Crazy, Stupid Weird Customer Stories from Retail

[maxzero]

We all know them. I've worked at a bookstore for three years and let me tell you, i've got plenty of stories. But just to start off, here's are two,

1) once had a customer come up to me and asked me what the difference is between a hardback and a paperback. dead serious.
2) then, of course, the most asked question of all, where's you're non-fiction section? I will tell you one thing about bookstores, at least mine, you have the fiction section and everything else is non-fiction. Please be a little more specific. thank you haha

 

[Mcupobob]

I used to sell pillow pets at fairs *Sigh*

Anyways this women who is the embodyment of a American sterotype had three kids on a lesh, she came up to my stand bitching at me about the price intill finally buying one I told her to go to the stand next to mine only to have the now sticky and dirty pillow handed back to me because the lady didn't know she had to pay tax.

 

[Pimppeter2]

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.70218-The-Customer-Is-Always-Wrong


You're welcome, in all its glory.

 

[busterkeatonrules]

I worked at a video store for a couple of years. There were numerous incidents, but my favorite story has to be this one:

It was an unusually busy day (Like, SEVEN PEOPLE in the shop AT THE SAME TIME!) Among those present were a family consisting of two parents and three kids of various ages. This was during the earliest days of the Pokemon craze, and earlier that very morning, we had recieved some strange merchandise: A box of weird, red/white plastic balls with some candy and a cheapo Pokemon figure inside. POKEBALLS!

Almost immediately, the youngest of the kids - a boy about 8 or 10 years old - spotted the box of Pokeballs sitting on the desk right next to me, and eagerly asked his dad to buy him one. The dad looked at the Pokeballs and asked me what they were. I gave him a quick explaination, and he told the kid that he was NOT about to fork over 29 kroner (equal, at the time, to about four or five American dollars) for that kind of junk.

Now, needless to say, when a family of five try to decide on a movie, things take TIME. They must have been browsing the shop for about an hour before they were ready to check out.

And guess what: The kid was nagging his dad about the Pokeballs the WHOLE TIME.
By the animation shelf: "Dad, can I have a Pokeball?" ("No.")
By the action shelf: "Can I PLEASE have a Pokeball?" ("No!")
By the New Arrivals shelf: "Pleeeeeeeeease can I have a Pokeball?" ("NO!")
In the checkout line (the kid's face an INCH away from the Big Box o' Balls!): "PokeballPokeballPokeballPokeballPokeball?" ("Shut UP!")
Heading out the door: "POOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALL!"

And off they went. Then, about half an hour later, the dad came back, muttered something about peace and quiet - and picked up a Pokeball. Remembering that he had THREE kids, I suggested that he buy three Pokeballs while he was at it. "No way", he replied, "one overpriced piece of junk is enough!" Then he paid for his Pokeball and left.

Yeah.

Fifteen minutes passed.

Then the dad came back again.

And bought two more Pokeballs.

I tried my very best to keep from laughing my ass off until he had shut the door behind him. To my credit, I very nearly succeeded.