# Crazy Customer Stories - Working Retail Christmas 2009 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 21, 2009, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-customer-stories-working-retail-christmas-2009/522066 "2009-12-21T14:45:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-customer-stories-working-retail-christmas-2009/522066/21 "2009-12-21T22:27:10Z")
My work had a VCR stolen when they first started to sell. Somebody went home with a $1,500 VHS VCR. ---
**Author:** ![Marconi\_Schmeese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ea666f/32.png) [@Marconi\_Schmeese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marconi_Schmeese)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-customer-stories-working-retail-christmas-2009/522066/22 "2009-12-21T22:27:11Z")
Okay, I’m sure you guys are right. It is December 20th and today is the first day I have taken off in I really don’t remember when. I even worked Thanksgiving day. So, yes, I’m blessed, yadda yadda yadda. I just wanted to vent. When something is YOURS and YOUR BLOOD, SWEAT and TEARS FOR EVERY DAY OF THE LAST ELEVEN YEARS it’s different. You obviously haven’t been there and done that. So nevermind. Fuck me. I should have know better than to post on the all mighty righteous sdmb. Forget it. Mods, please close this thread. Thanks anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-customer-stories-working-retail-christmas-2009/522066/23 "2009-12-21T22:31:24Z")
You may enjoy this sight. > **[Sucky Customers - Customers Suck!](https://www.customerssuck.com/board/forum/the-heart-of-the-site/sucky-customers?f=7)** > > You know the drill ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-customer-stories-working-retail-christmas-2009/522066/24 "2009-12-21T22:46:55Z")
> [@](#): > > So nevermind. Fuck me. I should have know better than to post on the all mighty righteous sdmb. Forget it. Mods, please close this thread. Thanks anyway. Jeez, talk about overreacting. You don’t always get the reaction to a thread you expected; that’s just the way it goes. What I read are some fair comments on whether anyone found your stories as compelling as you do, not a condemnation of your life’s work. You might want to consider lightening up a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-customer-stories-working-retail-christmas-2009/522066/25 "2009-12-21T22:48:27Z")
I worked in retail many years ago, and I was a cashier at a Foot Locker -a pretty popular shoe store. the year before I had worked at a pet store and thought I was familiar with Boxing Day craziness. I wasn’t. The store opened at 8:30, we all took our positions and opened the doors. The wave of humanity FLOODED in. Clerks were standing on benches lobbing shoes boxes, it was crazy. he funniest part was that our phone lines were set up terribly - they shared a line with the credit card/debit machine, so if you wre on the phone and someone swiped a card, you were disconnected. So that day i was bagging while the District manager ran the register. I didn’t mind because I would rather risk him making a mistake when it was THAT busy. Anyway, the phone started ringing. I grabbed it - “Good Afternoon, thank you for calling Foot Locker, this is Poysyn…” “Hello…I was wondering if you sell…” CLICK! Disconnected. Right after the card sale completed the phone rang again. “Good Afternoon, thank you for calling Foot Locker, this is Poysyn…” “Why did you hang up on me…?” CLICK! Right after the sale completed it rang again… “Good Afternoon, thank you for calling Foot Locker, this is Poysyn…” Very angry voice. “Why do you keep hanging up on…” CLICK! I think it happened two or three more times until the guy gave up. We kept waiting for the angry guy to come down and start complaining, but really, expecting someone to do a stock check on Boxing Day? ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-customer-stories-working-retail-christmas-2009/522066/26 "2009-12-21T23:19:08Z")
> [@Marconi\_Schmeese](#): > > Okay, I’m sure you guys are right. It is December 20th and today is the first day I have taken off in I really don’t remember when. I even worked Thanksgiving day. > > So, yes, I’m blessed, yadda yadda yadda. I just wanted to vent. When something is YOURS and YOUR BLOOD, SWEAT and TEARS FOR EVERY DAY OF THE LAST ELEVEN YEARS it’s different. You obviously haven’t been there and done that. > > So nevermind. Fuck me. I should have know better than to post on the all mighty righteous sdmb. Forget it. Mods, please close this thread. Thanks anyway. I don’t think the comments were all that accusatory or judgmental. There were some fair points but nothing I would consider worth getting steamed over. Granted, your business is your baby, and I do know a little something about getting defensive over comments about the way you run things or what you consider to be laugh or cringeworthy, but when you post soliciting comments on stories related to it you have to take the good with the bad, as not everyone’s going to be in agreement with your assessments. I think most of us have done our time at the retail end of things and many of us have stories, all of us with our own measurement of what’s “crazy.” Like the woman who called me while working at a big retail electronics chain who appeared to be incredibly stoned, asked if we carry porn (we didn’t), and then started asking me if I like watching porn, and if I wanted to have sex with her and a variety of other personal things. Now, that’s pretty damn crazy no matter where you work. Asking for repeated discounts and deals and such, not so much from where I sit – I used to have to deal with it all the time. No, you can’t have a discount. Yes, I know you’ve spent more than $2,000 at the store in the last year, even though our store makes that every ten minutes. Yes, I know we mark up our prices because, call us crazy, we want to make money. No, I won’t tell you what _we_ pay for stuff. Yes, that other store has it for ten cents cheaper. You want us to price match with our 10%-of-the-difference guarantee so you can save an extra penny? Really? _Really?_ (Honestly, this actually happened.) Speaking of price matching though, that really does work to advantage sometimes. I was a dumbass once and broke the receiver for my wireless mouse doing something stupid. So I wanted to get another one, and one small chain store I frequent had it for $60, and it was in stock. Awesome. But just for the hell of it, I checked Staples, because the other store was a bit of a trip, and this one was almost literally right next door. They had it too. For $130. And they had a price match guarantee. So I printed out the necessary advertised price, wrote the other store’s phone number on the sheet so they could verify easily, and went over to have Staples price match it. Bada-bing! $7 plus travel costs I didn’t have to shell out. Looking up by credit card though, I don’t know _any_ stores around here who can do that. Credit card receipts only tell you where you spent $X, not what you bought specifically, so they can’t use it to determine that you bought this particular product they want to return. Are there some who can? Or do they just take it on faith? ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-customer-stories-working-retail-christmas-2009/522066/27 "2009-12-21T23:27:23Z")
> [@Marconi\_Schmeese](#): > > So nevermind. Fuck me. I should have know better than to post on the all mighty righteous sdmb. Forget it. Mods, please close this thread. Thanks anyway. Aw, poor baby is upset that no one else thinks a customer asking if they can use a coupon makes them CRRRAAAAAAZY! ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-customer-stories-working-retail-christmas-2009/522066/28 "2009-12-21T23:37:20Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > You may enjoy this sight. > > [Sucky Customers - Customers Suck!](http://www.customerssuck.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=7) I am accountingdrone here =) ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-customer-stories-working-retail-christmas-2009/522066/29 "2009-12-21T23:42:59Z")
> [@Marconi\_Schmeese](#): > > So a few days ago a customer comes up to one of my employees and says, “So, do you like, give discounts?” > > My employee replied, “I’m sorry, what do you mean? What product are you referencing?” > > The customer says, “The backpacks up front.” > > A little background - the backpacks are great sellers, can’t be found anywhere around here, are only $21.99 and should probably be priced at $24.99. > > :rolleyes: Unless the would-be customer was vulgar or rude about it, I dont see anything wrong with inquiring about possible discounts. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-customer-stories-working-retail-christmas-2009/522066/30 "2009-12-21T23:45:15Z")
Another great site: > **[Trending - Funny & True Stories | NotAlwaysRight.com](https://notalwaysright.com/)** > > The best of our most recent stories! ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-customer-stories-working-retail-christmas-2009/522066/31 "2009-12-21T23:51:46Z")
> [@Marconi\_Schmeese](#): > > (Do they also REMEMBER YOUR CHILDRENS’ NAMES, USE YOUR NAME WHEN YOU CHECK OUT, CARRY YOUR PACKAGES OUT TO YOUR CAR FOR YOU AND GIFT WRAP FOR FREE? I didn’t think so.) I would rather save the money than have someone remember our names. The gift wrap is a very nice touch, though. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2009, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-customer-stories-working-retail-christmas-2009/522066/32 "2009-12-22T00:11:50Z")
> [@Marconi\_Schmeese](#): > > One of my all time favorites: > > Customer: “Do you match prices?” > > Employee: “I’m so sorry, we can’t. We strive to keep our prices competitive year round. What item are you referring to?” > > Customer: “Well WalMart/Toys R Us has X for $10 cheaper than you.” (on a $150 item that’s on a three day sale, but regularly more expensive than us) > > Employee: “Oh, that’s awesome! Do they have it in stock?” > > Customer: “No.” > > Employee: “Oh no, that’s a shame!” > > (Do they also REMEMBER YOUR CHILDRENS’ NAMES, USE YOUR NAME WHEN YOU CHECK OUT, CARRY YOUR PACKAGES OUT TO YOUR CAR FOR YOU AND GIFT WRAP FOR FREE? I didn’t think so.) From when I ran an auto parts store: Mechanic on phone (MOP): How much for a clutch for a \ Me $26 for the disc, $62 for the pressure plate, $12 for the To bearing. MOP: Thanks 20 minutes later MOP: I’ll take the disc, but your competitor sells the pressure plate for $50. Me: Buy it from them, that is below my cost MOP: I would but they are back ordered. Me: Why didn’t you say so? When I don’t have any they are only $19.95, but when I have them they are $62. Now do you want it or are we just screwing around here? MOP: send it. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2009, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-customer-stories-working-retail-christmas-2009/522066/33 "2009-12-22T00:17:48Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > When I don’t have any they are only $19.95, but when I have them they are $62. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2009, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-customer-stories-working-retail-christmas-2009/522066/34 "2009-12-22T00:26:21Z")
> [@Eureka](#): > > My crazy customer story–although you probably had to be there. > > A guy who I would estimate to be in his thirties approached me and asked if I worked there. (No, I just happen to be wearing the store employee uniform down to the name tag and having the store name on my shirt) > > He then asked about Betty Crocker’s Pie Crust Mix. > > I started down the Baking Needs Aisle and discovered that the guy who approached me wasn’t the one who wanted to buy the product. That guy was an older gentleman. > > Well, anyway, I found the pie crust mix with the pie filling rather than with the cake mixes (same aisle, different areas). > > This was the eighth store the gentleman in question had been to in his quest for the pie crust mix. He put several in his basket, and I wandered back to another area of the store, and chatted a bit with a coworker about why one needs pie crust mix–isn’t pie crust flour, shortening and water anyway? (We do understand the appeal of readymade pie crusts, just not this mix). > > Shortly thereafter, I was approached again by the elderly gentleman, who wanted me to know that we now were out of the pie crust mix because he was buying them all. Just so you know, I almost cut myself shaving because I was giggling so hard at this. ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2009, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-customer-stories-working-retail-christmas-2009/522066/35 "2009-12-22T00:43:20Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > Why didn’t you say so? When I don’t have any they are only $19.95, but when I have them they are $62. I second the 😃 Funniest thing I have read on the Dope all week!!! ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2009, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-customer-stories-working-retail-christmas-2009/522066/36 "2009-12-22T00:51:26Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > 😃 > [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > I second the 😃 > > Funniest thing I have read on the Dope all week!!! I have a bunch more I will share later. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2009, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-customer-stories-working-retail-christmas-2009/522066/37 "2009-12-22T01:14:04Z")
> [@Marconi\_Schmeese](#): > > Okay, I’m sure you guys are right. It is December 20th and today is the first day I have taken off in I really don’t remember when. I even worked Thanksgiving day. > > So, yes, I’m blessed, yadda yadda yadda. I just wanted to vent. When something is YOURS and YOUR BLOOD, SWEAT and TEARS FOR EVERY DAY OF THE LAST ELEVEN YEARS it’s different. You obviously haven’t been there and done that. > > So nevermind. Fuck me. I should have know better than to post on the all mighty righteous sdmb. Forget it. Mods, please close this thread. Thanks anyway. I’m sorry this thread didn’t work out the way you wanted, but other people seem to be enjoying sharing their own stories, so I’m going to leave it open. twickster, MPSIMS mod ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2009, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-customer-stories-working-retail-christmas-2009/522066/38 "2009-12-22T01:16:39Z")
> [@Marconi\_Schmeese](#): > > Perhaps you would be happier shopping at mass merchants. YMMV. Such ignorant pigs, those _people_ who shop at mass merchants. Go! Fie on you! We do not want business of ignorant bourguois pig dogs like you! [Fast forward! I’ve just had a vision: December 2010, and somebody’s squealing about how they’re going to go out of business because of stupid ingrateful customers all going to Big Bad Wal-Mart.] ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2009, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-customer-stories-working-retail-christmas-2009/522066/39 "2009-12-22T01:42:25Z")
Since the OP has checked out of this thread, please refrain from bashing him or her. I would prefer not to regret my decision to leave it open. Thanks, twicks, MPSIMS mod ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2009, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-customer-stories-working-retail-christmas-2009/522066/40 "2009-12-22T02:21:40Z")
Okey dokey. I think I was composing my post even as you were making your mod decision. Anyway, those customers, right? Craaaazy, man. Are you with me? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-customer-stories-working-retail-christmas-2009/522066.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-customer-stories-working-retail-christmas-2009/522066.md?page=3)