Retail Struggles

26 Struggles That People Who Work In Southgate Mall Know All Too Well

Oh the struggle is real! Even though working at Southgate mall has its perks: being around cute clothes, attractive customers, getting that hard-earned commission, and that employee discounts; there are still some downsides to the retail life. In no way are we trying to sound like a Negative Nancy, but come on, this is reality for crying out loud!

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23 Struggles Every Forever 21 Employee Knows All Too Well

Working at Forever 21 can be great! You work with a lot of other people since the stores are generally gigantic--so you’re bound to make some amazing friends. Plus, an employee discount never hurts.

However, as with every job, it’s certainly not always sunshine and rainbows. And at the end of the day, laughing at the little things that annoy you, can make you feel a lot better about them (something about it being the best medicine…). And to all the Forever 21 employees, you’re not alone in your frustrations. Many others feel your pain!

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retail struggles

17 Struggles Every Chinook Centre Employee Will Understand

1. Parking

2. When people ask you for directions

3. Pre-teens in the mall

4. The escalators are constantly broken

5. People assuming your store is the same as every other store

6. Having to park off mall property during Christmas time

7. We're the only mall in Calgary that's open late on weekends

8. Food Court lines

9. The Food Court in general

10. No Tim Hortons

11. The time capsule count down in the middle of the mall

12. Holiday shoppers

13. Stressing about boxing day in June

14. Customers who don't understand the mall layout

15. When you need to go shopping, you'll drive across town to get to any mall but Chinook

16. The walk from the C-Train station to the Mall

17. Calgary transit literally runs on it's own schedule

26 Struggles That People Who Work In Southgate Mall Know All Too Well

Getting your work schedule one day in advance at Sephora.

Having to park in the farthest parking lot upstairs across The Bay or the perimeter to avoid getting a ticket.

When you're about to close up and a customer walks into Oak + Fort... with a return.

Getting bombarded by people working at the Kiosks.

Folding shirts at ZARA only to have a customer come and mess it up 1 minute later.

Having to ask if a customer needs help with anything the second they set foot into Aritzia.

Finding out you have to work overtime on Black Friday and Boxing Day

Inventory day, need we say more?

When a customer tries to return an item from Dynamite that they've clearly worn before.

And when you tell them they can't return their used items from Dynamite, they demand to speak to your manager.

Garbage runs.

Those way too short 30 minute lunch breaks.

Customers try to charm you into giving them a discount at Guess.

Having to save your co-worker from getting into a heated argument with a customer at Fossil.

A customer asks you for help as you go for your break.

You find yourself literally counting down the minutes until your shift is over at Pandora.

You have to fight the urge to go off on a rude customer at the Apple Store.

You want that bonus, but it requires sucking up to your boss.

You have to eat alone in the food court.

And those days where you just don't want to interact with people.

Your friends visit you during your shift at Michael Kors.

You have to listen to the loud and obnoxious Harry Ainlay squad.

Regardless of which store you work at, the hours are terrible.

You spend your entire paycheck at Sephora, Aritzia, Guess, or the Apple Store.

It's always awkward when you catch a shoplifter at The Bay.

You have to look presentable all the time, especially if you work at Michael Kors and Aritzia.

23 Struggles Every Forever 21 Employee Knows All Too Well

1. When a customer is angry because our website has an item that they can’t find in store.

2. When you’re trying to tidy up the section of the store you’re in charge of, but you cannot hang the clothes on the rack because it’s already too crowded.

3. When you forget to take off your Forever 21 lanyard at the end of your shift.

4. Spending an hour folding the “jeans table” so that it looks immaculately clean and organized.

5. When you're not at work but tend to see the yellow Forever 21 plastic bag wherever you go.

6. When it’s Black Friday and the amount of customers make you feel like you’re in a mosh pit.

7. When it’s near Christmas and the crowds of shoppers are consistently overwhelming. Every shift.

8. And then Boxing Day comes along...

9. When it’s FINALLY your lunch break, but after you’ve already clocked out, a customer begins to approach you.

10. When working in the fitting rooms (aka fits) is a low-key cardio workout.

11. When you have an overnight shift to help revamp the store.

12. When you do your walk-through of the store at the start of your shift to get a better feel for where things are.

13. When you feel personally insulted because you have to work as a greeter OR in the jewelry/accessories section.

14. When you're a greeter and most people ignore you as you say "Hi" or "Welcome to Forever 21!".

15. When you explain to every customer at cash that we can only do exchanges and store credits (it's a company policy that is on every receipt and verbally told to every customer at the cash registers).

16. When you're pretty sure the Forever 21 playlist is permanently embedded in your head.

17. When closing the store takes much longer here than in most other retail stores.

18. Due to the perpetually busy state of the store, you will have multiple people ask you for help at the same time.

19. When you finally close the store but have to spend time fending off the customers that are still trying to get inside.

20. When the swimwear comes in, and it feels like you're spending years of your life tying bikini strings.

21. When you walk into other Forever 21 stores and begin mentally naming their clothing sections.

22. When you get used to the store sections and finally have an idea of where things are.

23. When you hear the same joke more often than you'd like.