The customer is always EFFED.

This is why I hate working at the outlet mall--

Yesterday this middle-aged asian guy comes in and tells me he 'forgot' to use his VIP coupon book when he made his purchase. Our deal in the coupon book is that you spend $100 pre-tax and get $25 off your purchase. I check his receipt to make sure he spent over $100 (he had spent $200) then totally forgot how much drama we see from this kind of shit and refer him to my supervisor, Michael ('cause I can't do returns), who gets exploded upon.

Here's the deal. VERY OFTEN, we get big spenders who come in and buy $100 or more worth of shit, then LATER they find out about the VIP book, go buy it in the food court, then come back and say they 'forgot' to use it. Our policy is that you present it AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. But EVERYONE who gets denied this $25 off freaks the fuck out and we have to give it to them anyway because they threaten to turn us in to everyone under the sun. So we have to call the DM for approval, let them return all their shit and buy it back with the coupon.

This guy freaks out, returns his shit and then LEAVES even though Michael was gonna let him buy it all back with the discount. So Michael re-sensors everything and puts most of it back. Then two women I'm assuming are his wife and daughter come back in, ask him to find everything he just put away, tell him he's being ridiculous and that he's a RETARD, demand his name (so they can turn him in? To WHO?!?!), then flip out because they mis-counted the items and thought there were only 6 things being rung up when there were SEVEN ALL ALONG. Then they're satisfied and leave.

Here's a choice tidbit from their exchange of words:
"What's your name?"
"Michael *****"
*tries to pronounce it* "What?"
"Michael *****. Would you like me to write it down?"
"No, I have a BLACKBERRY." *waves the phone around*

OH. MY. GOD. My broke-ass BOYFRIEND AND EVERYONE I KNOW HAS A BLACKBERRY! You think that's some kind of status symbol? HAAAA!!!

People are fucking crazy. I really, REALLY loathe them. Like, people LITERALLY come into this mall to start shit with associates who only make minimum wage or just over that. Do you hate us because we're so much lower than you? Because we try to adhere to COMPANY POLICIES BECAUSE IT'S OUR GODDAMN JOB? These people think we're trying to fuck with them or something. They forget that we have little-to-no control over anything. There's a big fucking boss over our heads, just like you have. Idiots. The only difference is that we're doing all this for slave wages and WE don't get to go out and blow $200 in one store on fucking clothes.

EVERYONE REMEMBER: RETAIL IS FULL OF LIES AND MISLEADING ADVERTISING. IT'S CALLED 'MERCHANDISING'. Corporations just want your fucking money. Plain and simple. We don't see ANY of it.

Before that, however, I had this cute little mexican lady come in and buy a shitload of fragrance gift sets and tshirts for her boss and family. She made a mess of everything, but at least it was while we were slow as eff and she was sweet and brought us up over day. Heh.

Fuck my retail life, though. I really get sick of it exponentially as the years go by. I really don't want a job that makes me jaded and angry and unable to relax until like 30 minutes after I come home. BAH. How most of you put up with it with a smile on your face for YEARS, I have no idea. But kudos to all of you.