I currently work at a small little (well, not small small, but just not a chain store of any kind) retail store. No, not saying what store and where (I’m not stupid), but it sells home decor stuff and bedding, but after 2008, along with actual merchandise, the owner acquired shit from like those liquidation people (stores have a bunch of shit people don’t buy for a reason, yet there are companies that buy off stuff from them and re-sell to dumbasses. These “seconds” aren’t always bad (such as the extra random fabric he got, or some decent mirrors, etc), but when it just random stuff thrown into boxes, you’re talking broken stuff, half-emptied bottles, or just completely leaked chemicals that got on everything, so nothing is even sell-able. The store has gone down the toilet. Now of course, it’s going out of business, since people with money decided to not buy stuff, causing people trying to work for a living, to either get laid off or have their hours cut (thanks, BTW).

Of course, we get these people who say, “oh, I’m so sorry you’re going out of business,” or even, “I like coming in here to look around,” which makes me want to say, “yeah, well, looking around doesn’t pay the bills.” It’s bad enough that I have been working in retail (and I know I’m not the only one who has to put up with the stupidity of customers, found a great little site nicely called Retail-Sucks.com). But what sucks, is that we’re going out of business, and it was decided months after he opened a similar, yet much smaller, and more beachier, store, only about a 15min drive from the “main” store. They did well in the summer, but, in the off-season, saw a few days where they did even make any money (had some sales, but more returns). They’re staying open. Now, it’s spring-time, and we’ve been going out of business for about 4 months now, and they have only just started to pick up decent numbers, yet he’s not hiring any extra help. I feel sorry for them, working 50-60 hours in a week, because there are only 2 full-timers there, and 2 part-timers. While at our store, there’s 4 of us full-timers, and 2 part-timers (one of which has really low hours, and the other who has to go pee a lot, seriously). We have a manager who doesn’t always show up on time, and another who talks on the phone A LOT (mostly on her own cell phone). The other one sometimes uses the store phone, and has to take a cig break at least every hour. Not saying I’ve always came into work on time (5-15 min late, not a morning person), but I take no breaks, and lately, with business seeing some busy days, I sometimes don’t even get a lunch break, and if I do, it’s 10-15 min, just enough to eat a sandwich.

But back to what is sucking, and that is trying to find a job. I’m trying to look for higher paying jobs, or at least those similar to what I make now (~20,000 a year), but come up empty. The problem, there are TOO MANY damn restaurants now in the area, not that many places to shop, so staying away from restaurant jobs (which I’m reluctant to go back to) and finding a possible retail store where I may do some of the same stuff I do now, is hard. So, as for higher paying jobs, I’ve been looking into government jobs, but experience is a factor (I have an Associates in Internet Technologies, so I was looking at some tech jobs, but typically, that doesn’t seem to be enough).

I thought of maybe adding an ad to this blog, but if anyone actually views this and clicked on it, it wouldn’t be enough (though still, I’ve considered LinkShare, since they do the affiliate links with iTunes). I hate ads, but I may need to start monetizing this blog (the main site has some affiliate links, as does this blog already, from Zazzle, but I am having a hard time thinking of something truly original for a design to go on shirts and mugs that people may actually want to buy). If I can finish writing my story ideas, I thought of seeing if I have a writing future, but, as evidence of this blog, I don’t think I’m much of a writer.

Come to think of it, I don’t know what it is I’m really good at, except for watching a bunch of different TV shows, but I feel there are enough TV bloggers out there, and I think I’ve been real good about lessening TV talk on this blog. Although, I’ve been using this blog less and less now.

Oh well, felt the need to vent a little, plus my arm is tired and I need to finish Legend of the Seeker from my beautiful DVR that makes it possible for me to watch the amount of shows I do.

Oh, did I mention that job sites like Monster and HotJobs are useless, since I live in a tech-challenged county that are least likely to post job openings online.

Warning, I’m in a venting mood:

Being I work at a retail store (a home decor actually, where I know nothing about decorating, but they don’t know shit about computers), I see a lot of fucked up shit. I don’t know how many times a customer may buy a whole bedding set (quilt, shams, ruffles, blah, blah, blah) and then come in the next day to return the whole thing because it wasn’t right for their room.

First off, you know what your damn room looks like. Second, if it’s a matter of color, don’t come back and say it was too blue or something, ’cause, you knew there was a lot of blue in it (this argument also ties in with “you know what your damn room looks like”). Third, not only are you wasting my time, you’re wasting your time as well (and money too, think about the gas it took to get your ass to the store).

Another thing that pisses me off.  Why won’t people keep their damn packaging.  Most stores will not accept returns without the original packaging.  Think about it.  If you owned a store, are you gonna wanna deal with products that have no packages?  And it’s listed on the damn receipt.  I know, ’cause I put that on there in hopes it’ll decrease the ammount of stupidity;  it doesn’t.

You see, when I shop, I know what I want, and only a few times did I get something to try out (electronic stuff is about the only item that you may need to test out and see if it works for you, especially something like an antenna, ’cause I may not do any better than a standard non-amplified antenna).  And you know what I did when I bought that more expensive amplified antenna?  I kept the fuckin’ box and everything.  I stuck it back in there, nice and neat just like I have opened it.

It’s not hard folks.  Same thing goes for the receipt.  Most stores won’t except returns without a receipt, and for good reason.  They may have a 30-day policy, and the receipt is the one thing that’ll show it being within the 30 days, and how it was paid for.  Now, we are more lenient, in we allow returns w/o a receipt, but with store credit only.  I wish we didn’t.  It’s not hard to keep a receipt.  There’s actually a regular returner (new word: noun, someone who buys just to return it later, for some dumbass reason).  This person apparently has racked up quite a good amount of store credit, giving us lame excuses (elementary student excuses, such as “the dog ate it”).  Not joking, it’s true.  And, if I remember correctly, I think it happened twice.  If the dog did eat it, then maybe you should keep your receipts “out of reach of pets.”

If I owned and operated a store, I would be much more strict towards a return policy.  I don’t care if they don’t end up buying something, because if they end up returning it, it’ll cancel that purchase out anyway.  Plus, time is money, so why waste employee time on stupidity?

Oh, and the customer, truly, is not always right.  We just have to work like that’s true, but you know what, we don’t really think that.  And anyone who has worked in retail, feels the same way, yet, despite this, they may be some of the same people who do the same shit they hate customers of their own stores to do.

I also hate it when customers fill a cart, and somewhere in rugs, decide to just leave.  Unless it was some dire emergency, like a sudden family death you found out about or something, then you are an ass.  I hate people who take towards using every fuckin’ coupon.  I get it, everybody wants to save some money, BUT, how do we make money to stay in business if we end up selling you every item at or below cost.  More importantly, I hate other employees who allow certain coupon usage that had been forbidden.  Items on sale dirt cheap, are sale items.  Most stores do the same thing by not allowing coupons on sale items.  Unless it says something like “an additional on top of an existing offer” or something, chances are, you can’t use a coupon on a sale item.

I hate customers that feel the need to take an entire sheet set out of the package, allowing pillow cases to fall on the floor and get dirty, making it almost unsellable.  Do you really need to take the whole fuckin sheet out?  Do you know that size of your own bed you sleep on everyday?  If so, why the fuck do you need to take it out.  Or the window panels, or even quilts.  Half the shit gets displayed, so it’s not that you can’t see the whole pattern.  Is it measurements?  Most of any quilts, panels, and the like have the measurements on the damn package.  Don’t know how long of a curtain you need?  Well, if you were thinking of getting a curtain, maybe you should’ve taken some damn measurements before you left.  BTW, we’re not mind readers.  You cvan describe your house all you want, but it isn’t gonna make us qualified to give you decorating advice on YOUR house.  Customer service is really just needed to help customers look for certain items.  Unless a place says there are Interior Designers for hire, you do your own decorating.

Point A: Know what you want/need before you buy.  Point B: well, there is not point B, just have at least an idea of what you need or want before you go and buy something.  It not only saves us time, but as an advice to other customers out there (we are all customers, some of us are just better to stores than others), it also saves us all time and money in the long run.

I hate Wal-Mart. It’s crowded unless you go after midnight (which works for me, but that’s when several sections are blocked off in order to wax floors and stuff). It doesn’t really have a large selection. True, it’s big and has a lot of stuff, sometimes at cheaper prices (not all the time, really, that’s mostly a gimmick, all retail stores use them), but in general, it doesn’t have a great selection (such as, say, PC software, it has is, but it’s limited to about two or three antivirus products, Office and maybe Windows OS, then a handful of new PC Games, a small section of older budget games, and that’s about it). But hey, it’s a general retail store that doesn’t specialize in squat.

But the real point to this post. Music. I’m ashamed to say that I’ve bought a CD at Wal-Mart as recent as May 2001 (yes, I remember, it was Mother’s Day and I got Tantric’s debut CD). I listened to it, very excited about this totally original and very unappreciated band. Then the song “Astounded” came to be which as the F-word in the chorus. It wasn’t edited since there was no sticker, but it easily could have been. A few months earlier was when Aerosmith released ‘Just Push Play.’ Not sticker, but there were reports that people who bought their copy at Wal-Mart, were screwed with a fucked up copy (edited version).

To understand this, let’s travel to 1985, when the hearings went on for the record industry to tag “inappropriate” music. In a sense, it’s not the real bad thing. Movies had ratings, makes sense for music to have something similar. The problem is when mothers just don’t get that the little black and white label means that they may not want their child to listen to it. So instead of blaming themselves for their stupidity (I don’t apologize, so shut up), they attack the retail chain that has absolutely NOTHING to do with the artistic process that goes into creating a record. And for most housewives, their choice store was Wal-Mart, so Wal-Mart therefore takes it upon themselves to NOT sell the real thing. Instead, record labels are forced to create these shitty B-Versions of CDs, or that album isn’t sold in the store.

This sucks when it comes to independent bands, say Tantric, whose last album, ‘The End Begins,’ was pressed only in the B-Version, since it costs more to create two versions of a CD. Interestingly, this last CD had the F-Word in it two times, while their debut that I did get at a Wal-Mart, had it four times and wasn’t affected. Neither of their CDs are vulgar enough to even need the sticker, IMO. I had pre-ordered the CD right when I could from their official online store, listened, and shelved it, went to iTunes and bought the two songs that were edited. I eventually bought the whole thing again for the bonus tracks available only on iTunes.

This is unfair to us consumers that are mature adults and appreciate music. I don’t have to have CDs that only contain THE LABEL, but I support free speech and the artists themselves, that pour their hearts into their songs. Wal-Mart doesn’t give a shit. I have no problem, what-so-ever, to go to my local record store (sorry CD store) and pay a few bucks more for the real thing.

I’m proud that it was been eight years, and I have not bought another CD at Wal-Mart. I enjoy getting many CDs from a local store that is part of the same company as f.y.e, which is awesome. Have the rewards card and go at least one to two times a month (sometimes more).

I buy ALL my CDs elsewhere, even those that are clean (like Collective Soul or Chevelle).  It’s a matter of principle.  I can’t buy CDs at Wal-Mart, since I don’t support them selling CDs unless they give consumers the choice.  If parents are concerned, that’s not Wal-Mart’s problem, and they need to understand that.  But sense they give in, I can’t support Wal-Mart, at all.  Only once every two-three months will I find myself going to that terrible place, since it’s the only place open in the later hours (all the drug stores close when the place I work at closes, making it difficult to get some items I may need).  But, I am looking forward to completely staying away from Wal-Mart once I find an alternative to the Faded Glory jeans I wear (since I know the size I need, I hate trying on clothes); now only if I can get the rest of my family to see my way.

BTW, Wal-Mart also doesn’t have a large selection of CDs anyway, and you’ll have better luck at a f.y.e.-like store anyway.

…LATER…

…to those of us who have to work (and I only wish to those who like me have to work, since the rest of you aren’t gonna be working, you’ll already happy (unless you actually like your job)). I don’t work at a hospital, police station, broadcast station, movie theaters, fire stations (let’s just sum it all up to emergency services), behind the scenes of any parades, football games, or a grocery store (yep, a lot of those are open on Thanksgiving, since American tend to be quite the procrastinators). No, I work in retail, yeah, retail. Bad enough we have Black Friday a day after, now I got to work on a Holiday. Yeppie! I was told time and a half, and I’m holding that to them. Now, I don’t care too much for family gatherings (kind of hate them), but I would love to be able to watch more of my Real Ghostbusters complete series I got from Time Life. So worth the nearly $200 (including shipping) to have 25 DVDs of this awesome cartoon series based on one of the most awesome movies ever made.

*sighs*

Hello anyone who managed to find me.

I’m gonna take a little time to mentioned what us in the Retail world refer to as Black Friday.  This is the Friday right after Thanksgiving, the official start of the holiday buying season.   Retail giants such as Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Circuit City, and so on…, have major sales on this day, such as, in the case of stores like Best Buy and Circuit City, a high-end electronic gadget for anywhere from $100-$300 or even more, cheaper than it normally is.  Stores even open up early (even a small retail store such as where I work, a small home decor like place), and can even implement time-sensitive sales (Early Bird specials, say from 7am to 11am only, this product is gonna be 75% off, or something).

For me, though, I hate it.  It sucks working at a retail store because of this, and it sucks knowing something you want is really cheap, but you aren’t stupid enough to get yourself killed for it, so you miss out on it.  I want to save money, but the idea of getting up in the wee-hours of the morning(or, for me, I’m probably already up, but more likely tired so thinking of going to sleep), wait in large crowds for a store to open, and chances, if it’s a limited supply, the item already gone.  I get there are people who are brave enough to handle it, I ain’t one of them.

Luckily, we have Black Monday. With shopping online gaining more popularity every year, it’s a new thing where several major online retailers have their version of Black Friday (as well as Black Friday Online Only kind of sales). Oddly, there are people who love waiting in line, then again, if everyone went for the online deals, probably every server for the top stores would crash.

Why?  Customers can be very annoying, as are fellow co-workers.  Basically, people are annoying (I’m sure I annoy people myself).

I’m not a people person, but I know not to be too rude to a customer, even though I find that a “customer is NOT always right,” and also, female customers, can get real bitchy.  (Just to note, I am a female, and I can get in bitchy moods myself, but don’t hassel a poor sales associate, we do’t make that much and most of the times, the questions are stupid, and also, and I’m getting off-topic here, why can’t someone know what colors will work and what they really want before they buy it.  It’s a waste of our time and yours when you buy a shit load of crap just to return it the next day (or in some cases, just hours later).

Oh, and I don’t meen to be disrespectful in any way, but we get some people who just aren’t quite all there, and I just wonder why in the hell they don’t have a friend or family member, even a nurse, someone to be with them and help them.  I’m a sales associate, not a health care professional.

Then, you got the people who bring drinks in and leave it on a shelf, maybe stick gum on a rail or something (I’ve seen dried gum under a shelf).  But, the main thing in all the stores, “okay, let’s load up a cart and then decide, ‘eh, maybe we’ll not get any of this stuff,’ and just leave it right there and exit.  That worse than when someone decides to not buy one item and just sticks it on a shelf where they are (before I worked retail, if I decided to not buy something, I went back to where it was and place it back, and I remember not wanting to leave something at checkout but my aunt or something had no problem with it).  Oh, and where I work, we have bed displays.  Anything more annoying, taking a quilt out of a bag and placing it on the bed.  I get checking the length, but, why leave it there?

This is gonna be a long post.

Speaking of taking stuff out of their packaging.  There’s no point in it.  We have panels displayed, quilts displayed in some way, also, a person can see the colors and general pattern through the packaging.  So why the fuck take it out?  To feel it?  Okay, un zip it and feel it, it doesn’t have to be completely taken out and left on the floor.  Plus, like I said, they’re displayed, feel the quilts that we’ve hunged, or the panels.  Is it a matter of size?  Okay, you have a full size bed, then yes a F/Q quilt will fit it, it’s a FULL/Queen quilt, it’ll work.  And yes, with a quilt, you’ll need a ruffle, it’s a quilt.  Obviously, if we have matching ruffles, it means, yes, you’ll need one if seeing that a bed is on a frame is bad for you (I don’t get that neither, so what.  I don’t think I’ll ever get it).  Now we have more bedspreads, and there are bozos asking about ruffles.  We don’t sell matching ruffles with bedspreads, yet we do with quilts, hmmm, (*this is a sarcastic tone, BTW), I wonder, so ruffles for the quilts, but not bedspread.  Could it be that bedspreads don’t need ruffles since they bigger overall, and quilts are more top covering, and would require one (if that’s a preference to hide that the bed is on a frame and not touching the floor)?

Oh, and most of the people I work with smoke, so at both sides of the entrance are little pots filled with sand for the purpose of, I guess it’s estinguishing a cigarette.  Customers need to do that before entering.  I believe this is a problem everywhere, those are for cigarettes, not TRASH (though, smoking is a filthy habit and cigarettes are trash).  But, in regard to our little makeshift what-cha-ma-callit cigarette disposal system, when is a pot of sand considered a trash can?

Oh, and clothes, phew.  Got customers coming in, overweight women or something like that (not to be offensize, as I’m overweight according to what I should weigh based on age and height), but don’t wear skanky outfits, no one wants to see that.  I don’t even wear tanks, please, don’t wear little tub tops and walk in a store lookin like that.

Oh, this is the best part of people stupidity.  Ok, I’m on a ladder, obvously stocking something.  A customer comes up to me and asks “Do you work here?”  Well, DUH!  Oh course, I don’t say that, but, come on.  I feel like I have every right to say, “No, I just like climbing up on ladders and stocking merchandise.”  Even had a customer ask when I was behind the register.

What else?   Let’s see, I think that covers it for stupid customers.  Now, stupid boss/co-workers, Yeah.  First, they can’t spell to save their lives.  When it comes to store ads, we have the worst.  First, the company that does it, doesn’t spell check, second, they shouldn’t have to, really, ’cause the boss man should know that it’s ‘Layaway’ not ‘Law-a-way.’  It’s ‘tablecloths’ not ‘tableclothes,’ and also, I believe the rug size is 5′x8′, not 5″x8″.  (I’m not explaining that last one, it’s obvious enough, if you don’t know it, you’re stupid).  Oh, and with math, SIMPLE, SIMPLE addition, say 9+5, we got counting fingers.  Seriously.  Then there’s the person who does about fiften-thirty minutes of work and decides, “time for a cigarette break.”  Then there’s the managers taking lunches, despite it being a Saturday, and one employee was one theirs, and leaving me on register with one person, who isn’t qualified for watching the register or helping customers with bedding/window stuff (he’s more rugs and if somone needs something down), yet said person who was already on their lunch was told to wait for the said person who is the one to call for heavy lifting stuff.

Don’t think I explained that well, basically, managers can all eat lunch, leave me be in charge, when other employees (including me) would have to wait for someone else to get done.  Does that make sense?

Phew, over a thousand words.  Pretty sure this was a blog no-no, pretty sure no one is ready this as interest was lost.

In the end, everyone is stupid, annoying, and well, stupid still. And work sucks!

Later…