No badge = Not working!

[mattm04]

Try walking into a Target with a RED SHIRT (not even Khakis; jeans and a red shirt will do.)

I did that once. Never planned at shopping at Target, but did. It was a sports team tshirt, whit their logo/name on it and shorts. Yeah, look for the people wearing a shirt that says TARGET! Idiots.

[Mike Taylor]

Ah yes the "YOU HAVE TO HELP ME." No, see I do not. I am on my own time. Feel free to tell a manager, corporate, or anybody else you feel like. Maybe then they will put me on salary..paying me at least triple what they are now per year. Since it would take that for me to even consider being 'always on the clock'. Since we both know this is not going to happen, GO AWAY.

It's even better when you're not an employee of the store and they get the, "Who? That guy? He doesn't work here."

[Mytical]

Too bad it would be such a pain for workers/management/etc, because a flash mob to some store dressed in similar (but not identical) outfits to what they normally wear would be ... interesting.

[Grrrrrrr]

I think my personal favorite "sorry, I am off the clock" was when I was shopping for software in my stores electronic department on my lunch break. A guy came over and asked me if I worked here:

"Sort of, but I am actually on my lunch break, and this is not my department. But someone from the desk (ten feet away) will be able to help you."

Someone helped him, and I went back to my software browsing, then the SC came BACK and started asking me questions about printers. I said I did not know, but someone at the desk was better to ask. Two minutes later the FRICKEN SOB came back and asked a question about printer int cartridges. OMG! Off the clock, and not my department! Why do you keep walking past people in beige and blue to ask questions from someone you know for a fact is off the clock, and does not work in that department?

[ExRetailDrone]

I think my personal favorite "sorry, I am off the clock" was when I was shopping for software in my stores electronic department on my lunch break. A guy came over and asked me if I worked here:

"Sort of, but I am actually on my lunch break, and this is not my department. But someone from the desk (ten feet away) will be able to help you."

Someone helped him, and I went back to my software browsing, then the SC came BACK and started asking me questions about printers. I said I did not know, but someone at the desk was better to ask. Two minutes later the FRICKEN SOB came back and asked a question about printer int cartridges. OMG! Off the clock, and not my department! Why do you keep walking past people in beige and blue to ask questions from someone you know for a fact is off the clock, and does not work in that department?

Hmm, what was that definition of insanity again?

[PepperElf]

Try walking into a Target with a RED SHIRT (not even Khakis; jeans and a red shirt will do.)

I normally wear khaki pants to work and a nice top. There's not an official dress code that I'm aware of so I normally stick to polo shirts or solid tshirts etc.

Last week I wore a red-orange shirt. I never thought about it until it happened but... I went to Target after work...


Yes I had a customer try to get my attention as I was browsing some electronics. But after I turned towards her she realized I wasn't an employee. She wasn't rude - in fact I think she was a little embarrassed about the mistake. I just chuckled and said, "Yeah, it's the shirt."


I've been mistaken for an employee at several stores actually... Wegmans, JoAnne Fabrics, Target... I think the only time someone gave me any kind of mean look was at one of the Wegmans in Buffalo. Its layout was weird enough that I could barely find what I wanted, let alone helping someone else out... but I think they still thought I was an employee.

But if it's an item I know the location for, I do try to help cos... well that's what I'm like. Like the time I went to JoAnne's in Buffalo. A customer asked me for help finding the crochet items. Luckily for the lady, I was headed to the yarn area... which is one aisle over from the crochet area. So I was more than happy to show here were they were.

[Magpie]

But if it's an item I know the location for, I do try to help cos... well that's what I'm like. Like the time I went to JoAnne's in Buffalo. A customer asked me for help finding the crochet items. Luckily for the lady, I was headed to the yarn area... which is one aisle over from the crochet area. So I was more than happy to show here were they were.

See, I had this backfire. It resulted in me getting asked questions later (when I was standing next to people who were obviously staff!) because someone had seen me doing that.

[PepperElf]

yeah, that could possibly get you in trouble if you're an employee. and i fully respect your right to have a break and be left alone on that break.


In my case, i wasn't an employee there - or at any of the other stores i mentioned. (haven't worked retail for a while)

[Nashida]

I think my favorite story of "not working" happened while I was still working at the pool store. Just a week before I had jumped a curb and managed to blow both tires on the right side of Bleu, so I was rideless. My mom gave me a ride to and from work until Bleu was fixed. On one such day we had to stop at the store to pick up things for dinner.

At this store uniforms were khaki pants and pretty much any kind of a dressy casual shirt, with no graphics. Think polo shirts or sometimes even a simple tee. They also had to wear green aprons sporting the store's name and a namebadge. My uni was black or khaki pants (that day was black), a royal blue polo shirt, and a lanyard with a name badge the size of a backstage pass. Very much the opposite of what they wear, right?

I was still wearing my uniform when we got there. I only had two customers pester me, but they were polar opposites of each other.

The first was a lady who couldn't find some kind of salad dressing. I told that I didn't work thee, but I knew the store like the back of my hand and helped her find it anyway, because she did seem genuinely lost and I'm too much of a softie.

The second guy though found me later perusing dairy and demanded I go into the back room and get him more of store brand soda because they were out, and I had better do it NOW. I tell him the same thing, that I didn't work there and I have no right to even breathe near the mythical back door. He goes "So you won't talk to me then?"(In my head: "Yeah...") and he storms off. He comes back with a woman who I can only describe as Professor Umbridge's other half. He's smirking as he comes back, so I'm assuming she's the type that gets loud if something goes wrong.

She literally takes two minutes to look me over before turning to her husband and barking "She's not even wearing the same uniform, you frickin' idiot!!"

Husband sulks off, and she shoots me this look like "I'm sorry you had to put up with that."

[malmalthekiller]

I did that once. Never planned at shopping at Target, but did. It was a sports team tshirt, whit their logo/name on it and shorts. Yeah, look for the people wearing a shirt that says TARGET! Idiots.

There is not a uniformed shirt required, only red and khaki. It can be any color red.

[MageAkyla]

I've been mistaken for an employee at several stores actually... Wegmans, JoAnne Fabrics, Target... I think the only time someone gave me any kind of mean look was at one of the Wegmans in Buffalo. Its layout was weird enough that I could barely find what I wanted, let alone helping someone else out... but I think they still thought I was an employee.

Hmmm, wonder if that was the same Wegmans at which I was accosted by a SC. I am always lost at finding stuff at Wegmans so I couldn't even point them in the right direction if I wanted to.

I'm the type to actually straighten boxes if I bump them or pull many of something off the hook I'll put it all back on, so even in clothes nowhere near uniforms I often get asked for help. Most are nice, but there are always those who are just oblivious.

I have to say though that at my current place of work, if I am off the clock but shopping, I will actually point people in the right direction unless I'm actually standing next to another employee. However I will not actually take them there like we're supposed to on the clock. It does make me scratch my head how purse on shoulder, keys around neck, basket in hand, and looking carefully at product screams "Yes I'm Working!"

[BookstoreEscapee]

My company doesn't have uniforms of any kind, though there is a dress code. I've been asked for help while wearing jeans, sneakers, and a sweatshirt, none of which are allowed, and carrying two Starbucks cups (had stopped in for something or other and went to get coffee for my friend who was working and hung out for his break).

I've also been asked for help on my way in, while wearing a coat, scarf and gloves, and carrying an umbrella, my purse and my lunch bag.

[lbgoofy]

I had a SC complaint get emailed to Cooperate. She stated that I was rude and that I told her I didnt have time to wait on her. My manager called me into the office to talk to me about the situation. I told her that I was punched out and walked behind the photo counter to pick up my car keys and drink that I left there. There was a customer standing there and I said Ill get someone to wait on you and I paged the Photo Tech. Then I started to walk away. She got mad and asked me to wait on her, I said Im sorry, but Im off the clock and its against company policy for me to work off the clock. She was pissed. Needless to say, I still got in trouble.

[Kitten in the box]

That sucks. Getting in trouble for not helping a customer on your own time?? I usually avoid eye contact and plug in my ipod when I am off the clock. I get stares all the time but I just look ahead and walk right by. Sometimes I even get "dog whistles" to get my attention but being as we do not allow dogs (save for service dogs) in our store those get ignored as well. So far I havn't gotten in trouble for it...but our manager has fowarned everyone...take off your apron whenever you are on break or off the clock because if it is even partway down you are 100% approachable and WILL be expected to help out the customer. If it is off you do not have to help them if you do not want to. Although you still have to be nice and polite...and they still would like for you to direct them to an on duty employee although it isn't required.