Retail employees reveal their worst holiday experiences

The holiday season is supposed to be full of cheer, but for retail employees, it can also bring back memories of rude customers, long shifts, and strenuous working days.

Several former employees, who worked selling a variety of products including electronics, clothes, toys, beauty products, and food items, have revealed their worst memories of past festive seasons.

One woman told Refinery29 how she used to smile so hard to ensure maximum holiday spirit, her face would hurt.

Looking back: Several former employees, who worked retail during the holidays have revealed their worst memories of past festive seasons (stock picture)

‘I worked for a beauty brand and got commissions,’ Laurie, 32, a former department store employee, said.

‘So I was always smiling as hard as I could to every single customer, even the ones who screamed at me “not to spray them”. (We didn’t sell perfume.) At the end of a shift, my face would literally ache.’

Another woman, this time working at an electronics store, tried her best to manage the holiday crowd and accidentally offended a customer who thought her behavior wasn’t festive enough. 

‘I remember one customer [asked] to speak to my manager after I had rung her up in the bookstore where I worked,’ 25-year-old Jenna told the website.

‘Why? I hadn’t said “Happy holidays.” Sorry, I was dealing with a line 10-people deep and was more concerned with getting you out the door and on with your life.’

 Clothes would regularly be ruined and we would always find half-empty cups of coffee kicked over in the dressing room

One woman remembered sticking with the same customer for 45 minutes in the hope that she would buy all the products she kept putting into her basket.  

‘She was telling me very intimate details of her life, like how she had just gone through a breakup with her ex who was addicted to drugs,’ the employee told Broadly.

‘Finally, she held up a bath bomb that was covered in glitter on the outside. She looked at it forever before asking, “Is this sparkly all the way through?” 

‘I told her that it just had glitter on the outside, and she burst into tears and told me, “I’m not going to buy anything! I only want stuff that’s sparkly all the way through!”‘

Some customers seem intent on bringing food and drinks into stores even when told not to, which, in a crowded shop, can lead to disasters. 

‘Clothes would regularly be ruined and we would always find half-empty cups of coffee kicked over in the dressing room,’ former clothing retailer employee Kristen, 30, told Refinery29. ‘And that’s so annoying—if you make a mess, tell us! We won’t force you to clean it.’

Difficult: One former retail employee recounted having to deal with an unsatisfied customer while trying to manage the holiday crowd (stock picture)

Difficult: One former retail employee recounted having to deal with an unsatisfied customer while trying to manage the holiday crowd (stock picture)

When customers refrain from bringing their own food into the stores, it seems they still find ways to snack—on products they haven’t yet purchased.

Rachel, 32, often witnessed such behavior while working at a culinary store selling cookbooks, cooking items, and, of course, food. 

‘I seriously had to bust one woman who was eating these gourmet marshmallows who said she assumed we had a “try before you buy” policy. Nope!’ she said.

Some employees tried their best to be helpful, but encountered customers who seem simply impossible to satisfy. 

A woman working at a shoe store once attempted to help an older customer, only to be rebuffed each time for an oddly specific reason.

‘Every time I asked a question about the fit, she would just say, “Stop.” Confused, I tried to continue my sales pitch, but she continued to say, “Stop,”‘ the former employee told Broadly.

‘Finally, after trying over and over again to start my sales spiel, she put up her hands and said, “Stop. I cannot stand the sound of your voice. Stop talking now.” I didn’t know if she wanted me to continue the sale in total silence, but I decided it would be best to turn her over to a co-worker whose voice she found less upsetting.’

 I had to bust one woman who was eating gourmet marshmallows who said she assumed we had a ‘try before you buy’ policy

Of course, working at a toy store bring additional angst, in the form of tantrum-prone children and their not-so-diplomatic parents.  

‘I worked in a toy store, which should have been happy, right? Wrong,’ 28-year-old Bronwyn, who worked at an upscale toy chain, told Refinery29.

‘Parents would bring their kids mid-meltdown and then ask me to play referee by getting me involved and scripting my lines for me. I once had a parent stage-whisper to me to tell their child that I was going to send an email to Santa telling him not to bother picking up presents, because she’d been a bad girl. And the worst thing? I did it. I still regret it, but I needed my paycheck.’

Working during the holiday season can also entail spending longer hours than usual in the workplace, sometimes at the expense of family time. 

‘My first teenage job was at my local mall for the holidays. I had been so happy to get it — hello, independent income — but I remember getting increasingly depressed, especially when i missed major meals at home, like Christmas Eve dinner,’ Blake, 30, said about her days working at a clothing chain.

‘I remember eating my sad plate of warmed-up leftovers and realized that I’d gotten so caught up in my job that I’d missed what I had always loved about the holidays.’



Read more at DailyMail.co.uk