I’ve worked for this certain company since October 2019. It’s a well-known fandom store that was once an emo-based store. I was a manager for the holiday season and went back to associate for my own reasons.

A customer comes to me asking if we have a certain shirt in another size at a different store. I tell her I’ll check. There is one at another location a few miles away, and she asks if I can call them to have them place it on hold for her. This is not uncommon for our company at all, so I do so. Our store phone has just died so I call using my cellphone. I call the store to see if they have the shirt in stock, just in case our system is off or someone stole it. I even have the item number ready and what size I am looking for.

An employee answers. Usually, we give our name when we answer, but she doesn’t give a name, and she sounds extremely bored.

Me: “I am looking for a shirt, I have the SKU number and the size.”

Employee: “The what?”

I get a bit frustrated and repeat myself, and then I ask if she is ready for me to say it so she can look it up. She says yes, and I give the number and the size. She has to repeat two of the numbers, which I get if it’s noisy in the store.

Employee: “Yeah, it looks like we have one.”

Me: “Great, could you put it on hold for a customer?”

Employee: *Sigh* “Um, yeah. I don’t know where it would be, but it says we have one.”

Me: *Frustrated again* “So can you put me on hold while you look for it? I have the customer here waiting.”

Employee: *Sighing again* “Yeah. I’ll just call you back on this number once I find it.”

And she hangs up. She doesn’t ask for my name, number, or anything. She just hangs up.

She called back not even five minutes later — I could’ve sat on hold during that time, and I let the customer know what was going on — and says she has it. I ask her to put it on hold for the customer and then ask for the other store employee’s name. She gives it to me and I instantly take note to let my manager know, hoping that they talk to her manager.

My customer was very thankful and understanding and went on her merry way to go to the other store for the shirt, but seriously? If you don’t know our company’s phone etiquette, don’t know what a SKU is, don’t know how to find a shirt, and don’t know how to put it on hold, you should ask another employee for help, and you need to ask your manager for some training.

I just keep shaking my head.

I’m in the process of moving from the UK to Norway, and as such, I have a mile-long list of things that need to be done before flying out. One of today’s tasks is heading down to my bank to change my address to my new Norwegian address. I tell the person on the door that I’m moving abroad and need to change my address, and he directs me to one of his colleagues.

Banker: “Moving abroad, eh? Sounds nice. Where is it you’re moving to?”

Me: “Norway.”

Banker: “Norway, that sounds nice… Is that in Germany somewhere?”

I’m trying to get a prescription delivered to my house, but the app keeps rejecting my payment. I realize (shamefully) that I have nearly maxed out my credit card and that is why it won’t go through. When I try to switch to my debit card, the app rejects it again. This time, I know it is the app’s issue, because I checked my account and saw that I had more than enough money.

I make a payment on my credit card but I know it will take a few days to post, so I go to the pharmacy with my debit card.

Cashier: “Name and date of birth?”

I give my info.

Cashier: “Okay, we have two prescriptions ready for a total of [over $100]. We have a card ending in [four digits] on file. Do you want to use that?”

I know it’s my maxed-out credit card.

Me: “No, not that one. I’d like to use this one, instead.”

I hold out my bank card.

Cashier: “Okay.”

She hits a few buttons on the register and hands me a receipt.

Cashier: “You’re all set!”

Me: “You didn’t charge me.”

Cashier: “Yeah, I used the card on file, like you said.”

Me: “I said I want to use this one.”

Cashier: “Well, it’s already done.”

She hands over my medicine.

Cashier: “Have a nice day!”

I’ve worked retail for many, many years, so I try to remain calm, but now I’m going to have an extra fee for using my credit card, on top of having to pay it off.

Me: “I told you to use this card.”

Cashier: “You have one on file.”

Me: “Just… please get your manager. We need to reverse this.”

Cashier: *Sigh* “You paid. You got your drugs. Please leave.”

Me: *Louder* “Get your manager now.”

A manager comes over.

Manager: “What’s the commotion?”

Cashier: “She’s trying to get her money back.”

I explain what really happened.

Manager: *Sigh* “Okay. [Cashier], take your fifteen.”

Cashier: “But she—”

Manager: “Go.”

The manager sorted everything out, helped me take my credit card off the app, and then offered to talk to my bank if I would call them. Thankfully, the bank teller was understanding and cancelled the overdraft charge. I’ve been back to the pharmacy several times and that cashier still glares at me.

I am out shopping at a craft store that is currently three days into a two-week deal for a fancy reusable shopping bag, while supplies last. When I get up to the checkout, the cashier rings me through and doesn’t mention the bag. I figure the two options are that she forgot or that they have run out, so I decide to ask if they have any left. It’s worth noting that the cashier has been short and had a slight bit of an attitude from the get-go.

Me: “I read online that there is a deal for a free—”

The cashier cuts me off abruptly.

Cashier: “We’re out! The bag was very popular and there are none left!”

Me: “Oh, that’s fine. I thought that might be the case. I just figured it didn’t hurt to ask.”

The cashier starts lecturing me like I’m a naughty child.

Cashier: “These deals usually run out within the first day! If you wanted the bag, you should have taken responsibility and come in sooner!”

Me: “We don’t shop here often, so I didn’t know. I just thought I’d see if you still had any, seeing as it’s only three days into the promotion.”

Cashier: *Raising her voice* “Well, it’s not my fault that you don’t know how things work around here, and I can’t do anything about being out of stock!”

I figure this is just not worth the argument since this woman is obviously not listening and is spoiling for a fight. I just smile sweetly and collect my purchases.

Me: “Well, thank you very much anyway. I hope you have a wonderful day.”

I begin to walk away at that point and the cashier speaks again, not to me but in a volume obviously meant to be heard by me.

Cashier: “Why do I always get the absolute worst customers?!”

I left without asking for a manager. I was in too much of a hurry that day and I also figured that the cashier has already been given the worst punishment imaginable… having to live with that sour attitude of hers for the rest of her life.

I shop at the store across the street three or four times a week, usually for whatever I need for that day. Yesterday, I grabbed some hummus on sale and this altercation happened at the self-checkout:

Me: “This item isn’t ringing up properly. It’s not on sale like the tag says, so I’m just going to go over there to check the tag.”

Employee #1: “I can’t leave my post; you’ll need to do it yourself.”

Me: “Yeah, that’s what I’m saying. I’m just telling you that I’m going to head over there real quick—”

Employee #1: “I can’t leave my post; you need to do this yourself.”

I walk over to the display and check the price. It’s two for $6, but most people know this just means one for $3 unless stated otherwise. Like I said, I shop often so I’m very familiar with needing to have a price corrected or matched; it probably happens a few times a month. I have a feeling there will be another problem with this employee, so I take a picture of the tag and return to the self-checkout.

Me: “Yeah, the item isn’t scanning properly. Can you price-match it?”

Employee #1: *Annoyed* “What’s the issue?”

Me: “This is supposed to be $3, but it’s scanning as $4.49. I just need the price matched.”

I show her the photo.

Employee #1: “See, that’s two for $6. You need two to get the deal. If you buy another, it’ll be correct.”

Me: “Yeah, it’s two for $6, but that just means one is $3. Some tags only work if you buy the right amount, but this isn’t one—”

Employee #1: “You need two, understand? If you get another, it’ll adjust.”

Me: “I understand what the tag says, but I know this isn’t—”

Employee #1: *Slowly* “You… need… to… get… two… for… it… to… work.”

I look at her, take the hummus out of the bag, and scan it again. Sure enough, the price does not update because that’s not the issue.

Me: “Okay, but obviously, that’s not true, or else it would be correct now.”

Employee #1: “You… need…”

Me: “Can you just get someone else over here?”

Employee #1: “Sure.”

She proceeds to hunt down a specific employee, ignoring two others who were closer — one of whom is a manager I know from my time shopping there — and instead finds her friend who’s about to leave.

Employee #1: *To [Employee #2]* “Can you explain to this person what the issue is? They’re having problems understanding why their item isn’t scanning properly.”

Employee #2: “What’s the issue?”

I show her the photo.

Me: “I just need this price-matched. It isn’t scanning as the labelled price.”

Employee #2: “It’s because that tag is expired. I can still honor the price for you.”

She enters her code and changes the price without a problem.

Me: “She was being really rude.”

Employee #2: “I mean… I can get a manager if you want.”

Me: “I don’t care enough; I just want to leave.”

Employee #2: “Yeah, good… You probably shouldn’t get a manager.”

I’m still trying to figure out what she meant by that.