Retail-sucks

I’d meant to have pt 8 up by now but I got sucked into this webinar thing that Apparel (magazine) does. It doesn’t cost anything. Mostly power point slides. It’s geared to the big players. Not that I’m big, I like looking up the pipeline to see what’s coming for the big guys (or how they think things are coming) or what this particular consulting group who put on the webinar thinks is what’s coming. If you’re someone who follows consumer spending and demographics, you didn’t miss a thing. It was a presentation of the obvious, the usual stats on demographic changes and spending. I took notes. Is anybody interested in what they said? The only thing that stands out from the usual stuff was their prediction that RF-SQL would surpass RFID. And no, I don’t know what RF-SQL is. Even the google results were enigmatic. If webinars like this interest you, read more here.

During the webinar, the presenter suggested we visit a site called Retail-Sucks and read the entry entitled “I quit. I just forgot to tell you” which I couldn’t find when I trekked over there. I thought the url was interesting. And it was, let me tell you. It’s a site that’s just jam packed with complaints, stories and anecdotes from employees of the retail sector. I could only think that this kind of information could be pretty useful. If you wanted to sell to consumers, you’d get a handle on the irrational things consumers can do and set up established policies using examples from the problems you’ll read . Likewise, if you wanted to develop a better relationship with your stores, you’d have a better handle of the problems of processing incoming inventory (yours) and the hassle they go through to sell your goods. They earn their margin. I think the site can be a good reality check for manufacturers who want more insight into store-floor goings on.

Retail-Sucks is an unfiltered view into retail. It’s interesting to read from the viewpoint of people who will be handling your product. I found it fascinating, I got stuck there. Some of the stories were incredible. Oh, and some of the clerks have a bad attitude. One of them is over the top. I wouldn’t want a clerk who thought all customers are stupid to work in my store. If you’re a retailer, you’ll get a handle on the gripes your employees don’t or can’t tell you. Some of the stories are funny with mostly stupid shoplifter stories. And they write pretty well so it’s enjoyable to read too. Bookmark this site (I’m adding it to the side bar) and visit monthly. You’ll learn a lot. And probably never want to work in retail.

Get New Posts by Email

4 comments

  1. Ryan says:

    you should also try out customerssuck.com too as the members there have posted some really great stories about what they encounter on a daily basis while working in retail

  2. Judith says:

    I worked retail for a little while I sure could tell you some stories but you would not want to hear them. You think some of the clerks have a bad attitude??? Try corporate!!! I worked with a woman who got fired after 19yrs because her pension was comming up she worked undercover security. When they paged her it was a fake name. This was at a huge dept store out in Ore in 1989 there were only 2 big dept stores so you should be able to figure out which dept store it is. Yes the clerks were mean and cut throat they are on comission if you dont sell enough you be axed!! I worked for them for 2 years I can not say I was happy. Then I got fired I was very upset single parent with 2 kids to support. I was not the only one axed that week 7 other people were axed in the cafe. Then 2 month later the manager that fired me was demoted to a sales person in childrens shoes ha there is a god!! I relised later it was one of the best things to ever happen to me. I could have stayed for 10 yrs then they would have fired me.
    Its all about the money. I dont care what any company says!! I was going to go to school to be a buyer at one time till my friend going to Bassist college in Portland Or said they will chew you up and spit you out!!! I gotta tell you she scared me for life!!! She was probably right. She went on to design childern’s clothes in London. She worked retail when she was going to college. Then went to London to go to school she now lives in London. I go vist her. Iam working retail now but it is not clothing retail so is not brutal. I did think briefly about going to work in a dept store in Fl. Then I thought back to 1988 and 1989 do I really want to do. Iam sure nothing has changed. I have a friend that works at the Dior counter she tells me things that go on. I told her. I cant come work in a dept store again.

  3. Laura says:

    I can say this, from a retail-minion’s viewpoint to apparel manufacturers: DO NOT make your size tags difficult to read or find. Put them in the back neck of tops and make them easy to read. If an overworked, underpaid and harassed sales associate has to struggle to find the size, chances are that piece might just get shoved anywhere. Then your potential customer might not find it. So you don’t make the sale.

    Don’t be cute. Make your size tags easy to read.

  4. Quincunx says:

    Yes’m. Wise words. Even when the salesminion hangs it up nicely, the first klutzy customer to seek the inconvenient size label will leave your lovely garment shoved just anywhere after finding it.

    Actually, while you’re here Laura, was there a particular clothing shipment that did something about its shipping and accessibility better than the others?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.