Retail Round-Up

So for all of you who haven't had the pleasure of working in retail, let me in on some of the pro's and con's. Just a few little gems. Let's start with the Pro's. Yes, Pro's. Go ahead and laugh, I can't hear you anyway. Jerk.

Pro's: Customers are, for the most part, fleeting. You don't have to kiss their asses like in a corporate environment and worry about sending them Christmas cards and stuff. Even when you do get that really annoying customer, they'll be gone soon. On to the next!

Flexible schedule: This one is actually kind of a mixed bag. It totally sucks never being able to count on having a weekend off and the holiday season can make even the most Fa la la la -iest of us Grinch-out. But on the plus side, making Dr and dentist appointments is easy and getting your holiday shopping done on a Tuesday morning when all the rest of you 9 to 5 schmucks are at work is a dream. I mean think of it - you get a parking space, wait behind maybe one person in line and get back home before lunchtime! Gives me time to deck the halls.

Con's: Customers. Sure, I said they're fleeting, but man are they a pain in the rump when they're in your presence. I submit for your approval: Orange T-Shirt Joan. A few years ago I worked at a clothing store where OTJ frequents. She doesn't yell, she doesn't complain but she will... talk. She will take two orange t-shirts, the same size and color, and try each of them on numerous times. Each time she will ask all staff and available customers how it looks. She also repeats herself.
"How does it look?"
"It looks good"
"Yeah. How does it look? I mean, does it look good?"
"Yep. Looks good"
"I don't know. Do you think it looks good?"
That's not even an exaggeration. That's a verbatim conversation. And it will continue for at least 3 hours. I know, because when you have a customer like her you keep a close eye on the clock. 3 hours is getting of easy.

I saw her again tonight. At least now I know that every store gets the same treatment. Thankfully, there's nothing in my current store that she can try on, but don't worry, she found plenty of things to repeast herself on. Also she came back an hour later to return a product that she'd broken. Then, after I sent her on her merry way, she came back and bought something else. Somewhere between the counter and the door she saw something shiny and managed to break something else before she left the store for good. I actually had to call my old store to tell them of my horrors. They laughed at me. It's ok though. I would do the same if our situations were reversed. In fact, I plan on it.