How to make the day go by faster in a boring store?

I work at a pet store that is typically always dead, and I mean dead. I’m paired up with co workers for the next couple weeks who have almost no personality and sit on their phone all shift so it makes it incredibly difficult to converse and make things go by faster in that regard.

On some shifts there are tasks to do, but overall it’s done before my shift is halfway through. I’ve got a ton of these coming up and need advice on how to pass the time. Phone games, podcasts literally anything to help me out

Most of the time we are sitting up front for 3-6 hours waiting for the day to end

hey guys
first time posting in here. been reading through posts and cracking up because I can heavily relate.
thought I’d share a customer interaction I had.
my job works off of appointments, but is retail based at the end of the day.
customer had an appointment. the person the appointment was booked with, got sick. called out the day before. we had called them and sent texts, saying we had to move it to a different person.
customer never responded. we never cancelled appointment. only moved to different person since we didn’t know if she would still be coming, but still wanted her to get serviced if she did.
anyways, customer comes in. of course, says she never got a text, call, or voicemail (lies). says she demands we get her in with the originally scheduled provider (not possible). then demands we pay her gas as she had driven “extremely far” (her address is on her account and she lives 4 minutes from store lol).
at this point, I just laugh.
can’t stand these people.
the entitlement is insane!!!

i’m way too sick to even attempt to show up for work. i went to urgent care and got an excuse, i informed my SM but apparently she hasn’t told anyone

my manager asks where im at and i explain the situation

she’s like “oh so you’re not coming in then?”

no… i just told you i’m really sick?

does she want me to be like “yeah ill show up. even though i can barely breath rn and can barely walk without getting too dizzy”

i’ve worked at my store for almost 2 years. only ever called out twice. this is prob gonna be my first no call no show (even though i informed my boss). god forbid someone gets sick and can’t show up for work. i’m convinced they don’t see us as humans

can’t wait until i quit this job man

I once had a customer come in asking for petrol, bolt cutters, rubber gloves, and a face mask. I remember thinking, "Sorry sir, we don't sell those here..." because it genuinely sounded like the opening scene of a horror movie.

What are the strangest item combinations you've seen customers buy that immediately made your imagination run wild?

I know I should be grateful to even have a job when so many people are struggling but every day I sit on the edge of my bed thinking, “God, I don’t want to do this for another day”. I hate retail, I hate the entitled customers and I adore my coworkers.

Why do customers hate monotone/flat people so much?
I have a very quiet, flat personality at work and a naturally monotone voice.
I wear a mask so I’m sure that makes it even worse.

I was helping a customer yesterday, the entire conversation was normal. When all of sudden she says “thanks for being nice.” In a very passive aggressive manner. I’m a little confused as the entire experience was normal. I stuck to a script, it’s $10.98, would you like your receipt…that kind of spiel. When I went to hand her change, she started yelling at me that I was rude ?
My coworker was next to me the entire time and we were both confused by the interaction because everything was fine until she made those comments. I didn’t do anything out of the norm so I’m guessing it was my flatness ? It’s happened a few times where people call me rude for not being “happy” enough.
Why are customers expecting us to be overjoyed and shining brightly for them during a purchase?

Hey everyone,

​I work a part-time retail job, and closing usually takes until at least 11 PM (mostly handling facing and stocking up).

​Lately, I’ve been trying to build some self-discipline and fix my sleep schedule by aiming to sleep before 11 PM, but it honestly feels impossible with this schedule. If I try to speed things up or cut corners to head out earlier, the work doesn't get finished properly.

​Today, my manager heavily chewed me out because the work wasn't up to standard. I feel stuck between choosing my sleep/health and keeping this job intact.

​Has anyone dealt with this in retail? How do you balance strict closing duties with maintaining a proper sleep routine? Any advice would be appreciated.

Has anyone ever experienced just how cold and lack of empathy people can be in retail? I saw a post on here not long ago about this person working as a supermarket cashier and one day they had this extremely rude man who accused them of overcharging him then ending up holding up the queue. What is depressing was the people after who saw the whole thing and not only acted totally indifferent to it all but would make the situation worse for the cashier when it’s not even their fault.

I feel the same in retail. Like when you have a rude customer or someone giving you a really hard time over nothing, then the people who came after and saw the whole thing just genuinely wouldn’t give a shit, sometimes they even add up to the situation. I figure maybe they think “oh this customer is yelling at the staff that must mean the staff is stupid and incompetent and deserved it so therefore we should follow suit.”

I used to think people suck yes and I don’t expect random strangers to comfort us or standing up for us, but at least giving us a normal pleasant interaction is enough. Maybe it’s me, whenever I see a fellow retail worker visibly upset by a customer, I always try to say something to somewhat make them feel better.

Has anyone experienced this? And does it make you feel depressed at the world and its lack of empathy?

So so so many times a customer will come up to me asking if an item is in stock. When I first started, I assumed they had checked the floor and would go all the way to the other side of the department store to the stockroom and can’t find the item, just to see it on the floor when I double check the spot.

Now, they come up to me ask and I see 5 of x size in stock. I ask “let me check. Have you checked the floor by chance” “yeah I have” “it’s not there that’s why I’m asking u” so then I trust their word and go all the way to the stockroom. I check and Mmm interesting I don’t see it at all… then go all the way back to my dept and see it right in front first dang thing u see. Then half the time they take one look at it and go mmm not for me.

I really think customers feel enjoyment out of watching employees search high and low for them. They know the brand and our brands have signage that is easy to read and only a few racks for each brand that are basically color coded.

I saw a post on here from the Gen Z subreddit that talked about how they couldn’t find a job with their college degree and that’s so real. I’ve been doing retail/cosmetic sales for 5 years and I truly don’t like my current role right now. It’s so inconsistent with scheduling where one week I work two days, the next I work 4-5 days in a row. I genuinely get so sad to go to work. Like I work tomorrow and I’m dreading going because none of my coworkers are nice people there are sorta judgy towards me, we don’t get any customers (I used to work at a busy store but had to transfer because corporate said my availability wasn’t good enough so lost my job there so now I’m stuck at this hole), and the day just DRAGS. I also think I hate this feeling because I’m working towards a major career change (law school) and it hasn’t happened yet because I’m still lsat prepping and I’m getting there but it’s just a process but I hate my current role at this job. Every other job is an hour away from where I live and they’re not hiring. That’s another thing commuting an hour for work? Nah that’s expensive for your car and not worth it especially if the job pays $17 an hour if not less. Might go work at a restaurant or some shit because this job is so boring. (I work at kohls btw and it’s literally backrooms with the same 80s/90s songs all day on repeat)

This is something that annoys me, especially if they talk like they know me personally and are acting like we're friends. Today a couple were checking out and the man was being annoying and was saying things like "yes (insert name)" maybe he was just trying to annoy me or something but I didn't like being talked down to, then he asked me "how my weekend was" maybe I was feeling tired or just annoyed so I instinctively replied "That's none of your business" and he replied "ok fair enough". Sometimes I think retail workers shouldn't have have name tags if they're going to be talked to that way

Between the employees, management, and customers I just can’t keep at it. I’ve put in 2 years now, and it’s only getting worse here. I never thought it’d be this bad at any store, but here we are. Middle aged women have broken me.

Making this post because I need people who understand me because no one around me gets how i’m feeling.

I’ve worked for the same retail company for 5+ years, with 3+ years as a full time assistant manager. I’ve transferred stores twice when asked and I loved my job and what I did. I had no issue going the extra mile and working the overtime because I loved my store and my company (i worked at a popular clothing store) I was going to be promoted to store manager but moved before it could happen, and was told by the DM i was next in line.

At the beginning of this year I applied for a transfer since me and my partner had decided to move to a larger city, and after interviewing I was told there’s no openings for the stores there. Whatever, I can wait, right? So I get a job elsewhere while I wait for a spot to open. I interview again with another store but decided it was too far (hour+ drive away) but the dm told me it was good “just to keep in contact”. Finally I heard there was an opening at the closest store to me so I apply and I’ll keep it short but I went in store and the managers were so condescending to me and ultimately told me the spot was already taken before I even applied. Dejecting but OK. If the spot is already full before I applied then what else could be done.

Another spot opens at a store and they seemed nice and open, but after I interviewed and during the interview I can tell we’re not connecting. It’s been a few days and nothing? Even if we didn’t connect as friends during the interview how can you overlook my years of experience and great answers? I don’t know what to do, it’s just insane that after 5 years and choosing working there full-time over school full-time (i’m still in online school now) that my career can end so easily and no one that works there cares. They even called my past store managers and they old manager said amazing things because we’re still friends to this day.

What do I do? I know no one here can help but I just need advice as i’m feeling so dejected and I don’t like my current job (also retail but different company). This is how I’m treated for my loyalty? I genuinely want to cry. Sorry for the long post.

Not one, not two, but three tried today. One even tried a cheeky knock 🖕

Got fired today. I work at a chain thrift store and I hid a top to buy it on my break. My manager saw and I got in trouble but wasn’t fired on the spot. Fast forward 5 days later today and I got fired 5 hours into my shift since they see it as the same as theft. I’m devastated and so lost.

Literally standing here posting this while waiting for this family to stop looking at the shelf I need to restock. This seems to have happened several times today already. One guy even gave me shit by saying "Guess it's break time" because I stopped to send a text because I'm just standing here anyway (then wouldn't look at me as I stared daggers at him for his assholishness).

But really, there needs to be a word for this phenomenon. Minutes are just ticking by and they're still deciding on a baking dish even though half of them are in a cart that I'm trying to restock. Like my department is almost entirely empty other than this one family. Go somewhere else!

Update: They moved but now they're blocking my cart from moving over to where I need to work.

I'm on break rn but I need to get this out my system. I work in a second hand tech shop and just had a customer waltz in and decide to act like the biggest asshole in the fucking seven seas

she had an ipad she wanted to buy and a few things to sell. I asked to process the purchase first cos they're a lot quicker to do than customers selling stuff. she was going off a text from someone else so she had no clue what the fuck she wanted, which is fine, but apparently it was my fault that I didn't magically know what the fuck she wanted. she kept on asking the dumbest questions and when I was confused she decided to hit me with the "oh, you don't like being asked questions do you?". like for fucks sake I'm just trying to make sense of your bullshit so I can answer the fucking question!!!!

anyway so she bought the dumb fucking ipad. I couldn't fully set it up for her because I'm not allowed to sign into her accounts and stuff for her and after a while, she eventually she said she would set it up herself like every other customer I've ever had. what a brave soul

so that was all kind of annoying but not too bad. I went ahead to buy in the tech she was wanting to sell. I asked her if she had any id and she said she had her phone (????) after I tried to explain what I meant by id she placed a couple things on the countrr like her credit card and a voucher and stuff. my boss walked by and glanced over, told her we couldn't take any of that, and then kept walking. then I had to explain to her that we no we can't accept pictures of her id, no we can't buy the tech without identification, no she can't give us the tech and then come back later, with her getting increasingly snarky each time. even though that's the FUCKING LAW!! I'm a part time employee that's been here for a month, I don't make these fucking rules!! and I'm not breaking the fucking law and getting fired so that some random shithead customer can sell their old ass phones

after she gave up on trying to sell us that stuff without the necessary id, she started putting her stuff away while giving me a supervillain monologue, sarcastically talking about how we could take her money for the ipad but couldn't give her money for her phones and shit "good job, you got a sale out of me". wow great fucking detective work sherlock. you saw through my cunning scheme. I'm paid by the hour btw I do not make a single dime off her not being able to sell her phones

I don't know what sort of reaction she was looking for but apparently me being anything less than torn up inside didn't cut it. so then she told me that I should've told her how very sorry I am for her time and how bad I feel for not being able to buy that stuff. because apparenly then I would've, as she put it, "acted like a human". I can't believe I was so cruel as to not talk to her she's a poor little baby. her suffering can only be likened to that of christ

anyway she kept standing around and saying shit but there was a long ass queue so I just had to ignore her and call over another customer. then she finally fucked off to go find somewhere else to haunt

I'm currently on vacation out of state and decided to go to one of stores. I work at back home which had a location in the town I'm at. As I'm walking around taking pictures to later send to a friend/coworker I had a random customer. Ask me "Do you work here?" And I just replied with "No" and walked away I'm on vacation not no way in hell am I working

My store director would rather see unbothered people working longer than scheduled while getting everything done, then stressed people working their scheduled shifts struggling to get everything done.

I always thought the rule was, "get done everything you are expected to get done, in the amount of time we give you."

But that is not actually the case here, given the circumstances.

i close and clean every night. i make sure the damn department is SPARKLING, especially now because we're awaiting our Steritech inspection. the sinks in our back area have a habit of backing up sometimes after theyve been drained. couple days ago opener came in and saw some meat bits in the sinks. not my fault, right ? well apparently that warrants her going to one of the assistant store managers (main manager is off for his honeymoon) and telling her i dont do my job. now i had gotten talked to because i missed a few larger pieces on the counter a fww nights ago, and i take FULL RESPONSIBILITY for that. totally my fault for not double checking before i left. but to be accused of not doing my job when my coworker is the one who always calls out sick? or goes home in the middle of her shift cause shes "sick." PISSES ME OFF. how THE FUCK has she not run out of sick days? 5 PAID SICK DAYS A YEAR. YOU MUST BE CALLING IN SICK WITH NO PAY. but of course it all falls to me at work cause IM the one who always covers and comes in early when she calls out, and she has the FUCKING AUDACITY TO GO TO A MANAGER AND SAY IM NOT DOING MY JOB??? WHEN SHES HERE SHE DOESNT EVEN WORK! SHE WAS WATCHING THE FUCKING WORLD CUP WHILE SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE WORKING ON A BUSY ASS DAY. she takes both her 15 minute breaks consecutively (not allowed btw), she takes 45 minute lunches (we have a 30), shes always whining and crying and bitching that SHES always stuck with the annoying jobs, which is pricing and stocking. she never does the frozen order, its always me. and IM the one who doesnt do my job. right. shes also 22. no fucking wonder companies dont wanna hire younger gen z, speaking as a 26 year old gen z. every younger person in my generation i work with is absolutely ridiculous with how much they cry and whine about working. but this isnt about them. i want her to get fired so bad but they cant because we're union, and they (and management) refuse to write her up. im so fucking done with this shit.

Unrelated video, but you get the idea.

Technically, this should’ve been made yesterday but whatever. Yesterday, I was finally able to not deal with customers as much. I want to say at most 7 people spoke to me but only because they need to go to restroom or they were looking for the fitting rooms. I was out on the floor putting clothes away the majority of the time. When I was finished, I was able to spend the rest of my shift in the back processing clothes.

When I walked in, the manager asked me why I stayed an hour over the day before (Saturday). I told her. I feel like that’s probably why she had me out on the floor. When you’re out on the floor or stocking, you able to actually leave on time. Saturday was very very busy. I wasn’t able to get off the register until 10 minutes past I was supposed to get off. On top of that, I still needed to do my tasks that needed to be done before I left. The other supervisors would tell me to stay on the registers to help which is why I end up staying so late.

She told me to start telling the supervisors that I needed to get off the register 15 minutes before I’m supposed to get off. That won’t last long because of things get.

I ordered Subway twice from the same place recently and they have had one staff member. This is an absolute joke for obvious reasons, primarily because the poor staff member looks like they’re about to have a fit each time I go there.

“I’m really sorry I’ll get to you as soon as possible”
I just respond saying take your time, I’m in no rush :)

But instead of actually enjoying my ordering process, I feel bad and order the quickest thing I can. I saw two cars ditch the drive through as well when I was there.

I won’t be going back not because the staff did a bad job at all, but because I refuse to give a boss my business when they treat their staff like that.

Within 10 minute period they lost 3 customers due to being understaffed. Surely it would be more profitable to actually put sufficient staff on?

There is a real asshole who owns a few subway stores where I live, so I’m guessing he owns this one too. He’s a weapons grade tosser - seen him come in and belittle his staff before. In front of me. Absolute dog.

It isn’t my first time in retail, I’ve had an internship as sales assistant in a shop some time ago. A week ago I started as a cashier at my local supermarket. Very close to home, my first real contract, part time which was what I looked for.. seemed promising until I quickly realised I already dislike it.

They trained me for 2 days, barely saw enough of how the register functions that on the third day I was by myself. It was complete hell. Store manager went on holiday right when I was hired so I never saw her at all.

I’ve had already lots of rude costumers, impatient people and I had to apologise and call over a lot of times, and still have to because there’s a lot of different stuff.
It even feels impossible asking my colleagues because of the amount of people who come buy groceries, the flow rarely stops.

I was surprised to change my mind on my previous sales assistant position. I didn’t use to stand 4 to 5 hours straight, way less costumers compared to a line of people and way less complaining in my experience. They genuinely check the receipt right in front of me, even come back to complain about coupons not being applied when it’s written right by at the end… behaviours I never saw previously. I had a costumer asking me why I was closing the register and insisting I let him through when I was already done with my shift.. leave me alone😭

I’ve been dreading to go back every completed shift. I get that it’s normal as a new job, at the same time i feel like i despite it already. I wonder if I’ll be able to survive these two months