The hell that is working the sale section ...

I don't know what it is about clothing that's gone on sale, perhaps it thinks it doesn't have to work as hard to be sold anymore, but it seems to be obsessed with falling off the hangers. No matter how perfectly it hung day after day in full price, put a red markdown sticker on it's tag and you're just asking for a mess.

While I like to think that the mess in the sales section is entirely because the clothing's non-existent feelings have been hurt by being marked down, in actuality it's mostly because of rude customers. Not only are sales racks gone through more frequently than any other because people are trying to get their hands on a bargain, but there's this odd mentality about sales clothing. The same person who can be seen reverently admiring that $200 dress over in full price, is the same one who is leaving that marked down leather jacket and sequin dress in a messed up pile on the change room floor. It's almost as if a markdown sticker means that product can be manhandled, because it's now not worth as much as the full price items. Remember, we still have to sell that at the end of the day in order to make revenue. Just because that sequinned dress has been marked down from $400 to $150 doesn't mean that it isn't just as delicate as before. And when you ruin it by pulling off a line of sequins because you weren't being careful, you have still just cost the company $150, which is a lot to be lost on one item.

My workplace has a constant area that is dedicated to sales items. We're a fashion retailer with a high turnover of stock. If something isn't selling well, then it's waisting valuable floor space and it needs to be moved out of store ASAP. As a result of this, about a third of our store remains a sales area year round. A sales area that needs to be cleaned year round. And if you have the misfortune of being assigned to the sales area for your shift, well all I have is a well wishing of, "good luck" and, "it will all be over soon".

Most of the time, sales stock duty is left to newbies. Call it some cruel and twisted form of retail initiation if you will. It's not a hard job at all, it's just really really frustrating. Because when you see that top that you had just tidied for what feels like the fiftieth time that hour on the floor again, believe me when I say that you will want to backhand the woman standing closest to it. Oh and don't expect her to offer or even make to pick up the mess she made. Haven't you heard? Most customers are completely above that sort of thing.

Now that I have explained in depth the horrors of the sales section, imagine the panic attack that I had when I realised that was my assigned area for the day. Sales section can turn an otherwise pleasant shift into one straight from the depths of hell. This one was a particularly interesting shift.

About an hour in to my 9-5 shift, I was approached by a customer who had perhaps the oddest request that I've ever heard. She pulled a crumpled receipt out of her pocket and began her story. She had purchased a sale dress about a month earlier for $39.95, and said dress was now marked down further to $29.95. Now while she goes on to explain that she loves the dress and she had worn it many times during this month, she also announces that she wants the difference in purchase price back. This lady was basically saying that since the dress had been marked down further, and even though she purchased it weeks ago and had worn it on numerous occasions, she wanted the $10 difference that we allegedly owed her. Now excuse my language but ... what the actual fuck?! I honestly though she was joking at first. Lets just say that you paid the extra $10 to secure yourself the correct size and be able to wear the garment for that month. Now stop being silly and get the hell outta my store!!

There is also an odd mentality amongst some of the more ... well i'm just going to put it out there ... bogan people of society. For those of you not from Australia, I guess you would call bogans (bow-gans) either hicks or white trash. Regardless of what you call them, they seem to have this mentality that if items get further reduced, we were obviously attempting to rip them off at the previous price. Uhhh, no that's not how it works. The reason items get reduced is because they aren't selling at their current price. Simple right? Yes that silk and hand beaded dress is worth $400, but if it isn't selling at that price point then it's taking up valuable floor space and should be reduced in order to move it out of the store. I have been yelled at before because people have purchased items at full price and then seen them months later at a reduced price, you know as if they shouldn't have to pay for owning it in those few months. I've also been yelled at for the original price being too high, as if I marked it up because I saw them coming and thought it would be funny. It's a tough job.

Seriously though, it isn't that bad all the time. Today for instance I played hide and seek in the sales racks with a little toddler while her mum tried on clothing, and then had a philosophical chat with a little 9 year old girl about how she was going to grow up and live in our store. But we agreed that it would be better if she changed it into a candy store first. Kids are the best.

The art of hello

The first thing that any sales assistant is taught is the golden rule of the hello. Once a customer has entered the store, you have t-minus 30 seconds to greet that customer. Seriously, only 30 seconds. At least that's the way it is within the company that I work for, but the general rule is that no one walks in without a cheery hello.

Now 'the hello' can tell you many things about a customer. A friendly greeting back and a "Well thank you, how are you?" tells me that you're comfortable with me approaching you again later to ask if you need a hand. A polite nod, smile or a quite hello tells me that you know I'm here to help you, but right now you'd like to be left alone. A hand in my face tells me that you have no social skills what so ever. I'm not joking with that one either, I once had a woman slam her hand a mere inch from my face and storm by while telling me to "shut the hell up". She was one of the more special ones.

What can almost be worse than a rude customer is one who develops selective mutism around me.

Me: Hey sorry to keep you waiting!
Customer: (Blank stare)
Me: So you're just after the top today?
Customer: (Hands top over, blank stare)
Me: Let me just pop that one through for you. (Begins to scan and fold top) How has your day been so far?
Customer: (Small grunt/squeak noise)
Me: Oh well I hope it gets better for you! That'll be $49.95, just in cash today?
Customer: (Hands over money)
Me: Alright and here's your change. Your receipt is in the bag, have a nice day!

I'm yet to decide whether these people are being really rude or have some kind of social anxiety. Either way, talking to myself is no fun. Though it does make me wonder how these people get through life without speaking to those in service positions.

One customer I remember distinctly, despite the fact that this incident occurred well over a year ago. She was in an absolute tizzy when she came in, raving about how she needed an outfit desperately for that night to celebrate her birthday. She was incredibly talkative, but seemed really flustered. The first thing I did of course was to try and start a conversation with her about what styles she liked, any colours that she loved, anything that would give me a jumping off point to pull some outfits for her. Now I don't know what the hell happened in the two seconds that I turned around to put whatever I was holding down the on the counter before I started walking around the store with her. For all I know some hooligan ran by and hit her on the head with an iron pole, it's the only plausible explanation I can come up with for her vocabulary suddenly shrinking down to only three words, "I don't know".

Me: So where are you going tonight to celebrate? A nice restaurant or a club ...
Customer: I don't know.
Me: Okay well let's maybe go with something that you can dress up or down, depending on what you decide to do tonight. Any colours or shapes that you had in mind?
Customer: I don't know.
Me: (picks up dress) I think this one would look really nice on you. The way it drapes is super flattering on, and you could pop the blazer you're wearing now on top of it to dress it down a bit if you decide to have a casual dinner. Is this something you like the look of?
Customer: I don't know.
Me: Did you want to try it on?
Customer: I don't know.
Me: o.0 Give me something to work with woman!!!

Of course in these situations theres not much I can do. Usually I just tell indecisive people like this to have a look around, and let them know that I'll be around if they need a hand. This woman ended up leaving the store empty handed, which is little surprise. The real cherry on top of the cake however was the complaint email that was sent through from our main office. The girl had evidently recovered her vocabulary on the way home and decided that her lack of a new outfit was my fault. Of course. The email included some absolute gems;

"She should know what would be best for me!"
"Aren't you guys trained in fashion?"
And my personal favourite, "Was I supposed to spell everything out for her??"

There are just some people that can't be helped.

Love,

Belle

An introduction of sorts

Hey, my name is Belle! Oh, what's that? Yes well you've caught me. It's not actually Belle. No surprises there I guess. While my name may be phoney, rest assured that the stories I share with you on this blog are entirely factual no matter how crazy they may seem.

My job involves dealing with one of the most volatile creatures on the planet, the woman pissed off because none of the jeans she's tried on today have made her arse look good. When the insecurities of women are mixed with the bright lights, noise and trick mirrors of the shopping centre things can get ugly quickly. I've been yelled at to the point that I've cried, been talked to like a child and dealt with some of the most ungrateful people I've ever encountered. No matter how hard you try to be polite to some people, there are those who go out of their way to make that an impossibility.

So why am I sharing this with the world? Well because it's damn funny looking back on it, that's why. And let's be honest, my job isn't that bad. There are worse things in the world and being a sales assistant can be pretty cushy in comparison. Besides all that, the discounts are fabulous! When my job becomes testing, it's not always because of the customer. Believe me when I say that my co-workers can be the biggest tyrants of them all. Either way, a girl needs a place to vent!

So here it is, the truth about working at a premium fashion store. Brace yourselves ladies, because it can be one hell of a bumpy ride!

Love,

Belle