And this is why you always wash new clothes before you wear them.
working in retail has definitely taught me that.
Workplace Retail Hell - Stories of current and former retail employees
- Thread starter blah956
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working in retail has definitely taught me that.
I used to work for Pac Sun and the section I hated most was working in shoes. It got so I could actually eyeball peoples feet & know what size they'd wear in any given brand so it would piss me off when women asked for sizes that were too small. I'd have to bring out the size they asked for, lace the damn shoe up & then watch them try to smoosh their big feet into size 6s. While they were exclaiming the shoes must "run small" I'd make soothing agreements & have their size 8 or 9s laced and ready to go.
I also used to work in a surf shop & we'd get idiots who would want to return boardshorts that had SAND IN THE POCKETS because they didn't fit... or swimsuits. We always told them at purchase "state health regulations forbid the return swimsuits and other intimate clothing items". And thankfully managers backed us up.
And yes.... all manner of filth gets found in the dressing rooms. ugh.
I also used to work in a surf shop & we'd get idiots who would want to return boardshorts that had SAND IN THE POCKETS because they didn't fit... or swimsuits. We always told them at purchase "state health regulations forbid the return swimsuits and other intimate clothing items". And thankfully managers backed us up.
And yes.... all manner of filth gets found in the dressing rooms. ugh.
No wonder I'm so bitter.
I looked at your avatar, then your last sentence, and I can't stop laughing!
wonderful stories, keep 'em coming! LOL.
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I love these stories. I worked retail this summer (kinda) Nothing's happened to me so far, thank god, but I so enjoy reading these!
I used to work at Victoria's Secret.
We had the, um, "gifts" left in the fitting room as well. We had to call the mall's maintenance guy to take care of it. My manager gave him a gift card for his troubles.
I wasn't there when this happened, but I heard from a friend of mine who was there. One time, this guy grabs a handful of satin panties and took them into the fitting room. At some point, my friend asked him if he wanted any help and he said no.
He left the fitting room and an associate went in to get the panties. A pair of them were stained. (I'm guessing when my friend went to check on him, he had his "hands full" if you know what I mean.
Needless to say, the people who were there remembered what he looked like so it was decided he was Sofa King Banned from the store.
We had the, um, "gifts" left in the fitting room as well. We had to call the mall's maintenance guy to take care of it. My manager gave him a gift card for his troubles.
I wasn't there when this happened, but I heard from a friend of mine who was there. One time, this guy grabs a handful of satin panties and took them into the fitting room. At some point, my friend asked him if he wanted any help and he said no.
He left the fitting room and an associate went in to get the panties. A pair of them were stained. (I'm guessing when my friend went to check on him, he had his "hands full" if you know what I mean.
Needless to say, the people who were there remembered what he looked like so it was decided he was Sofa King Banned from the store.
On the other side, there are times when you think a customer would drive you nuts and then they really surprise you.
At the time, we had these satin velvet robes. For those who remember, they were black velvet on the outside and animal print satin on the inside. They were the most expensive items in the store and we only had two in stock.
We were always wondering who would buy it and which associate would be the one helping them.
One day this annoying woman sort of "adopted me" as her associate for the day. In the end, she walked away with a great number of items along with one of those robes.
At the time, we had these satin velvet robes. For those who remember, they were black velvet on the outside and animal print satin on the inside. They were the most expensive items in the store and we only had two in stock.
We were always wondering who would buy it and which associate would be the one helping them.
One day this annoying woman sort of "adopted me" as her associate for the day. In the end, she walked away with a great number of items along with one of those robes.
OMG!! Ain't that the Truth!!!
And sheets and bedding and towels and comforters and underwear and swimsuits and on and on.
After Victoria's Secret, I worked at Macy*s in the Junior department. We were told to keep the fitting rooms clean and make sure the clearance rack was straightened and sized.
It always seemed like a Sisyphean task, because when people weren't leaving piles of clothes all over the floor (both from our department as well as prom dresses) they were messing up the clearance rack.
I swear, they didn't just thumb through them, they preferred the "rip and fling" method.
While I like LoveSpell body spray, the combination of smelling like you bathed in it plus the sweat of the fitting rooms would always practically make me nauseous.
It always seemed like a Sisyphean task, because when people weren't leaving piles of clothes all over the floor (both from our department as well as prom dresses) they were messing up the clearance rack.
I swear, they didn't just thumb through them, they preferred the "rip and fling" method.
While I like LoveSpell body spray, the combination of smelling like you bathed in it plus the sweat of the fitting rooms would always practically make me nauseous.
this reminded me of a time when a customer took out a HUGE stack of credit cards and handed me one and said "let's try this one first"
Im not gonna lie, this has been me a few times. Either that, or I know how much I can put on each one and I need 4 or 5 to finish the purchase. This is especially embarrassing when Im in Saks and there are rich older women around staring at me as I put 20 dollars on each card, some being denied in the process, for a purchase that totals more then 1000 dollars.
I read through these (and remember my stories) and I thank God I don't work in retail anymore. I liked helping people.
But too many bads outweighed the goods.
But too many bads outweighed the goods.
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I haven't been able to read anything past, "There are no angries in the box!" because I'm laughing to hard.
LOL!!! It was SOOO funny when it happened. But at first my coworkers and I were like deer in headlights because we were so dumbfounded at what just happened. He literally STORMED out when he said that, I felt like the wind from him walking out so fast...LOL!!!
I worked at Old Navy when I was 16, and here are a few things that happened:
1) Someone egged the store.
2) Someone tried to break in the store AT 10:30 when several of us were still on the clock. I really had no idea what the hell was going on though, I was in the back and I heard this alarm blaring.
3) I found anal lube and a syringe in the bathroom! Gross!!!
4) People would always MISS the toilet and take a dump on the wall or floor. It was like a game of who can miss the toilet: piss on the toilet paper and crap on the wall all day everyday.
That job really blew. I remember folding the same pile 20 times in one day. I even stood there like a hawk trying to protect it but people would ruin it right in front of me! However, I do appreciate those people now because if they didn't keep making a mess I wouldn't have had a job at that age.
1) Someone egged the store.
2) Someone tried to break in the store AT 10:30 when several of us were still on the clock. I really had no idea what the hell was going on though, I was in the back and I heard this alarm blaring.
3) I found anal lube and a syringe in the bathroom! Gross!!!
4) People would always MISS the toilet and take a dump on the wall or floor. It was like a game of who can miss the toilet: piss on the toilet paper and crap on the wall all day everyday.
That job really blew. I remember folding the same pile 20 times in one day. I even stood there like a hawk trying to protect it but people would ruin it right in front of me! However, I do appreciate those people now because if they didn't keep making a mess I wouldn't have had a job at that age.
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Xlana, wow that asian girl was rude to you. It might even sound like she’s ashamed that she’s asian for being mad that you assumed her language. I’m really sorry that you had to go through that, but I’m glad that your manager was on your side! It’s amazing how the off people can actually think that it’s not them but the normal people who are off.
Archipelago, that’s a really funny story!
Natalie: That was gutsy, but loved the quick broom response!! And for that Christmas story, it always blows my mind whenever parents applaud and encourage their kids to be naughty at the expense of others!!
Janeen: “I'm no prude, but if I'm going to be at a peep show, I'd like to have at least a martini in my hand.” LOLOLOLOL!!!
Archipelago, that’s a really funny story!
Natalie: That was gutsy, but loved the quick broom response!! And for that Christmas story, it always blows my mind whenever parents applaud and encourage their kids to be naughty at the expense of others!!
Janeen: “I'm no prude, but if I'm going to be at a peep show, I'd like to have at least a martini in my hand.” LOLOLOLOL!!!