Retail has officially killed my joyful soul

[Junebuggie]

Got a job at a retail store about a month ago and I swear I am working in hell right now. 

I hate my coworkers cause they're all obnoxious incompetent bitches. Customers are the absolute worst. My managers? Don't know how to do their job, which is manage. It has only been a month working here and I have already decided to quit. This job goes against anything I have ever stood for, which is basically only find work that makes you happy. Every shift I get I feel like I want to stab myself in the eye just so I don't have to work here anymore. Every time someone ask me about my job, I only reply with "I hate my job". 

 

Retail is not back-breaking work, but it is definitely not worth $8.50 an hour. I mean, at the end of the day I'm pretty much just cleaning up their store for them whenever I'm not ringing a customer up. Just today, my manager calls and ask if I could come in tomorrow at 7am to do shipment. BITCH I HAVE FUCKIN' CLASS AT 8AM...DO YOU THINK I CAN COME IN TO UNPACK BOXES FOR YOU? IT'S NOT EVEN ON MY AVAILABILITY THAT I GAVE YOU WHEN YOU HIRED ME...DUMB BITCH.. I just can't wait till I finish school, so i can become a teacher. 

 

 

Worked in retail before? Share your experience. 

[Temptastic VII]

This might give you some enjoyment.

[Arsene Lupin]

I hate my coworkers cause they're all obnoxious incompetent bitches. Customers are the absolute worst.

 

Reminds of my job at harvey's except my manager was this crazy psycho bitch who screamed at me for any reason, like i bring 5 burgers at the same time because the guy ordered 8 and she says DONT BRING THAT MANY THEY ARE GONNA GET COLD and then the next day i only bring 3 and shes like YOU COULDVE BROUGHT 5 STOP WASTING TIME smh

 

once i even had a shift that ended at 2am AND I HAD TO GO BACK FOR ANOTHER 8 HOURS AT 9 AM

[Midna]

Nothing beats the craziness and stress of the food and beverage industry imo.

 

retail was okay, but i didn't like it too much.

[scarlette007]

You might not get the decision to quit if your employers can read your body language. It's a job. I hate to break it to you but the majority of jobs are jobs. You are there to work. And to get a paycheck and perhaps obtain enough experience/skills to acquire a better employment opportunity. But at the end of the day - work will not be fun or glamorous. You might find opportunities to grow, explore, be creative, acquire friendships, etc but no one will ever pay you to have fun. As I side note: your attitude and disrespect to your employers can hurt you not only now but in the future. I would monitor that ASAP. You might not like the people or the work you do but you should do it well and without overt attitude. A good portion of people have and/or continue to work in retail. It isn't a war story.

[Rosetty]

Hello and welcome to retail where nothing but hell awaits you.

 

 

I am glad I have a job but managers thinking you have the whole time in the world to be able to work any hours even your a student and especially during Christmas odg.

 

 

The only thing I'm thankful about my work place is that all my co workers are extremely nice 

[mgl]

I have and I can relate. I worked as cashier a few times, but I got asked to do random things like inventory, home deliveries, sorting produce, etc.

Fortunately my colleagues have been fairly nice for the most part, and the managers (other than asking me to do random things) weren't particularly incompetent.

My issues were mostly the customers. I got called names for things that were solely the customer's fault (like not having money to pay for the products), people trying to trick and cheat me, just overall rude people, etc. Fortunately there were some nice customers that could sometimes restore my faith in humanity.

[DocumentaLy]

If you're seasonal you're going to get treated like crap wherever you go since you're going to get dropped in January anyway. They have no reason to really be nice to you because you're basically a temp, a body on the floor during the busy holiday period.

 

You have to be a strong person to work in retail and not break.

[Myth]

I've been working in retail for four months and I'm fine. My coworkers are amazing. We're always making plans to go out and have a good time. We're a fucking mess when the manager is off Fridays and Saturdays, and it's nothing but fun. The customers are mostly okay, but we do get dumbasses and bitter ass bitches every once in a while.

 

I will say that the management is shit, though.

[hyoyeon's lines in check]

It is hell on earth and I applaud anyone who does it for a living, especially for extended periods of time. Customers are demons.

[Mog]

Retail can be hell, especially during the holiday season. But you also need to have the right kind of manager backing you. Customers are ruthless and disgusting and the sad fact is most retail cares more about their customer than their employee, no matter how long and well they have been working. I've had a manager that would always stand up to a customer if it came to them being shits to their employees but I've also had managers who didn't care. 

[Naccho]

Never worked in retail but StarBucks is the worst.

[North and South]

Retail sucked. My co-workers were idiotic, petty minded and crude (Although some of them were very nice people). They just wanted to gossip, all the time, and about everybody. I hated the managers, they played favourites and were constantly suspicious. They would just throw us into new situations without properly disclosing what the work was or how we were supposed to do it. 

 

If I got a nice customer that would literally make my day because so many of them were such bitches. Once I was working the fitting room, and this man and his wife come in literally 3 minutes before store closing time, trying to get in with ten outfits. Just an abusive and vile personality, and by the end of it I was convinced that he had an anger issue. 

 

Most of my time was spent cleaning the store as well. Just picking up and re-hanging clothes the entire time. I thought I would die. People are so insensitive, they'll mess up displays, won't bother to put shoes back in boxes, let alone put clothes back on the hanger. Some people will LEAVE shit in the change room! And that's not to mention some of the disgusting trash that people left behind as well.

 

The whole "the customer is always right" mentality strikes me as strange. I think that customers are given way too much power, and that many of them just take it as an opportunity to exercise their God complexes on hapless part-time workers.

 

 

Yeah I hated my experience. I was so glad to start working in a family owned convenience store. They never made me come to work in exam time like the retail stores, I was allowed to eat with the family, got to know them and they got to know me. I become friendly with the customers and really enjoy going to work there as well. 

[Junebuggie]

This might give you some enjoyment.

 

I'll have to give this a read for sure. 

 

You might not get the decision to quit if your employers can read your body language. It's a job. I hate to break it to you but the majority of jobs are jobs. You are there to work. And to get a paycheck and perhaps obtain enough experience/skills to acquire a better employment opportunity. But at the end of the day - work will not be fun or glamorous. You might find opportunities to grow, explore, be creative, acquire friendships, etc but no one will ever pay you to have fun. As I side note: your attitude and disrespect to your employers can hurt you not only now but in the future. I would monitor that ASAP. You might not like the people or the work you do but you should do it well and without overt attitude. A good portion of people have and/or continue to work in retail. It isn't a war story.

 

Trust me, I do my job well with a smile on my face, but just because I'm smiling, doesn't mean I'm happy. 

A job is a job, you're absolutely right, but it doesn't mean you can't have fun while working. Retail is not for me and I have come to that conclusion on my own terms. How? I've had other jobs before where I enjoyed working. I've worked 8 hours a day before at a Youth Camp where it was nothing, but fun and didn't complain at all while working there. At the end of the day, this job isn't going to get me anywhere (trust me, it isn't). It gives me a few bucks to drive to Applebees, but in terms of advancement or connections, I don't see it happening. 

As for me being a nasty bitch to my coworkers, you're right on that one. But it doesn't take away how unreliable they are. I mean, these coworkers of mine don't even call out when they don't want to come in. At least I work when I'm suppose to and do what I'm suppose to do while working. 

 

sorry if I sound bitter...I'm just fed up with this job..

 

I hate my coworkers cause they're all obnoxious incompetent bitches. Customers are the absolute worst.

 

Reminds of my job at harvey's except my manager was this crazy psycho bitch who screamed at me for any reason, like i bring 5 burgers at the same time because the guy ordered 8 and she says DONT BRING THAT MANY THEY ARE GONNA GET COLD and then the next day i only bring 3 and shes like YOU COULDVE BROUGHT 5 STOP WASTING TIME smh

 

once i even had a shift that ended at 2am AND I HAD TO GO BACK FOR ANOTHER 8 HOURS AT 9 AM

 

The thing about my job is that I have 4 different managers and they all try to teach me different things. One will tell me that I have to staple fliers to receipts, while the other would tell me not to. STOP TELLING ME 100 DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE HOW AM I SUPPOSE TO KNOW WHAT IS RIGHT OR WRONG?????? AM I GOD??? 

[Midna]

I've been working in retail for four months and I'm fine. My coworkers are amazing. We're always making plans to go out and have a good time. We're a fucking mess when the manager is off Fridays and Saturdays, and it's nothing but fun. The customers are mostly okay, but we do get dumbasses and bitter ass bitches every once in a while.

 

I will say that the management is shit, though.

 

what store do you work at oppa? 

 

I would hate to work at a clothing store in retail lol. i rather do home furniture and stuff :3

[Ghettoe]

Retail is hell? You must not have worked at a restaurant. 

 

When you start having visions of killing the people you work with... 

 

Although I did like the one restaurant I worked, the other one though...

 

The busy days are so back breaking customers feel sorry for us. 

 

Worst day is:  We close at 9:30. At 9:15 dude comes in. I tell him we close in 15 mins and he's like. Ok, I'm just waiting for my friends, they'll be here and we'll be gone by 9:30. I'm like, that's fine. 5 mins pass and his friends are not here, then they start arriving. Friends my arse, these are families of five, kids, wives, grandma and all. We have to prepare like 50 orders because this douche starts ordering at 9:25. The bane of my existence, the group ons. Our restaurant used to do, groupons. They don't understand our menu, they aren't sorted and they have groupons. I had to explain that menu 20 times before 30 mins later, we finished processing these orders. Seriously, 30 mins of ordering. Had to redo orders because they don't understand what they're ordering. I tell them it's all take out cause we are past closing time. So we start bringing out orders. We are now beyond closing, It's 9:50 and we are chunking out orders. By We, I mean this is a chipotle type of restaurant so only two of us work the night shift. I not only work as a cashier but have to constantly wipe tables, refill drinks, refresh the salad bar, hand out orders... I also have to perform a whole closing routine at night by myself, I clean the tables, mop, sweep, restock, take down and wash everything (juicer, salad bar,etc), wipe counters, etc. Anyway, back to the family. After informing them its a take out, what do they do? They start eating in. On the floor that I have swept on the tables that I have cleaned. At this point I am just mad and I just totally get to yelling. " I am sorry to be rude, but we are 50 mins past closing and I already told you it was take out, yet you're eating here, we were kind enough to take your orders but you guys are testing my patience, GET THE HELL OUT!"

 

They start lazily gathering their stuff and I start again. I scream "GET OUT, NOW!"

 

They manage to leave and we spend 40 mins doing the closing routine. I think we left at 11:00. 

[Junebuggie]

Retail sucked. My co-workers were idiotic, petty minded and crude (Although some of them were very nice people). They just wanted to gossip, all the time, and about everybody. I hated the managers, they played favourites and were constantly suspicious. They would just throw us into new situations without properly disclosing what the work was or how we were supposed to do it. 

 

If I got a nice customer that would literally make my day because so many of them were such bitches. Once I was working the fitting room, and this man and his wife come in literally 3 minutes before store closing time, trying to get in with ten outfits. Just an abusive and vile personality, and by the end of it I was convinced that he had an anger issue. 

 

Most of my time was spent cleaning the store as well. Just picking up and re-hanging clothes the entire time. I thought I would die. People are so insensitive, they'll mess up displays, won't bother to put shoes back in boxes, let alone put clothes back on the hanger. Some people will LEAVE shit in the change room! And that's not to mention some of the disgusting trash that people left behind as well.

 

The whole "the customer is always right" mentality strikes me as strange. I think that customers are given way too much power, and that many of them just take it as an opportunity to exercise their God complexes on hapless part-time workers.

 

 

Yeah I hated my experience. I was so glad to start working in a family owned convenience store. They never made me come to work in exam time like the retail stores, I was allowed to eat with the family, got to know them and they got to know me. I become friendly with the customers and really enjoy going to work there as well. 

 

This is basically me right now. Especially when the manager just throws something new at you....like wtf am I suppose to do with this? And then when I do it wrong, I get yelled at even though they didn't properly teach me. I remember telling one of my managers before, "I was never taught how to do (so and so) before" because I got yelled at for doing something wrong and she bluntly replies, "well now you know". 

Just yesterday I had a customer rant for about an hour while I was ringing her up about how we don't supply gift boxes for free. She was basically directing everything to me as if I had the power to control whether or not I can give gift boxes or not.     

[scarlette007]

... People will always say the grass is greener on the other side. I willingly chose a field where I knew I would face the most difficult clients - as well as public stigma (and ignorance). I am a licensed social worker. Pretty sure the grass is greener in many other fields of discipline/occupation but I chose it and will continue to work in the field. It is the fleeting moments of connecting with others and bridging people together in compassion, empathy, and informed decision-making to assist people in difficult situations that make the barriers/challenges sometimes worth it. ;) My one hope is people learn to understand what social work means and what we can or cannot so. We aren't miracle workers. And on another side note: 90% of social workers DO NOT work in child protective services. We are employed pretty much everywhere though.

 

In conclusion: Work is work - make the best of it.

[North and South]

This is basically me right now. Especially when the manager just throws something new at you....like wtf am I suppose to do with this? And then when I do it wrong, I get yelled at even though they didn't properly teach me. I remember telling one of my managers before, "I was never taught how to do (so and so) before" because I got yelled at for doing something wrong and she bluntly replies, "well now you know". 

Just yesterday I had a customer rant for about an hour while I was ringing her up about how we don't supply gift boxes for free. She was basically directing everything to me as if I had the power to control whether or not I can give gift boxes or not.     

 

I work on the helpline for my region, and people do the same here as well. As seen by the internet, people are ruthless and scary when they think they behind an anonymous form of communication, and when they think they have power over someone. The only advice I would give to you is to not let them get to you. I know that it's really hard for that not to happen, because these people are so mean sometimes, and so persistent, but it's not your fault, it's their fault. 

 

And your manager sounds like a grade A bitch. 

 

Have you looked into other job options? Something in which you'd be happier working in?

[Yerowan]

Trust me, I do my job well with a smile on my face, but just because I'm smiling, doesn't mean I'm happy. 

A job is a job, you're absolutely right, but it doesn't mean you can't have fun while working. Retail is not for me and I have come to that conclusion on my own terms. How? I've had other jobs before where I enjoyed working. I've worked 8 hours a day before at a Youth Camp where it was nothing, but fun and didn't complain at all while working there. At the end of the day, this job isn't going to get me anywhere (trust me, it isn't). It gives me a few bucks to drive to Applebees, but in terms of advancement or connections, I don't see it happening. 

As for me being a nasty bitch to my coworkers, you're right on that one. But it doesn't take away how unreliable they are. I mean, these coworkers of mine don't even call out when they don't want to come in. At least I work when I'm suppose to and do what I'm suppose to do while working. 

 

sorry if I sound bitter...I'm just fed up with this job..

 

 

The thing about my job is that I have 4 different managers and they all try to teach me different things. One will tell me that I have to staple fliers to receipts, while the other would tell me not to. STOP TELLING ME 100 DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE HOW AM I SUPPOSE TO KNOW WHAT IS RIGHT OR WRONG?????? AM I GOD??? 

 

1. Figure out what you liked so much about that job and look for jobs similar to it or have specific elements in common with it. Did you like working with kids, was it the teaching element you enjoyed, was it unpredictability, creativity?

 

2. Your coworkers don't call in because they either know they won't get fired or they don't care if they do. Your supervisors may treat you like crap because they expect you to be the same, and if you prove to be reliable instead, they'll ask the world of you and then get pissed when you don't comply.

 

3. Call them out on conflicting information or take it higher up the food chain. OR learn who likes things done which way and do it their way when they're in charge. That last option is bullshit because there's probably a company standard that one of them is ignoring, or it's all personal preference and they're just crapping on you about it because they can.

 

It sounds like a toxic environment. Find a new job.

There were some crappy days when I worked at Target, but it was never *that* bad. (except for the day I had told my direct supervisor I wasn't feeling well and she shunted me to the FOOD area (like... preparing food for other people to eat) anyway and then when the store manager came over to order something, I started crying because I felt absolutely miserable and knew good and well I shouldn't have been over there.)

[Grape Soda]

I work in retail now. And well...............yea.

I have to work thanksgiving.....ugh

[Ghettoe]

I love complaining customers, they are always amusingly funny. "YOU WORK FOR US!"

 

I always want to be like, no sir, I work for this company and they just happen to care about your interests far more than I do. 

[hallah]

You might not get the decision to quit if your employers can read your body language. It's a job. I hate to break it to you but the majority of jobs are jobs. You are there to work. And to get a paycheck and perhaps obtain enough experience/skills to acquire a better employment opportunity. But at the end of the day - work will not be fun or glamorous. You might find opportunities to grow, explore, be creative, acquire friendships, etc but no one will ever pay you to have fun. As I side note: your attitude and disrespect to your employers can hurt you not only now but in the future. I would monitor that ASAP. You might not like the people or the work you do but you should do it well and without overt attitude. A good portion of people have and/or continue to work in retail. It isn't a war story.

 

yeah, i see both sides of the coin here. working in any kind of customer service field is a nightmare because there are a lot of horrible people in this world who have no problem taking out all of their misdirected anger on you. employers also treat you as expendable because, well, you are, and since everyone is getting paid shit to work there, most employees slack off and foist their duties onto their more responsible coworkers.

 

but the person above is right. you can't just quit a job because it's not "your dream" or it doesn't "make you happy." no job will make you happy, because it's a job. even if you work for yourself. by all means, follow your passions and do everything you can to find a job that suits your lifestyle and ethics, but keep in mind at the same time that it may take a long time to reach that point.

 

however, while it's likely you'll be doing grunt work for awhile in your youth, you also shouldn't stay in an unhealthy or abusive environment. i worked fast food for 1 month when i was a teenager, quit on the spot, and never did food service ever again. but that doesn't mean that i went on to be the CEO of some multinational company, i just ended up doing data entry instead.

[DocumentaLy]

Retail is hell? You must not have worked at a restaurant. 

 

When you start having visions of killing the people you work with... 

 

Although I did like the one restaurant I worked, the other one though...

 

The busy days are so back breaking customers feel sorry for us. 

 

Worst day is:  We close at 9:30. At 9:15 dude comes in. I tell him we close in 15 mins and he's like. Ok, I'm just waiting for my friends, they'll be here and we'll be gone by 9:30. I'm like, that's fine. 5 mins pass and his friends are not here, then they start arriving. Friends my arse, these are families of five, kids, wives, grandma and all. We have to prepare like 50 orders because this douche starts ordering at 9:25. The bane of my existence, the group ons. Our restaurant used to do, groupons. They don't understand our menu, they aren't sorted and they have groupons. I had to explain that menu 20 times before 30 mins later, we finished processing these orders. Seriously, 30 mins of ordering. Had to redo orders because they don't understand what they're ordering. I tell them it's all take out cause we are past closing time. So we start bringing out orders. We are now beyond closing, It's 9:50 and we are chunking out orders. By We, I mean this is a chipotle type of restaurant so only two of us work the night shift. I not only work as a cashier but have to constantly wipe tables, refill drinks, refresh the salad bar, hand out orders... I also have to perform a whole closing routine at night by myself, I clean the tables, mop, sweep, restock, take down and wash everything (juicer, salad bar,etc), wipe counters, etc. Anyway, back to the family. After informing them its a take out, what do they do? They start eating in. On the floor that I have swept on the tables that I have cleaned. At this point I am just mad and I just totally get to yelling. " I am sorry to be rude, but we are 50 mins past closing and I already told you it was take out, yet you're eating here, we were kind enough to take your orders but you guys are testing my patience, GET THE HELL OUT!"

 

They start lazily gathering their stuff and I start again. I scream "GET OUT, NOW!"

 

They manage to leave and we spend 40 mins doing the closing routine. I think we left at 11:00. 

 

Restaurants are worse but the money is so fast and easy...

[wiz109]

wait till holiday hours   all the cheerful people will show up and bitch about line ups when they are doing last minute shopping, I live for them because now that I on my own business, I can tell them to fuck off.