Dear Customers and Christmas Shoppers

Dear Customers;

Please please take a chill pill before you leave the house. The people working retail are there because they have to be there; you are there voluntarily. Don't come into a store with an attitude. Salespeople want to help you, but you're not the only person in the store, you know.

If you "just have a question", it is still not ok to interrupt when an employee is helping another customer. Wait your turn, or at least wait until you can ask in between customers.

Don't bring your wild screaming children with you. Salespeople are not babysitters, and if they are kept busy tidying after your little monsters destroy a department they won't have any time to help customers find things.

When you're in the checkout line, please look for the sign that says "Line forms here" or "Please wait here", and stay there until you are called by the cashier. And when you are called, go. Don't make them call you twice. Hang up your phone before getting in line. Nobody wants to listen to you blather on about stuff and you can't listen to the cashier. Have your money ready.

Don't get angry with the cashier when they tell you about promotions or offers or ask if you want to contribute to a charity. It's part of their job. Saying "no, thanks!" is fine, please don't go on and on about how memberships should be free or the prices are too high or you already donate half your salary to charity. None of the employees in the store have any control over the price of things so complaining to them is a waste of your time. If you don't like something, write to the corporate office.

Don't be the kind of person about whom people say, when they see you finally leave, "I am so glad I don't live with that fucktard!

Happy Holidays,

From every Sales Assistant, Shelf stacker and Cashier in every shop in the Western world.


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Shopping at this time of year can be tough as a customer but I promise you that its harder for a sales assistant earning minimum wage.

I used to do some consulting work for some Hugo Boss franchises and regularly heard customers telling employees that their brand was too expensive or that "you clearly don't want my custom if you wont give me a discount!" It takes a lot of willpower not to step in and give a customer hell.

I'm sad to say that more often than not it is Chinese customers who are most rude to staff; the English are very polite and Americans are generally so nice that you want to hug them. I've had Chinese customers spit on the floor, throw items at staff "test" items by ripping them apart.

At the end of the day its an ordinary person who has to get on an overcrowded bus after a 10 hour days serving people, not some playboy that lives the life you see in the brand's advertising.

It makes me sad; I love retail and throughout the year it feels good to use your knowledge and experience to help people get what they need. All it takes is a few customers to treat you like shit and you are reminded how little people value your efforts and those of your staff. It is especially galling when it is a cultural barrier as with the Chinese and Russians, because there is simply no way to explain that they are being cocks.