Anyone here working retail?

Apr 19, 2009
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I just started my first retail job and I hate it!!!!!!!! Standing up all day is giving me blisters and the store I work at requires me to wear heels all day so that is not helping either. On top of that I feel like its overworked-underpaid type of thing. Not that the pay is bad but I worked at a salon previously-a much easier job and was making a little more than I'm making now even though I'm working MUCH harder now. The people I work with are nice and I love the store itself. Does anyone else feel like this or is it just me? Everyone else I seem to work with loves their job. Just needed to vent!
 
Buy more comfortable shoes and realize you're lucky to have a job. I sold retail for a store for two years, I loved it until the end where there were no promotions or raises, so I left. It's just something you get used to. I wore wedges and they were no more than 2-3" because higher than that HURT and I also had a few pairs that were very comfortable and Dr. Scholls foot cushions help.
Best of luck retail is not easy.
 
I just started my first retail job and I hate it!!!!!!!! Standing up all day is giving me blisters and the store I work at requires me to wear heels all day so that is not helping either. On top of that I feel like its overworked-underpaid type of thing. Not that the pay is bad but I worked at a salon previously-a much easier job and was making a little more than I'm making now even though I'm working MUCH harder now. The people I work with are nice and I love the store itself. Does anyone else feel like this or is it just me? Everyone else I seem to work with loves their job. Just needed to vent!


I do..hang in their doll it sucks i know. i do 5 hr shifts at the cashier and hate it aswell. Retail looks great if your going into fashion so it will pay off...just keep your head up high! :yahoo:
 
I used to do retail for a small entrepreneur for almost 2 years, selling evening and wedding gowns. I would put in 11 hours a day (i was crazy), with heels on hardwood floors. and trust me, wedding gowns weighed a TON. The pay wasn't great, but I liked seeing people try on their wedding dresses. After awhile, I was feeling overly fatigued and left on good terms with the owner. I think retail is something that everyone should experience at least once. It's brutal work, but hang in there!! Maybe you'll make a few best friends for life!
 
I had trouble with blisters/feet hurting (even with dr. scholls) for a month or two, then my feet just got used to it. I think only the first couple months are bad, then it gets better, except for the angry customers! I can never get over them.
 
I know the feeling but you will get used to it with time try to use shoes with a thicker heel and not so tall I know that helps but it will still take some time to get used to it.
 
I used to. It's not that I hated the job itself. I hated mean customers that seemed like they were out to hurt you because their day sucked. I also hated screaming little kids. Oh and people that didn't care that you have engagements after work but wanted to come in and shop anyway after closing. And putting so much work into a job and realizing you are stuck only making a certain amount.

But then most of the time I would get some really nice customers. So it was all good.
 
ya i work retail as well and have to wear a suite and tie and dress shoes on a granet and carpet floor and the AC doent work that well in the store eather.

what what kinda of disscount do you get
regular we get 40 till the end of the month we get 50%
 
I am currently in retail and feel your pain. It is not easy standing for hours on end. In my store hours are given based on the amount of credit cards you sell which has been difficult because the last thing people want right now is another high interest rate store card. The people I work with are nice enough but we are terribly understaffed at times. The pay is not great and never will be. While management positions get considerably more than hourly workers they put in 50-60 hour weeks. I am definately more mindful when I walk into a store now. I always hang my clothes back up when trying things on and have much more patience. We all know how it is being new or when the registers are just acting up. The one thing I learned from my job is I don't want to be doing it for the rest of my life...
Most of the people I work with love their jobs, I'm not one of them but I don't complain. I think it takes a certain personality type to work in retail. I am quiet, reserved, and get my feelings hurt by angry customers. Most of the people I work with are outspoken and love the social aspect of retail..
 
This is definitely one of my greatest fears when it comes to working on retail. I have scoliosis so I can't stand up for very long (maybe for every half an hour or so). and I know heels are going to be killer. I have a very short temper so I don't know if I could handle angry customers, either.

Hang in there, though. Hopefully others here can help you out.
 
Retail was my first job, I still think about going back just because. I loved the store, I loved the people I worked with and I loved the discount lol. My feet hurt for the first week or so, then I got used to it. The only thing I hated was the customers who come in with the mentality of "the customer is always right," even if they are blatantly wrong. I wanted to choke out those people! I had one girl come in with a cigarette burn in her jeans and try to say she bought them that way! Ugh!

I learned to be a lot more respectful to people working retail, and I NEVER leave my clothes in the fitting room anymore lol!
 
I worked in retail for years, and I honestly hate long shifts because my feet would KILL !!! Sometimes I would be standing for 10hours (or more) depending on how busy the store is. It's quite tiring too, and I hate working for stores where the manager is soo strict on how many sales you make that day.

I only like it because I think its a fun environment how you get to interact with others. But otherwise, retail is usually not a very high paying job and it is tiring :sad:
 
Thanks for all the comments ladies. Thankfully I haven't dealt with any rude customers YET but if I did I don't think I would take it personally, I tend to brush that kind of stuff off. I think what gets me the most is the standing and closing procedures...soo much work!! I know $13 p/h isn't bad for retail and we do get a $50 commission for any sale over $1,000 but that happens rarely so I don't count on it. Thankfully I don't need the money but I kind of wanted this job just to start becoming independent from my parents and to save up a little. I also want a career in fashion marketing so I figured it would look good on my resume but I don't think I'll be staying around too much longer!! It's very draining.