Brick and Mortar

Retail work is hard. I get it. The hours are long and thankless. Holidays? Weekends? What are those? Job security seems unlikely thanks to Amazon and big box stores.

While I worked at McDonalds during my last two years of high school (also hard work), my only retail stint was at Sears’ catalog counter. Back when Sears was a ‘thing’ and catalogs were the prehistoric version of online shopping.

At times today, however, in retail stores I feel as if I am as invisible to the workers as I am to Jeff Bezos when I shop at Amazon. Recently, in a Pier 1 store, one of the store manager’s body language clearly said to me, “You are a bother to me.”

His actual words, “I don’t care what you do,” in response to my question about an exchange further conveyed that message. I heard his exasperation loud and clear.

On Saturday, my hubby and I went to this Pier 1 store to pick up some dining furniture we had ordered in anticipation of our move to a new home. When we placed the order, nine pieces total, nobody told us they would come unassembled.

If I’d wanted stuff to put together, I would have shopped at IKEA, right? And I like IKEA. Still in the middle of a move, our time to assemble nine pieces is practically nonexistent.

I explained to the store manager that when we made the purchase, nobody told us it would be unassembled. The store didn’t have quite enough inventory at that time, and we preferred new items rather than the floor models (as I think many others would have wanted, too).

His response to me was, “We don’t know how it will come.” Which was an outright untruth because he told us on Saturday, and me yesterday, that he’s put together hundreds of the very items we purchased.

I am frustrated by the “some assembly required” aspect of our purchase. Mental note to self: Ask about assembly if I’m in this situation again.

More so, it disappoints and frustrates me that this manager had such an attitude of “you’re a pain, lady!” In an era when brick and mortar stores struggle to survive and keep the doors open, and when it seems a store brand declares bankruptcy at least weekly, his attitude is deadly for their store.

I could have ordered everything online and would have expected ‘assembly required.’ I was intentional about my choice to not go Amazon because I want to support my community’s businesses. Even chains like Pier 1 support the local scene.

Show some gratitude that I chose your store; that I supported your business. That does not give me the right to be ugly. It does give me an expectation that I will feel appreciated, which will inspire me to shop with you again.

Exceed my expectations, retailers!

Probably as a teen, I started clipping coupons. As a hard-working young person, I relished the concept of ‘free’ money, and something about the act of cutting out coupons, comforted me.

Still today, I clip coupons from each Sunday paper. Fewer than I used to because I shop less, and shop differently than I used to, which means I don’t see many coupons for the items I routinely buy.

Some retailers have taken on a practice that quickly became my latest pet peeve. They could so easily make it a way to exceed my (and your) expectations, with a simple change. The goodwill it would create in their shoppers, I expect, would far outweigh any cost to them.

The two stores where I experience this annoyance are #CVS and #Target. Stores I regularly shop in because they have the items I need and overall, I like the stores. But this little tactic of theirs makes me grit my teeth each time I check out.

If you shop there, I bet you already know what I’m going to say. After I pay for my purchases, as part of my receipt, they give me coupons … for the items I just bought.

Usually these coupons have a short window before they expire. Seriously? I just bought three bottles of moisturizing lotion or eight boxes of tissues. What makes you think that within 10 days I’ll need more?

Come on! How about surprise me – exceed my expectations. Apply that coupon to the purchase I just made. Don’t you think that would further endear me to your brand and make sure I shop again with you?

Your current tactic annoys me and makes me never want to return. You’re in luck because I detest a certain competitor big-box retailer so much more that you’ll keep getting my money. But please, consider reversing this ridiculous approach so I can brag to all my friends about my wonderful experience that exceeded my expectations.