Working in Retail

I have been working in retail for about 3 years now and I have come to many realizations. There are so many things that annoy me. So, I’ve decided to make a list of all the things that I can’t stand. Maybe some people can relate to how I feel.

The Phone: Since I work in a department (electronics) I have to take phone calls. I usually answer the phone by saying “Electronics, how may I help you?” and nothing bothers me more than the people who say, “Is this electronics?” Like are they being serious, I just said this was electronics. Open your fuckin ears and listen. I shouldn’t have to repeat myself.

Then you have the people who ask complicated, in depth questions and they want to know every little detail. They end up making me run back and forth between the phone and the department, and it’s so annoying. I understand you have a lot of questions, but wouldn’t it be easier just to come into the damn store and ask them? Isn’t that what shopping is for? I don’t think people understand that I have customers in my department who need help as well. Nothing makes a customer angrier when I’m being held up on the phone by some person. I feel as if the customers that are actually in the store should get first priority. But unfortunately, when it comes to retail, it’s whoever was first; the phone or the customer in the store.

Then you have the people who hang up as soon as I answer. If you are going to hang up, then don’t waste my time. A lot of the times, whenever someone hangs up I feel as if someone’s stalking me. Like, they call just to see if I’m working; it creeps me out.

Oh, and then you have the people who prank call. Yeah, at times it’s funny, but usually I’m just like grow up. I often wonder whether the people calling know who I am and are only pranking me because they know me, but I guess I’ll never know because that would ruin the prank.

Open Packages: Whenever I’m walking around the department and see packages opened and just thrown on the shelf, it makes me mad. It mostly happens with the telephones. It’s fine if you want to open something and see it, but have the courtesy to put it back together. I know that things are hard to get back in the package, especially telephones, but if you can’t put it back in then don’t take it out. I swear every time I work, I’m putting phones back in their boxes; it’s ridiculous.


Stealing: I get so annoyed whenever I find something stolen. It’s so ridiculous that one would find it necessary to steal. I have heard many stories of things people do to steal and I’ve been involved with people who steal. I recall this one time I was working and these two people came into electronics. One distracted me and asked me to show them something outside the department, and being the nice person I am I showed them. Never once did the person who remained in the department pop into my head and wouldn’t you know, they were stealing. Ever since then I have learned. It always makes my day when security catches people stealing; it’s so entertaining and much deserved. Hahaha.


Pedifiles/Creepers: You would not believe how many creeper guys I have to deal with. I’ve heard many pick up lines and just get disgusted every time. Ugh. There are times I wish I didn’t have to ring someone out, because I didn’t want them to have my name on the receipt. But in the end, I have no other choice. I can’t say, “I’m not going to ring you out”. That would be rude. Definitely working in retail has made me more aware of creepers and how they act and how to react to them. I’m pretty good at sensing when someone is creepy and I try to stay away.