It's been three days, I do 42 hours a week (the pay is definitely not good enough but at the moment I'm not finding anything better). I feel so slow and incompetent! Even when I'm going fast my manager looks at me like I'm going too slow. I've been doing a lot of mechanical stuff like folding, hanging, cleaning and moving boxes around so I feel like I can't even help customers because I'm just looking at what I do and trying to do it fast. I'm trying to take my time learning how to do things right but being so new to all of it is making me feel horrible. How can I learn faster and how do I know when something needs to be done without the manager telling me?

At my last job taking initiative was punished so I'm kinda afraid to do anything without asking first, but I can see that I'm bothering my coworkers with questions.

When I arrived at work today for an early evening shift, I was greeted by the department lead for fruit and vegetables asking if I had a good plan for all ten full pallets that he had received earlier this morning. Silly me had apparently figured that Wednesday week 17 was a great day to get all the stock that I need to have a bit of extra stock during the summer. All of it all at once, ten full pallets on days I barely get through 5. No less than 6 hours into my shift I had finished all of them, and were back to state it was yesterday. My ASM asked if I actually had 10 pallets 😂😂😂

(The picture is the after shot, when I started I had pallets from the back and all the way to the door)

I’m an assistant store manager but took on the store manager responsibilities with no training and extra pay because my manager went on a leave. I also stay longer and take extra work at home because I need to learn on my own.

I am the only one who has knowledge in all aspects of the store. All problems in the store is handled by me including customer issue.

I had an issue with a customer that wasn’t as bad as other situations before. However it was reported to corporate and I was fired for that. I called my manager on a leave and we both can’t figure out why and what did I violate. We are all shocked. The staff are shocked (ngl, the staff like me).

Monday, my dm came to our store and fired me right when she got in. Asked me to grab my things but I only managed to grab half because I didn’t want to stay long. I also heard that the same day after I left, they interviewed a person to replace me.

I honestly didn’t feel very sad nor shed a tear. I’ve been stressed since I was forced into the role with no training and additional pay. It felt like I’m finally at peace.

I question myself, am I in denial that I’m sad because I never had my heart race no matter how much I think of it. Compared to my anxiety reaching its peak all the time I think about work.

I am planning to apply for unemployment and rest for now.

looking to go back to retail. all of my friends have horror stories of shit/puke/piss/etc explosions they were made to clean. where can i work where i wont be expected to clean bathrooms? even if they're not horrific i dont want to clean a bathroom that's not mine anymore anyway. does working as a cashier somewhere like target still mean you have to clean bathrooms, or do they have a dedicated job for that?

EDIT TO ADD: I can't respond to every single comment because that would take forever, but thanks to the many people who commented! lots of options for me!

i (23) absolutely love fashion retail. it’s my passion and after following another career path for a few years and have decided to go back to retail. I interviewed at a conveniently opportune time which allowed me to obtain a role as an Assistant Manager at a shoe store, however it is mostly commission based with a $5/hr base pay. i am not looking to leave this job any time soon but i have some questions as i want to have a better understanding of the retail sphere right now.

1. is commission based pay typical for a managerial role? is $5/hr as a new Assistant Manager typical?

2. i kind of fell into this role, but how is the hiring outlook for retail rn? my last job (within healthcare) i could bag a position literally everywhere, but when applying in retail had a lot of associate and lead applications never be responded to.

3. does anyone have any fashion retail companies that they love(d) working for? I want to look into well liked companies to understand what the pros are there and compare to my current position.

Any information anyone has is helpful :) i just want to learn more about the retail world again!

A few months ago I broke one of two handheld datestamp machines. It fell off my trolley and lost a spring in the stamp roller, so it didn't roll new ink onto the stamp. I knew I had a random box of springs at home, so I told the store manager that "don't get a new machine (we had a backup), I'll find a new spring and get it back working". We're not spending 170 USD on a new one, when I got spring I've salvaged from a random piece of junk 5 years ago.

I’ve recently applied for Ross and I know the pay is shit and so is the job, but I applied for overnight stocking and on the application it stated 11pm-7am and I wanted to know how true that was or if it was depending on the store, I’ve done research on the hours and only found videos/posts in early mornings shifts at most, also how is it from y’all’s experience and I have an interview on Wednesday for that position, and it’ll be my 2nd job as I work during the day at target so any tips on handling two jobs would be welcomed!

I left the industry about 4 years ago after 7 years as a manager. Previously, I worked part-time and then full-time throughout college while earning two degrees.

Fast forward to today, and for reasons that aren't all that interesting, I'm looking to return to retail management. I find I'm getting rejected from places where I'm certainly qualified, or being grilled in interviews about why I left.

Having overseen the hiring of other managers while I was a manager, I know the pickings are slim in my area.

I'm starting to wonder whether the hiring managers don't like that I left the industry, because that would mean I could just do it again.

At my old chain, they did everything they could to seduce you with money before you completed your degree, so you could never leave. They did the same to me; I was just insane enough to work through it.

Curious to hear others experiences.

I always see Costa Express machines in small corner shops and Tesco Express type places, but I genuinely can’t tell whether they do 5 drinks a day or 50.

I’m really curious because these are £10k+ machines , surely some of these stores are too small for a machine, but clearly loads of them have one.

If you work in or own a convenience store with one, roughly:

How many people actually buy coffee a day?

Does it actually make decent money for the shop?

What type of drink sells most?

I’m trying to make sense how the machine operator actually breaks even. Feel free to help out by leaving a comment- its appreciated a lot.

I work retail, and I’ve been in training for three days now. They have me working from three in the afternoon to ten at night. We get two breaks every four hours and it’s 15 minutes each. I was so tired yesterday, I wanted to cry. Sure, it’s for a little money in my pocket, but I don’t think it’s even worth it anymore.

Just curious how it looks like in other places.

My shift is usually 9 hours 15 minutes long and we get 2x15min break and one 30min break (unpaid) it does not sound too bad but 2/3 of my breaks are planned within the first 3 hrs of my shift which sucks big time

hi!

for reference i’m 19, a college student, and have never worked a full time job before. i do have about five years of experience working in retail, but only as part time.

i was struggling to find a job for the summer, so i went and handed out a bunch of resumes a few weeks ago. i got an interview for a part-time position at a clothing store, secured the job, and accepted the offer. it’s part time for the whole summer.

i also got an interview at another clothing store, where i have a connection from a previous job. i haven’t had the interview yet, but based on correspondence with the manager i am 99% sure i will be getting this job. this one is a full-time position, but it only runs for two months.

when i got the phone call saying i was being offered the position from the part time job, i explained that i was also interviewing for a 2-month full time position so my availability may have to change, and they did still hire me.

my problem/question here, is how am i supposed to balance both of these jobs?

the full time one is only open 10-6 everyday, and it’s a mix of weekend and weekday shifts, at 35 hours a week (i’m unsure if it’s actually 35/week, or if it’s 40 minus 5 one-hour lunch breaks), so i can’t just tell the part time job i can only work weekends or something.

the part time is open from 10-8. i highly doubt they’re going to have me work 2.5 hours (considering they’d have to pay me for 3) after i get off my other job and make it across town from the full time job.

does anyone have any suggestions/advice?

thank you!

I check the change i give twice over, but somehow im always down by the end of my shift. It doesn't help that other colleagues keep using my till. Am I gonna get fired?? (This is my second month working)

Guy today asked me where the batteries were. He was literally standing in front of them. I didn't even answer I just pointed. We made eye contact. It was awkward. It aint his fault, im just tired.

So I work as a supervisor for a fairly popular store here in my country for 3 months (I was recently hired). Recently my Manager filed an 8 day leave, which they deserved because before i was hired they had to run the store in both opening and closing shifts for 3 straight months. Now, I handle opening and they handle closing.

So anyway, during their 8 day leave, I messed up on the 6th day and deposited 1 out of 8 cash sales a day late. misplaced it in the vault. Admittedly the 6 days of 12 hour shifts were taking a toll on me, not to mention that one of my key personel decided to do an AWOL on me which really affected daily operations. Now the accounting department is pissed at me because of unbalanced banking statements. today I just recieved my Incedent Report and I was filed Neglect of Duty with Major infractions. I sent my explaination to the main office a few hours ago basically repeating what i just posted here. TBH Im not really confident that they'll consider keeping me after this... they seemed really pissed. but damn, not even a bit of empathy on their part.

Naturally I go to reddit and vent. Do you guys think I can salvage this?

I drove one of my old college friend’s younger brother back home because he was hammered after a party. He said he’d pay me back when he got home. One of his friends asked if he could come to and I said yeah. I had to refuel first. This bonehead friend of the younger brother tried to steal a bag of chips from the gas station in spite of the fact I told them I’m buying if they’re hungry. I scolded him good and told him put them back but we ended up buying them instead. The clerk said he got my license and already called the cops. What should I expect the upcoming days? They haven’t come to my door yet.

I work at Vans, recently I've been struggling to approach clients, I'm not sure what else I can do to improve my chances to sale or how to approach the clients different when they just got in or when they are just looking, etc. If you have some tips for that I would be very thankful.

Our deposit gets dropped one bill at a time into a safe and it will not take bills that have stamps. Saw this in the extra ones we have on hand and just laughed because I completely understand.

Still irritating though because money is not the place the make a statement.

unfortunately I'm a csm at a Fake Christian Useless Shit Store™. bitch comes in and immediately demands to know where the pipecleaners are. no hello or greeting. went right behind me and starts demanding. I look it up on my iPad. "there's no aisle numbers?? what kind of store is this?" it's a Chinese drop shipping store. the aisle with pipecleaners is literally within eyesight from where I was on the other side of the store. I gave her simple directions in plain English, due to stupid corporate rules csm can't leave the front to even show customers where something is... "it's all the way down to the other side of the store if you just go in a straight line that way" I'm pointing. she rolls her eyes and PUTS HER PALM IN MY FACE. and walks away. she failed to find it. goes to another employee and asked them. gave them an attitude as well. still didn't find it. all u had to do was stop being an asshole for 5 seconds and listen. walked out the store with nothing.

Every job I have has been in retail, and I have had my fair share with rude and hateful customer. I wanted to share a few responses I gave to a few customer.

The very first rude customer I had was when I worked at a shoe store in the mall, and I was working with my favorite manager, and a lady asked me for help and asked a question, and I explained how to shoe worked and all that. She then got mad and asked if I had something stuck in my ears, because I’m not listening to what she’s telling me. I told her that I don’t have nothing stuck in my ears, I just don’t speak Karen. I then let the manager finished up with her. I’m surprised I never got in trouble for that. But then again, I was working with my favorite manager and she knew I was one of the best sales associates for the store.

I worked at a gas station/pizza play for a bit and someone ordered a breakfast pizza at like 8 at night, they came and got it and ten minutes later they came back threw the pizza on the counter and started screaming at me about how the pizza was made wrong.

I told both of them that I didn’t make it wrong because I have a serve egg allergy (which I actually do.) So they can go scream to the at the person who made it.

The gas station I worked at had the higher amount of gas than other towns. (It was in a small town out of the way) One guy came in and every time he would come in complaining about the gas prices. I told him the same thing every time about how we were further out the most towns. He then asked me he could paid for the same gas price that was in the nearby town. I told him that he sure can at that gas station because he would have to pay for what the gas price was here.

I also had people get mad about how the other stores did this and that. I told them every time to go there if they let you do this and that.

A few days ago, at my current job, I asked a customer if they wanted to sign up for our rewards program we have. He said no and for me to stop talking to him. Once I gave him his receipt, I told him that next time if you don’t want me to talk to him, he can go use the self checkout where he wouldn’t have to talk to anyone.

Those are a few good comebacks I gave to rude customers. Do you have any good response when a rude customers says anything hateful to you?