We usually only have a manager and two sellers. One of those sellers is also designated cashier.

I’m the cashier this morning, and we aren’t very busy. Suddenly, I have a small line of about four people, the other seller has to help someone in the fitting room, and my manager has to go to the back to accept shipment. There is no one to cover the floor and definitely no one to help me ring up.

I’m ringing out [Customer #1]’s decently-sized purchase and [Customer #2] right behind her starts sighing loudly and sucking her teeth.

[Customer #2] then comes up to the counter next to [Customer #1] and slams her stuff down.

Customer #2: “Isn’t there anyone else who can ring?”

Me: “Actually, no. Unfortunately, I’m the only one available as my coworker is assisting a customer in the fitting room and my manager had to go to the back to accept shipment. We’re not busy on Thursday mornings, as you can see, so we normally only have three people working. But thank you so much for being patient; I really appreciate it.”

[Customer #2] looked shocked and said a small, “Oh,” right as I finished up with [Customer #1].

I was expecting [Customer #2] to continue to be rude, because that’s how it usually goes, but she actually apologized and said she hurt her back at the gym, so standing there for so long — she was in line for maybe two minutes, max — was hurting. Either way, it was nice to have a customer actually apologize for their behavior.

Related:
In Line And Out Of Line, Part 14
In Line And Out Of Line, Part 13
In Line And Out Of Line, Part 12
In Line And Out Of Line, Part 11
In Line And Out Of Line, Part 10

Me: “Hi, how are you today?”

Customer: “Fine.”

Me: “Did you find everything okay?”

Customer: “Sure.”

I start ringing her items up.

Customer: “No, that’s supposed to be 50% off.”

Me: “All right, no problem! Let me ask someone to double-check that for you.”

I call my coworker over our headsets and ask.

Coworker: “Nope, no discount off of these.”

Me: “Sorry, ma’am, it doesn’t have a discount on it.”

Customer: “Whatever. I don’t want it, then.”

I continue to ring her items and she asks about several more that are “supposed” to have a discount.

Me: “Sorry, ma’am, my coworker said there’s no discount on most of these.”

Customer: “Let me speak to your manager, then.”

I call the manager over.

Manager: “What seems to be the issue?”

Customer: “Your employee isn’t giving me the discount on these items!”

Manager: “All right, let me check this for you.”

He checks for any sale prices on any of the items and comes up with nothing.

Customer: “Ugh! You people are so selfish with your discounts!”

She then stormed off without any of the items, leaving my manager and me there wondering what had just happened.

Related:
Don’t Discount The Customer’s Ability To Discount, Part 17
Don’t Discount The Customer’s Ability To Discount, Part 16
Don’t Discount The Customer’s Ability To Discount, Part 15
Don’t Discount The Customer’s Ability To Discount, Part 14
Don’t Discount The Customer’s Ability To Discount, Part 13

We have the option to print or email a customer receipt. Unfortunately, this happens at least once a day:

Me: “Printed or emailed receipt?”

Customer #1: “Yes.”

Or:

Me: “Printed or emailed receipt?”

Customer #2: “Email. It’s my first name dot last name at [website].”

Me: “I don’t know your first name or last name.”

Related:
Not In Receipt Of All The Facts, Part 3
Not In Receipt Of All The Facts, Part 2
Not In Receipt Of All The Facts

I work at a clothing company that has several stores around the USA. I’m folding clothes on a display table in the children’s section when I hear a husband and wife talking about a pair of pants they have picked up.

Husband: “Don’t you like these pants?”

Wife: “No, they look like barf. Put them away!”

Husband: “I don’t think they look like barf. They look perfectly fine to me.”

Wife: “I’m not dressing our son in that.”

The husband sees me and holds up the pants.

Husband: “What do you think? Do these pants look like barf?”

Me: “No, sir, I don’t think they do. It’s one of our popular colors for boys’ pants, actually.”

Husband: *To his wife* “See! You have to trust her; it’s a professional opinion because she works here.”

The wife turns to me.

Wife: “You said they looked fine? We’re both women!” *Laughs* “We need to stick together!”

A female customer comes in to do a return. All goes well… until the end of the return.

Me: “All right, this will be going back on your store credit card.”

Customer: “I want cash.”

Me: “I’m sorry, but I can only give cash if you use a debit card; since you used your store credit card, it has to go back onto it.”

Customer: “I want to speak to your manager.”

I call my manager to the front and the manager tells her the EXACT same thing. She huffs and slides her store card. Before she leaves, she looks at me and says the following: 

Customer: “I don’t understand why I can’t get cash back… I mean, it’s my money.”

I have honestly never facepalmed so hard in my life.