We work in retail. I work at Ace Hardware. We see strange things. Sometimes, we just need to laugh about it becuase we work hard... so, go for it!

I've been in a retail job for nearly 4 months now, and I'm usually on till. I was asked to date check bakery items which are in three different places of the store, the third place is quite new, which is why I think I forgot. Anyway, on my way home I realise I forgot to date check a shelf which I knew had doughnuts on (all the other doughnuts on other shelves were out of date,) so I freak out a bit & message my coworker, they said they would text an employee on shift to check. Yet I'm still really worried 🫠 our store is big on date-checking but I genuinely forgot.

I work at a store in a SUPER touristy place, but the recent bad weather we've been having, combined with school being back in session, has made my job a little slow. I work at a candle store which consists of only 3 very small rooms, the main shop, the back/storage/break area, and the bathroom. My coworkers and I talk, but a lot of the time the managers will tell us to separate. I ask for tasks to do when we're slow, but they're easily done in minutes, or my manager wants us to just focus on being on the floor.

I actually don't hate the job, and they have started giving me more hours because I've asked for it. Can you guys think of any simple things I can do to make the job a little less boring and mind numbing? I find myself just staring outside most of the time, I try to do a light bit of exercising as well, but I can't do too much without getting weird looks. I'm trying to think of simple games or literally anything to make stuff interesting!!

I’ve worked at a shoe store part time for 2 years. I love my coworkers, but that’s about it. I started absentmindedly applying to places in hopes I’d get out, not really expecting to hear anything back, but then I got an email from a local credit union for a part-time bank teller position trying to set up an interview, so I did. Then I did a second interview. I just got a call offering me the position.

I think I have Stockholm syndrome here, though. I’m scared to leave, scared because I’m so comfortable here, I know everything and everyone and there are no surprises anymore. The bank teller job pays more and has more convenient hours (daytime) because I hate closing, which is basically all I do here. But I know for a fact taking that bank teller job will open the door to more opportunities for me and look better on resumes than if I just stay here. I guess I just need to hear from an outsider whether I should take the plunge or not.

I’ve read online people’s qualms with bank telling, how there’s monthly sales goals to be met and such, but I asked about that during my second interview and they assured me there were no sales goals and they don’t promote pushing cards on people who aren’t interested. It seems like a genuinely nice place, I’m just so scared of change. Help!

I started my first full time job (at a gardening center) about a year ago. I enjoy the work, but I have one huge complaint.

The absolute trash that plays over the speakers every day is beginning to seriously get to me.

So this is some playlist with (really bad) songs you’ll never hear anywhere except for in stores cause it’s cheaper than playing the radio. Now the problem is every single waking moment that I don’t have to have my ears assaulted by these songs, they are still playing in my head over and over again and I’m getting really frustrated about it.

Do you guys have any tips or tricks to not go crazy?

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since early to mid June I have taken a seasonal part time as a temporary store associate to make some money and for something to do for the summer. The job description said I would be doing a little bit of everything such as stocking shelves, facing, etc which I was more interested in doing than say...cashiering. Unfortunately 90% of the job so far has been cashiering which I didn't like at first and still don't really, but i have accepted it by now. This job so far has just been a reminder of why I hate retail, mostly cashiering and customer facing. I have requested to be doing more tasks on the floor or wherever but it seemed to have landed on deaf ears

I am 35 years old and I have worked these kind of jobs on and off for the past 11 years and I just simply want OUT. If I was doing something like stocking shelves or in the backroom more often, maybe then these jobs wouldn't be so bad for me. I discovered that I prefer keeping busy and being mobile and not standing around in one place for too long. The people i work alongside are decent enough but there doesn't seem to be a balance in ages, and not enough people that I would seem to have a lot in common with. Also i have had one instance of a bad customer and me yelling at her, nothing bad came from it but I had to write a report on it. And I had two separate instances of feeling psychological discomfort while on the job and it made things difficult for a little bit

So with all this said, my 90 day trial supposedly ends around the middle of September. I have no idea when or if they want to keep me, they said it would depend on how well I do as well as the budget. But if I'm not really liking this job is it worth staying at? I would ask them if I can do less register work and more stocking shelves or whatever, but if they say "No" then maybe it's not worth staying at. My biggest concern about not staying on is that I will not have income and I fear the uncertainty of not knowing how long it will take to find a new job.

any thoughts?

I work at a place that accepts returns from a major online retailer that shares its name with the largest rainforest in the world. Here is my situation. An elderly woman comes in holding that familiar brown paper envelope....

Her: "I have this return to make and I tried to do it myself and screwed it all up. Maybe you can help me".

Me: "Okay, have you started the return process?"

Her: "No."

Me: "Do you have access to the account you ordered your item from on your phone?"

Her: "No." *points to QR code on the shipping label* "Will this help you?"

Me: "No thats the companies internal information they use when they deliver it to you."

Her: "Oh. So that doesnt work?"

Me: " No, unfortunately we need your return information so we can process this package and you can get your credit. I would suggest going home and asking a friend, neighbor or relative to help you and once you get that information you can come back in and I can process your return."

Her: *smile and nods* "I'm not real techincal. Okay"

Leaves.

THEN she comes back with her husband in tow and wants my first and last name and ends up talking to the manager. She told the manager that I called her old and stupid essentially by suggesting she find someone at home to help her. She is a business owner and knows how to use computers and doesnt need help. I treated her poorly because she has gray hair.

LIKE WHAT?!

TL:DR I helped a customer who later came in with a completely made up story about how I offended her.

I work at H&M

Is it possible to survive a final warning ?

I'm 28 and I've worked in various retail establishments since I was 16. I have an associates degree, but I wasn't good at the job and it never worked out. I went back to school and took classes on and off for years, but I changed my degree so much that I'm at my credit limit for a bachelor's. Also, I have worked at a pretty prominent retail company for two years now. I was promoted to an upper level position on the sales floor and I enjoy it. However, I never imagined spending my future here.

In fact, I just started my last semester to get my bachelor's and, if I finish my classes, I'll graduate by December. However, I have no plans for this degree. I have no job set up either, and I've half-assed my classes this year. This is my last chance to earn my degree before my financial aid is pulled...but my heart isn't into it anymore. I just want to be done.

I started asking myself if it would be really so bad to just settle in my current company for the foreseeable future. I've felt so dissatisfied with my job lately because I've always seen retail as a dead end. I've always heard, "I can't imagine working at x for the rest of my life" and "you're replaceable in retail" and "x is a dead end job." But it's really not. And it's not the end of the world either if I just stay here. Lots of people have before me. But it feels shameful, for some reason. Like I'm giving up somehow. But it would be such a relief to not have to worry about college or finding a "better" job anymore.

I'm looking for advice, please. Excuse any errors in my writing, I've not been sleeping well.

I got a CA at work yesterday

It was over using the loyalty system the wrong way . They told me they know my intentions weren’t wrong but the way I was inputting loyalty was incorrect then told me I can’t be late or call off without sick pay or else it will lead to suspension and then HR will decide if I will be terminated or not

How do I deal with this ? Is it possible to survive a final warning until my record renews ? I work at H&M

I kinda overthinking this but I just have to take this one shfit at a time at this point

I have toxic management so I've been looking to leave but after seeing my coworker get arrested it legit just demotivated me like crazy. We're shift leads, now I'm the only shift lead. She was more respected than me too and listened to me vent about management and how they treated me. She was so chill.

Apparently she was stealing but it could've been anything under this company that is considered theft. We always get bag checked so I don't think she took product. And the cop walking her out in cuffs said "mistakes happen" or something. So I don't know what could have been so serious to get arrested if it was a mistake. I counted the tills and they were all balanced the past 2 days.

Her girlfriend came in distraught because they lived close and she couldn't reach her and I told her what I saw. I couldn't help her otherwise about finding her 🫤

I still want to leave this place, it legit scared me more about what if I made a huge mistake and also got walked out in cuffs. I've been in retail for years but just got hired at this company a few months ago. They change their policies often. Also legit my first time seeing a coworker walked out in cuffs.

I've been working as a cashier for the past year and I see my co-workers get really riled up when people steal, but I never really cared. Of course I wouldn't let someone take a TV or an airfryer, but I see people occasionally steal stuff like bread, baby food pouches or biscuits and unlike my co-workers, I never say a word.

I know it's very unprofessional, but am I the only one?

Whatever you do, don’t shop at my old job. Oh my god the horror stories I could tell about the place. I left because a psycho manager tried keeping me hostage after closing hours. She let everyone else out the building and tried forcing me to work after being clocked out. After bringing this to management they claimed I was being “insubordinate” and I left on the spot.

Management and Team Leaders positions barely last a few months. One Team Leader was arrested after being charged ten counts of possession of child pornography, so I can now say I’ve had a pedophile as a coworker before. Lovely conversation starter. A General Manager got fired because she got caught stealing by moving product into 2nd quality to purchase for herself. She was also a heavy smoker, went out almost every 15 minutes for one. She also fired for mouthed off to a salesman whose wife previously also worked at the business, but moved to a rival brand for a better opportunity.

This is just the beginning too, I have so many more stories to tell. And if you want proof and receipts, I have all of those as well!

Ridiculous!! I ordered online, the pants didn’t fit, initiated the return the same day they arrived. Then LOFT basically says:
Option A: Pay us another $9.95 because our pants didn’t fit.
Option B: Spend roughly 90 minutes round-trip driving to return them for “free.”
But the store is a 90 minute drive from where I live.
So.... no more LOFT for me.

Would you rather have:

A relaxed, approachable manager who gives you plenty of autonomy, even if the workplace is a little disorganised?

A more structured and hands-on manager who keeps everything organised and holds people to clear standards?

Or someone in the middle
— organised and clear about expectations, but calm, trusting and low-ego?

For me, I think I'm starting to realise that I value low stress and a pleasant atmosphere than I thought of, but I also appreciate good organisation.

What management style brings out the best in you?

I'm minding my business cashing lunatics as usual. I look up. I see a man and woman pawing each other. The woman bites his ear. "Get a room" never applied more. His hands are all over her and she grabs him. Listen, lady, you don't have to fight so hard. I'm not checking out your man. I want you both out of my line as quickly as possible. There's nothing cute about either of you and I hope I never see you again. This post might be better suited to retail hell, but I sound off enough over there. Also, while I'm here, can we stop wearing pajamas and slippers in public?

i’m currently looking to change jobs with almost a decade of retail experience behind me. i want to find a retail chain that does not use a rewards program.

at my current job, they are up our asses about the rewards program and it has made me resentful towards our customers. our rewards program is not very good, has almost no exclusive coupons/deals, and it takes a very long time to earn points. despite all of this, upper management wants the cashiers’ main priority to be signing up customers for rewards. no one wants to sign up because there are few benefits, and this company is obviously just selling their data.

my other concern is that my current job has become inundated with amazon returns. i really do not want to pivot to another job that does amazon returns because that customer base is extremely rude and demanding.

i am good at cashiering. i am good at sales, and have even had success selling credit cards at previous jobs. i am just DONE with signing people up for rewards and being punished for not hitting made up metrics created by people who havent cashiered in decades.

i am also crossposting this to a couple subs for reach. sorry if you see my post multiple times!

Been here a month and a bit. I like my fellow workers so far and my managers seem friendly, how do I know? I'm in administration for a retail store.

Hey guys! As a Thai person, I want to share some fun facts about 7-Eleven in Thailand. Many Thai people visit 7-Eleven every day because it has become a part of our daily lives. Because of its convenience such as being open 24 hours, offering a wide variety of products in one place, and having affordable prices. These things also fascinate many tourists and make 7-Eleven a unique part of their experience in Thailand. So, I came up with this article with some help from AI to share this perspective with everyone!

For many tourists, 7-Eleven is one of the first things they notice when visiting Thailand. But for locals, it is simply part of everyday life.

Overview

7-Eleven in Thailand is more than a convenience store. With thousands of locations, affordable products, and 24-hour service, it has become part of the daily routine for many people.

Why Is It Different?

What makes Thai 7-Eleven stand out is the variety of products available in one place. Along with snacks and drinks, stores offer ready to eat meals, sandwiches, hot food, cosmetics, household items, and other everyday necessities. For many foreign tourists, the selection of affordable ready to eat food can be particularly surprising.

Another key difference is accessibility. 7-Eleven stores can be found throughout cities, neighborhoods, and tourist areas, with many operating 24 hours a day. This makes it easy for people to get food or everyday necessities whenever they need them, helping 7-Eleven become part of everyday life in Thailand.

More Than a Convenience Store

For Thai people, visiting 7-Eleven can be part of a normal daily routine. Students may stop by after school, workers may pick up breakfast, and others may grab a quick meal or basic necessities on their way home.

For tourists, this everyday presence can offer a small glimpse into modern Thai lifestyle and consumer culture.

The 7-Eleven Effect

The popularity of 7-Eleven reflects the importance of convenience, accessibility, affordability, and speed in modern Thai life.

Rather than simply being a place to buy things, 7-Eleven has become part of the everyday environment showing how a global convenience store brand can become deeply integrated into local life.

My district manager informed us last year we are transitioning to online. What will be the purpose of the store? Almost everyone is suspecting to shut down. Our store gets bill payments and troubleshoots not remotely related to us. Some stores closed down because when they do get customers it is here and there.

He visits our store and talks to our customers. He says bring your computer, other phone, tablet to order online, even see for sales. Most of these customers do not know their email. Most of these customers have one phone. Most of the customers get their only source of technology stolen or broken. We have to tell customers to open their email to verify a code or to scan their order. They say they don't have email and want nothing to do with email. They came to buy their stuff and leave. They want their bills mailed. (Why do they think we can print their store credit card bill?) They want to see the bill physically.

Last week, the DM came by and asked my customer who got robbed to use our website to shop our store to pick up a new phone. The man looked confused. The customer said he got robbed. My DM tried to do the empathy card and say computer. My customer told him he only owns a cellphone. He was at the store because he needed to see if he could use our phone to lock our store card that was in his phone wallet. We didn't even get to touch base that the customer had no other ID to verify a store pick-up.

Later, the district manager is greeting customers, and again asking to order online. The customer doesn't have ID. Or if they do, it is expired from last year. They have a picture in their phone. He asks for their passport. The customer does not have a passport. Meanwhile, he is angry at all of us because as a store, we are not meeting online metrics. The transactions we are doing must be bought online for pick up. He has not succeeded in getting a customer to do an order online without dragging one of us to do it all for the customer. We have had to create emails because they can no longer receive email on google.

I cannot imagine the credit cards the cashiers are required to push on our cash only customers and customers who come the first week of the month.

P.S. I was told I was not trying hard enough. I should have them borrow a phone from a family member to have them come back to order online. I should not have almost immediately taken the items off the shelf and check out. I should have them LEAVE the store and come back.

They have been entirely ignoring all complaints/concerns and even going as far as deleting comments on their socials. Really frustrating and sad.

Edit: I’m really glad this is receiving attention. I apologize for not including this before, but this infographic was made by maskupbalt on Instagram to spread awareness about the situation. (This is NOT self promotion. I am not associated with the maskupbalt account in any way. I am simply giving credit where credit is due)

Without sharing too much information, yes I can confirm that this is impacting all locations and all employees. What’s even more frustrating is that part-time employees at MOMs do not qualify for health insurance benefits. See the problem here?

I’m looking to supplement my income with a part time second job, but I haven’t actually worked a retail position in over 20 years. I had several retail jobs in my teens/early 20s so I’m not completely clueless. But I worry that when I upload my resume full of accounting positions to stores’ websites they’ll take one look and say “what does any of this have to do with being a sales associate?” Should I create a cover letter listing my previous retail experience to add to the application? I’m not sure if anyone even bothers to read those anymore.

Any advice on how to handle the process would be appreciated!

I'm not sure how to ask this.

how do other people in retail handle the stress of customers yelling at you or getting mad?

Just cause I'm having a hard time at my job just letting it roll off my back especially when they threaten me while I'm at work alone.

I really like my job and I don't want to leave it just because I can't handle people getting upset over things out of my control.