What is your worst retail experience?

1. 79

   Alyssa Gripshoverposted 8 years ago

   What is your worst retail experience?
   
   As an employee or customer, what is the worst retail experience that you remember

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2. 61

   Link10103posted 8 years ago

   My first week, if not my first day, working at a dollar tree, 2 ladies nearly got into a fist fight over balloons.
   Oh, and I found a used wrapped up diaper on a shelf behind the children books we sold.

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   1. 79

      Alyssa Gripshoverposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Phew!! can smell the stink from here! And balloons? Really? Wow. Thanks for sharing!

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3. 93

   lisavollrathposted 8 years ago

   I used to work retail at a craft store, and people had a habit of letting their kids run wild and unattended while they shopped. I found a kid sitting on the floor of an aisle, taking everything on the base deck, and throwing it as far as she could. I loudly asked the child to stop, took her by the hand, and led her to her adult, who was shopping close enough to see what the child had been doing. I suggested the adult to keep the child with her, for her safety. As I turned to walk away, the woman picked up a small plastic container, and threw it at me, hitting me in the head.
   
   Fortunately, my boss was watching the security cameras. He came down stairs from his office, and asked if I would like him to call the police, so I could file an assault report. When I said no, he escorted the lady and her child to the front door, and told her not to come back.

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   1. 79

      Alyssa Gripshoverposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Wow. Just, wow. All that and you didn't press charges. What a trooper! Thanks for sharing!

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4. 93

   FatFreddysCatposted 8 years ago

   I worked for a Kmart store for two years in the early 1990s....which was one long "bad retail experience." During my time there I gained 20 pounds, I developed a drinking problem, and my hatred for humanity in general increased about a thousand percent.

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   1. 61

      Monkeyshine1posted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Omg retail not good for you. Lol

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5. 84

   tsmogposted 8 years ago

   Both perspectives presents opportunity to explore human interactions. A very interesting question providing for perspective while offering reflection. I could comment on both and shall try to share. With being on the retailer side of the question my retail experience was with the automotive service industry.
   
   The worst retail experience I had was with a customer came in screaming and yelling while was simply emotionally out of control. Let me share firstly the complaint was for squeaking fan belts. Why that caused such emotional trauma I have no idea. Sadly, the complaint was not even with my place of business that I represented as the manager.
   
   Her receipt was for another place of business. However, she was beyond control and it required us to contact the authorities. Eventually she was arrested and taken to be assessed and observed for mental health cause.
   
   Later her daughter and son came to get the car. They apologized while shared she was in recovery while offered little more information. We offered to assess the complaint discovering a loose belt causing the squeak. It was adjusted resolving the problem and they were happy. Of course we did it no charge as a courtesy.
   
   On the other side of the fence the worse I can think of was I pulled a twenty five pound bag of sugar from the bottom shelf at a grocery store placing it in my cart. It leaked because it had a tear in it. Unfortunately I did not know that and left a trail through the store from the isle to the check out stand. An employee discovered the trail and went ballistic with me screaming billigerently. I was shocked, embarrassed, and felt shame. How dare I?
   
   Obviously I understood the safety factor that it could cause an injury to someone by slipping on it. However, I did not tear the bag while did not know it was leaking. That was the conclusion of the store manager who became quickly involved. Another associate escorted the person upset with me to the back of the store. I still shop there and have seen that associate, however that associate does avoid me and I do avoid that associate.

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   1. 79

      Alyssa Gripshoverposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Sounds like you handled the situation very nicely. I appreciate your sharing with us!

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6. 86

   tamarawilhiteposted 8 years ago

   My daughter had surgery, picked up an infection from the surgery center, took her to the pediatrician for treatment, took that doctor's assessment to the surgery center, had to fight to get it reported as an infection at the center and to the CDC.
   If I hadn't fought, it wouldn't have been documented, much less proof that led to several other surgical infections traced to the same breathing tube not sterilized properly.
   I didn't sue, just demanded coverage for the medical expenses (antibiotics, post-surgical follow up with doctors) for that infection.

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7. 82

   Stella Kayeposted 6 years ago

   I locked myself out of the shop I was in charge of and had to wait until the owner arrived from the other branch. I just felt a complete idiot!

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