A Textbook Case Of Bad Customer Service

(I am a college student, and classes start in two weeks. I decide to pop into the bookstore to pick up my required textbooks. When I get there all of the aisles are blocked off, so I go to the counter.)

Me: “Hi! I wanted to get textbooks, but it’s blocked off.”

Employee: “Yeah.”

Me: “When can I buy books?”

Employee: “It depends.”

Me: *pause* “On?”

Employee: “How many people are in front of you.”

(I look around the store. It’s just the two of us, another employee, and a customer looking at notebooks.)

Me: “Is there someone in front of me?”

Employee: “I mean how many orders are in front of you. It also depends on the courses you’re taking and the books you need. It really just depends.”

Me: “Oh, I have the list right here.”

Employee: “…”

Me: “So, I can’t buy books today? Or like… order them?”

Employee: “No.”

(Bewildered, I walk over to the student services center to ask someone there.)

Me: “So, I was just in the book store trying to buy my textbooks, and I guess you can’t buy them yet? Do you know when they open?”

Employee #2: “Their hours are—”

Me: “Oh, I’m sorry, I mean when they start selling books. She just told me it depends.”

Employee #2: “Yeah, it really just depends.”

(I ordered my books online. I’m still not sure what the correct process is for getting books.)