In case you’ve been living under a rock, it’s about to be the single worst day of the year in the retail world, a phenomina known as “Black Friday”, an after Thanksgiving day (in the US, anyway) mega-sale that virtually all stores have in the hopes of gaining as much business as possible. This holdover from the ages when people just didn’t shop much until he holiday season is an absolute nightmare for those who work retail, but this is a situation that could be made all the more tolerable if customers would be considerate and keep a few things in mind.
1: Item quantities are limited. Get over it. This holds true for the entire holiday season – there are only so many items to go around, and that hot toy or game that everyone wants is unlikely to be in stores. It’s just that simple, and I can’t explain it any more directly than that: There is only so much to get around. You aren’t the only person hunting for that item, and it will sell out, quickly. Don’t get mad at the store worker, it isn’t their fault. Don’t get mad at the managers of the store. Hell, just don’t get mad, it isn’t that important.
2: Lines are going to be long. Get over it. You and probably a thousand other people all want to shop at the same store, for the same items. Carts are going to be large, and for electronics, many people will have loads of questions, which slow things down. In whatever case, the fact remains there will be wait times. Deal with it. No one forced you to come out and shop. It’s like complaining about traffic – you’re a part of the problem just as much a victim of it. Quit whining, and wait patiently.
3: Treat the store with respect! I’m amazed I have to say this, and I will focus on this subject, and so many others, in future articles, but seriously, have some damned respect for the store. Quit leaving things everywhere. Drink cups, things you change your mind about, and who knows what else. If I came to your house and messed up everything, you would get mad, right? Of course! Don’t give me the “it’s what you’re paid for” line because that’s not the point; retail workers are paid to assist you. A store having items left everywhere, with things messed up because people are too lazy to clean up after themselves takes up time that we could spend helping you. Instead of focusing on your needs, we are cleaning up after grown adults who have made messes, then want to complain about said messes; we do this in the hopes you don’t misread a sign, or worse, and cause even more problems when you do go to check out, among trying to provide a good shopping experience that only gets messed up due to other customers.
4: Read the damned sales signs. Carefully. So much register trouble could be resolved if people would just learn to read. You are grown adult, who drove to a store to shop. Somehow you can’t read a sign that says exactly what item is and isn’t on sale? I get it, some things can be confusing, but when it’s blatantly obvious the item you think is on sale isn’t the one that’s on sale, quit trying to bully us into it. No, it isn’t “false advertising” (which is a legal term that has nothing to do with retailers) nor is it being deceptive – you just choose not to read the fine print, which is your problem, not the stores.
5: Being nice goes a long way. Seriously, common decency goes further than you would think. Look at the above things I point out: It’s all just being decent. Picking up things you knock down, not getting mad at people for things beyond their control, using the provided trash cans rather than leaving stuff wherever, and so on. Just use common sense and you will find the workers at a store will adore you. Even the slightest bit if understanding on just what a retail worker deals with day in, day out, makes that worker feel much better about their job, and will result in you getting the best service possible.
It just makes sense.
I’ve got more coming soon, but I thought, as Thanksgiving and Black Friday loom near, I would share this now, while I still have time. It’s about to be hell out there.
