I worked at a superstore where we wore red shirts with tan pants. We often had customers approach us when we were off the clock — trying to buy food for lunch, shopping after work, etc.
Management told us to wear another shirt under our red shirts to avoid this; it never helped.
I once had someone yelling at me to help them while I had a cart full of stuff and my purse as I was buying stuff after my shift.
Customer: “My wife ordered a refrigerator and I want to cancel it and get a refund.”
Me: “I’m sorry, sir, but we’re going out of business. All sales are final.”
Customer: “How was I supposed to know that?!”
We have signs on the door, every register, each aisle end, and every third appliance, as well as the banner he walked under to enter the store, saying, “Going out of business sale — all sales final.”
I worked in retail. A customer came to the register with her purchases and I started ringing her up.
Customer: “Wait! These [items] should be [lower price]! The sign said they were reduced to [lower price]!”
Me: “What sign was that, ma’am?”
Customer: “It was on the floor right by the shelf!”
Me: “We don’t state our prices on the floor, ma’am. The sign must have fallen off of another shelf. [Other items] are currently reduced, not [items].”
Customer: “But the sign was near the [items]! I should get the reduced price!”
She argued with me for ages. I swear customers lose their brain cells when they leave the house.
My coworker thinks he’s funny, but he’s mostly just offensive. I don’t know how he hasn’t been fired up to this incident, as it isn’t even the most offensive interaction. A member of our upper management (originally from Austria) comes to our store. [Coworker] corners him in the break room.
Coworker: “Hey, I heard you talking earlier. You’re German, right?”
Manager: “Actually—”
Coworker: “You have, like, hookers and s***, right? Titties in the windows?”
He grabs his own chest and mimics being pressed against a window.
Coworker: “Like Amsterdam.” *In a bad Rastafarian accent* “The ganja, Mon!”
Manager: *Standing up* “We haven’t been introduced.”
Coworker: “Oh, right on. I’m [Coworker]. You’re [Manager], right?”
Manager: “Well, [Coworker], I hope you’ve enjoyed your time at [Company].”
[Manager] walked away. [Coworker] stood there for a moment, waffling between confused and entertained. Two days later, his job was available.
I work in a small boutique store; only one person is needed as staff for a normal day, so it’s just me when a semi-regular comes in. In the past, she has been nice, but she is always shopping for her fully adult son who is more than capable of doing so himself.
One day, after she’s come in and talked a bit, it’s approaching closing time. Her son is working in a nearby-ish store but finishes at the same time I close up. The mother wants him to try stuff on, and despite our polite conversation, I get this gem.
Mother: *In a tone that is kind of joking but not really* “I’m sure that if I just hang about, you won’t be able to close!”
Me: *Giving a polite smile* “Haha, no, I close soon.”
Mother: “If I just stand right inside your door, you won’t be able to close it, and he could just come right in, right?”
Me: “Ah, no? I close in a few minutes. If he can make it, he can, but he’s always welcome to come on his breaks or another day.”
Mother: “Oh, no, that’s too much trouble. What would you do, lock us both in? Trap us?”
It’s somehow not too much trouble to threaten to hold me captive, though?
