Crazy Customers

There was a line of at least ten people standing outside Michaels this morning, just waiting for the store to open. It wasn't really distracting, but every time a coworker would show up for their shift before business hours, you practically had to fight back a mob of customers who'd try to barge in behind them. I have a feeling we stock our wrapping paper tubes so close to the front door so we can use them as weapons in such scenarios.

This is only the second time I've ever worked retail in December, but I'm already noticing a trend in the way customers behave during the holiday season. They obviously flock to the stores in higher numbers and tend to get more aggressive and less patient, but despite all of that, less of them actually know what they want to buy when they come into the store. I can't go a whole day anymore without someone asking me to come up with gift ideas for them!

Take today for instance. A woman told me she was looking for a craft kit for a 12-year-old girl. She didn't say what kind of a craft kit she was looking for, she just wanted me to show her every single kit in the store that I thought a 12-year-old girl would like. It also had to be less than $15. And after I came up with something, she said if I found anything "better" while she was still in the store, I should bring it to her.

Is it just me, or does it sound like this woman pretty much wanted me to do her Christmas shopping for her? Suffice to say, I didn't find anything "better" than the first kit I came up with for her.

One of my funnier customer encounters was about two months ago. A woman said she was looking for something to stick a poster to a wall with, and I showed her a box of adhesive squares. I kid you not, she held the item in her hand, read the description on the box, and said, "Adhesive on both sides, removable, and doesn't damage wall or poster. That sounds good. Where can I find something like that?"

I don't even remember what I said in response to that. If I ever make a Top 10 list of memorable work moments, that will probably make the top 3.

So that was my rant on work for the day. I'm rested up, and I think I'll go to Open Mic Night at Duke's Station this evening. It's supposed to be a battle of the bands type of event, and Jackie's sons Drew and Noah will most likely be there. See you tomorrow, folks!

11 days until The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey...