Biting My Tongue
What is it with people asking if a product is "in the back" or if we "have it somewhere else" in the store??
I was in the store on my day off, doing some paperwork that had to be completed that day. Brilliant, right? I worked the day before and the day after, but I couldn't do it early or late. The manager on duty didn't have the authorization to do it, so I had to come in on my day off. And work. On my day off.
The young cashier saw me and passed on a question from a customer as to whether we had a particular item. When I told the customer that we were out of the product she was looking for, she threw a fit.
"I know more than you about your products. I should work here."
Whoa. Where did that come from?
"I'm sorry, but we're out of that item. We may have some more next week."
"You know, it's sad that I know more than you do about what you sell. You don't even know what you carry. There might be some in the back."
I bit down on my bottom lip, HARD, and tried not to roll my eyes. I repeated that we were out of the item, and there were none in the back. Then I walked off. I SO wanted to say more, and the fact that I wasn't in uniform made me so tempted, but........I've seen the lady before, must be a regular, and I'd still get in trouble. Bite and walk, the best course of action.
Does it make any sense, WHATSOEVER, to have empty shelves but lots of products in "the back?" Where is "the back," anyway? Our "back" is the size of my bedroom at home, if that. It contains a bathroom, a breakroom, store supplies, extra store fixtures and such, defective items, cleaning supplies, and yes, a FEW items that won't fit on the shelf. But when there's room on the shelf, we put the items out.
It's been my experience that items don't sell well when they're in "the back." It generally helps if customers can see them, touch them, carry them to the cashier to pay for them, etc. Customers have no brains. "The back"................it doesn't exist. If it's not on the shelf, we don't have any.
I know, you're terribly inconvenienced and we should give you a 500% discount and deliver the item to your door in person. But guess what? Retail doesn't work like that.
3 comments:
"In the back" means "pull it out of yer ass"
That's hilarious - you just totally burst a very old bubble. I always ask stores if they have something in "the back." I think it's because it's worked a few times - probably 1 out of 100 - but those few times are enough to keep me asking.
Thanks for your detailed description of "the back" - I'll get those images of warehouses out of my head and stop asking!
I don't mind people asking if it's in the back IF they're willing to take, "No, it's not," as an answer. Many customers treat me like I'm lazy and not doing my job if I don't go and check "the back." Old people are the worst, but everyone has done it. I feel like saying, "Would you like a tour of 'the back'?"
If I have any inkling whatsoever that there might be one back there, I WILL go and check. But if it's a popular item, it's NOT BACK THERE. We're sold out of it. Yes, again.
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