Retail Manners Reminder

It's that time of year again, time to remind everyone to BE KIND to the retail staff at the stores you'll be shopping.   With Black Friday quickly approaching and the mayhem that follows, please remember the following:

* Be kind to your retail workers. We're making close to if not minimum wage and we are just the worker bee's of the operation.

* You're going to stand in line.  I don't make the schedules of how many people are on the registers.  Tapping your foot, sighing or complaining LOUDLY does not help the situation.  The extra minutes that you're waiting in line compared to the whole scheme of your lifetime, is a mere blip, so put on a smile, complain about the weather to your neighbor, play Angry Birds on your phone, or read from your NOOK cuz you're going to be waiting in a line at some point.

* Be friendly when we ask you a billion questions.  Would you like a store cc?  Would you like gift receipts?  Do you need boxes?  One of those questions is MANDATORY and the rest are to make YOUR life easier.

*  Don't yell at us or get angry when you can't find a shopping cart, or when the item you want is no longer in your size.

*  Please be aware of the time.  When you hear the "the store is closing" announcement, please do not grab your stuff and "quickly" go try them on in the fitting room.  Head to the nearest register and put the items on hold or pay for them.  The announcement means that the store is C L O S I N G, not a warning bell of when you need to start trying on clothes.  I'm tired and want to go home and I have at least 30 min of work to finish after you've left the store.

*  If you want to apply for the store cc, then do so.  Don't worry about the people behind you - again, perspective people.  For our store cc, it takes LESS than 3 min to complete the process.  I can finish bagging your items in the time that it takes you to complete the application.  If you want it, then get it.  Our bonus' and raises are based upon our new credit card sign-ups.

*  Please don't come to the register with a cart full of items and THEN decide which items you're going to purchase.  Please make those decisions prior to coming to the check out line.  I realize that we have last minute changes of heart (those are fine), I'm talking about when you have a heaping cart full of stuff and more than 5 items are "I'm not going to get that".   I am the one who has to put all the items that you don't want back onto their hangers or folded  and into their proper place - AFTER my shift.

*  From now until February, stores are going to look messy.  Clothes may not always be neatly folded, buttoned, or tied and random items may be found on shelves they don't belong.  As much as we try, the customer/worker ratio is WAY off and we just cannot keep up with demand.

Have a great time shopping - I know I will, but just remember that the workers in the store deserve some credit for doing their job during the hardest time of the year!  AND, if you see a retail worker doing a great job, let them know - it helps us get through the rough days.  I remember specific compliments I've received from customers - complaints go in one ear and out the other.