Why I Hate Retail--A Rant and a Plea to Shoppers Everywhere

Today I came to the conclusion that when people go shopping, they forget everything their mothers taught them. I understand that a day of shopping, in most cases, is supposed to be a leisurely day, a day to splurge and reward yourself for all the great things you've done recently. (Or I suppose in some cases it's torture and you just can't wait to get it over with.) Nonetheless, I get it. The last thing you want to worry about is your manners.

But why is it so socially acceptable to forget them? Because serving you and putting away all the stuff you messed up is "what the workers are there for"? Fair enough--you don't remember where you got your book or which rack the jeans are on. But does that mean you should leave them sprawled on the floor? Or place them haphazardly in a place they clearly don't belong? Imagine going to a friend's house overnight and asking to borrow a towel for your shower and then just dropping it on the floor of the tub when you are done. That would be inexcusable. But it's ok when you're shopping.

Honestly, as someone who works in retail, I don't mind helping customers,I can even handle it when they get irrationally angry (although again, didn't your mother tell you: if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything?), but every time I'm stuck at the store a half an hour after close because there is so much to put away and organize, it frustrates me that if each person* just made a tiny bit of an effort to be considerate, I would be able to go home.

As a side note, sometimes I wish it were socially acceptable, when I send a customer upstairs, to give them something that needs to go up there and ask them to drop it off on their way. Don't you think that would make the world a better place?

*I understand that many of you are considerate when you shop, in which case I apologize for the rant and I applaud you for that. Thank you for indulging me.