Platform Errors
It’s the end of my shift, and I’ve just finished checking out a woman when she waves me down again.
Customer: “Excuse me, do you have these in a size eight?”
Me: “Looks like we’re sold out in-store, but I can help you order them online.”
Customer: “Perfect. But I want to use my phone.”
Me: “…I can do it on the store computer.”
Customer: “No. I trust my phone.”
Her phone is an ancient Android running slower than dial-up, but whatever.
Me: “Okay, open the website…”
She immediately opens Google Maps.
Me: “No, the website. Type in the brand name.”
Customer: “It says there’s a sale online. Can I get the in-store price instead?”
Me: “I… don’t control online pricing. We can only order at what it shows.”
She fumbles her way to the cart, hits “Remove Item” instead of “Checkout.”
Customer: “Why did it disappear? This is so confusing.”
Me: “You clicked the wrong button. Let’s add it again.”
Finally, we reach the payment screen.
Customer: “Wait, you mean I have to put my card number in?!”
Me: “Yes… That’s how paying online works.”
Customer: “This is ridiculous. So hard!”
I glance at the clock; it’s fifteen minutes past when I was supposed to leave. My coworkers, just starting their shift, are literally staring at me but doing nothing to help.
Me: *To coworker.* “Hey, can you take over? I need to clock out.”
Teen Coworker: “Nooo, I don’t know how to do that, sorry.” *Big obnoxious smile.*
Me: “You’ve… never ordered anything online before?”
Teen Coworker: “Nope!” *Smile.*
She knows exactly what she’s doing. I’m stuck for another fifteen minutes while the customer presses every wrong button possible.
Finally, the order goes through.
Customer: “That was awful. You should make it easier!”
