18 Irritating People All Retail Workers Meet

The only thing worse than the minimum wage experience is sharing it with these people.

If the world was a just place, everyone would have to work in customer service at least once in their life. Because then they would know what it felt like to work in an utterly thankless job, and maybe their experience would change their attitude towards retail and customer service employees. Every job has its downsides, and it's not like people who work retail have to worry about getting the black lung from working down in the mines all day. But you have to admit, anyone who works in customer service has to deal with more than their share of idiotic human beings. As a wise man once said, this job would be great if it weren't for the people. Despite the fact that humans are unique little snowflakes, as soon as they head out into the world to go shopping, they quickly fall into neat little subcategories. There are pleasant shoppers, to be sure -- people who are courteous and prompt, who clean up after themselves and make an effort not to make the lives of the workers any harder. But then there are also species upon species of terrible customers who upset the delicate relationship that exists between shopper and retailer.

18. The One Who Doesn't Own a Watch

They stroll leisurely into your store about ten minutes before closing, and browse as though they haven't got a care in the world. What they don't seem to realize is that you don't get to magically leave as soon as the store closes. If you close at 9, you'll probably be there for at least an hour later. So every minute past closing they spend in the store, that's one more minute you're not in bed eating ice cream and watching House of Cards.

17. The Slob

The polite version of The Slob brings the remnants of their lunch into the store and asks if you can throw it out in your garbage can. Fair enough. The impolite version instead designs a cunning treasure hunt, where as you straighten the store for closing you discover a half empty cup of lemonade in one corner, and a Big Mac container hidden among the shoes.
Contributor
Contributor

Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.