retail

Anyone who's worked a bunch of jobs in their lifetime has likely experienced a volatile work environment at some point, but these stories from a recent r/AskReddit thread are seriously next level. I doubt many people have had to deal with the head of a rabies-infested javelina on their first day of work, or chase down some disembodied lobster tails running around a grocery store. Whether these tales of employment are totally shocking or all too familiar, anyone can relate to that moment where you think 'damn, I don't get paid enough for this shit.'  

Whether you're an audacious consumerist, anti-shopping, or a retail worker full of dread, these memes will entertain anyone with strong feelings about Black Friday. Hopefully this year the ground zeros of Walmart will be a bit more low-key due to the global pandemic, but we can't underestimate the consumerist thirst for deals. No one ever got hurt looking at some memes from the safety of their home. Just saying.

Retail workers have undoubtedly been one of the most under-appreciated class of workers since the dawn of mass consumerism. Being polite and helpful to rude customers all day for a wage that barely covers living expenses is soul-sucking enough when there isn't a series of commercial holidays intersecting with a global pandemic. Since the dreaded Black Friday is upon us, we thought we'd share a handful of retail horror stories from the subreddit r/TalesFromRetail for all the brave wage warriors out there. You're not alone and we feel for you.

If you've ever worked in a customer service position, then you've guaranteed encountered your fair share of Karens and other horrible, entitled customers who make your job a lot harder than it needs to be. We're not going to stereotype generations here, but as proven by the memes you're about to see it's the Baby Boomers who are always the worst. Sorry, not sorry.

It doesn't take a genius to know that working retail during the holidays is an absolute shitshow. But Twitter user @dylan_thyme took to the site to share how insane it is to work in a fancy grocery store in particular. From shows of extreme entitlement, to people who are apparently willing to throw away money, it's a thread filled with trashy atrocities - and of course, the token Karens. Let's all resolve to be extra nice to grocery store workers this year. They deserve it. 

If you've ever worked a customer service job then you'll know the struggle of being called in to work on your day off - if you say yes, then you'll set a precedent to your boss, and if you say no? Then you risk getting fired for not being a "team player." It's all a bunch of BS if you ask us.

This story may or may not be fake, but the point there still stands...and it certainly still made us chuckle.

Anyone who's never worked in retail before can never truly understand how frustrating the work is - all for ungrateful customers and very little pay. And perhaps the worst part of the job? instead of actually displaying your frustration, at the end of the day, you just gotta put on a fake smile and pretend you care about the minimum-wage work you're doing!

Most of us have or will have to work in some sort of customer service job at some point in our lives. The industry can be great; you meet tons of people, make tips, and eat a whole bunch of delicious free food if you work in a restaurant. Perhaps the biggest downsides are the whole being-poor thing, and the fact that you have to occasionally deal with horrible customers who make you want to punch a brick wall!

Customer service can seem like the worst industry in the world at times, but it can also be the most rewarding. Apart from the (hopefully) occasional annoying, entitled customer, some customers can really make your day. Not to mention the tips generally aren't too bad.

Thanks to Awesome Inventions for compiling these relatable memes!

The struggle is real. We see you, retail warriors. And we appreciate you.