Working Retail: Stories of the Underpaid - General

So I figured FP needs a thread where the retail workers share their tales of assholes, idiots, and just plain stupid customers. I will share first. I work at a Radioshack surrounded by low income homes and tons of bus stops. My best story is of a man who came in asking for an ereader that HAD been on sale 2 weeks prior (our sales end every week on Saturdays). He had been on vacation in NYC for a week and had the sale flyer from two weeks ago when the ereader had been on sale for $150 (normally $170). He demanded I give him the sale price. I took him to the ereader showed him the price tag, and said to him very apologetically "I'm sorry sir but we only change prices if the item is incorrectly priced on our shelves." He stares at the item then at me and screams "WELL THEN FUCK YOU AND FUCK YOUR TABLET" before storming out past two elderly women who by this point looked very confused and afraid. Just before slamming our door he turns around, jabs a credit card in my direction (a radioshack credit card) and yells "IF I DIDNT OWE YOU FUCKERS MONEY I'D SHOVE THIS THING UP YOUR ASS YOU PIECE IF SHIT" and left. Your turn :v:

[url]www.notalwaysright.com[/url] This site has loads of this kind of stuff.

Someone walks into our store, starts complaining about a product. "You've never let me down before, I am disappointed, you're never gonna have customers again, bla bla bla I've been shopping here for 20 years.." B***H We've only been open 2 years

I work in hospitality, but a funny story none the less. We were playing Tree of Life at the cinema I work at, the movies a little niche to say the least and people walked out all the time confused but suprised, but one guy comes out red faced literally clenching his fists as he walks towards me and starts screaming "THAT WAS THE WORST MOVIE EVER, WHAT A PIECE OF SHIT I WANNA KILL THE FUCK WHO MADE IT, YOU SERIOUSLY MAKE PEOPLE PAY TO SEE THAT SHIT, FUCK THIS, I WANT A REFUND, GIMME A FUCKING REFUND" So I call my manager and my manager walks down and talks to this guy, after refusing to give this guy a refund, he proceeds to stand outside the queuing area and yell at people not to see the movie. then he calls the police because we wont give him a refund. So my manager calls security and they bring 3 guys who [b]pick [/b] they guy up and carry him out into the parking lot. funny day.

[QUOTE=dogmachines;32276606][url]www.notalwaysright.com[/url] This site has loads of this kind of stuff.[/QUOTE] I want stories from fpers

My supervisor told me I was not worth wasting time and money and that I was an unreliable, excuse making employee, etc because I'm leaving for army basic training in three weeks. She got mad at me because I had to take off tomorrow to meet my recruiter to get my ID card, and she claims I hung up on her when I was in the middle of another important call and told her, "I'm extremely sorry, very very sorry, but I'm on another call at the moment, and I can't speak now. I will call you as soon as I can after this call." to which she responded, "so you're just going to hang up on me?" I was like "no, I'm just on anther call... I will call you back when I get the chance..." and she said in a passive aggressive tone, "fine, do what you want."

i, for some reason or other, started talking to 2 french tourists with a french accent. i had to continue doing it until they left so they didn't think i was making fun of them oddly enough, i think i got away with it. still don't know what possessed me to do it though

I've worked in fast food for 5 years. I've always thought it was funny when people go through the drive through and think they're at a different place (ordering Whoppers at KFC etc).

Okay another story: We sell GPS devices here. If you bring it back there's a 15% restocking fee that comes out of your refund. It pays the cost of shipping it back to the manufacturer to be refurbished. Every customer that buys a gps is told about the fee. One guy comes in to return a gps without the box or receipt or half of what comes with it. I tell him we need everything inc. the receipt to return it. He says ok sorry and says he'll go get it. Now I remind him of the restocking fee that the associate told him about and he gets pissed off and claims he wasn't told about that and that he isn't paying it (the other associate DID tell him I was there when he sold it). I apologized for the inconvenience but told him I cannot waive the fee and it will be applied if he wants a refund. He starts accusing me of fraud and getting pussy and storms out. Next day he comes in with everything and says he wants to return it. He seems to have calmed down so I start the return. While I'm logging into the computer system I see a flash out of the corner of my eye. He's taking fucking pictures of me. I ask him if he's taking pictures he says yes I tell him please don't you aren't allowed to take pictures in the store. At this point I'm ringing up the return and I remind him again of the restocking fee (its like 7 dollars) and he immediately gets pissy and starts going on about how I'm a fraud and it speaks about ones character to work for a company that cheats people and how I don't deserve a job and that he's going to SUE ME for this. I ignore it and finish the return and give him the receipt to sign and as I look up he snaps a picture of my face like a foot from my nose. I tell him to stop and sign the receipt. He does so, throws the pen and receipt at me and storms out yelling about how he's going to Pickett our store and sue me for fraud. Two days later I come back to work after my day off and he had come back TWICE wearing a shitty cardboard sign about how we rip off customers and shit. My manager got sick of him and gave him 7 dollars and told him to leave or he'd call the cops. Still waiting to hear from his lawyer. :v:

One of my first jobs was with Geek Squad, working boxing day was ridiculous. We'd always get calls from people asking stupid things like "hey can you find [i]TV brand X model Y[/i] for me?" Uh no this is Geeksquad have you tried calling home theatre? "yeah they're not picking up the phones over there" Really? The store is jam-packed with more people than the population of China and the home theatre section isn't answering their phones?? My favorite was a call from some dumb teenager "Hey is that HP laptop still on sale?" Yeah I'm going to need a model number on that, "Oh its the [i]pink[/i] one". Seriously its printed right on the ad you're looking at you bimbo. The employee discounts made it totally worth the hair loss though.

When I worked at a pizzeria about a year and a half ago, some guy came in asking "if we sell phone chargers." At first I thought he was joking, but he was dead serious. I was like "sir... this is a restaurant... we don't sell any electronics here." He just stood there blankly, and then said "but my phone is going to die and I need to charge it. Are you sure you don't sell them? Did you check the back?" At that point I was like, "no, I'm not going to check the back for phone chargers at a restaurant. We don't sell them. If you need to charge your phone for the duration of your stay, I will gladly lend you mine." My partner then said while trying to hold in her laugh "If his doesn't work, I have one you can use, but seriously we don't sell phone chargers!" "Uhmm, but I'm not staying for long... I just came from NY and I forgot my charger." he replied. I look at my partner like pretty much out of options and she says: "Look, there is a CVS Pharmacy (they sell phone chargers and other crap for those who don't know) right across the parking lot. They sell them there." *he stairs blankly* At this point, I nearly give up but then I thought of something funny. "Oh, phone chargers!... yeah, the bakery next door sells them. Just tell them I sent you over." He gave me a huge smile and said "THANKS!" and ran out of the restaurant. 15 minutes later, one of the cashiers comes from the bakery next door and is like "WHY THE FUCK WOULD YOU DO THAT?" and the other cashier working with me completely lost it and started laughing really loud.

People ask me all the time obvious questions at my boardwalk. Such things are "How do you play?" (EVEN the hammer game where you hit the big button and the bell dings if you hit the top). They also ask how much the game is (We have 3 signs on one game telling them the price and they still ask). I also have the common Jew asking me for a 2 for 1. Not exactly retail but it's still funny.

My mom told me this story from Wal-Mart. She was stocking the shelves, and a customer approaches her, and asks "Excuse me, Do you have any of [I][B]THAT[/B][/I]?" *Points to full shelf of cheese* "No, sorry, we're all out." "Oh, Okay..." There was also a man who came up to her and started complaining about his father and how he "Has to do everything for him, do his shopping, laundry, EVERYTHING!" This happened 2 times more over several weeks. Finally, he says to her: "My father died last week." and he walks away. He never complained to her again.

[QUOTE=M2k3;32277510]One of my first jobs was with Geek Squad, working boxing day was ridiculous. We'd always get calls from people asking stupid things like "hey can you find [I]TV brand X model Y[/I] for me?" Uh no this is Geeksquad have you tried calling home theatre? "yeah they're not picking up the phones over there" Really? The store is jam-packed with more people than the population of China and the home theatre section isn't answering their phones?? My favorite was a call from some dumb teenager "Hey is that HP laptop still on sale?" Yeah I'm going to need a model number on that, "Oh its the [I]pink[/I] one". Seriously its printed right on the ad you're looking at you bimbo. The employee discounts made it totally worth the hair loss though.[/QUOTE] So how many Tylenol PM's did you have to take to cope with overcharging people for shitty tech support? [editline]13th September 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=Chaotic Lord;32278496]My mom told me this story from Wal-Mart. She was stocking the shelves, and a customer approaches her, and asks "Excuse me, Do you have any of [I][B]THAT[/B][/I]?" *Points to full shelf of cheese* "No, sorry, we're all out." "Oh, Okay..." There was also a man who came up to her and started complaining about his father and how he "Has to do everything for him, do his shopping, laundry, EVERYTHING!" This happened 2 times more over several weeks. Finally, he says to her: "My father died last week." and he walks away. He never complained to her again.[/QUOTE] We get a lot of that. Customers asking if we have things in stock that are in plain sight. A lot of customers ask us why we can't sell the display cell phones when we tell them we're out of stock. Then they point to the plastic cell phone filled with lead that doesn't work.

[QUOTE=Ven Kaeo;32278542]We get a lot of that. Customers asking if we have things in stock that are in plain sight.[/QUOTE] Which is why I will only work on the floor as a last result, I don't have the patience for those types of people, I'd rather push carts or do inventory or whatever. [editline]13th September 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=Ven Kaeo;32278542]A lot of customers ask us why we can't sell the display cell phones when we tell them we're out of stock. Then they point to the plastic cell phone filled with lead that doesn't work.[/QUOTE] I just want to buy all the display models, I don't know why. I just want a drawer full of them.

We give the old displays away to children. We can't sell them because the SKUs tied to them are set at $999.99 because they're a non-saleable item.

[QUOTE=Ven Kaeo;32278894]We give the old displays away to children. We can't sell them because the SKUs tied to them are set at $999.99 because they're a non-saleable item.[/QUOTE] I am a child in the eyes of the law. GIVE THEM TO ME.

Go to a Radioshack and ask if you can have their old dummy phones. Guarantee that they have a huge box of them in their desk.

I work at Target electronics, all sorts of weird shit happens there. Not really that funny but people steal shit every day, and whenever a black guy comes in with gang looking clothes the security usually reports it to me, and they watch them constantly on the cameras.

It's not retail, but food service, but i have a "i hate this job" moment. (Actually i had a ton...but this is one). Anyhow, i was working at Charley's Steakery in my local mall. I'm working on the flat-top grill cooking sandwiches when i see this guy angrily pumping his ketchup. I look up at him, making my first mistake. He notices and turns to me and yells "THIS IS BULLSHIT!" I then made my second mistake by not pretending to have missed what he said. So, i ask "What sir?" and he looks at me again and just shouts "THIS IS FUCKING BULLSHIT!". At this point i'm wondering if he got the wrong sandwich or something so i set the spatulas down and walk over to figure out what this fuck-tard is going on about. He angrily stares me down as i walk to the end of the counter to ask what's the matter and he holds up his ketchup cup and just says "These ketchup cups are fucking bullshit". Startled i ask him "What is bullshit about them?". He angrily grumbled about how they are "Too damn small". At this point i'm just sick of the guy and want him to fuck off, so i tell him that he can take as many as he wants. He then angrily says again "THEY'RE BULLSHIT!" so i say, "Well i'm not the guy who orders the bullshit cups, and i'm pretty sure that's regular size" and walk off to leave him with his ketchup. He angrily stormed off and i was fortunate enough to not have to deal with that asshole again. I hate fast food...

One day some girl bought a CD from us and about 5 minutes later came back in trying to return it because she didn't like the album. Our policy, which is written next to every register, clearly says we can't give you a refund for opened merchandise. She gets all pissed off and starts yelling swear words in front of her what seemed to be 12 year old sister, which already pissed me off. Then I call up a manager just so I can step away for a second while he tells her the same thing. Then she agrees to get her money back in the form of a gift card after 15 minutes of screaming and overall childish behavior. When she gets her gift card she uses all the money on it for candy which she takes to one of my managers, who isn't fat but he's not slim either, and tells him that he "looked hungry". And rather than blow up at her he calmly said no thank you to her and she walked right out of the store. Never in my life have I wanted to punch a customer until then.

[QUOTE=Bryanrocks0;32279496]One day some girl bought a CD from us and about 5 minutes later came back in trying to return it because she didn't like the album. Our policy, which is written next to every register, clearly says we can't give you a refund for opened merchandise. She gets all pissed off and starts yelling swear words in front of her what seemed to be 12 year old sister, which already pissed me off. Then I call up a manager just so I can step away for a second while he tells her the same thing. Then she agrees to get her money back in the form of a gift card after 15 minutes of screaming and overall childish behavior. When she gets her gift card she uses all the money on it for candy which she takes to one of my managers, who isn't fat but he's not slim either, and tells him that he "looked hungry". And rather than blow up at her he calmly said no thank you to her and she walked right out of the store. Never in my life have I wanted to punch a customer until then.[/QUOTE] I would have taken the candy. Why the fuck didn't he take the candy? Candy is awesome.

I lied. There has been one other customer I have wanted to deck in my life. So this guy comes in, acting all cool and overall seems like a nice guy. He asks me to show him the movie El Cid, which I took him to straight away and placed it right in his hands. He thanks me for my good job and asks me if I had ever seen this movie. Me thinking this was going to be an innocent enough conversation I said no and asked what it was about. He then begins to tell me how it is about Muslim invaders destroying Christianity in the Crusades. Now right there I was pissed off for two reason, first off my girlfriend is Middle Eastern and while she may not be Muslim I was still offended, and my second reason is that my daughter is half Middle Eastern. He then begins to tell me how he is a Knight of Columbus, which back in the day would fight the evil Muslims and how in today's world Muslims are trying to take over the world and get rid of Christianity. At this point I'm just smiling and nodding my head, but inside I'm so boiled over with rage if he talked any longer I probably would have lost my job. Luckily I made up some excuse that my manager had called me and walked away calmly. Oh, and this man was a 30-something year old Phillipino man who was spewing Fox News crap, not some 40 year old white man. How do I know he watched Fox News? He told me "I'm not just saying this because I watch Fox News" and I laughed in his face at that. [editline]13th September 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=Ven Kaeo;32279599]I would have taken the candy. Why the fuck didn't he take the candy? Candy is awesome.[/QUOTE] Because she was trying to call him fat by giving it to him.

[QUOTE=hehe;32276696]I work in hospitality, but a funny story none the less. We were playing Tree of Life at the cinema I work at, the movies a little niche to say the least and people walked out all the time confused but suprised, but one guy comes out red faced literally clenching his fists as he walks towards me and starts screaming "THAT WAS THE WORST MOVIE EVER, WHAT A PIECE OF SHIT I WANNA KILL THE FUCK WHO MADE IT, YOU SERIOUSLY MAKE PEOPLE PAY TO SEE THAT SHIT, FUCK THIS, I WANT A REFUND, GIMME A FUCKING REFUND" So I call my manager and my manager walks down and talks to this guy, after refusing to give this guy a refund, he proceeds to stand outside the queuing area and yell at people not to see the movie. then he calls the police because we wont give him a refund. So my manager calls security and they bring 3 guys who [b]pick [/b] they guy up and carry him out into the parking lot. funny day.[/QUOTE] Hilariously enough, my god-father was one of the producers.

[QUOTE=Ven Kaeo;32278542]So how many Tylenol PM's did you have to take to cope with overcharging people for shitty tech support?[/quote] There was a vending machine in the back that supplied them for free to all employees since the entire store is one gigantic ripoff.

I would have still taken the candy. Fucking love candy. [editline]13th September 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=M2k3;32279771]There was a vending machine in the back that supplied them for free to all employees since the entire store is one gigantic ripoff.[/QUOTE] You serious?

I work at Target restocking shelves and unloading trucks. I speculate that everything is scanned into the store and we have a real time inventory list. (We have 5 Pillows. Someone buys 3. We restock 3 the following truck.) Well, I think we need to review exactly how it works. Because if someone buys 1 lamp and we have the entire shelf PACKED I shouldn't get six new lamps to restock the one we just sold. Additionally I've been restocking mandarin oranges for days. I hate door mirrors. There is an 80% they're all broken when you get them. 20% chance there are any left to put on the shelf. They really need to review their packing methods or what they're made of or SOMETHING because I'm getting tired of sending three boxes of door mirrors to the back room because they're all broken.

I work at a D&W (Local grocery chain) as a service clerk (ex: clearing bottle machines, help old people with groceries). This one day It's really busy, i'm the only one working. I'm helping some senile old lady out to her car when this lady comes up to me while I'm walking out and asks for help with the bottle machine, I tell her I'll be right there once I take out these groceries, she grunts and walks back to the machine. I come back in and pop open the machine and see that she inserted one of those Huge energy drink cans (Which our signs clearly say you have to take to the front since the machines are old and not built for them), I take it out, reset the machine and tell her the cans are too big, smile and tell her she can take them to the service counter though. She mutters 'bullshit' under her breath and I walk out. Less than a minute later I hear the machine beeping again, I walk back in and she's inserted the same sized can again. I open the machine, tell her again it's too big, you can tell she's frustrated. Walk out and go to the backroom to throw out some cardboard boxes, quickly hear "*Name Here* to bottle returns, *Name here* to bottle returns.". Walk back into room only to see the same women staring me in the eyes, very pissed off. Same fucking can, while I'm pulling it out of the machine I hear her talking in a normal voice "This is just bullshit, do you know how long it took him to get up here I've been waiting for almost 10 minutes!" I hand her the can, smile on my face and calmly say "Would you like any help returning you cans?". Also, bottle/can Return machine for States/Countries that don't have them. [IMG]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2149114/imagehosting/sept/01.jpg[/IMG]

[QUOTE=Master Kief-117;32277116]My supervisor told me I was not worth wasting time and money and that I was an unreliable, excuse making employee, etc because I'm leaving for army basic training in three weeks. She got mad at me because I had to take off tomorrow to meet my recruiter to get my ID card, and she claims I hung up on her when I was in the middle of another important call and told her, "I'm extremely sorry, very very sorry, but I'm on another call at the moment, and I can't speak now. I will call you as soon as I can after this call." to which she responded, "so you're just going to hang up on me?" I was like "no, I'm just on anther call... I will call you back when I get the chance..." and she said in a passive aggressive tone, "fine, do what you want."[/QUOTE] You need to step up and tell her that you're going to make a commitment that could potentially end your life. While serving your country and saving people from a draft. So they can shut it and go back to their own little daily problems.

A lady got stuck in the automatic door at the pet store I worked at.