Things I hate about working in retail.... (new edition)

The one thing, the ONE thing about customers that really grinds my gears is the same old, recycled and tired out joke that every customer thinks is hilarious: "Oh it didn't scan through, it must be free!" And every time I have to go "HAHAHAHAHA" to please them. But it's not a laugh of amusement. Not at all. It's anger expressed in a disguise.

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Reply 1

ohhello92x

Original post by rsdntbplr

I know right, or when they kick up a fuss about your stores returns policy :angry:

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Reply 2

Bossman2k14

Original post by Junaid16

Surely the money makes up for it :yep:

No bad pay as well as a terrible job i got a job in Maplins obvoisuly retail i'm a Sales Advisor i absolutely hate this job and would rather leave ASAP i'm doing it PURELY for experience I only work Saturdays for 4 hours mind and still hate this job that tells you something Retail is the worst possible job to end up in even a binman is better and more pay. Hopefully i'll find an apprenticeship in bricklaying or IT but can't wait to leave this hellhole called RETAIL.

Reply 3

Puddles the Monkey

Hey, the other thread was very old, so I've moved this into its own sparkly new 2014 retail annoyances thread! :biggrin:

Reply 4

jorddwilliams

Well I originally worked for 3 hours on a Sunday at Superdrug whilst I was in year 11. I didn't get the job the first time around, but I applied again a month later, they rang me up a hour later and I signed my contract without a second interview.

Eventually, I started college and wanted more hours, so I could build up experience for my CV. However there wasn't any hours available at this store, so they offered me hours at a different store. I now work at 3 different Superdrug stores for about 42 or so hours a week, whilst I'm still in college.

The things that really do piss me off about it that I wanted 20 hours or so, however I'm given 45 hour work weeks sometimes, and I rarely do less than 39. I feel bad saying no yo extra shifts when I wanted as many hours as I could get.

The customers are okay, I like the older ones that start up conversations with you. I don't like the people who ask stupid questions, or get annoyed that I can't void things over £10 without a team leader. Sorry, it's not my fault that you're a tight ass.

*customers who bitch about the prices of bags (5p). It's the law in Wales, go complain to government not me.
*when I ask them if they want a bag, they say yes so I pack it all nice and tidy. Then they say they don't want a item.
*People trying to steal stuff. Like are you dull? I saw you put things from the counter in your bag.

However the most irritating thing is that they won't pay me more than 39 hours at once. I get paid weekly and work more than 40 hours a week so I'm owed 20+ hours regularly. I then have to cut my hours the following week so that I'll get paid the hours that I'm owed anyway. But it saves me from paying tax I guess.

Wish I could be paid more though. £4.44 doesn't get me very far.

Reply 5

xxm

i hate looking at customers and thinking damn you look good naked during a shift as my trousers just aint comfy, if ya get me

Reply 6

meenu89

People who come with in with about 5 mins till closing time. **** off.

Reply 7

charmander12

I worked in a supermarket for 4 years. I hated it when people would really moan at not being given a £5 note, £5 notes were like gold dust... the customer didn't deserve their ****ty change. I also hated it when (back when carrier bags were free) people wanted a carrier back for like 2 items, and not even big or unmanageable items, for instance I remember one person wanted a bag for 2 standard sized bags of maltesers. It made my blood boil especially since we had to ask customers if they wanted a bag regardless. I also hated general rudeness,it was my job to provide good customer service, so in theory they're not required to be polite, however I was happy with a simple hello and thank you, or even a smile. Most people would just look at you like you killed their cat and not say a single word throughout the transaction.

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Reply 8

charmander12

Original post by meenu89

People who come with in with about 5 mins till closing time. **** off.

Yes! People who came in 5 minutes before closing and picked up a basket... They probably thought I loved standing on my feet for 9 hours just to serve their sorry ass at the end of the night, with their basket full of shopping.

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Reply 9

fluffylittlecat

My management team was awful and wouldn't put you on for refunds/returns until you had completed your one year training. So, whenever a customer had a return, you had to find someone to do it and they would roll their eyes and make you feel guilty for asking them! > :frown:

Reply 10

jammy4041

Being told by angry parents that you have ruined Christmas for their apple of their eye...but it's Christmas eve...you could have called to check whether you had it in stock....and you did kind of leave it to the last minute to buy the most popular toy of the holidays.

Parents, who you know, are trying to circumvent Challenge 25, with the children sneaking the age-rated DVD to their parents to scan. I saw what you were trying to do there...it's the policy. No dice. You are not worth jeopardizing my future for.

People who look like they could be under 25, getting all uppity when I challenge them, politely, for ID. "What do you mean, I need ID to buy a knife" --> (thinking) "No, it's because you look under 25 and are trying to buy a knife. It's store policy"

Refunds....shudders.....because you know there are always customers who try to return a BRANDED product without the reciept. --> (thinking) "How am I supposed to know that you brought it from here???"...or the customers who return something literally 5 minutes after they brought it. And despite repeating the return policy on bedding (it can't be returned if opened unless defective or damaged, due to hygiene reasons...it's the law!!), there are always the customers who try to return undamaged bedding just because they have changed their mind. Ugh.

Customers who literally throw their money at you. Oh...okay then...

When you know something is out of stock, because you have already been in the magical "back" (because it has everything, right??!) to check for a customer, only to be asked to check in the back. By several customers. I know that it didn't come in by delivery.

Click and Collect. I'm so glad I do not do Click and Collect groceries. Sorry...they didn't train me on that, because I went to university when that happened.

When we have everybody working the tills and a big queue, and nobody wants to use the self service despite some colleague offering to show them how to use it, only to complain about waiting in the queue.

Ugh...

Reply 11

username1221160

The way you are expected to fawn over customers and lie through your teeth to get a sale.

I worked for an expensive wine merchants. We went on training sessions on how to bull**** about wine to sell it. I hated it and just couldn't do the lying bit. I found responding to questions like "is this discounted wine any good?" with "no, it tastes like horse urine, that is why we can't shift it" to be far more honest. I only got away with it because I had a very tolerant manager and customers would often then follow my genuine recommendations.

Reply 12

ohhello92x

Or when a customer comes up to you and ask you if you work at your workplace even though your wearing your uniform. It happened to me today when I went to take some rubbish from behind the till as it was getting in the way. She even stared straight at my uniform when she asked. I very nearly turned round and said no I only wear this uniform only for the fun of it....but I didn't 😁

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Reply 13

Emma:-)

Entertainment Forum Helper

Customers who ask for a coffee, see me put it through the till.....then give me a loyalty card. grrrrrr!!!

Reply 14

Sonic92

Original post by jorddwilliams

People trying to steal stuff. Like are you dull? I saw you put things from the counter in your bag.

Technically not shoplifting until they attempt to leave the store

Source: SIA Training,

Also Google ASCONE

Reply 15

jorddwilliams

Original post by Sonic92

Technically not shoplifting until they attempt to leave the store

Source: SIA Training,

Also Google ASCONE

It is when they walk out, and you're unable to leave the store without signing out yourself.

Reply 16

aristocats_

The crumpled notes that make the locked box under the till I have to put them in jam up and then the managers get shirty when they have to come unblock it for me. People who give me a loyalty card after the translation has been completed and the till is closed despite the fact that I asked if they had it twice and they swore they didn't. When your kid knocks over all the body spray and I have to put them back and sort out each different type. Getting glared and shouted at by angry customers who obviously thought that if they come in on the last day of 30% off the popular perfume they NEED for Christmas will still be available.,, erm no bright spark, should've come in a week ago or at least ordered online earlier.

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Reply 17

Sonic92

Original post by aristocats_

Getting glared and shouted at by angry customers who obviously thought that if they come in on the last day of 30% off the popular perfume they NEED for Christmas will still be available.,, erm no bright spark, should've come in a week ago or at least ordered online earlier.

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Or maybe they have had personal problems which meant at think about Xmas shopping was the least of their worries until nearer the time.

Reply 18

aristocats_

Original post by Sonic92

Or maybe they have had personal problems which meant at think about Xmas shopping was the least of their worries until nearer the time.

Well if they had personal problems it's still not my fault it's out of stock

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Reply 19

Sonic92

Original post by aristocats_

Well if they had personal problems it's still not my fault it's out of stock

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It's your fault your attitude stinks towards customers presuming they actively left it to the last minute when there could be reasons it was left to the last minute.