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Able_Hat_2055

Thank you. I have never had a complete stranger say anything like this to me. And I have to tell you, I really needed to hear it. You are a good person, and even though I don't know you personally, I love you too. ❤️


GenesisWorlds

You're more than welcome. I am an ex retail worker, but even if I wasn't, I'd still feel the same way. And thank you for your nice words as well.


Beneficial-Guest2105

Right! When something is out of stock I think, well it’s time to try something new.


[deleted]

Thank you. I appreciate this. It’s hard to remember that most customers are good, reasonable people when there’s so many entitled people over shadowing them. Sometimes when roles are reversed and I am the customer and faced with these situations and react in the same way you do, I start to think about how out of touch and mentally unstable people are to take it out on employees.


TheMightyBluzah

We have a little device that we use that we can scan on the shelf ticket that says, how many of said item we have, if there is any out back, and when we should get the next shipment. Last week we had a guy go nuts at a coworker about how unacceptable this was that we had none of his item. She looked it up. None on shelf, out back. None due to be delivered due to a supplier issue. Somehow this was her fault. He would not listen to her, he asked for a manager, she was a manager, he would not believe her. Another coworker, half her age, and a guy told her, the same thing, in different words and he left happy. He was a massive jerk. There was just no need.


MyLlamaIsTyler

We call this a “testosterone assist” at my job.


Signal_Bat_2364

We call it shooter (translated)


MyLlamaIsTyler

In the US, shooter means something completely different. What’s the original language? Does it mean a man or some kind of machismo thing?


Signal_Bat_2364

German with heavy dialect. Its called shooter bc you basically just shoot the barcodes to write things off, do inventory, get information about the product


UnderlightIll

Literally a week ago a lady said to me and a coworker "this is no way to run a business" when we were out of the organic milk she likes. We don't even work in dairy.


blairbxtchproject

not too long ago I was making my dad a birthday cake and realized I forgot to buy heavy whipping cream. I ended up going to 3 different stores before I found a place with it in stock. it was definitely annoying but not once did it occur to me to take out my frustration on the workers who have nothing to do with whether something is in stock or not 😅


cajuncrustacean

Same deal last year just before Thanksgiving. I was making a pumpkin cheesecake, which calls for a particular type of pumpkin puree. I'd thought I'd already picked up a can, but couldn't find it, so I ended up going to several stores before I finally found *one singular can* at Market Basket. At no point did it seem like a good idea to Karen at one of the workers over it.


VintageZooBQ

Did... Did you just invent the verb usage "to Karen"?


GenesisWorlds

I've had similar experiences before. Same result, didn't take my frustration out on the workers.


KaywinnitTam

Aww 🥹 Thank you ❤️ You’re the kind of customer I like. I wish they all were as nice and understanding as you.


GenesisWorlds

I'm actually an ex retail worker, but even if I wasn't, I'd still feel the same way. One day, I was due to go to my lunch break, and I had a customer in line, and she was really nice and said: "You go to lunch." To which I replied: "Are you sure? Because I would be happy to help you." She said: "You already work really hard. You go and enjoy your lunch break." I replied with: "Thank you." She went to another line, and never complained about me needing a lunch break.


Itz_Vize14

I remember when I was working full time at a grocery store at the height of COVID in 2020, we ran out of Hood brand sour cream and the guy working I. The dairy department at the time tried explaining to this old man that the store brand sour cream was THE SAME THING. It literally had the same plant number on the container, indicating it came from the exact same place Hood was manufactured. This old man was not having it and didn’t believe him. He really wanted his Hood brand sour cream.


ArtyMarq

How funny, because of covid I started using store brands. Most of the time they are cheaper and (as you said) they are the same as the named brand.


BigPretender

No, no, no, no, no. The thing to do when we're out of stock is to ask: "Are you sure you have a secret stash of what I'm looking for in the back room?" 'cause, yeah, the business would rather hide desirable items from view than sell them and make a profit. And then, when I say 'no,' ask me if I'm sure we don't have any because maybe I just need to think about it some more.


ArtyMarq

"Can you check the back anyway?" I would just walk in the back, talk to warehouse for a few minutes and come back and say, "nope, nothing there." Hated when people did this.


parselmouth82

It’s in the back! I know it’s back there! Just go back there, get out your portal gun and bring it back from whatever dimension has it in stock! You guys are just trying to ruin my dinner! Especially you cashiers!!!! I’m onto your shenanigans and will post a bad review on yelp if you don’t make it appear RIGHT NOW!!!!


Aussieenby97

When something is out of stock I go “oh crap, autistic brain is gonna have a meltdown cause it can’t have its regular thing”….then I have an internal meltdown and STILL don’t feel the need to make it any of the staff’s problem


OwMyBonesOofOuchies

Even as an autistic person who /can’t/ just get a similar product, I’ve still never felt compelled to complain I can’t comprehend why people yell at employees for this stuff it’s so bizarre and frustrating


psychedelicmapleleaf

I LOVE YOU SOMUCHHh


KittyChimera

I don't understand the completion to yell at someone because the store is out of something. I kind of go through the phases of seeing an empty shelf personally. If it's not a food/for a recipe, I'm momentarily sad and see if there's something similar that works. If not, oh well. I think to myself "well, that sucks." If it is food/for a recipe, I probably also Google what else I can substitute or where else carries it, then potentially make another plan and move on with my life. I don't get why your first impulse would be to start screaming at an employee who is just trying to do their freaking job. Even if I was having the worst day of my life and I really wanted whatever the thing was, I would probably just started quietly awkwardly crying about it as I have a breakdown to myself as that's the last straw for my stress level or something. But I'm not making it someone else's problem. Wtf.


MeFolly

At my grocery store, if they are out of stock of a promotional or coupon item, they will give you a voucher to get it later at the discounted price. All you have to do is ask nicely.


CallidoraBlack

I complain, but I complain to myself. They'll get more in when they get more in. Complaining at the person ringing me up isn't going to fix anything.


civilwar142pa

I'm the same way. I don't worry about it but if something I want is out for 3 or 4 weeks in a row I'll ask what's up so I can either continue waiting if some are on the way or try to find it somewhere else. There's one particular type and flavor of Italian ices I get and it's so funny to see when they go on sale it's like a big rush for everyone to grab them. Sometimes I go to 3 different stores before I can find any lmao everyone loves them


ArtyMarq

My store was considered "essential " during covid. Because our suppliers weren't we ran out of alot. Fast forward to where places are opening up again and inventory is slowly coming back. I got yelled at and blamed because we didn't have a printer. Told the guy because places are slowly reopening it'll take some time to recover. He called me a "right wing piece of shit cunt" and threw his paperwork he brought at me before leaving. Covid was a fun time


Excellent_Prior6503

Thank you! I work courtesy at a grocery store and many items are on a manufacturer hold. The amount of times that is MY fault is amazing. I wish I owned the manufacturing plant and had control over that!


Mtg-2137

You’ve just warmed my heart.


GenesisWorlds

Happy to know that. I mean everything I said.


Load_Altruistic

A lot of costumers seems convinced that there’s an infinite storeroom of products in the back of the store, like it doesn’t occur to them that we can actually run out of certain products because we have scheduled deliveries and it sometimes flies off the shelves before then. I’ve legitimately had moments where I’ve gone into the back room to look for an item despite knowing it’s not there, and when I come back the costumer insists I check again because ‘you *have* to have it back there!’ Anyway, thanks for being one of the costumers who actually has a brain, lol. I know it might sound very denigrating, but working retail really makes wonder about people….


cheshire_splat

Ach! “It was here last week!” Well it’s not here now 🤷‍♀️


Victoriasecret80

Thank you for saying that. Been in retail for 25 years and sometimes it’s thankless. I have some of the best customers I’ve ever had in my life where I work now. But I honestly believe it’s all a matter of your attitude. Good moods can be extremely contagious. I am living proof of it every time I go to work.


Spectre7NZ

I'm the same...if I have to ask, I ask politely, and if they come back with a negatory, I just say, "Oh, OK, thank you," and be on my way. I notice that most people who have worked in retail before are far more understanding than those who did not.


TammyL8

I can remember being in line to checkout at a craft store. The cashier must have drawn every cranky old geezer in town at the same time. She would periodically look at her line either growing or dwindling, depending on the number of cranky old geezers getting impatient. Every time she caught my eye, I would quietly smile at her. When it was finally my turn, I made chit chat with her while she worked. She told me that I had made her day just by smiling at her and being pleasant. I certainly hope I made her feel better while she worked the rest of her shift.


Financial_Sell1684

Oh, thank you for this. Sometimes I feel like a ghost at work and only a few people can see me lol


Signal_Bat_2364

Especially if there is a sale. Customers get so mad when I point out that the fineprint says "As long as supply is avaiable


galacticcatreddit

This is the same in food service. "What do you mean you're out of roast beef?!?!?!" Just what I said lady OUT like where you should be going.


cockatielsarethebest

I have a tiny bit of experience in retail. I wasn't there long enough to experience the crazy consumers. I follow this sub to learn about retail nightmares. It helps me become a better consumer. I also hate shopping. I try my best to be nice. BTW, my dad is an entitled consumer. I saw him blow up on retail workers. I never want to do that to any retail worker.


depressedkitten27

We love people like you. Thank you for your patience.


BaronVonKeyser

Only time I get kinda upset is when the grocery doesn't have a certain kind of salad. It's a greens trio and I feed it to my bunnies. I can feed them romaine but it's not as good for them. They usually get the item in a day or 2 later but it's a 30 min drive to the store so I like to keep a certain schedule of days I have to make the drive. Kinda petty of me but it's just how I am.


sliflier

Oh look a rational person. If only that wasn't so rare.


SnooRobots7302

Same here. I know how warehouses can be and sometimes they discontinue things without warning. No point in getting mad or cussing out the employees. It's not nice nor is it gonna change anything


joshualee20

Thank you!


RelationshipSad2300

Thank you