That's right up there with having your child pee in the corner of the fitting room stall. Some folks are just nasty!

I, too, have been mistaken for an employee because I will pick up or straighten up in a store. I learned this from my mother. My son works retail and he recently had an "elderly" (don't know how old he was.)man being rude to him, so my son told him that wasn't nice and to not do it. Can't believe he still has a job. He said that the man did stop being rude. Of course this is just a seasonal job. He now has a whole new respect for retail workers. I have tried to teach him to be nice to the retail workers because of all the other customers that are so rude to them. They do appreciate the kind, considerate ones that come along.

Can we hear an AMEN for this idea?! :thumbup:

Worked retail-4 hours and waitress-4 hours. That was enough for me. I show my respect by tipping well. That was in'62 and I have never forgotten. I am not always a fast learner but that was tough.

I had to open a juice bottle immediately and drink it a couple of times because I was hypoglycemic. A low blood sugar episode can lead to serious complications (falling and getting hurt for example). I always carry a juice packet in my purse, but a couple of times I was shopping with my husband and I wasn't carrying my purse. So I had to sit while he ran for juice. These episodes come out of no where for me. I always pay for the empty container on the way out of the store.

I get annoyed with people who just leave stuff willy-nilly and always try to return things to the department I got it from, or if I can't figure it out I take it to the check-out and tell her I changed my mind but don't know where it goes. It is hard to put clothes and shoes back the way you find them. I'm really bad at folding clothes, especially shirts.

I get aggravated seeing trash strewn 3 ft. from the waste receptacle. Really? You can't walk the extra three feet to throw it away? I see this a lot in front of stores. Or people will leave their trash in their abandoned cart.

I try to be really nice to hard working retail employees. I can't imagine working the holiday crowds, but the one time I tried the "black Friday" experience everyone was in a good mood and smiling and helpful.

I've worked many customer service jobs, such as waitress, bartender, sales, tech support ... I realize how hard it is to be patient and kind on days when you've really been beat up by rude people. I sure appreciate you!

I worked today in the store - my area was totally trashed - not as much junk sold as they predicted... Even if you take things back to the department where you got them - take them to a service desk or the check out. Just randomly putting them some place doesn't really help any more than leaving it lay somewhere in the store. Most stores have someone to put things back. We have our area, pull stuff out that isn't and it goes to someone who knows where it goes.

And then there are wonderful customers who appreciate you and bring gifts for all the staff at Christmas. Last year a lady knitted each girl a scarf and this year she made each one a hanging tea towel with a crocheted top.
What a blessing she is.

I also have occasional trouble with hypoglycemia, so I always carry dextrose tablets in my purse.

Yup, that's me, too! People at Joann's always think I work there, because I straighten as I go, and I can always guide other customers to where things are located. (Maybe a sign I spend too much time there? LOL)

Oops, I'm guilty of that one - sometimes I get parched and I'll drink something while I'm shopping. I've never had a employee even raise an eyebrow at me for it, and of course I always pay for everything I drink so I've never even imagined I might be doing something wrong. I think as long as I don't leave the store without paying, it's not stealing. I figure that's WHY stores like Joann's have cold drinks for sale - for people to drink as they shop. Why else would they bother to sell such a thing?

I know what you mean. I also worked retail for a while, so I try to put things back from where I picked them up or hang them up correctly if I can. Generally, I remember. I have also picked up after others when shopping, if I can figure out where it came from.