Retail Customers
Compare/contrast essay for English class written by Judy Livingston
Retail Customers
In the few years spent working in a retail store, I’ve learned there are two different species that shop: Things (cleverly disguised as homo-sapiens) and real Persons.
Things enter a retail store believing the employees really do not know what they’re doing. One of the most frequently asked questions is, “Do you have any more of these in the back?” Some have the attitude the “store” saw them coming, pulled the products off the shelves (knowing exactly what products they would be looking for) and hid them. When I answer, truthfully and politely, “No sir (or ma’am), that’s already been checked for another customer,” their faces remain blank or eyes narrow suspiciously. They usually ask another employee, as if I’m lying and it’s part of some obscure conspiracy.
In contrast, a Person will accept the answer, and ask if it’s known when next delivery will be or ask about a different product.
Things are known to fill a shopping cart with an assortment of goods then leave the store, leaving perishable goods in the cart. When an employee notices the cart has been unattended “for a while” the perishable products must be thrown away. Things, with a sense of their own humor, may hide perishables in large totes with lids. The smell is the first hint of somethun’ ain’t right.
A Person’s shopping excursion may be interrupted for various reasons: emergency or forgetting the credit card, money, list, etc. A Person either makes the effort to return perishables back to its proper place or lets an employee know they’re leaving and are unable to purchase at the moment. A Person usually apologizes as it was never intended to fill a cart and not buy.
Things also have a fascination with tearing products open, especially those that are not meant to be repacked. It’s impossible to arrange a set of pans back into its box, fold a window curtain, or refold a shirt as if it’s never been opened. Doing this requires a skill I never quite mastered during my tenure, despite the too-frequent hands-on training.
A Person generally measures windows and walls before the trip to the store. They also make a list of the brands or items needed. Those that forget their list ask for assistance or buy the products knowing they’ll be refunded or can exchange the products if the purchase is incorrect.
Things like to steal too! Judging from the empty packages recovered, they apparently suffer from an acute lack of makeup, believe they require Extra Large condoms - even though Small size would do - pregnancy tests, DVDs, and box cutters (to remove sensors from the DVDs). Another favorite target is ink pens; some take one pen from a pack of six. Why they didn’t just steal the whole pack was always mystifying to coworkers and me.
Unfortunately, Things reproduce. Things’ offspring are trained to have the same mind set. I witnessed a Thing’s mini-me accidentally knock an item from a shelf. When mini-thing started to bend over to pick up the item, it was instructed to “just leave it.” The parent continued the block of instruction by pushing the item under the shelf with its foot. It furthered the education on how to be rude by grinning at me. The child proved how quickly learned by mimicking the big grin of its mother.
Persons teach their children differently. One day, while I was stocking laundry detergent on a display at the end of an aisle, a young boy walked up to me and asked if he could help me stock the items. I had overheard him asking his mother if it was okay with her and she consented, so I said “Yes.” When the task was finished, I thanked him. He replied, “It’s been my pleasure to help you, Ma’am.” After recovering from shock, I thanked his mother for teaching her son to be a gentleman. She smiled and said, “We do what we can.”
Things often instruct their children to “go play” while they shop. Apparently, retail stores offer free babysitting and recreation services. The mini-things immediately rush to the toy department. They believe tearing open packages and playing with the toys are precisely what they are supposed to do. They feel that since the store is an area of recreation, it’s quite alright to bounce the beach balls throughout the store. When items are knocked off shelves, they practice what is taught… they “just leave it.”
Different methods exist in teaching children self-discipline. One method is simply saying No when a child wants something. Telling a child No is done in different ways also. For instance, one woman turned to her son who was several feet behind her, and screamed, “I fuckin’ told you NO! Now…bring your ass on!” and then angrily shoved her full cart to a checkout register; her face soured with worries and rage. Her pre-teen son stood frozen, with her rage mirrored in his face along with another emotion… hate.
Another way to teach a child they don’t get what they want just because they want it was shown by a young mother whose child was throwing a tantrum. She patiently told the little boy he needed to calm down. Two to three minutes passed as his screams winded down to yelps and hiccups. She then talked to him in a quiet and even voice. No threats. No screeching profanity. No giving in. When I saw them minutes after his major crisis, he appeared calmed, cared for, and probably a gentleman in the making.
When individual faces blend into one continuous clean up; after daily dealings with rude interactions with customers; and after picking up and straightening behind them and their brats, it’s easy to lump those individuals together under the label as… Things. However, after an elderly man politely asked me to read a label for him because he forgot his glasses; a lady affectionately complained about her finicky cat she had rescued from an animal shelter (her eyes tearing in remembering), a customer accidentally broke something and offered to pay for it, I was reminded that all customers, even the trying ones, are simply… people.
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