Retail employees are usually approachable, helpful, and empathetic. However, some retail employees can be downright rude! These shoppers share the times they lost their temper with an entitled retail employee. Hey, someone had to put them in their place! Content has been edited for clarity.
The Snobby Sales Associate
“A while back, I went shopping with my daughter at the mall. We were looking for a nice dress for her to attend a friend’s wedding. There was another mother and daughter in the same section of the store.
As my daughter and I shopped, we overheard a sales associate ask the other mother and daughter, ‘What do you need help finding today?’
The mother replied, ‘My daughter is going to be in a beauty pageant. We aren’t sure what dress we want to buy.’
The sales associate gasped and asked, ‘Who, your daughter? She’s going to be in a beauty pageant?’ in a derogatory tone.
The mother responded, ‘Well, yes. Is there something wrong?’
The associate laughed and replied, ‘Any of those dresses over there will do for her,’ then walked away.
My daughter and I were appalled. We looked at each other, smiled, and said almost unanimously, ‘Let’s go help!’
We walked over to the mother and daughter and told them how excited we were about her daughter being in a pageant. My daughter asked the young girl her favorite color and what style of dress she preferred. Meanwhile, I talked with the mother about her budget for the occasion.
We spent about an hour and a half searching for the perfect dress for her figure, hair color, and age.
The mother thanked me and I replied, ‘Oh, we’re not done! You still have plenty of money in your budget and we still have makeup, jewelry, and shoes!’
So off we went to find the perfect accessories. After we were done shopping, the mother still had thirty bucks left in her budget. The mother and daughter were thrilled.
I explained to the mother, ‘Hang on to the extra cash. Go to a hairdresser on the big day and use the extra cash to have your daughter’s hair styled.’
As we parted ways, I handed the daughter a small box. I had snuck a purchase in while no one was watching. It was a little blue ceramic rose, and it perfectly matched her dress. It was for the hairdresser to put in her hair when finished.
I gave my number to the mother in case she had any more questions.
I looked at my daughter and said, ‘Okay, let’s find you a dress.’
My daughter replied, ‘Yep, but we’re not asking for help!’
We both chuckled.
Two weeks later, I got a call from the mother. Her daughter had won the first alternate award in the pageant. I was so happy for her!”
“I Was Dismissed By The Sales Clerk As If I Were A Piece Of Dirt On Her Shoe”
“I was in a Cartier store with my friend in Los Angeles.
I asked the sales clerk questions, and she begrudgingly answered them. I was dressed as always-casually. Halfway through one of my questions, a man walked in and the sales clerk’s expression completely changed.
She had a blinding smile on her face, her eyes sparkled, and she disregarded my presence. She walked away from me and went to where the man was standing. My friend and I were appalled, so we both walked out of the store. We said a few curses at the woman under our breath as we exited.
I was so taken aback that I sat on a bench outside the store with my friend. I have never treated anyone so poorly! I’ve been treated rudely before, but not like this. I was dismissed by the sales clerk as if I was a piece of dirt on her shoe.
My friend explained, ‘If you feel so strongly about it, you need to go back inside and speak up.’
So, I walked back into Cartier and walked up to the clerk. It was hard for me because I wasn’t a confrontational person.
With my shoulders back and in my haughtiest voice I said, ‘You know, I don’t appreciate being dismissed the way I was before. You treated me like I was worthless and not worthy of your time!’
By this time, the security guard who was stationed in the store came to stand by the sales clerk. She tried to tell me how this wasn’t true, but I pressed on.
I told the clerk, ‘You don’t know me, and you don’t have any idea what’s in my bank account or how much money I make! The way you fawned over the man was sickening! Well, you just lost a sale. You probably couldn’t afford to shop in this store! You need to treat people better than you treated me because you never know with whom you are dealing!’
Then, I turned and walked out as the clerk said, ‘Wait, I’m so sorry!’
I ignored her and kept walking.
My friend asked, ‘So, do you feel better?’
I looked at her and said, ‘Yeah, I guess. Well, not really.’”
Department Store Drama
“I had just finished a fifteen-hour shift and was bone tired. I went home, stripped off my scrubs, and put on my favorite ripped-up jeans and a sweatshirt that was at least two sizes too big. Comfort at last. Then I realized I still had to get a gift for a wedding I was attending the next day.
So, I went off to the department store where the bride had registered.
I walked in and asked the pleasant-looking clerk, ‘Do you know where I would find the items the bride put on her registry?’
The clerk rolled her eyes and replied, ‘Sure. There are some less expensive items I can point out for you.’
Taken aback, I responded, ‘No, I see what I would like to purchase on the registry already, thank you.’
When I picked up the item, the clerk asked, ‘Are you sure this is the item you are looking for? Do you know how expensive it is? I’m sure the bride wouldn’t want you going into debt over a wedding gift.’
I smiled as sweetly as I could muster and asked, ‘Can you gift wrap this for me?’
‘Oh, gift wrap costs extra,’ the clerk hatefully replied.
At this point, the clerk’s judgments and my lack of sleep got the best of me.
I said through clenched teeth, ‘Sweetie, I can afford to buy the gift and have it wrapped, then come back and buy five more gifts and have them wrapped, too. I did not ask for your opinion of my financial situation. Your assumptions of me could not be more wrong. I make more money in one hour than you do in a week. Now, sweetie, if you could get your head out of your behind long enough to finish ringing this up and gift wrap my purchase I would be most appreciative.’
The clerk lowered her head and mumbled an apology as she went about finishing the transaction. I peeled three crisp bills out of my wallet, handed them to her, and told her to keep the change and buy herself a book on manners. The clerk then directed me to the gift-wrapping area and said she would have it ready for me in ten minutes. I wandered about for a while before going to pick up my beautifully wrapped purchase.
My behavior was so out of my norm, I felt terrible. On my way out of the store, I went back and apologized.
The clerk looked at me and said, ‘It’s fine. I know I was in the wrong. I shouldn’t have been as judgemental.’
By the time I walked out of the store we both had tears in our eyes. Afterward, I was so embarrassed whenever I went into the store. I always looked to see if she was working. If I saw her working at the register, I left.”
The Frustrating Furniture Store
“When I was a young mother in my early twenties, my husband and I bought a ‘new to us’ house. We needed some additional furniture so, after running some other errands, I stopped at a local furniture store to see if they had what I wanted.
At this time, my toddler son was in a stroller and nodding off after all of our earlier activities. I entered the store and walked down the main aisle when an older man came rushing up to me. As I looked closer, I realized the man was an employee.
When the man approached me, he angrily said, ‘You need to get out immediately. We don’t want your child’s grubby little hands all over the nice furniture.’
I immediately turned around and left.
After I arrived back home and calmed down, I called and talked with the furniture store manager. The manager apologized and offered a discount if I would come back, but only without the baby.
I told the manager, ‘If your furniture is so delicate to where it cannot withstand a baby in a stroller being walked near it, it certainly won’t last in my home.’
I never went back to the store. Before we moved three years later, they had gone out of business.”
Motorcycle Salesman Madness
“Since I was about fifteen years old in the late sixties, I bought used cars and motorcycles for cheap that didn’t run correctly. I would repair them, clean them up, and sell them for a decent profit. At the time, I was saving up to buy a new motorcycle.
When I was nineteen years old, I had about fifteen hundred bucks in cash. I didn’t have a bank account. I went to a local motorcycle dealer and went straight to the bike I had been wanting. It was a Honda 750K, my dream bike.
The salesman came over and asked, ‘Can I help you today?’
I replied, ‘I’m interested in buying this bike, but I want to test drive it first.’
The salesman chuckled and responded, ‘I think you’re too small for this bike. You should look at something smaller instead.’
I was almost six feet tall, and I was pretty buff at the time.
‘I have ridden Harley motorcycles with no problem, I don’t think I’m too small,’ I explained, ‘Plus, I have cash on me.’
I showed the salesman the envelope containing the cash.
‘The only way you are test driving the bike is if you buy it. I need the paperwork filled out and cash in hand. If you decide you don’t like the bike, I’ll refund your cash,’ the salesman said.
I didn’t think it was a fair policy. I cursed at the salesperson and walked out of the store. Then, I went across town to another Honda dealership.
At the other Honda dealership, the salesman treated me with respect. He allowed me to test drive the bike I wanted, so I bought it. The first place I went after I purchased the bike? The original dealership.
At the first dealership, I went inside and found the salesman who had been rude to me.
I pointed at my bike outside and yelled, ‘You’re an idiot! You let a major sale go, do you understand?’
The salesman’s boss was on the floor helping a customer and overheard what I said, so he came over to see what the commotion was about.
I explained to the boss, ‘I attempted to buy a bike here earlier, but your salesman here messed it up!’
I pointed at the identical Honda 750K sitting outside and told the boss where I bought it. The boss fired the salesman right in front of me!
I told the boss, ‘It’s too bad you didn’t fire him about two hours earlier. You would have sold me a bike!’
The boss apologized and we shook hands. I took my bike to him whenever it required warranty work or I needed a part.”
“The Interaction Left Me Sour For Days”
“Recently, I went to Costco. I had never been the biggest fan of the store. Between the people, lines, and food court, it was like someone created a place to specifically repelled me.
On this day, I had to go in and fill a prescription. Unfortunately, my medication was significantly cheaper at Costco.
Since I already was at the store, I thought to myself, ‘Man, I want a rotisserie chicken.’
So, I shoved myself to the meat department to pick up a chicken and slithered my way back to the register. There were lines everywhere, and it was total madness!
Finally, I reached the front of the line and the cashier began to ring me up. When I ran my card, it strangely declined. At this point, there were already four people in line behind me.
I paused. I only had ten bucks on this particular card, but I knew I had it. I had saved it because, at the time, I was living paycheck to paycheck.
I ran my card again, but it declined once more.
I looked up and told the cashier, ‘Wait one second. Let me find some cash.’
Now, there were eight people in line behind me. The cashier looked annoyed with me. I held my card in my hand as I dug around in my purse for cash. I never carried cash.
The cashier took my card out of my hand and ran it again. I looked up a little shocked because I was just holding the card, but I guess the cashier thought I was holding it out to her.
The cashier looked at me and said, ‘Oh, sometimes the card reader works over here.’
Declined again.
Now, my card was automatically locked by my bank regardless. I managed to find the cash I needed, but then I looked up at the very small screen. I noticed my total was over thirty bucks!
I told the cashier, ‘Um, wait. I only got a chicken. The total is too high.’
I looked down and saw a case of drinks in the cart next to the cashier. The drinks belonged to the man standing in line behind me.
The man said, ‘Oh yeah, those are mine.’
The cashier scoffed and said, ‘Oh.’
I, still fumbling in anxiety mode, said, ‘Oh, sorry.’
In a terse tone, the cashier replied, ‘It’s fine.’
Girl, what?
I had high-level anxiety. The cashier must have seen my lip trembling and my panicking. Not to mention, it was mortifying to have my card declined.
On top of this, the cashier and I made eye contact when I approached the register. She saw I was carrying the chicken with two hands, and didn’t have a case of drinks.
All of this wasn’t a huge deal except for how the cashier wasn’t even remotely apologetic. She didn’t care.
The interaction left me sour for days.”
Plumbing Store Problems
“This happened a while back at a plumbing supply store in San Antonio.
I came into the warehouse seeking fittings some days before, I was given a number of them to test against my application. I picked up enough fittings for my needs, and I was told I could return fittings I didn’t use.
Then, all failed.
I went back to the warehouse with a sample bag containing the fittings to return them. I walked up to the return counter where I spotted an employee typing away on his laptop.
The employee looked at me and said, ‘It will be a minute,’ and continued typing.
At this point, the man had ignored me for almost ten minutes. I was fed up! I tossed the little bag on the counter, up to five feet away, to land directly in front of the employee.
I explained to the employee loudly about what was in the bag, why I am bringing them back, and how I hadn’t paid for them, as they were trial units.
‘Oh,’ I said as I stopped and looked the employee in the eyes, ‘I also need to speak to a manager. Now, do you want the rest of the fittings back or not?’
‘Well, yes,’ the employee replied as he rolled his eyes.
‘Where?’ I questioned.
‘Up front by the entrance will be fine,’ the employee hissed, ‘Can’t you see I am busy here?’
‘At the entrance, you said?’ I continued.
‘Yes, didn’t you hear me?’ the employee angrily asked.
My mouth was wide open. I was truly astonished. The employee was utterly beyond any comprehension of why I might be annoyed.
I dumped all 11,000 of the remaining fittings, in boxes, out of the back of my truck and directly in front of the store entrance. It’s where the employee wanted them, after all.
The employee went outside and yelled, ‘Hey, you can’t do this!’
‘Watch me,’ I replied, ‘It would be illegal for me to keep these, and I just got refunded. They aren’t mine, and you told me to put them here!’
About 5000 bathroom, kitchen, and wet bar jobs went to another vendor.
Oh well.”
Pointless Check Policies
“Back in the day, certain retail stores came up with the idea to write a store policy regarding accepting checks from customers. The policy was if a customer presented a check to the cashier, the cashier was required to request to see two credit cards. If you didn’t have two credit cards in your possession, you couldn’t write a check for the amount of your purchase.
I had gone shopping with my twelve-year-old daughter. She needed a new coat. We found a coat and went to the checkout counter. I presented a check for the amount of purchase, as I had done many times in the past. The sales clerk asked to see two credit cards. I did not have any credit cards, as I never used credit cards.
Coincidentally, the day before, I had a conversation with the local police chief. The conversation regarded a customer writing an ‘out-of-town’ check for the purchase of gas at a service station where I worked part-time. In this case, the owners had their store policy, to never accept ‘out-of-town’ checks.
The police chief chuckled and explained, ‘The owners can write any policy they want, but it doesn’t make it legal. A bank check written for the amount of purchase is considered to be another form of legal tender. The business must accept a bank check for a purchase.’
Now, back to the coat for my daughter. I smiled, laid my check on the counter, and told the sales clerk, ‘You know, the store’s policy about checks won’t hold up in court.’
I showed her my driver’s license and the store manager arrived. The sales clerk told the manager I didn’t have two credit cards and explained how my check covered my purchase.
The manager confirmed, and I left the store with my daughter and a new coat.
Check policies were always such a hassle.”
“The Sales Clerk Went Crazy”
“One time, I had to return a baby gift. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the receipt for the item.
At the time, my sister worked retail, so she accompanied me to the store.
I had put the gift in a bag at home, and when I went to the register to return the item, the sales clerk went crazy.
The clerk screamed, ‘What do you think you are doing? You stole this item!’
I couldn’t imagine why the sales clerk thought I stole the item, or what gave her the right to accuse me of stealing. I couldn’t help but burst into giggles. It was ridiculous! I felt like I was being filmed on a television show.
My sister insisted on speaking to the manager. She demanded an apology and screamed to view the closed-circuit video. She went insane on her. I’m glad I took my sister with me.”
“I Had Very Little Patience For Unprofessional People”
“This incident happened a couple of months ago. I was in a department store, and I was looking for a new windbreaker.
When I finally found one I liked, without thinking, I began to try the windbreaker on. I have tried on items like coats and jackets outside of the dressing room in stores before, so I didn’t think it would be a major issue.
From across the store, I heard an employee screech, ‘You better not put on that dang jacket!’
‘I’m sorry,’ I replied as I hurriedly took the jacket off, ‘I didn’t know.’
Now, another employee began berating me for trying the jacket on.
As my anger rose, I tossed the windbreaker on the floor and walked out of the store. The staff in this particular store used to be very friendly, and I didn’t understand why there was a sudden attitude change. I never went back to the store afterward. I had very little patience for unprofessional people.”