Working Retail: My Loves and Hates

It's hard to believe that I've been working at my job for almost a year. It's been a hard year, but it's slowly getting better. Anyway, I know this is another kind of out there post, but I thought it would be fun to talk about some things I like and hate about working retail. (And if there is anyone else out there who works retail, feel free to chime in the comments.)

Honestly, I think everyone should have an experience of working in retail or customer service at one point in your life. It makes you appreciate what employees go through every day. I am so much more polite to other retail workers, cashiers, and the like now because I know their pain.

Love: Setting up a perfect display

It is hard to beat the feeling of putting together a great clothing combo or setting up a neatly arranged display stand. Hold onto the feeling thought, because customers will mess that up in 3.5 seconds and it'll never look good again.

Hate: Finding stuff everywhere

Ten pieces of clothing in the luggage area. Weighted blankets, art, and flowers in juniors. Items people didn't want in the checkout line. Twelve million Starbucks cups no one bothered to find a trash can for. Things that people knocked over and just left. Believe me, working in retail has made me want to put back each thing I didn't want exactly where I got it from in other stores.

Love: Even numbered purchase

Every once in a while someone's total will come out to an even number, ending in two zeros, no cents. It makes me stupidly happy when that happens. One of the few things that does.

Hate: Rude customers

The horror stories retail workers could tell you about customers. The ones that are rude, mean, or downright nasty (aka peeing in the dressing rooms!!!!). I've had to deal with my fair share of them in my short time in retail and it is no fun. So just next time you're in a story, take a second and give one of the workers a compliment. It will make their day, I promise.

Love: The joy of discovery

I work at a Marshalls, which means we get in random merchandise every day. So it's a little like opening presents when we're putting out stuff. Sometimes I find the coolest things or things I didn't even know we carried. (Thus my spending issue.)

Hate: Finding places for things

It always seems like we have too much merchandise and no place to put it. My bane is trying to figure out how to fit a full bin of things out when there is no place. Retail work is like 85% rearranging things.

Love: Helping find the perfect item

Like I said, we get random items, so if a customer finds an item but wants it in another size, the chances of us having and/or being able to find it is kind of small. So when I do manage to find just what they're looking for, it's a good feeling.

Hate: No weekends

Thankfully, I don't work Sundays because I'm a Christian, but there's nothing worse than working Saturdays, any time. Morning isn't terrible, but then it gets busy and stays that way until we close. I also hate extended hours on weekends in the summer and Christmas time (we didn't close until 11 o'clock at night, people!).

Do you work retail? What is one of favorite and least favorite things about your job? Tell me in the comments.

Suggested Posts:

Orchestra and Music Stories

10 Signs You Might be a Bookworm