"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, 'What! You too? I thought I was the only one.'" ~ C. S. Lewis

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Abbreviated Retail Wednesday

Of course, since I'm on vacation (sorry, am I rubbing that in a little too often? I only get to say it once a year and it makes me happy :) I have very few stories to share so I decided to do something else.

Here is a list of some of the most annoying types of customers (I'm sure there are others, but these came to mind in the couple days I worked since last Wednesday :)

Revolving Doors:

Customer: I'd like to exchange this book for this one. I got it home and realized I'd already read it. I have my receipt.
Us: ummm... on this receipt it shows that you bought this one in exchange for another one. How funny that this is the fourth time you've "realized you'd already read it." Could it be that you "already read it" after you bought it? Did you know there's actually a place you can do that for free? It's called a library!


Tagalongs:
Us: Hi! Can I help you with anything?
Tagalong: (long slow head dip/turn to look at their significant other)(apparently no words are necessary if you're only visiting the store because of someone else)

Actually, this just makes me chuckle.


Denial...:
Us: I'm sorry, nothing comes up under that.
Customer: What if you put it in this way. Or this way. Or with this spelling. How about if you do it backwards. Or upside down. or by the possible secondary author. Or the illustrator. Or the publisher. Or the size of the book. It has a blue cover!


ADD Followers:
Us: It's right over this way.
Customer: la de da de da - I will follow you for ten step - ooh! Look! shiny! - hey, where'd you go.
Us: Um, I turned left and you went right.
Customer: You walk too fast.




And just because I thought it was really cute -

I was helping a man place an order that he wanted shipped to his granddaughter. He opened his wallet and pulled out a piece of paper with her address on it. "This is my address book. I don't do those Blueberries or Applesauces and cream cheese things."

Oh goodness, I was trying not to laugh at that one. He was so freakin' adorable!

Next week will probably be a retro week since again I will only have 2 days worth of stuff - of course, sometimes 2 days is more than enough :)

Tata!

18 comments:

MeganRebekah said...

Do you really let people continue to exchange books indefintely? Crazy.

And the old man who doesn't do the cream cheese things - I'm still laughing!!

Rae said...

Admit it- you love your job! Without those crazy irritating people, it would be boring! Enjoy your vacation!

Jessica Bell said...

Hahaha! I love these posts of yours! :) "I don't do those Blueberries or Applesauces and cream cheese things." That has got to be the best statement ever. LOL I don't do them either! ahaha

Amber at The Musings of ALMYBNENR said...

Okay...omg at the Revolving door customers...srsly?!?!

And I'm absolutely ROLLING over the guy who said he doesn't use blueberries or applesauces or cream cheese things...CLASSIC!

Hannah said...

I must be in a silly mood because that tagalong LOL cat almost made me choke.

I love the customers that tell you what words to put in. I just turn the monitor towards them and type: this customer keeps asking me stoopid questions. Oh I'm sorry, did I type that out loud?

Unknown said...

Ahahahaha... Love Cream Cheese Man :D

And the lol cats.

And your face.

Mwahahahahaha...

VW: untrousl, a Swedish dish

Laura S. said...

LOL, the man with his "address book." That's so cute!

The first one cracks me up. Perhaps that customer really was too, ummm, *scatterbrained* to remember what he'd read in the past??? Or maybe he doesn't know what a library is, which is even worse. It's alarming to think about these people contributing to our world, haha!

Love your Wednesday posts!

Mia Hayson said...

Hahaha, I am totally an ADD follower sometimes. I sympathise with the wonderful assistant who patiently waits as I spot yet another pretty book. They like it though :P They must do. I'm an entertaining ADD follower.... yeah... that's what I tell myself.

That last guy was so cute too!

Cynthia Reese said...

Oh, I love that old guy! I'll never think of a Blackberry without thinking of blueberries and cream cheese!

Jemi Fraser said...

The last customer sounds great! I'm not sure I'd have much patience for the first kind!

Shelley Sly said...

These cracked me up! :D Thanks for posting!

M.R.J. Le Blanc said...

The old guy is by far the best! You could just hear him say it. And lolcats are always made of win, I love ADD kitten.

Unknown said...

Retail Weds when there is not even retailing going on... you are my herooooooo!

Jessica said...

Have a story for you when you come back...ugh ugh it's a stinky one too! Anyways Im glad to see Retail Wednesday didn't take a back seat to your vacation! Cannot wait to talk Lost when you get back (though I probably will not have seen the finale yet by the time I see you).

Rebecca T. said...

@MeganRebekah: well, technically as long as they have the receipt and it's in salable condition.... but sometimes we'll catch on and tell them... no more. And that guy was so sweet.

@Rae: I do love my job... most of the time. Thanks! I am!

@TAA: Why thanks! I have fun doing them.

@aLmYbNeNr: yeah. srsly. Silly peoples.

@Palindrome: I LOVE LOLCats SO MUCH!

@Naomi: untrousl! HAHAHAHAHA!

@Laura: if they don't know what a library is they shouldn't be reading. imo. :P

@Mia: Yes, but you probably don't BLAME the staff for YOUR ADD. Right?! at least, you won't anymore. :P

@Cynthia: Haha! Glad to have changed your life :)

@Jemi: I love customers like the last one, but the first one? ugh.

@Shelley: You're so welcome - thanks for reading!

@M.R.J. Le Blanc: LOLCats ftw!

@Lindsey: Yeah! I've always wanted to be a hero!

@Jessica: Ooh - I'm scared now. And YEAH for LOST! I can't wait to TALK to you ABOUT it!

JW said...

I've witnessed some of the various kinds of customers bookstores get at my book signings, and believe me, you're not alone! People seem to think bookstores are libaries, whether it be trying to read the books in the stores to trying to return them after they've read them. A lot of bookstores will buy them back, but not at full price.

Then there are the people who attend my book signings who shake my hand, let me sign a book for them, and only then remember they didn't bring any money to pay for it. (If their name is Michael it's one thing. If their name is Marigold or Gennipher, than it's another.)

Courtney Barr - The Southern Princess said...

I left a lil' some'n some'n on my blog for you... ;o)

I cannot get over your posts lately- love the vacay ones!

have a great weekend!
Visit My Kingdom Anytime

prashant said...
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