Many people say that working in retail builds resilience and character, but perhaps it just exposes you to the worst kind of people in this world. I guess in some sense, that builds resilience and character, but that has to be the only silver lining that comes with having to deal with entitled Karen customers on a daily basis. Otherwise, these workers deserve the kind of prizes and medals that heroes and soldiers receive because I'm sure it feels like every shift is an almost Sisyphean fight fo…

"You can't always get what you want..." Mick Jagger and the 'Stones famously taught us, before then going on to elaborate that “If you try sometimes, you'll find you get what you need.” While that's all well and good, and while this serves as a great message of inspiration about how one should never give up when the going gets tough… There are actually plenty of times in life when you might want something from someone else, and upon being told “No,” you should just take the “No” at face value a…

Anyone who ever worked in retail knows how frustrating it is to have to explain to a customer the policy of the store and what they can or cannot do if they want to return an item. I once had a 30-minute conversation with a guy who wanted to return an item that was bought in a completely different store, and he simply did not accept ‘no’ for an answer. Being on the other side of the counter is no fun either. I can't tell you how much accumulated random stuff I have in my house simply because a…

This sales associate was perfectly fine with breaking a customer's computer just to make his own life easier. While buying new technology, things can get confusing pretty quickly if you aren't the most tech-savvy person . If you're buying a computer in person, for example, you might go into the store knowing exactly what you're looking for. But then a sales associate starts talking to you, and suddenly they're telling you that computer won't work for you. Instead, they say, you should get one t…

Working retail is the experience of permanently being wedged between a rock and a very angry place. The rock is the obstinate management structure above you that is setting and enforcing policies that make no sense—but that they refuse to change. On the other side are the perpetually angry customers who are often upset about those exact same policies. Unfortunately, you, the lowest-level employee, take the brunt of the customer's dissatisfaction, which then becomes management dissatisfaction as…

“I immediately wanted to call in sick,” this video game store employee wrote. What made them feel so ill? An advertisement! For those who have spent time in the trenches of retail work around the holidays, you know exactly how this person feels. No matter how much you enjoy your retail job during the year, when the holiday season comes around, customers begin to act feral.

Coming to help in on your day off is like doing an angel's work, and bosses should be appreciative and not take it for granted. But upper management always finds a reason to complain, and they often feel entitled to employees' time, even when they aren't supposed to be working. This employee named Steve was probably a little too good at his job, and despite not being paid enough, he put all his effort into making the workplace better, even going as far as to come to help out in on his day off.…

Internet tutorials make DIY projects look like a walk in the park. Watching a sped-up video of a professional woodworker dismantling, staining, and rebuilding a piece of street furniture makes upcyclers green with envy, but whenever an amateur grabs the same set of tools, most people realize they're all thumbs.

There was a time when being fired was something to be ashamed of, but these days, companies love to hire and fire expeditiously. It's almost a rite of passage for those who work in retail or fast food. And if it doesn't happen to you, it'll certainly happen to one of your coworkers. The thing about customer service jobs is that you unfortunately have to serve customers, a lot of whom have no intentions of ever treating employees with respect. You're supposed to brush off their repeated insults,…

Certain organizations, especially within certain industries, love to save on labor, and one of the ways they do this is by sending workers home from a scheduled shift when things are quiet to try and keep from being overstaffed. Of course, predictably, as soon as the manager has sent someone home, you'll end up with the biggest rush of customers you've ever experienced, ensuring that the rest of the day is going to be a living nightmare—and no one will be getting any breaks.

Even though she was only 17 years old, this woman was already an expert on koi and other tropical fish . It's fortuitous that she got a job to match, starting off at a retail tropical fish store. Whether you have a pet or not, spending time at pet stores is a fun and free activity to do. Many stores have tons of cats and dogs, some have gerbils or birds, and others have aisles and aisles of fish tanks. As far as retail jobs go, I imagine this is a pretty calm place to work most of the time.

Supermarkets are already a relatively overwhelming experience for most of us, akin to navigating a labyrinth that's been starkly lit by harsh-white fluorescent lighting while a string of the most infuriatingly mundane acoustic covers of songs that were popular ten years ago play omnipresently throughout.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with finding a loophole within your company's various policies. Make no mistake: your employers are finding loopholes all the time, especially when it comes to finding ways to pay you less. So for the sake of reciprocity, what's wrong with using your work's flawed and unspecific policies to your own advantage when it's appropriate? This thread was posted to Reddit's r/MaliciousCompliance subreddit by u/notarobotnorealy , who worked at a popular chain and was rec…

Have strength retail workers , you will need it when these customers show up. As a cashier, you'll ring up hundreds of customers each shift, and you'll probably forget all of them, except those who are exceptional. Maybe they're especially kind in a job where many customers are impolite. Or maybe they're really funny and manage to make you laugh. Or, if you're these people, you've remembered the customer because they've asked some of the most absurd questions ever. Several people who worked in…

While working retail, these people have seen it all. Cashiers get to see people from all walks of life, of all ages, and of all levels of sanity. These retail workers shared some stories of the wildest interactions they've had with customers. That's one of the strange things about working retail---you always have to take the customer seriously, even if you're pretty sure they're messing with you. Some customers love to mess with retail staff , even though no one seems to find it funny except th…

Common sense is rare in this manager's retail store . Well, it's not the whole store---just one manager who has no common sense about anything. When you work in retail , it can feel like managers have a far easier job than you. While workers have to stand on their feet for eight hours dealing with mean customers, crowded aisles, and answering the same questions over and over, managers get to chill in the back room. No matter how long the line of customers gets, you can be sure to find your boss…