Shopping Etiquette

[ginlyn32]

:p

[Clara Bow]

A huge giant flaming purple neon POD to the whole shebang! I worked in retailhell for years (and am now pursuing a career in nursing, I was that scarred) and I can relate to every thing that you said. I'd like to add the following if I may:
*If your coupon is expired, you cannot use it. Period. We will not be reimbursed for the discount you are given and we the cashiers will get chewed royally for accepting the expired coupon. You wouldn't use expired milk, the same rules apply here.
*The sale price applies to the item listed. If that item is out of stock, you may substitute, but you may not substitute just because you don't care for the brand on sale and would prefer something else.
*The cashier does not price the items, the gods and monsters in corporate do that. The store staff has no idea why our *insert item* is so much cheaper at *insert other store*. We do not sit up at night giggling maniacally over our plans to screw you. We have no idea who does, but it's not us. Please stop clawing me up over it, just go buy the product where it is cheaper.
*If we are out of stock on an item, we're sorry. We didn't do it to pi$$ you off, and we're not hiding the blasted thing somewhere. We just sold out. It's a first come first serve world. You may have a raincheck, you may ask us if we can get it from another store, but please don't lose your mind over it. No one ever dropped dead for need of 50 cent paper towels.....
I could go on for days, but these are my top peeves....

[ginlyn32]

The last item is especially true if it is a HOT Christmas item. Years ago it was Cabbage Patch Kids dolls, a few years back it was Tickle Me Elmo. It is always good advice to get the inside track on the Hot toys or whatever. Buy them when you first see it or you will be SOL!! THis is esp. true if it is an orniment or holiday item. The store will NOT get more in!! I wish people would get that!! I've had people complain that we ran out of Advent Calanders and Christmas Tree Skirts. Oh well!! They usually sell out fast and it is hard telling when the store will get another shipment.

Stores like Walmart can't just call another store. They don't usually do that. They can't order it for you as they are not a catalog store. Even stores that do run catalogs run out of items that is catalog/internet only.

Oh, and if and item says catalog/internet ONLY that means that it is ONLY availible throught the catalog or online. Sorry charlie! There is NO way I can get if for you. I can help you order it, but we simply do not carry it  in the store.

[Lunadiana75]

As a former retail slave myself, I want to add something that applies across the board, to workers and customers.

DO NOT take your bad day out on the person in front of you.

Customers:  There are actual human beings behind that counter. I don't care how many people have been rude to you that day, or how tired you are, it is no excuse to abuse someone who can not fight back.  Have a little decency.

Retail:  Please do not take out every cranky customer you've had that on the one customer who is trying to be nice. 

[VorFemme]

I have worked food service (fast food and waitress).  I have worked retail (family of eight came in just as the manager headed to the door Christmas Eve to lock it - it took him over an hour to turn off the lights and use the intercom to announce that we were now closed and EVERYONE had to check out NOW).  The entire staff was peeved at him and at them.........they bought nothing.

If you are nice when told that something is not available at THIS location because the company put in two different ads for their two different locations - you might be amazed* at what can be made to happen.  And even if you aren't amazed - the retail worker will fall all over themselves helping you for the rest of your visit because you didn't behave like a hungry two-year-old in need of a nap.

*I then thanked them profusely.........but thought that coorporate might not have agreed with what was done........so didn't write a letter!  I do keep shopping there!

[LadyJaneinMD]

My favorite saying is, 'Fat Chicks got money, too!'

I am a computer geek. I like techie gadgets.  I also have a very good job that pays for said gadgets, so when I'm in a geekie store, don't ignore me!  More than once I've had to take an armload of stuff to customer service (where the women were working) to ask questions about what was on sale.  I've told them that the guys on the floor needed to be trained better than they were.   
You'd better believe that if I were blond and weighed 110 lbs, I would have had at least FOUR salesmen at my feet helping me within minutes.  Hmph.

[blue2000]

*If we are out of stock on an item, we're sorry. We didn't do it to pi$$ you off, and we're not hiding the blasted thing somewhere. We just sold out. It's a first come first serve world. You may have a raincheck, you may ask us if we can get it from another store, but please don't lose your mind over it. No one ever dropped dead for need of 50 cent paper towels.....

One of my major pet peeves, too. People seem to think we are hiding it on purpose. They are not happy unless we look in the back.
These are obviously people who have NEVER worked in retail at Christmas. We can look on the computer to see if we have any in. We can ask receiving employees if they have seen any coming in in the last few minutes/hours.
But there is no @#$% way we are going to check every box in every storage area just to see if we missed any.
We don't do this for the managers, and they pay us.
We don't do this when WE want something ourselves.
We do what you should be doing - we check the shelf, and if it isn't there, we go to another store.

[kingsrings]

I'm in need of extra money, but there is no way I would ever, ever work Christmas retail. I just can't deal with how rude, greedy, and horrible shoppers are during that time. It brings out the worst in people. They've turned the holiday into gimmee gimmee gimmeee get get get and I can't stand watching that happen. I would be telling them so, and then I would be fired for being rude to customers.

[behindbj]

I did work retail at Christmas.  I've said it once and I'll say it again:  I think that everyone should have to work two different types of jobs:  retail at Christmas and menial labor (could be because I was also a farmhand at one time...).

I absolutely enjoyed working at the bookstore at Chirstmas because our manager didn't take any garbage or allow anyone else to receive garbage.  His favorite phrase at holiday time was "I think we'll live without your once-a-year trip to our store" for those who said they'll never shop there again.  The regulars (and normal people who acted like grown-ups) knew what was what - it was CHRISTMAS, for Pete's sake.  There's going to be a line/shortage/wait for help/whatever.  Most folks were just fine.

I also had the joy of not particularly needing the job (good place the be, actually).  So - woe was the customer who thought they had me behind a barrel.  I still get a little smile thinking of their faces when they smarted off and I replied "You know, you should really be careful.  One day, you're going to get someone who doesn't actually NEED this job.  You know - like me."  Cue bemused facial expression and little smile.

Like I used to tell the teenagers in the store (I was older):  In the course of an ordinary day, you will meet/pass by/sit near and otherwise interact in one way or another with 1,000 people.  999 of them will be nice, polite, or not rude.  There will be one a$$hole.  People only remember the a$$hole.  Try not to."

I personally view these people as free entertainment.

behindbj

[Slartibartfast]

I really enjoyed working retail (bookstore), and if it hadn't been for the owners screwing me over when it came to the management spot opening up, I have even gone back for some part-time work.  (They expected me to do EVERYTHING the managers at their other stores did, including interview candidates, arrange schedules, and handle all the shipments, but I didn't get a manager title or pay rate.)

I loved Christmas particularly, because we had a lot of people coming into our small bookstore knowing that "Jenny would love a book," but who had no idea what she'd like.  So I got to have them tell me a bit about the person, then basically sell them the book I would have chosen if the gift recipient had come to the store in person.  I think because we were a discount bookstore (publisher overstock, so new books but at 50-70% off what you'd normally pay) and we were in one of the small stores in the mall, people were a lot more understanding when we didn't have the newest and best stuff - we just didn't have the space.  And yes, I did run in the back and root through boxes on occasion, when I thought we might have another copy of something back there.

So my addition would be "Don't assume everyone is having as bad a day as you are."  There were definitely customers who came in expecting to fight - and I "helped" them if I had to, but I wasn't going to approach them to really offer much.  Customers who came in and were polite, positive, and open were the ones who got the best attention and service.

[kingsrings]

His favorite phrase at holiday time was "I think we'll live without your once-a-year trip to our store" for those who said they'll never shop there again.

LOL. I love that saying! I wish I had used that to counter that favorite bad customer saying. And I really love it when they say that they're going to tell everyone they know not to shop at said store, too.

[Malla]

I'd also like to add that you should ask for exactly what you are looking for.  That means that if you are looking for a green sweater for your teenaged niece, don't just ask for "juniors".  I'll be more than happy to take you to all the sweater displays that have green sweaters on them, and even ask if you meant grass, emerald, or pale green!  It truly is easier for me to take 5 minutes at one time to help you find exactly what you want instead of two minutes to take you to juniors, another two minutes to help you find sweaters once you're there, another two to find the green ones, and then another 5 minutes to exchange the sweater when it's the wrong color!

[Niphil]

- If you have to stop to look in a shopping bag, purse, whatnot, don't stop suddenly! There are probably people walking behind you. Move over to the side, do your thing, and then join the crowds again.

- Decide what you want before you get on line at the food court. I made up my mind, let me eat!

[Rei-chan]

Just a few to add to the list:

-  If the store you are in has lights at the registers, please look to see if the register is open before you get in line there.  If the light is off, it is NOT OPEN.  We have the lights for a reason, and we are human and do need to eat, and use the bathroom sometimes.  Occaisionally, we even go home for the day!  If someone is ringing out there they were probably the last one in line.  If the light is off, get in a line where the light is ON please.

-  If you are laying away a Christmas gift for your child, DON'T bring in said child with you to do it if you are trying to keep it a secret and NOT TELL the cashier/sales associate in advance.  We don't have ESP or a magic 8 ball, and don't know that we are "ruining Christmas" for your kid by mentioning the item during the layaway process IF YOU DON"T LET US KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO DO.

-  If you are making a return with a reciept, please understand that I must give the money back to you the way it was paid.  If it is a credit card, we credit your account.  If it is a gift card, you get a gift card back.  I cannot and will not give you cash back just because that is what you want, and throwing a fit will not get you your way.

-  Also with returns:  Just because you used a $20 off COUPON when you bought the item doesn't mean you get said coupon back.  We destroy all coupons at the end of the shift.  To that end, no, you cannot get an extra $20 back either.  You get back what you paid for the item, not a bonanza.

Just my 2 cents this Holiday seaon in retail hell.   

[Maggie]

I'm in need of extra money, but there is no way I would ever, ever work Christmas retail. I just can't deal with how rude, greedy, and horrible shoppers are during that time. It brings out the worst in people. They've turned the holiday into gimmee gimmee gimmeee get get get and I can't stand watching that happen. I would be telling them so, and then I would be fired for being rude to customers.

A customer at my store last night had a huge cartful of toys and other things and had her kids with her which was kind of odd.  During the course of the conversation we found out that she was buying them for the Angel Tree because she wanted her kids to know what Christmas was really about.  She spent almost $700.  I was so impressed.  When we were through her daughter kept asking how much it was and she told her "I forgot".  So the little girl can't brag to anyone about how much it was.  I know I can't afford to do this but I was so impressed with this mom and what she was teaching her daughters about giving.