Diary of A Retail Clerk

its been so longg

2010-06-25T11:06:00.000-07:00

sorry i haven't blogged in like a million years..okay more like a couple of months but whatev. so i'll fill you in with whats been going on in my life, first off its summer so that means i'm in california! yes, all summer i'll be here, i landed june 2 and i leave aug 13. so i transferred from my home store to one out here. its a lot different! this store is hugeee!! its two floors and carry almost all the concepts. it also takes us TWO HOURS to close, yea TWO HOURS! the first day i worked i wanted to cry and leave! not only does it take us two hours to close it bc the store is a super mess, the ac also turns off! yea its already freaking hot bc i'm in the damn san fernando valley. i have to go but i'll try to blog more about the new store.

insert title why i haven't blogged in awhile here

2010-05-27T20:25:00.001-07:00

yea sorryy, i've been surprisingly really busy for me. last week i worked all week but tues, but nothing too exciting happened.
well a customer asked me to turn down the music and i told her i'll talk to the manager about it, so i walk up to my manager, told her the lady wanted me to turn down the music and my manager looked at me and said "hell no! if she doesn't like it, then she can leave!" i died laughing and walked away..i pretty much avoided contact with that lady so she wouldn't ask me about the music sitch. so i continued working and she made it a point to come up to me when i was ringing someone up and told me while throwing leggings on the counter "i don't want these!" then stormed off..yea i just laughed and continued ringing the other customer up. pretty much not effecting my life in any way, so like i really care you aren't going to buy the damn leggings.
something that really annoys me that customers do ALL the time is: put clothes on the pony or counter when i say "i can take that" or "i can take whatever didn't work out"
i just said i can take it, why the hell would you ignore me and put, no shall i say, throw the clothes on the counter.

2010-05-24T22:37:00.001-07:00

trying out this new app, let's see how this works out!

people are dumb

2010-05-11T13:23:00.001-07:00

on just about all our clothes we have hanger helpers (ie. the little faux silk ropes on woman's shirts) and like the name, they are there to help hang the garments. they are usually about two inches in diameter. so needless to say, i've had a few customers ask ridiculous questions pertaining to the hanger helpers.

Customer: how do i put my arm through these? (referring to the 1 inch hanger helper on the tube top she's wearing)
Me: umm..those are for the hanger, they aren't meant for your arms. they help the garment hang better.
Customer: oh

Customer 2: how is this supposed to wrap around my neck (referring to the hanger helper around the collar)
Me: (trying not to laugh) its for the hanger to help the shirt stay on it.
Customer 2: oh really?! hmf..(walked away in total disbelief that it wasn't a necklace)

those are just two stories from two different occasions.

finally did it!

2010-04-20T10:37:00.000-07:00

okay i had been talking about how i was going to record the amount of times that customers ask whats the difference in the stores..well..i finally did it! so the numbers are kind of disapointing, they are a lot lower than i expected. to make it more interesting, i also added the question, "do you guys have anymore?" or and along the same lines "do you guys carry stock?" because thats another question we get a lot! so when i started it for the day, i didnt think i would actually look forward to getting those two questions (or anny variation of them), but i actually did! i almost begged for those questions, haha. i employeed my other associates to tell me when they were asked the two questions.
so its a small sample and was taken on a sunday, which is one our shortest days but it was the only day where i would be there all day. i opened the store and closed, so i knew it would be the best day to tally. here's how i broke it down:

Sunday, April 18, 11am-7pm
Difference/Why*? n=5
Amanda:1
Phida:0
Tanya:1
Anne:0
Me:6

Average: 1.6

Stock**? n=5
Amanda:3
Phida:1
Tanya:1
Anne:2
Me:5

Average: 2.4

so what the numbers say is that on average we get asked whats the difference about 2 times (yah i rounded up) and stock about 2 times. while the numbers don't lie, i think its a little off because sunday was a very slow day. i would like to do this for about a week and get the averages off of that instead. that way i'll have a larger sample size, but the problem with that is that, i usually only work one or twice a week and getting everyone to remember to report the questions will be hard. i think that's why the data was a little skewed and i had much more than the others because i had the tally, so as soon as someone would ask me, i would write it down.
amanda was pretty excited that there were so many for the stock question as opposed to my original question, whats the difference. she was patting herself, for adding that one. although the data is opposite to what i would have thought, it made the day go by a lot faster and made the day much more fun.

*any question relating to what's the difference between the two stores or why are there two and even as broad as being surprised that there are two stores.

**any question relating to us carrying stock in the back or asking if there are any in the back or anymore

today is my birthdayy!

2010-04-12T15:46:00.000-07:00

i know i hardly post, i'll be better about that. i didnt work all weekend bc my birthday is today so i took all weekend off to party and celebrate it. i work again friday and then sunday..so i'll blog about it then..but for the mean time...its MY BIRTHDAYY!!

a little stats in my work...kind of a fail

2010-04-08T09:05:00.000-07:00

since there are two of my store in the mall, everyone ALWAYS asks, whats the difference? or why are there two of you? and sometimes both. while i understand why people asks, it doesn't make it any less annoying. really, getting asked the same question atleast 10 times a day, gets very annoying. so i decided i'd ask everyone to tell me how many times they were asked, and to come up to me and tell me, i was keeping a tally with everyone's names and the amount of times they were asked, pretty self explanatory. well it kind of failed because it wasn't all day, just for a few hours and in that time, i didn't even get asked once, which is very unusual. so i decided to scrap that data and start it again, in two weeks (this weekend is my birthday celebration). i'm going to try and start it in the morning and do it all day (well as long as we are open).
i might do a mini trial today because i'm working from 3-close, which is a pretty good chunk of time to take data down. i'm hoping to get everyone working with me today to be involved in this mini sample. when i actually get all the data, i'll post my results on here, i'm guessing the average is going to be around 10.

i know its been awhile

2010-03-19T09:14:00.000-07:00

my boyfriend just complained that i don't blog enough..sorry, i know i've been ignoring this blog but this girl has been very busy with life! haha
i'm working tonight and i will really try and remember to blog if anything happens.
we had a jacket campaign and i'm not sure if its still happening. my company is finally coming to terms with the fact that our prices are low and inexpensive. so on just about every shop, fourway and faceout, there are signs. we can also be more discriptive, if the garment is 100% cotton, we can put it on the sign, ex. 100% cotton tunic.

a few days after the fact..but..

2010-03-04T16:06:00.000-08:00

this is about sunday, well really all weekend..it felt like it went on FOREVERRR!!
friday started out okay i worked 1:30-close..which really felt like a million years haha. i don't remember it being that eventful really. we are having a denim campaign, like most retail places right now. being that we are having a denim campaign, we have to wear this badge that tells us all the info the types of denim (the fit, sizes, leg fit and sizing chart)

and blue, white and denim. i did have to close with a manager (aka debbie); that is supporting from another one of our stores, the store manager (aka ginny) and the new girl. really, that was all, it was a busy friday night and there was only two of us, because the managers never come out on the floor and they don't clean. so suffice to say, i was not a happy employee! i was pretty much running around doing everything because the new girl (whos been with us for about 2 months now) still doesn't know how to do shit and is pretty shitty with her customer service. she never smiles, even at the customers, stands around (which is forgivable if later on your doing work, which she doesn't) and pretty much makes every mistake you can on the register (doing returns wrong, putting all the credit card receipts in one slot, not dropping 20's). i had to wait to take my lunch, because no one takes theirs on time. when i asked to take my lunch, the supporting manager told me to wait for the store manager to come back from her lunch. so about an hour goes by then the store manager finally comes back, and i ask her if i can take my lunch and she says "well you know your supposed to take your lunch on time" i looked at her and said "i understand that, but when i asked debbie, she told me to wait for you to come back from your lunch" to which she said "okay, well for next time". what a bitch, i wanted to go and i asked a manager. it just makes me think that i shouldn't ask and i should just leave, that way i'll be on time but fuck the people on the floor right..yea..stupid bitch. haha okay i'm done ranting about her. any ways..it was a long night and i wasn't smiling by the end of it.
saturday was lame and long..nothing really happened so thats i'll write about it.
sunday on the other hand was another superr long day! we had a meeting in the morning about procedures..gag me! it was super long and boringg! we split into groups, and since there is two of my store (we sell different collections of the same label) in the mall, it was a combo of both stores. its funny, even though we are right next to each other and the same label, i don't know really anyone at that store and visa versa.

sorry i got distracted watching the L word..i'll finish this later..

no workk

2010-02-10T11:58:00.000-08:00

you can see how windy it is!

here's a pic while i was out grocery shopping. that was in the shopping center.

its another day of snowtorious big! haha my favorite name for the second blizzard to hit northern va in two weeks! so because its been so scaryy crazy out, school is cancelled and so is work...which means the mall is actually closed! its pretty much whiteout conditions because its really windyy!

first email blog

2010-02-09T17:54:00.001-08:00

let's see how this works out. I'm working tomorrow so I'll use this to blog bc when it's snowing people act waay more idiotic.

Sent from my iPhone

its been awhile...

2010-02-09T07:12:00.001-08:00

i haven't blogged in awhile, mostly because i've been busy. school started again, so i've been busy with that and i'm volunteering two times a week. lets see what's happened..
there has been the snowocaplypse, the mall was actually closed this weekend and we closed early fri at 6. i was away this weekend, so it didn't effect me. we have had around 30 inches and its supposed to snow again today till tomorrow. i work tomorrow, we will see if i'll actually have to go in, hopefully not! it feels like i haven't worked in forever, even though i did work friday. haha

kinda ovss

2010-01-09T07:19:00.000-08:00

its bad when working retail makes me racist and a misanthrope. this year my company is taking a more aggressive approach to being more customer friendly. meaning for us, besides keeping standards (ie. board folding every table, sizing every faceout, checking the a areas every 20 mins) we also have to help every customer, which to me seems obscene bc not everyone needs help. while i do my part and greet everyone, the ones that need help always ask me after ive stated "hi my name is christina and if there are any questions you have dont hesitate to ask me" which about 50% of the time results in them asking a question. but really helping everyone..get out of here! i'm done for now, but i will be working again today and tomorrow so i might have more to write about!

UGHH

2009-12-31T09:14:00.000-08:00

i've been pretty busy with work..i worked 1:30-midnight tuesday night and 1:30-11pm yesterday night..and i finally got to sleep in! it felt amazing! well lets see whats happened in those days..well a customer said she didn't like my stankass attitude, which was a surprise bc i didn't know a person could have a stankass attitude.
The lady wanted me to stop what i was doing (ringing up another customer) and tell her how much the jacket was going to cost (when i clearly saw a tag with the price) bc it was 50% off..really?! you cant even do that kind of math in your head?! stupid ass bitch! i told her to please hold on bc i was helping someone else, then she was started talking shit saying it wasn't that hard for me to do and why cant i just do it, its not hard and wont take very long, oh and she was saying all this to the customer i had been helping. so she was basically talking shit about me right in front of my face and bc its retail, i can't say a thing. then walked away bc she wasn't getting her way, which really? like i want to help her after she's talking shit about me, uh i don't think so! she came back a few mins later and yelled at me from the opposite side of the cash point (ie. registers) and asked me to put something on hold for her, i totally ignored her and kept ringing up customers. then yelled and asked how long we hold things, which i also ignored and thankfully another associate came up to the cash point and took her hold. which she asked for the customers name, while the lady was yelling that she didnt like my stankass attitude, which i found out later that she actually said twice..haha yea i didnt find out that she had said that till later on. so she just looked like an asshole.

2009-12-26T15:24:00.001-08:00

Day After Christmas Rush
fucckk this sucks! the store is a mess!! the best part is that there is only two other people and me closing. we will be here all night! hopefully we can just clean the store and leave the running for later. I'm on my lunch now. I do not want to go back! I've been yelled at soo many assholes! the line was constantly super long, into the fitting room. there has been a lot of returns but not as much as I thought. it's just the start of them though. I'm going to relax, I'll write an update later.

Post Christmas Madness

2009-12-26T09:20:00.000-08:00

I'm about to get ready for work now..i'm really not looking forward to what i know will be crazy. I'm assuming we are going to have a lot of returns..i wish i could just tell them to fuck off. i will post again once i'm at the mall. i'm hoping the parking wont be so bad.

2009-12-24T05:48:00.001-08:00

Christmas eve
finally the last day of the holiday season! finally!! I'm waiting outside, to see the madness inside. I know today is going to be crazy and Im not looking forward to it at all. I know the store is going to be trashed by the end of the night, im just glad im not closing. Ill blog again on my break, with an update.

2009-12-23T13:06:00.001-08:00

the store is a MESS!! there should have been atleast one more person on the floor but it's whatev. I actually haven't had that many asshole today...yet..haha. we have had a few groups of thiefs come through though. I wish we could go up to then and stop them but dumb rules say we can't. only give them "excellent customer service" which means watching them and asking if they need any help. got to go back on the floor.

creepy guys

2009-12-21T21:11:00.000-08:00

why do older guys think its okay to call me sweetie, uh your not my boyfriend or friend. i'm wearing a nametag for a reason, so you wont have to guess at my name or make one up, you asshole! it really grosses me out and pissed me off. okay, i'm done ranting.

2009-12-21T13:16:00.001-08:00

testing out this blogging from my phone. let's see if this works. if it works great, then I'll be able to blog from work, when the thoughs are still fresh in my mind. haha

one of my fav websites

2009-12-21T12:55:00.000-08:00

being in the service industry, i like to read other peoples similar customers stories, mostly bc i can relate to how stupid people are. haha http://notalwaysright.com/

First Blog!

2009-12-21T09:44:00.000-08:00

so i'm pretty new at this, so hopefully my blogs won't suck too much. i love how people call this time of the year, the most wonderful. those people obviously don't work in retail. this is the worst time of the year for us. of course, working we want to make money but some customers don't deserve the respect that feel is granted to them. if you are a dick to me, i'm going to be a bitch..simple as that.
i worked this past weekend in my store, we have a return policy that i feel is a little too lenient (you can return anything even without a receipt) but if you have the receipt and you want the balance placed back on your card then you need to bring that card and it must be in your name. seems simple enough but not so much for one lady that came in. she had her receipt and her card, there was one little problem though, it wasn't in her name, she claimed it was her husbands..i told her i could only give her store credit because the credit card wasn't in her name, therefore i couldn't credit the money back on there. she yelled at me saying it was bullshit and its the same last name and how stupid and incompetent i was blah blah blah, when someone yells at me, i'm not going to be nice, that's just not going to happen. so i told her it would go on a card for store credit or she could bring her husband and return it with him. she yelled saying that she was going to stay where she was (ie. in front of me) and wasn't moving till the manager made it right. the manager came and told her the same thing i said and she grabbed her stuff and stormed out..
just another day in the the retail hell!