Typically, purchasing something means that you intend to keep that thing for the duration of its life or until you pass it on. This directly contrasts with renting something, where you lease it for a set period of time for a fee with the expectation that you will be returning that thing by the end of the period you have paid for it. Both arrangements have their advantages, by owning something it's yours and you can do whatever you want with it, but this usually requires a much higher buy-in cos…

The 00s “console wars” were absolutely nuts, looking back… with fervent fanboys rabidly backing the corporation that they had elected to give their disposable income to as if they had a personal stake in the success of the company. Forums were filled with arguments over which console was better, and what features or exclusive games were offered that made the console of their backing. Love it or hate it (and I'm sure even today, this statement will spark controversy) the Wii was a clear winner.…

This retail worker was weary from unkind customers---until this dude came in. In retail, you tend to remember the best of the best and the worst of the worst customers, while everyone else in between is just a blue. You'll always remember the customer who screamed and threw her bags on the floor like a toddler having a meltdown. But you also remember the kind souls who praise your customer service skills in front of your bosses, or the kind who are genuinely grateful when you help them. In a st…

Rules usually exist for a reason. Generally, they come into being because someone did something and learned the hard way that the way they chose wasn't the way that it should be done, so it's decided that this way should never be attempted again by either them—or those surviving them—depending on how poorly their attempt went. There is another type of rule, though, and these rules are generally made up by a bored busybody middle manager on a random Wednesday afternoon because they need somethin…

It's no secret that working in customer service exposes you to all kinds of bizarre behavior that wouldn't be acceptable in any other place in society. What is it that makes people think it's okay to treat someone any differently just because they happen to be wearing an apron or a name badge? Unfortunately, the act of being served gives petty tyrants the opportunity to feel as if they are better than the person serving them, with some individuals exhibiting levels of malice and cruelty that ma…

No amount of wealth should excuse any customer from the rules. Unfortunately, there are plenty of entitled rich folks out there with “influence” who seem to think otherwise.

What do you do when your manager is a thieving fraudster, and their boss refuses to listen because, on paper, your manager is getting good results? This is something you'll likely come across during the long course of your career, and you might be dismayed to find yourself powerless in the position. Heck, most bosses will be willing to look the other way for someone who is performing high in whatever KPI upper management is currently prioritizing… Just as long as things look good and people are…

Specialists exist for a reason. For this retail worker , jewelry is their career. They're a diamond specialist who works at a privately owned business. Even though they have impressive expertise at their job, there are always customers who think they know better than a trained professional. Something customers don't seem to realize is that expertise matters. As a customer, you go to see someone who's spent 10,000 hours learning a trade because they have knowledge that you require. That's the wh…

When working retail and customer service, you're playing a constant tug-of-war with customers over policy, laws, and even the simple ethics of trading—and it's not uncommon to have someone standing in front of you passionately quoting some piece of slightly relevant legislation their aunt's friend told them about, with flecks of spittle flying in all directions. The only problem is that they clearly don't fully comprehend the trading act that they're quoting, but there's no way they're going to…

When customers demand help , they want to be helped immediately. And instead of listening when workers actually try to help them, they seem to shut off their ears, and end up throwing a tantrum instead. Cashiers don't get the respect they deserve, and lots of customers are very rude to them on the daily. U/NiftyGoblin had a strange story to tell, which they shared to r/TalesFromRetail, a subreddit for retail workers to share the realities of life behind the cash register. This OP was just tryin…

Working in any kind of customer service, you're constantly exposed to the worst sorts of people. When you're still fresh and green into a customer service job, you approach it with a certain sense of optimism, telling yourself and anyone who asks how excited you are to help people and make a difference in their life with your incredible service. With bright eyes, you look around you, wondering why your seasoned coworkers are so haggard and embittered, approaching the day with a thousand-yard st…

Don't judge a book by its cover. In fact, don't judge a book at all—especially if you've never seen a book before and don't really understand what a book is. Sure, you've seen rectangular-shaped objects in the past, but if your single-celled existence hasn't even begun to understand what the term “reading comprehension” means, then you have no business giving us reviews on books. That's essentially what this Karen was doing when she demanded to speak to a man about her paint, having reached the…

There's nothing more satisfying than a story about an entitled person getting their just deserts. This Reddit user, u/SimMinnie, shared their story of exactly this to Reddit's r/EntitledPeople subreddit community. This one certainly ticks all the boxes. u/SimMinnie explains that the story took place when they were working as a supermarket cashier. Which, like any customer service position, puts you straight in the firing line of an entitled Karen. They go on to explain that things could get ext…

You really shouldn't say something that you don't mean that could cause an outcome that you don't want to someone who will happily oblige you. Retailers love to set rules and swear by them as if they had been written in stone since the dawn of time—and definitely not something they made up 15 minutes ago. These rules will blatantly disadvantage workers and be strictly enforced to the point where there is no nuance for grey-area scenarios. After all, being able to predict extremely obvious gray…

Leading from the front is important for any leader—you need to walk the walk that you talk… but when it comes to sales and commission, you don't want to be competing with your own team to make the wage that you should be earning anyways for managing the business. Anyone who has ever worked in a retail environment that heavily prioritizes sales probably has encountered the subject matter of this post. For those who have never worked on a sales floor for commission, if the environment isn't manag…

What should you do with your delicious dessert waffle when you're done chowing down on it in the nostalgic comforts of a mall food court? Dispose of your waste and neatly stack your tray in the holder on top of the trash can? No. If you're this Karen, you're taking it to the nearest clothing store and demanding that the workers there dispose of it for you—under firm threat of having smashed waffles and ice cream all over the floor and clothes. Hey, at least it's not as bad as cleaning out the c…