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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.

#9

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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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#10

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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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#14

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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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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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#32

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

to the ppl replying to this comment, Pro gay doesn't equal Anti straight, Pro black doesn't equal Anti white and vice-versa (or at least that's how it should be) so lets just try to spread positivity

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

it's a skin manifestation of strep throat. As long as strep exists so will scarlet fever

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

Mom of young kid here who freaked out when her 5yo was diagnosed with scarlet fever (after reading velveteen rabbit and who knows how many old books featuring how awful it used to be). Fast forward back to us - pediatrician explained that it's one kind of strep throat, child had to be on antibiotics 24 hours before returning to school, all was well.

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

It's just strep bacteria. Wash your hands before touching your face or scratching yourself and you're fine

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Katrina B.
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's not just about her though. Now all of those books have to be thrown out because of their exposure and most libraries have problems with budget nowadays. So thanks lady for causing even more problems.

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

Note-to-self: Keep gloves for overdue book return.

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

Library date labels in ye olden days used to have 'do not return if you've had Scarlet Fever ' but I guess it's rare enough now that they've dropped it.

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Magdalena Bedernik
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2 years ago

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

NOTE TO PEOPLE: if you are sick and have to turn in library books, CALL THE LIBRARY. they don't want you to come in and check them in, and probably will give you a discount on the late fee to discourage you.

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

I wouldn't worry. My sister got Scarlet Fever and no-one else in the family caught it.

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

Even apart from the health implications, if they were quarantining with an infectious disease and had called the library to say so I bet the library would have renewed the books for them so they didn't have ANY fines.

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

Scarlet fever is absolutely horrible but not as dangerous as it once was.

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

i guess that's the kind of people who won't wear a mask too

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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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