Working in retail comes with a whole lot of challenges that people who work in other professions simply don’t understand. Take it from these 40 Twitter users. They posted all of their favorite memes online recently in an attempt to describe retail life to their friends and family.
The results were absolutely hilarious. From complaining customers to advice on what do to when the store gets busy, we’ve chosen the funniest ones to share with you today.
Although, we can’t guarantee that you’ll understand the Tweets or even sympathize with the employees. After all, for many of us, we’ve only ever been involved in retail as shoppers. However, these people do their best to give you the breakdown of what it’s really like behind the scenes.
Source:
ChampagneKony
1. Fake Smile
You can never let on that you are not excited to be working. That is rule number one. If you tell the customers how your day is really going, you likely won’t be gainfully employed for very long.
Source:
RetailJobLife
2. Storage Reality
Customers often think that there is an endless amount of storage in the back of the store. They picture a giant warehouse full of products. However, the reality is often completely different.
Source:
CorbinGMH
3. Assistance Required
Most employees don’t get paid enough to really want to go the extra mile for customers. It’s additional work that they don’t want to do. It’s much easier for them to pretend like they don’t realize that customers are trying to get their attention.
Source:
RetailJobLife
4. Bad Jokes
Just because a retail employee laughs at your jokes doesn’t mean that you are funny. That’s what this Tweet proves. The employee making you feel good about yourself is just a part of the job.
Source:
themaileset
5. Correcting Someone
Proving a customer wrong always feels very satisfying. It’s the opposite of what customers expect to happen. They think that they are always right, no matter what.
Source:
Andrew_Anthony1
6. Phone Call Timing
If you don’t want to irritate a retail employee, it’s best to wait until after you leave the store to make a phone call. At the very least, don’t do it while you are checking out. It makes communication very difficult.
Source:
RetailJobLife
7. Declined Card
There is nothing more awkward than telling a customer that their credit card has been rejected. It almost always causes an argument. They will come up with a million reasons why it should actually work.
Source:
DeandraeCole
8. Rough Schedule
Most people work Monday through Friday and get weekends off. However, not in retail. Weekends are generally the busiest time of the week for retail employees.
Source:
RetailJobLife
9. After Hours
Technically, you can enter the store up until the minute that it closes. However, if you don’t shop quickly, it can cause employees to have to stay late. There is nothing more frustrating than shoppers who start shopping at the very last minute.
Source:
FrancescasProbs
10. Missing Coupons
If you don’t have your coupons with you at the store, they aren’t going to do any good. There is no reason to tell the person working the checkout about them. There is nothing that they can do.
Source:
RetailJobLife
11. Mental Math
There is a reason that cash registers automatically tell the employee how much change to give. It makes their job much simpler. No one wants to do repetitive math calculations a million times per day.
Source:
draculabizkits
12. Lack Of Employees
It’s hard to find enough reliable people to fill retail positions. This problem often results in stores being understaffed. Unfortunately, it seems like that’s always when most customers decide to show up also.
Source:
LEMONGRABBBBBB
13. Weekend Plans
All of society’s biggest events and activities take place on weekends. However, if you are a part of the retail world, you can spend a lifetime without attending any of them. You’ll grow old putting things on shelves instead.
Source:
lucydewane
14. Manager Problems
When customers are around, managers are jubilant and friendly. As soon as the customers leave, the real personalities of the managers turn back on. They often aren’t very nice personalities either.
Source:
RetailJobLife
15. Sale Prices
If you forget your coupons, you’re sore out of luck. It’s totally tragic. You could have saved a penny or two if you remembered to bring them with you.
Source:
obscuritybaby
16. Quick Feet
If you want to see how fast a retail employee can run, just ask them for help while they are on break. They will take off as quickly as possible in the other direction. There’s no way you will be able to catch them.
Source:
RetailJobLife
17. Bra Money
It would be great if everyone in the world simply used purses or wallets. However, some people are much more creative with where they keep their money. It’s something retail workers know all too well.
Source:
retail_probs94
18. Off Duty
Once a shift is over, it’s over. There will be no more work completed until the next shift. If you have a question or need something, you will have to track down another employee.
Source:
RetailJobLife
19. Clocking Out
In a similar regard, as soon as a manager gives the green light to clock out, there is no time to waste. Any second standing around after that is an opportunity to get stuck there longer. No employee wants that to happen.
Source:
casssidylea
20. Closing Fun
The worst shift to work in retail is probably the closing shift. There is just so much tedious stuff to take care of before you are officially allowed to go home. Plus, all of your evenings get completely ruined.
Source:
InNOutProbs
21. Everything’s Fine
This woman is actually a server and doesn’t work in retail. However, if she didn’t specify that fact in her Tweet, we never would have guessed. Retail employees and restaurant employees have a lot in common.
Source:
NikkiXGee
22. Ranting Away
Sometimes, it’s best to just let a customer vent. Sure, retail employees aren’t therapists, but they often get to hear and witness a lot. Customers can be pretty crazy when they get worked up.
Source:
RetailJobLife
23. Doesn’t Add Up
Many customers often think that they are making the math easier for cashiers by giving some additional coins with their bills. However, it only works if they do the math right themselves. Most of the time, they don’t
Source:
shonenjumping
24. New Hire
New employees don’t know how brutal retail can get. They are very naive. However, they learn quickly as the veteran retail associates show them the ropes.
Source:
RetailJobLife
25. Pretend Listening
Is a retail employee giving you a dead stare as you try and have a conversation with them? It’s likely a sign they don’t want to have a conversation with you. They have to make small talk all day long and it gets old.
Source:
peppermintphat
26. Credit Card Scramble
No one ever believes that their card being declined is really their fault. They automatically assume it is some sort of store error. It couldn’t actually be because they didn’t pay their bills.
Source:
xxTwonja10xx
27. Hello There
Every store has that one employee who is so cheerful and positive that it freaks everyone out, including the customers. They greet everyone they see with extreme enthusiasm. It’s a little over the top.
Source:
dprvelvet
28. Price Increase
The employees largely have no control over the prices of items being sold. Therefore, it does no good to complain to them. All that’s going to do is to make them roll their eyes at you.
Source:
RetailJobLife
29. Time Is Money
When an employee is working, it’s their job to help customers. However, when they are off the clock, it’s not. Any answers you desire will need to be acquired through a transfer of funds to their account.
Source:
SierraKealy
30. Bad Comedians
Some customers think that they are funny by making cliche jokes. What they don’t realize is that the employees have likely heard the same jokes a thousand times before. They aren’t unique at all.
Source:
fvckseaworId
31. Observant Management
Managers are always watching their employees. There is no escape. They are either standing in the corner observing or sitting in their office observing over the security camera monitors.
Source:
FlammyMarciano
32. Overwhelming Line
Customers always seem to flood the store all at once. They don’t just trickle in slowly over the course of the day. They line up by the dozens at the registers at the worst times possible.
Source:
RetailJobLife
33. Unreliable Hours
Schedules are one of the biggest frustrations in retail. There is no middle ground. Either you get way too many hours or you get way too few.
Source:
theselenashow_
34. Questionable Returns
Processing returns requires a discerning eye. Many customers will try to pull a fast one and return items that they’ve been using for weeks. It takes a seasoned retail professional to determine who is lying and who isn’t.
Source:
RetailJobLife
35. Seeking Freebies
Another common joke that customers make involves items without price tags. At least, we think it’s a joke. There is definitely a small chance that some of them are actually serious.
Source:
whosamiam
36. Helping Hand
People that work in retail have to stick together. It’s the only way to survive. Otherwise, the customers will slowly destroy your sanity bit by bit.
Source:
RetailJobLife
37. Internet Demands
The whole world is addicted to the Internet these days. It means that people are constantly asking for WiFi passwords. If they don’t have access to social media while they are shopping, it could ruin their whole shopping experience.
Source:
bnvgrs
38. Getting Handsy
Customers love touching things. If there is a pile of folded clothes, they will pick up and unfold every item. If there is a carefully organized and beautiful display, they will knock it over.
Source:
Cowabunga_Cole
39. Hiding Anger
No matter how angry a customer gets, retail employees aren’t allowed to get angry back. If they do, it could cost them their job. They have to put on a happy face no matter what.
Source:
kitttenqueen
40. Retail Dogma
Everyone knows the golden rule of retail is that the customer is always right. It’s something that gets hammered into the minds of employees over and over. Although, in their hearts, they still know it’s totally false.
Source:
_brookesims_
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