Reading this story reminded me of when I observed something similar. It’s the day after Black Friday. I absolutely avoided the chaos of the day before and have decided to go shopping on a normal day. (I don’t care about the sales.)

I am in line to purchase a specific type of cable I need for my TV, and the woman in front of me seems to be giving the cashier grief.

Customer: “But Marlene told me this was half-price!”

Cashier: “Ma’am, as I have explained multiple times, I don’t know who Marlene is, and she certainly doesn’t work here. This item was half-price, but that was yesterday. Today, the price has returned to normal.”

Customer: “Nuh-uh. I need this for the sale price! I couldn’t make it out yesterday! I was over at the mall at [Other Side Of Town] because their sales were better than yours.”

Cashier: “I am sorry you couldn’t make it to two malls in a single day, ma’am, but there is nothing I can do.”

Customer: “You will give me this for half-price, or I will—”

Cashier: “You will do nothing.”

Customer: “What did you say to me?!”

Cashier: “I said you will do nothing — because I don’t work here anymore. Congratulations: you’re the one that made me do it. Yesterday, I worked twelve hours all night long to deal with crazies like you. I had to stop a physical fight over a TV and almost got punched in the process. All of the cars in the employee parking lot got keyed last night by an angry customer who didn’t get the laptop they thought they deserved. Yesterday, I was shouted at, spat on, and physically threatened, and I got through it all because I thought it was just one day. Well, you just proved that it’s not going to end, so I quit. Congratulations. I got through all of last night, but you’re the one that made me do it.”

The cashier then simply stands up, walks away, and then turns to me.

Cashier: “Sorry.”

They leave their work apron at customer service and simply walk outside.

Customer: *To me* “How unprofessional! You saw that, right?!”

Me: “I did! And I’m sticking close to you until you leave in case you complain to a manager and lie about how badly you just behaved.”

The customer blinked, realized I was siding with the poor cashier who had just snapped, and walked out of the store herself. I hope that poor cashier is okay and gets over whatever Black Friday did to them soon.

Related:
Overworked, Underpaid, Shouted At, And Nerves Frayed

My wife wanted a new tablet. We did our research online and came to the conclusion that an Android model was the right one for her needs. We shopped online a bit and found that they were all pretty much the same price. We have about $25 in rewards for this particular store so we decide to cash them in to reduce the price a bit making it lower than anywhere else.

We go to the store and we’re playing around with the tablets for a good fifteen minutes before someone comes to help us. The guy was the head of their technology department and right away came off as a real a**hole. He let us know non-verbally that we were a waste of his time to start with.

Wife: “I want to buy this tablet.”

He pulls it out.

Sales Guy: “Are you going to be browsing the internet with it?”

Wife: “Yeah.”

Sales Guy: “You need antivirus software.”

Me: “That’s okay. We don’t need to buy it.”

Sales Guy: “But there are over 10,000 viruses out there that can attack your tablet!”

Me: “There are plenty of free anti-viral services on the Android market.”

Sales Guy: “Those don’t work with tablets!”

Me: “What are you talking about? It’s the Android OS. Of course they work.”

Sales Guy: “Not for tablets!”

Me: “It’s an android. I have one on my phone. Same OS. Same software. Same everything.”

He huffs a bit and goes to the counter to check us out. He rings us up.

Sales Guy: “Do you want the warranty?”

Me: “How much?”

Sales Guy: “$90”

Me: “No.”

Sales Guy: “But this isn’t made with gorilla glass! It can break!”

Me: “So can gorilla glass. I know because my wife did it on her iPod touch. I replaced the glass myself for way less than $90. Besides, I’m buying a hard case for it online when I get home.”

Sales Guy: “But this also covers scratches!”

Me: “Look. I just want the tablet. Ring it up or we’re going to [Competitor].”

He wanted to turn a $250 android tablet into a $500 sale and was willing to outright lie to do so.

In the end, we got the tablet, went home, ordered the case plus one of those keyboard cases and a mini SD card, along with downloading a free antiviral software, and still spent less than just his antiviral software!

A couple comes into the store, and the woman storms up to the help desk. She slams a laptop on the counter and glares at me.

Customer: “You sold us a dirty computer!”

Me: “Sorry, ma’am, I don’t understand.”

Customer: “This computer is full of smut! I try to go to my email, but I keep getting ads full of naked ladies!”

Me: “Oh, well, I can see how that would be… inconvenient. I can show you how to do a clean-up of your—”

Customer: “I want a refund! My husband and I don’t want to be exposed to such filth!”

Me: “I’ll need to go get my manager, ma’am.”

Customer: “You do that!”

The manager takes over and I overhear.

Manager: “Ma’am, there’s technically nothing wrong with your computer. All we need to do is—”

Customer: “Just take it back! My husband told me it’s all these viruses that are doing it, and I don’t want them! Isn’t that right, George? Take it back!”

The manager looks at the husband, who looks down sheepishly.

Manager: “You’re outside the return window, but since I can’t see anything physically wrong with the laptop, we’ll wipe it and give you a refund if there are no other issues.”

The wife does a “hmph’” of acknowledgment, and we get to work on the refund. On their way out, the wife glares at us one more time, and the husband gives us an apologetic look.

Manager: *To me* “That is the face of a man who can’t believe he let the lie get this far.”

I am showing a customer how to use one of our tablets, and we’re going through a mapping feature. I show him how to zoom out, and he zooms out so far that we start to see the whole country.

Customer: “Huh. Am I in the United States?”

Me: “Yes, sir.”

Customer: “Huh. I always thought I was in America.”

Me: “Well, you’re in America, too.”

Customer: “Well, which one is it?! Stop confusing me.”

Me: “I… think that will be impossible, sir.”

The electronics store I work at closes at 7:00 pm except for Sundays, when we close at 6:00 pm. We are not allowed to stop people from entering before closing, but we DO have security on hand at closing to help us escort out anyone who tries to waste our time.

It’s 5:55 on a Sunday, and the store is empty. I’m standing at the door, having a conversation with one of the security guys, when a customer walks in, sees the security guy, and freezes.

Customer: “Did, uh, something happen?”

Me: “No, we just close at 6:00 today. You can still come in, if you know what you’re looking for, but…”

I try not to let my disappointment show as the customer quickly steps inside.

Customer: “Where are the headphones?”

Me: *Gestures* “Over there.”

The customer dashes over to our headphone display. I turn to resume my conversation with the security guy… and stop myself as the customer comes right back.

Customer: *All in one breath without stopping* “Nothing in my price range for a quick decision, I’ll come back tomorrow, sorry to bother you!”

He made his way out, leaving my day just a little bit better as he did.