Talking Shit From Other Customers Out Of Work

[Misanthropical]

I have been guilty of asking a random tall person if they would please get something off the top shelf for me.

[Tex]

That's about the only thing I will do if I'm not working. If I see someone who needs help reaching something and they ask if I could reach it for them, I'll be glad to do it. But I've been getting people come up to me while I'm just shopping on my own time (where I work), and w/ street clothes, asking me to help them. My reply: "I don't know, why don't you go LOOK FOR IT!"

Tex

[ilnmd]

Haha, that reminds me of a story that my friend told me the other day. We both work at Wal-Mart and he went straight from work to Target to do some Christmas shopping. He was wearing a blue shirt and khakis. Standard WM uniform. Target's uniform consists of a red shirt and khakis.
Two people asked him where certain departments were. Then, just to see what would happen, he put on his Wal-Mart nametag. TWO MORE PEOPLE ASKED HIM QUESTIONS. They asked a person wearing a Wal-Mart nametag questions about Target.
Unfortunately, he is too nice for his own good and did nothing more than respond with "I'm not sure...I could find someone to help you, though."

[MadMike]

Sometimes I'd get asked for help if I stopped somewhere during my lunch break, which didn't surprise me. But one time it happened when I was in my regular clothes -- jeans, t-shirt, and sneakers. I couldn't believe it. But eventually, I guess my "retail vibe" wore off, and I no longer got asked even when I was in my work clothes.

...until just a couple weeks ago. I was at Wal-Mart, in my regular clothes, and wearing nothing that even remotely resembled a blue vest, when this woman asked if I worked there.

Part of me wanted to ask her, "Do I look like I work here?", but I can't bring myself to be rude unless someone else is rude to me first. And she wasn't rude, just clueless.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I wondered if my retail vibe was wearing off, too, I haven't been bothered with this is quite some time. It used to happen pretty much all the time. Especially in Kmart, that was the worst. But even in Kmart I usually get left alone now.

[protege]

I've been asked "do you work here" at the hobby shop many times. Mainly because the owner lets 'regulars' go behind the counters. He knows we're not going to rip him off, so it's no big deal. Besides, it's easier than pestering him if he's busy.

Anyway, I'm back there, going through the massive collection of freight cars looking for some Montour RR hoppers, when this older couple starts asking me if the store carried certain locomotives. They weren't rude, and since I didn't know for sure, I flagged down the owner as he was doing a "parts run" (aka going downstairs into the area where he kept just about everything since 1945...) to help them.

[Slayergrrl]

I went into the grocery store this morning to pick up some goodies for a xmas party tonight. Right when I walked through the door three teenagers pointed at me and exclaimed "She works here!"

I was wearing jeans, my "Police" fleece. No makeup with my hair in a bun. I just said "Umm, no I don't and kept walking" One of the guys blurted out "Shit son, she PO-PO!" I just had to laugh.. The particular store I was in has employees that wear a green smock with orange lettering... Not even close to what I had on.. weird lol.

[greensinestro]

I might actually have an explanation why some customers would think you work at a particular store, even if you're dressed in jeans, t-shirt, and sneakers. Because of the high rate in shoplifting, don't many department stores have plain clothes security? Target and Wal-Mart have had signs advertising this, so this could be a way to defend why some would think you work there.

[Boozy]

I have a theory, too.

Many of us have said that we must have a "retail vibe", and I think it stems from the fact that we spend a lot of time in a retail or customer service environment. It probably makes us look very comfortable and in charge when we're in any store. Especially because many stores (like Wal-mart or Target, for example) are all set up the same way.

On top of that, because we spend so much time in a retail environment, many of us don't like spending any more time than necessary in other stores. We are tired of merchandise and other customers and want to go home. So we walk with a purpose, know what we need, and are very business-like when shopping. So people subconsciously say to themselves, "That person knows what they're doing. They must work here."

[Kirachan]

yeah i know what you are talking about. though ive actuality been on the other end of this. i was at walmart and i couldn't find some over the counter meds my friend wanted and for some reason there was a girl that just walked by and i felt the urge to ask her where was, she was not in a uniform and obviously didn't work there (thus i didn't actually ask her) but she had an air to her that made me feel like asking. maybe im just insane

[RebeccaOTool]

I used to get that at Blockbuster all the time. Randome people would ask me where such-and-such was, much to my confusion. I guess a teenager in a video store must work there.

[Pezzle]

I h

Many of us have said that we must have a "retail vibe", and I think it stems from the fact that we spend a lot of time in a retail or customer service environment.

My boyfriend calls it the Retail Slave Slouch, actually.

[XCashier]

If a old lady or somebody asks me to get something up high I'm usually more than happy to oblige since I'm tall and I can usually reach high up items.

Sure, that's just basic courtesy. If I'm on the same aisle as someone in a wheelchair and they ask me to reach something down for them, I'll oblige.

But when someone hunts me down and demands that I tell them what aisle the toothpaste is in and wants details about every brand, they have to accept that I do not work there.

[karl hungus]

I have worked in retail since I was 16, and I have gotten to the point where I will cuss out anyone that pisses me off, management be damned.

Tex

I've dealt with the public, or, as I love to call 'em, gods dumbest cattle, for many, many years. I feel your pain. I'm like that too. Plus filling in working the door at all ages punk rock shows in the 90's and at a goth/industrial/gay/fetish bar helps a bit with the snappy comebacks.

I used to get that at Blockbuster all the time. Randome people would ask me where such-and-such was, much to my confusion. I guess a teenager in a video store must work there.

Ha ha! That reminds me of a sorta funny story involving a video store. A friend of mine was in town visiting and we hit a video store to check out some DVDs. We're in the horror section browsing and being both of us were movie geeks (I do p.a. work and my friend's in the biz too) we're talking about horror films. I mean we're throwing titles around and other info while sorting through all the selections. So, these 2 20-something girls come up and are looking for film and can't find it. So, us being movie geeks and all 'round nice guys, ask them whet they're looking for. They start describing it and my friend's like "oh, thats Rob Zombies Devils Rejects". They find it and they're all talking about how cool it's supposed to be and asking about how bloody & violent it was. We're goin' "yeah, it's cool, bloody & stuff" and they go off to rent it. The funny thing about the whole incident is that my friend who they were asking all the question about Devils Rejects actually did about 60% of the CGI work on the film (blood, gunshots, etc) so I guess if anyones has opinions of the blood and stuff, it'd be him.

[Hotfoot]

On several occasions people have asked me if I work at a store. Once, when I was working for a hospital, I had walked into a Wal-Mart just after work because gosh darn it, I wanted a transformer (My inner child is let out a lot) and Toys 'R Us had nothing but garbage (Curse you, Cybertron line! ). I get in there, look around for a bit, and before long...well...

Now, to preface this, I was not wearing a uniform. I was not in scrubs, however, but I was wearing a hospital ID hanging around my neck on a lanyard with "<Hospital Name>" clearly emblazoned on it, with the hospital emergency codes on the back. I'm wearing a Star Wars tie (as was my way), and rather formal clothes, with a brown jacket and a tilley hat.

"Do you know where <blah blah blah> is?"

I blinked for a moment, realized I must have still had my ID on me and force a bemused smile as I say, "Sorry, I don't work here."

To this day, I don't understand how this occurred, but I assume it had to be the ID, because ID cards = employee. I'm not sure how they got around the fact that I wasn't wearing anything near Wal Mart dress code, but whatever. Maybe I'd been promoted to manager or something.

Now, when I'm loitering around a Gamespot or EB in my civilian attire, I can see how I might be mistaken for an employee, as I look like I'm the right age and profile. Of course, the more I wear my nice, button-down shirts, the less this happens.