The retail industry is a hard industry to work in. Many people may not believe this, but it is. Workers are stressed out due to long hours, standing on their feet, low pay, and mean customers. With a decline in retail sales due to the current state of the economy, one might assume that retail workers are feeling a little less stressed. That however is not true. Below are the top 5 reasons retail workers are stressed out.

1. Rude Customers: I truly believe that some people go shopping not because they want to buy something, but because they want to feel superior. Many rude customers feel that they should be waited on hand and foot, treated like a rock star, able to speak disrespectfully, leave trash around, knock items over without picking them up. The list could go on for days. Some customers throw all their home training right out the window, when they come into a store.
2. Little Brats: Now before you get upset that I said brats, that is the correct term to call children who run a muck in any store. I have first hand seen children terrorize a whole store, because they were allowed to by their parents. They run, cry, break items, and disrupt everyone else’s shopping experience. I honestly think more store should be able to ask those with bratty children to leave. Also another thing, if your child is acting up in a store please do not continue to shop and just ignore them. Have the decency to leave.
3. No Appreciation: This comes from many different levels, and on a daily basis. I already touched on rude customers who don’t show appreciation, but also it can come from friends, family members, and superiors. Often times many people try to dismiss the work retail employees do. Yes I for one know that working in retail is not rocket science, however it is a job that requires customer service skills, patience, problem solving, and manual labor. A little understanding, and a simple “thank you” really can go a long way to those working in retail.
4. Co-workers: There really should be more intensive hiring processes when hiring retail workers. Not everyone can sell a product. Too many times lazy, uneducated, and careless people get retail jobs, which ultimately lead to poor sales, and more work for other retail workers. I don’t understand why it seems like some retail companies do not take enough pride in the people they hire, who ultimately help make them money. Some retail workers can’t operate a register, handle customers, or even tidy up the store. Everything they can’t, don’t, or won’t do then gets left for someone else to clean up. This is very annoying.
5. Cheap Customers: Now I am all for finding sales, or some type of discount when I go shopping, but there are some customers who expect the entire store to be on sale. This is really ridiculous. There have been times when customers have tried to find flaws on a non-damaged item, argue with retail workers, damage items in the dressing rooms, change price tags, put non-sale items on a sale rack, all in the hope of getting some kind of deal. If you have to do any of the things mentioned above, you should not be shopping. If you are not trying to spend money, then you should not be shopping. If you are cheap, then you need to go to cheaper stores or the Goodwill.