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Everyone who has worked in retail knows that for every good customer, you get 2 horrible ones pulling up in the parking lot. It's a law. Like gravity.

But some people are so rude, so annoying, and so malicious, it's like they're on a quest to make as many workers miserable as possible. And sometimes they succeed.

When someone like that ruins your day, there's only one thing you can do. Vent online. I mean, you can't punch the jerk or anything—you're still in uniform. Pull off a stunt that damages the reputation of the company you're working for and you're out the door.

Bored Panda has compiled a list of these stories to show you that people in retail really deserve our respect; they go through these situations every day. For more similar experiences, check out our older pieces here and here.

#2

Customers-Stories-From-Hell

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pusheen buttercup
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Glory hounding. Trying to do the right thing for the sake of appearances whether it kills anyone or not

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In our piece on some of the most ridiculous customer demands ever, we mentioned one study that's relevant here as well.

Turns out, people treat retail workers worse when they're looking for bargains than if they were less price-conscious. The University of British Columbia (UBC) Sauder School of Business paper, which was published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology in 2017, looked at several factors to determine how customers treated employees.

One variable researchers analyzed was the words customers used when speaking to customer service workers.

"When shoppers focus only on paying the lowest price, they become less attuned to understanding the human needs of others, or even recognizing them," Johannes Boegershausen, a UBC Sauder Ph.D. student who co-authored the study, said in a press release.

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Sum Guy
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would use that even if my father didn't die... you got served and I wasn't rude to you... smiling is nice, but you can't expect someone to be smiling the whole day

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Researchers also analyzed customers' feelings towards the employees by showing them pictures of a flight attendant in the Ryanair (bargain) uniform, the Lufthansa (luxury) uniform, and a neutral uniform. Customers viewed the Lufthansa and neutral flight attendants as equally human, but they saw the Ryanair flight attendant in a poorer light.

"We simply varied the brand, and found that people ascribed lower capabilities for experiencing emotions and feelings to the Ryanair flight attendant," Boegershausen explained, adding that this subtle dehumanization can take many forms and is not necessarily intentional.

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Another experiment had participants communicating in a live chat with a rude customer service representative. They were then offered the chance to punish the employee through a complaint. The researchers found participants were 18 percent more likely to give a rating that would lead to disciplinary actions against the employee when shoppers were adopting a price-conscious mentality than when they were not.

The researchers say the findings could help owners and management of discount stores, as the problem could affect their employee retention—previous research has shown that employees who experience rude and inconsiderate customer behaviors report higher levels of emotional exhaustion, job dissatisfaction, and burnout.

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Judging from these posts, retail employees deal with a lot of dumb stuff. At least they're strong enough to laugh from their misery.

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Ripley
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Imagine being so small-minded that you have a meltdown over what fried potatoes are called.

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Sum Guy
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I get it... the mind is a stupid thing and will often do something like this

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pusheen buttercup
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ohhhh I've been there. I really have. There is genetic variation within every race... You can't say "you're not caucasian, because your nose is too big". I don't appreciate idiots who think they know your race better than you

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Lutz Herting
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That is exactly why science has thrown out the theory of "human races" A LONG TIME AGO. The genetic differences between individuals in a "race" are MUCH bigger than the genetic difference between "the races". Race theory is seen as a hypothesis from the past, that has been proven wrong by scientific advances.

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Aragorn II Elessar
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I’m half Chinese half white and I’ve had literally this exact conversation before. Took all of my restraint not to punch them in the face, because I ain’t tryna get arrested for animal abuse.

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chrissy goodman
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

im norwegian and greek. bc of my norwegian side i have pale white skin. one summer i got badly sunburn someone asked if i was irish but dyed my hair brown bc i hated ginger jokes. i wasnt offended but my irish friend who i was meeting up with sure was. the slightest comment about nationalities and race can really hurt someone. ive been asked if i believe in more then one god before it takes alot to offend me considering im the perfect target i have so many ways to b made fun of. i say "its just words and words cant hurt me"

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Leo Domitrix
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I feel that one to my DNA. "You must be (fill in blank". Nope. No. Nope. Thank you for the compliment of thinking I'm (whatever it was) but.... Nope. In my case? "But your eyes are SO DARK!".... uh.... and?

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Donkey boi
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I actually sat here open mouthed while I was reading that and for a good moment afterwards. The s**t people people say to each other, Honestly!!!

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Mary Peace
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah, suddenly realised my mouth was open as well. Who does the customer think he/she is, to even ask the question, never mind the ghastly final comment?

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Oskar vanZandt
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

*Gobsmacked* What makes these customers think they have carte blanche to speak to someone serving/helping them like that?

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Lily
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What. The. Hell. I have a friend who's Asian (Filipino) and has pretty big eyes. One day, she was asked where she's from and she said the Philippines. The guy asked which continent the Philippines was part of. She said Asia, and the guy said she's lying because her eyes aren't small. Wtf.

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Arctic Fox Lover
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nope nope nope nope nope nope somebody trip her make her fall face-first into some cow poop.

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A Random Panda
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

People think that me, my brother, and my father are Filipino. All three of us are part African- American and Japanese.

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Narwhal Blast
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm so sorry I started laughing when I read the last line, this is just so dumb hahahahahahahahhahahahaha judging someone's origins based on the size of their eyes OMG hahahahahaha where do these people come from??? How are they still surviving???

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WholesomeArmyweeb
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

oh MY GOD! IM GOING ON A MISSION! THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE SOME FATALITIES! WHO'S COMING

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Carrie Roettger
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Something like this happened to me but it wasn't about my race. I worked at my city's zoo and it was in June in Texas and the zoo always had special holiday celebrations for local and state holidays. This was around Juneteenth and the zoo is located in a park. We had a huge crowd that day and a lot of Black and Hispanic people were there. Mi had gone to the closest drink stand to het my coworkers and I cups of water and this which is across from the primate exhibit. As I'm heading back this white guy comes up to me and says "I think the monkeys have escaped from the monkey house". I was so mad he only said it to me because I'm white, blond hair blue eyes etc. I told him that wasn't funny and went to guest relations and told them what he had said and a description. See him being escorted out by the head of security a little later. It's not the only time someone assumed I must be racist because I look like Hitler's ideal aryan.

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Lana Jig-maker
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Everyone just...what you are on your way to work around customers just repeat this mantra "Customers are stupid. they will say something stupid. They will do something stupid. Customers are stupid." Take a sip of coffee or juice and clock in.

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Meami
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This isn't exactly the same but it reminded me of a time when I was playing softball and before the game, one of my friends and I were headed to the ladies' room. A couple of guys from some other team stopped us and asked if we were sisters. We said, no, just friends. Then they said, "oh, you're lesbians". We went "what???". It made no sense. We were just walking along talking. It's not like we were holding hands or anything. No logic.

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Marianne
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The audacity of berating someone about their ethnicity.

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Nadine Bamberger
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why does it matter in the first place? None of their freaking business.

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Ripley
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd say that lady is definitely going to miss her flight once the "grade-school educated" security person is through with her.

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#16

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pusheen buttercup
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's so sad... Even if you don't like lgbt, you could at least be civil enough. Surely there is some area between best buddies and worst enemies. I know this because I met people who believe i am going to hell, but they're still my friends :)

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Lunar Bicycle
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I worked in a garden center, a really friendly customer laughed and told me he had just embarrassed himself at another garden center by asking employees there, “Do you have chlamydia?” He said they just stared at him for a moment, so he followed up with, “Do you know where I can find chlamydia?” He then realized that he meant to say “clematis” and immediately turned around and left. I helped him find our clematis, and, as he was leaving, said, “At least you didn’t say you were having trouble finding the clitoris!”

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#33

I Played Your Music For My Friends, So Give Me $400 Or I Will Sue! (X-Post - Clients From Hell)

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Ripley
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh no, I want to see them take it to small claims . . . I want to see how far it will fly when it's thrown out.

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#35

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WilvanderHeijden
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ok, we'll rename this fee to education-fee and raise it by 50%. The lesson you've learned is that you don't pretend to be rich when you haven't got a dime to spare.

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mulk
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's like: "make me appear first on google search when somebody search for [goddam words which have nothing to do with the customer's business]"

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Vorknkx
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Have you had one of those cases when you can't remember a password, ask for a reset, and when you type in the new password, it says that you can't use the old one :D

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