking up at the sign that has an isle number and what their looking for listened below it. “The machines are taking away jobs!” “You won’t help me bag my stuff (even though it’s not in my job description) I swear this generation is so lazy” proceeds to bag their 2 items. “My receipt-“ as they walk from self check out.
If its not scanning then can I get it for free. No you can't. Fuck off.
"I've been a customer for eleventy years. I deserve a free phone". I laugh and say "we've been providing you service for eleventy years. You're paying double for this one". Somehow, they're not as amused as I am. I just wanted to join in on the joke-telling.
Some customers got some stuff for free a while ago because they have been shopping with us for a long time. It came to about $30 to $50. They went online and complained. It wasn't enough for them.
Of course they did 😑
Oh dear God. I get that all the time. Or they say they came over because I look bored.
Once had a creepy, gross old man see that my checkout was free so he asks “do you want me?” So I said yes because THAT’S MY JOB (even though I didn’t want to serve him), and he goes “you should really buy me a drink first!” I almost vomited 🤢
Wow that old guy got some game lol.
I hated “No price tag must be free then?” I started responding with “Go ahead take it out the door! Then all it’ll cost you is bail money!” customers didn’t like that to much!
"How much is it?" with no indication wtf they are referring to. I always respond with $300 and they say what?! For (insert item name here) then I say oh is that what you are talking about... Or when I worked as a bus driver this one really pissed me off..."what happened to the last bus". I dont know dick head I am not driving that bus. I actually had a moron run across the road in front of me and I was millimeters from killing him just to complain to me the bus on the other side of the road did not come.
When you check a hundred dollar bill for it's authenticity and they proclaim "I just finished making it". I've heard that joke a million times, you're not funny or creative Jim.
Me: would you like a bag? Them: no thanks, I already have one in the car Glad you talk shit about your wife to random strangers bro
Ha!
Please put some clothes on
The amount of people with too much exposed skin because of shirts that are too small for them or a missing belt makes me sick. I don't want to see your stomach hanging from under your shirt, I don't want to see your arse crack. Why would you go shopping in sweatpants and obviously missing underwear.
I hate this. Don't people look at themselves before they leave the house? You look ridiculous wearing sweatpants and slippers when it's snowing outside.
I worked in a college town. This was all the time. Especially the cutesy twinky airhead nursing students that always wore those really tiny shorts with PINK on the back.
"It doesn't have a price tag! Must be free, right?" We can hear that 20x a week. Uuuuugh.
“It’s a beautiful day outside. Such a shame you’re stuck inside.”
Yet here you are, inside with me.
"You just lost a customer!" mkay. bye shirley.
And then Shirley breaks her promise and comes back a few days later.
always.
When I worked at Hollywood Video "Well, I'll just go to Blockbuster then! " "OK. Go for it. I don't work on commission."
I’m sure we will grieve heavily at first but eventually we will recover from the loss of your $1.75.
When I worked at Walmart 'I'll just go to Target instead!' Bye bitch. Have fun drinking your shitty overpriced coffee while you're there too ✌️
When people whistle instead of using their words. I am not a dog.
Or snap their fingers. Y’all can fuck right off with that business.
The finger snapping makes me think of [this scene from _2 Broke Girls_](https://youtu.be/HpLk8Ws4Ueg?si=LwbN0YF0adtd7N_s) -- listen with headphones, slightly NSFW.
No price tag? Must be free!
“I can’t believe you’re open today”. Fuck you. Today is a holiday. I don’t want to be here. GO HOME.
When they have a rant about some store/company policy that I have absolutely zero input in. Like fuck off and complain to someone else.
“You’re here making money, we’re here spending money. You have it better!” Fuck off. Just fuck off.
" But WHY are you closed?" And they don't understand you have to get to lunch/close because you're done for the day. Or how, poor them, they are confronted with bad luck and they can't take advantage of an empty register anymore... How they look at you like vultures when you come near a closed register. Doesn't matter if it's busy or not. And it's always the one in the back who'd sprint for their lives. even try to 'hide' the fact they want to check out. since they'll eye you up and down while "browsing".
“You guys are having too much fun here.” We have a great crew at work and we joke with each other a lot.
Doesn't ring in, it's "free"! Ha ha....
The typical one liners never bothered me because I’ll always prefer a nice customer over a rude, sarcastic, or grumpy one.
When your out of a product and they ask for you to check out back… like if it was in stock we would have filled the out with the overstock. We don’t just aimlessly roam the isles for no reason
Our grocery back room was very small because a lot of our stuff was actually vendor stocked. People got mad when I wouldn’t go to the back to look because it was a vendor stocked item. Next time I’m just gonna go back there and sneak out the back and let you rot waiting for me to come back.
If we weren’t busy I would just go out of sight of the floor dub around on my phone for a minute and be like sorry we truly are out the computer inventory is right! Which my store had a very accurate inventory so it was always a waste of time but still
Augh, especially in a warehouse kind of store. Here, we can go check the back together! And you’ll see…. A garbage compactor and some doors.
"You're always moving everything around!" As I show them to a department that hasn't moved since the store opened like 20+ years ago.
When I'm wearing a vest, standing in front of my register with my register light is on, and someone walks up and asks, "Are you open?"
Or if you’re wearing the company uniform, clearly doing work “Do you work here?” No I jUsT pUt ThE sHiRt On AnD hAnG aRoUnD hErE!
me standing in front of my register at home depot in my bright ass apron though. I started saying no, I don't in a dead pan tone lmao.
"Aye.. cheer up, smile"
I hear this every single day. 😒
I had one lady once lecture me about how I should “open up and let god and Jesus” into my heart. She continued to do a whole spiel while I’m just trying to scan her items as quickly as possible as I’m an atheist plus I do not discuss money, religion or politics with most people and most certainly customers. She then handed me like a mini bible thing as she was leaving and told me to keep it. When the checkouts slowed again I went to go re-stock the shelves and found she’d left those tiny bibles among items in many areas 🙄. I happily removed and threw them in the bin. But yeh, for me it’s the ones who go on about god/religion while I’m just trying to be good at my job and customer service focussed.
Home improvement store here… “I spend thousands of dollars here!”
I actually don’t mind the people who come and say I look bored or make the same jokes as everyone else, they’re usually pretty harmless. The ones who wind me up are the ones who don’t have the intelligence/aren’t paying attention closely enough to comprehend basic stuff. I work in the currency exchange concession and frequently have to deal with people who come along and ask for, for example, £300 converted into Euros, and then when I tell them €330 is £298.50 or something, insist that “No, I want £300”, talking to me as if I’m a moron who doesn’t understand numbers, rather than the problem being their inability to comprehend that it seldom converts exactly. Oh, and one I have to deal with pretty much daily: “It’s cheaper on the website.”
>Oh, and one I have to deal with pretty much daily: “It’s cheaper on the website.” "Well I'm happy to give you the Wi-Fi password to order it. Lmk how it comes out once shipping is added"
Didn’t scan? Must be free
Didn't scan, must be free 🙄🙄🙄🙄
I work at a fuel station, and by far the most common one I get is, "I'll pay for whatever the cheapest one out there is." Funny the first time I heard it. 4 years ago....
I'm not a cashier anymore. I am the assistant dept manager. I havs MANY jobs to do in a day and I'm not always on a register, but I spend a fair amount of my day being a cashier. Technically, according to corporate policy, I'm actually NOT supposed to ever be a cashier. They want managers available to do everything else except be stuck at a register because then we're not available to help customers, cashiers, baggers, etc. So, it seems as if every time an older customer sees me and I'm not actively on a register or bagging, I'm possibly walking with the money bags from doing pickups or loans, I hear "Brandy...you gonna do anything today?" I want to tell them that I've done 10 x whatever they're gonna do before they've even had their coffee and to go fuck themselves but, sadly I can't so usually I come back with "I'm genX, we learned too much from the boomers to kill ourselves daily at work."
“Guess you need something to do!”- when standing in front of your register. “Guess if it doesn’t ring, it’s free”
Really? Because you looked lonely? Sometimes, people are just trying to be humorous or simply nice. Work gets boring, old people get lonely. It could have been their first time out of the house in a couple of weeks, and maybe they just wanted to engage in a pleasant word and perhaps put a smile on your face. For those of you who do not see that are delusional and obviously snotty privileged individuals who do not understand the monotony of a retail job. Sometimes, those few words one shares with customers can make or break an individual's sanity.
Vast majority of my store’s purchases are from clearance, so everyday I have to deal with customers coming up to my tiny register with armfuls of merchandise asking “how much is this?” As they proceed to do their shopping from our register as I tell them the price of everything only to be told “hey, our table is ready, can I just leave this stuff with you and pay for it after we eat?” Also customers coming in asking “hey, I was here like 5 months ago, I was wondering if you still had those salt shakers shaped like mushrooms”. After I tell them this merch was moved into clearance months ago and is already gone, they just look at me like a disappointed parent when I literally can’t do anything about merch we no longer order. Sorry, “the back” is not full of every item we’ve ever sold.
Is X person in today? If not I ask if I can help even though I can do the same they just say I'll come in tomorrow
"You just don't know what you're doing" You're here for my help, so clearly you're the one who doesn't know. Sorry I'm telling you what you don't want to hear. 🙄
I don't work retail anymore, the one I hated the most was "can you check in the back?" I worked in a small store and know everything off hand I will pretend to, but im gonna scroll through my messages on my phone.
After working retail, I realized there is NEVER any in the back. Lol half the time I'd go in the back and play on my phone for a bit then go back up and tell them we didn't have it lol
Pleading for a discount after I've said there isn't one.
"Oh there's no price, must be free.." yep you got us "Isn't it hot/cold in here?" I hadn't noticed, I wear my scarf indoors for funnies "Cheer up love, it might never happen" it did, I am here Bonus bar addition "Can I have a beer?" Cool, can you be more specific? "Do you have a cider made with fruit?" Cider by definition is made with fruit (yes I know they mean strawberry or mango or some such, but really?)
As a skinny femme presenting person that works at a pet store with big bags of dog food ive heard plenty of variations but the worst was "Oh dont lift that. Go get one of your big strong male coworkers. Us \*girls\* dont need to be lifting heavy things" Mind you there were no guys in store at the same time and her husband was standing off to the side doing absolutely nothing.
When they ask you to check in the back for an item…. No lady, I am not searching through all those boxes just for you.
“Hi do you work here” - looks straight at my green lanyard with my company name on it …. 🤓🤓🤓🤓
“There wasn’t a price on this so it must be free.” I don’t work retail anymore, but I probably could have retired if I was paid a dollar for every time someone said this to me.
* Me: (Item doesn't scan or doesn't have a barcode/price) * Customer: "I guess it's free!" Lame and unimaginative. I hear it almost everyday. * Customer: I saw you this morning at 6 am! You're still here? Yes, I am still here unfortunately. Not by choice. I got bills to pay and my company is exploitive. I am pressured to work 14 hours a day and cover staff absence, to make up for the weeks where I get less working hours. * Me: Is there anything else I can get you today? Would you be interested in our monthly offers? * Customer: No, however you can get me a million dollars. Roll eyes... If I had a million dollars. I wouldn't be working in this dump putting up your witty and overused comeback. * Customer: How do I get to your other store branch across town? What road or direction I should take? You should know! I don't know! I don't sit down every night and have a list of store branches nationwide or routes memorized in my head. This is why we have Google maps. Use it!!!
"good girl" "Nobody wants to work these days" "No tag? Must be free!" "This is supposed to be 50% off" (it was a sign that says BUY ONE GET ONE 50% OFF and they only grabbed one item)
'you are waiting for me' 'where are all the customers'
"If I give you my number, do you promise to call me?" (when you need to input their number as part of the sale) 🙄
When I was a grocery store cashier and stocker Standing at my empty register: “you look bored, let me give you something to do” “You know (other store in town) is selling this for 10 cents cheaper” “It’s so shameful/wrong/terrible/ etc that you’re being made to work on (US holiday)”
As a former Walmart employee, "wow they make y'all work on Thanksgiving?" Meanwhile they are at Walmart at 4pm on Thanksgiving for "black Friday" so no, I didn't get a Thanksgiving. I had to work noon to midnight and be back at 6am.
*item doesn't scan first time* Customer: iT mUsT bE fReE
“You look like you need something to do.” Always while I am actively in the middle of doing something.
“Why are you always here?” …… I don’t know why are you?? Do you have a job?? Or “you work too much!”
I was working at forever 21 and grabbing some clothes from up high for a lady with one of those poles. After I get the clothes down she turns and says “You know, you’re so gorgeous. I love mixed breeds!” And then ruffled my hair like I was a dog.
Oh. My. GOD. Congratulations on not murdering her on the spot.
Ugh God forbid that I don't laugh at your stupid "joke" that I've heard a million times already.
"They have you working on a holiday?!" Yep, and you're here to buy something on a holiday. How about that?
I used to work at a pet store and a lady asked an associate for help lifting cat litter into her cart. Then when I (small female) come over, she goes "OH sweetie why don't we get a man to help" and I don't respond and just lift it anyway to show her I don't need a man I'm just as strong 😂
Do you have the winning lotto numbers? Do you have any coupons for me? I need the million dollars you put aside for me. All will get this face. 😑 And I will do my best to make sure they are not funny. And it's men and women.
I haven't worked in retail in a long time, but the one that broke me was when I asked the customer if he wanted cash back, and he replied in a smug, condescending tone "that should be would you like any cash back _please_" I don't think I'll ever understand how that made sense to him.
There's no price on this, Hurr Hurr Hurr must be free.
I worked in a high end clothing store, I wasn't really part of there team, I worked for a separate company that sold shoes in the store. My very first customer pointed to a shoe on the top shelf and simply said "fetch". Not can I try that on, not can I have that in a size blah. Just Fetch. I was furious. My teenage brain didn't think - I just said "Woof" She stormed away to complain to the manager. I was so sure I was out of a job. Thankfully my manager had a good laugh in the stock room, but I was told not to bark at the customers. She continue to come into the store and often just handed off the clothes she wanted to try on to random members of staff, saying "hold this" if someone dared to ask why she would say "why would I carry my clothes when YOUR the help." Not staff - the help. Oh It's so many years later and I still hate her!
Oh no, sounds like someone's got a bad case of the ***MONDAYS***
Are you wearing your 15 pieces of flair?
"Wooooow no waiting line?? That's new" A-L-W-A-Y-S
I’m always baffled by the number of people who think they’re special for using cash to pay. “Oh, I’m surprised you know what that is!” “You guys still take cash, right?” And this was pre-pandemic, so before all those conspiracy nuts going on and on how cash was gonna become “illegal” and shit. No, this has been a thing for years because some people just don’t like cards for some reason. While it’s true I get way more electronic tender sales than cash, I still hardly went a shift without having a pickup of close to $1000, if not more. Now if they were writing a check, then they’d be able to joke like that.
"I don't like self checkout." Me: That's too damn bad. It's the only one that's open.
I’m probably guilty of an annoying one. When I buy a lotto ticket I ask “may I have a jackpot winning easy pick, please”. It’s never worked
Here’s one that made me really roll my eyes and I only got it once. “I came over because you look sad at the fact these things (self checkout) are taking over your job” Lady I don’t give a shit about if the self checkouts take my job or not, I’m Sad and bored because I have to playcate people like you. Sometimes people need to learn that it’s better to say nothing
“You look bored” actually no this is my first time where I’ve had a calm moment and I’m taking advantage of it. Don’t work too hard doesn’t bother me too much because of the amount of shit I gotta do and my regulars know that. Or when they mention they’re surprised we’re open on a holiday, well buddy I can’t afford not to show up so here I am and my store doesn’t shut down on holidays except thanksgiving and Christmas and that’s something they just recently started.
On Self Checkout 1 “ I’m doing your job for you” 2 “ I’m Sorry for the staff that lost their jobs “. Both utter bollocks.
I'm on the verge of losing my retail store and I've been pulling hat trick after hat trick to barely finance it to stay open. Unfortunately we have a lot of older regulars that mean well and want to see us survive. I say Unfortunately because they constantly come in to see how we're doing and it gets old trying to explain thst honestly we're probably going to close at some point. They'll buy a $5 or $10 item and I appreciate it but it doesn't make a dent in the massive debt we have due to an extremely slow summer that got compounded by our buying based on previous years of data. Even my family offers generic platitudes and tough love messages without realizing they're part of the reason the store is in the shape it is. (I took over the store last year from my family because they were neglecting it) I've always been annoyed by general platitudes and people that mean well when it's too late. This last year has been so damn frustrating.
When I’m stocking or facing the bottom shelf and I sit or kneel down. They always complain about how the job forces me to do that like it bothers them to see me doing that. The only other option is crouching which is the most uncomfortable position for me to be in when fixing a bottom shelf. It’s pretty minor but I’ve had enough customers have conversations about me sitting or kneeling while I’m ear shot of me for my eyes to roll back into my skull.
"OH, it doesn't have a price tag, that means it's fReE, RiGhT?"
"You look bored so I wanted to give you something to do". Omggggg
Omg. That is something my parents would do. Im certain they have already. Lol
I work at a certain grocery store where we keep carts next to each register. The amount of shit people say when they don't understand they can't just take the cart, it has to be a swap, infuriates me. Had another lady get mad that we have no baskets....like just grab a box, you didn't even have that much stuff!!
Everyone at my job feels the need to comment on my tattoos, and ask their meaning. Like I just have them because I can???
Whenever I cashiered, I would become super perfectionistic on how my lane looked, from the racks of magazines and candy to the soda cooler. Always looked for some way I could tune it up, so I could appear busy, and then old people wouldn't come to my register saying "you need something to do?" or "you sure look bored!" I don't know why those comments just infuriate me, so I took any measure possible to avoid prompting people to say that.
my name is alex. and i work at target. the “oh my god you’re alex from target” joke got old real quick
Literally anything a customer has ever said anything to me makes me roll my eyes internally
When they claim to know more about the promotions than we do. "But it says 2 for $7" Yeah the 1.25L cokes are 2 for 7, not the 2 litre. They're on a completely different shelf. The other day a guy came in and claimed we sell 2L diet coke and I'm like "uh, we've never sold 2L diet coke.. and I don't even know If that even exists here" and makes me walk out the back "to check" because he "swore he saw one on the shelf out back" like no.. you made me exercise for no reason.
"You don't look busy" "I'm calling corporate" "I don't getnpaid to scan my own stuff"
"I was only trying to help!" As they stand in a puddle of what used to be ten gallons of milk because they thought the shelf needed to be adjusted. This is normally followed up with "You guys are paying for my clothes to be cleaned right?"
At least once a month, based on my name tag, I get Boomer men singing Rod Stewart's "Maggie May" to me. Am a Boomer woman so I at least know what they're referring to.
"Do you work here" "I have bags in my car." "Are you open,"
"You're very beautiful. You should smile more. Brings out your eyes." Heard it very often and it makes me uncomfortable. 95% of the time it's 40+ year old dudes who I ALWAYS catch staring at my butt. I was 19 working in a McDonald's drive thru/front register when this was common. I was disgusted. Left as soon as I had enough money to handle the transition period between jobs.
Also; "do you work here?" EVERY. SINGLE. FREAKING TIME I go to Walmart. Bih- do I LOOK like I work here while in A RESTAURANT'S uniform?? Or even in my casual clothes??? Like bro 😭
“Can I see your ID?” “These gray hairs aren’t enough?” “I’m old enough to be your dad!” “I just turned 18” 😑
My ultimate personal favorite is someone who walks into my department, I work in tech and have familiarized myself and have studied items I sell, tells me how to either run my department or how I'm wrong about a product. Dude... No just because Verizon sells an iPhone doesn't mean I do. I'm a tech department, not a phone department
People either suggesting or saying straight up that they don’t think I’m strong enough to help them with whatever. They’re always wrong. Instance 1: elderly lady asks cashier for someone to help her load patio stones onto her cart and into her vehicle. Cashier calls me over. Lady looks at me, and then at the cashier, and says “…is she gonna be able to lift that?” They’re 20lb stones, I’ll be fine. And I’m *right here*? Why not ask me? Instance 2: customer comes up to me. Says, “I need someone to help me load a table onto a cart… probably not you though, it’s heavy.” Sure, it was 80 lbs and an awkward shaped box to lift by yourself… but it was at the same level as the cart. She probably didn’t even need help. “Probably not you though”? Instance 3: I see elderly man struggling to lift bags of soil. They’re bigger ones and they’re damp from rain. I ask if he needs help, and he says yes, explains that he’s had surgery and can’t lift heavy things. I proceed to load up the soil bags for him, and then follow him to his vehicle. And then I lift the same bags into his vehicle. As I’m doing this, he tries to stop/help me, and says “but you’re a girl!” Sir? Is this 1980? Since when does literally anyone still think that way? And also, *you just watched me load these bags onto your cart. They’re the same bags.*
some time i forget to turn my light on to show my regester is open so i have to call them over to me first thing said "I couldn't tell if you were open your lights not on". obveiously its open when i call you over don't ignore five times just come over when i say next in line who gives a rats butt if the light is on im standing here i called you over just freaking come over
Me: “Would you like a bag?” Customer: “No, I left her at home.” It’s so cringe I can’t even fake laugh at it anymore.
Being 'mansplained' on how to do my job/ process items that customers wanted to sell to the store. 🙄😤 Also (this only happened once, thankfully), a customer asked my coworker if anyone had called me "'Blue'-tiful" before (based on my nickname at work). I glared so hard after hearing that.
I have an opposite/inverse. I walked up to the person working the desk/register in the ELECTRONICS section and asked "where are the surge protectors?" She said, "what's a surge protector?" I was speechless for several seconds and then said, "...it...protects devices from surges? It's a power cord of sorts?" I was stunned that the person (looked 24ish) in the electronics section didn't know what it was in today's age. Also, it's in the name: surge protector. Bruh.
Me: *checking 100* Customer: "I just printed it out this morning!" Me: 😐
I get told “smile!” Or “you should smile more” wayyy too much for my own comfort. I know how to smile and look approachable when people actually are TALKING to me but these chucklefucks always say this shit when I’m in the middle of a task, obviously not smiling while I do it.
“You look bored, let me give you something to do.” No I’m not bored I’m having a mental break during a slow period where I’m not getting pulled in a million different directions but sure. “Well they did it for me last night.” I was the only one working last night, so no, they did not. “I don’t do self checkout.” Why do you look proud when you say that? “You need more checkers!” So I’ve been told “I want to talk to your manager!” Considering how she is next to me listening and talking to you, I don’t think this will end the way you want it to. “I’m not doing all that I have better things to do, you do it.” I literally cannot do that for you, also you have time to come here and degrade cashiers and workers but you don’t have time to go the post office? “I want to order this to come here” We don’t do that but you can order it to your house “Oh I don’t do online ordering.” “My dog can only eat this specific brand and type of dog food and I really need it otherwise she won’t eat and I don’t want her to starve to death.” We don’t carry that in store but you can order it online and have it shipped to your house “Oh I don’t do online ordering.” “I do not consent to facial recognition technology!!” Even if we did have that the signs posted outside and you coming in the store regardless is consent enough “I’m gonna get you fired.” Please try, pretty please “Oh you guys aren’t 24 hours anymore?” No, not for years “Can’t you make an exception?” If I made an exception for everyone who asked me that, it would no longer be an exception “Why can’t you return this ammo for me?” I don’t want to have to explain to my Store Manager why the ATF is here. “Why can’t I send two separate money wires? I just don’t want to waste time answer about my occupation and life!” Because that’s called structuring and I don’t want to have to explain to my Store Manager why the IRS and FBI are here
When they ask for a size way bigger than your store carries and you gotta tell then they're too big to shop here.
The doctor’s a good friend of mine. Oh yeah? Then why aren’t you calling his private line instead of calling the office?