The floor is not a table.

[notalwaysright]

Yeesh.

I've previously complained about people laying out all their crap on the floor to "see how it looks" and occasionally even sitting down to ponder said crap. Today... *sigh* So first I walk by and see two bolts of fabric with many yards unrolled on the floor, with two people debating it. They were not particularly young, not that youth is any excuse. Anyway, I offer to get them a cart and they tell me, "no, we just needed to see how it looked." I explain that I am the one who deals with the fabric after it gets dirty from being on the floor and it would be no problem to grab them a cart. It was like I pointed out something surprising to them.

This is what it's come to. Surprise over the idea that something put on the floor might get dirty. Which brings me to the next floor incident. So it's the 4th, a holiday here. I get a call asking if we have flag bandanas. I go to check, find two flag patterned bandanas with the packaging missing, unfolded, then crumpled and left on the floor in the middle of the aisle. After I pick them up, deal with the phone call, and re-fold the bandanas, I go to put them away.

Here's what I find! Two women, one with a sparkly flag hair thingy, staring at the floor. What were they staring at? YOU GUESSED IT. They had all the flag bandanas, plus a couple others (red, white and blue) on the floor. They were just staring at them, then I come up and the look over at me, like "hum? This is how everyone shops, right?" They didn't say it, but their expressions were quizzical, and mine was... Something not good. I literally just looked at them, looked at the floor, and walked away. I couldn't say anything to them, because it would have been "Hey, do you think it would be possible to NOT put products on the floor you freaking lazy b*tch?" Which, you know, might have been a little overboard.

Anyway, back to the title of my post, the floor is not a table! If I could, (haha) I would just take the product away and tell them that I will not discount anything for them, period, because I just saw them damage merchandise. Again, ha-freaking-ha.

[XCashier]

I haven't seen anyone lay merchandise out on the floor (that doesn't mean that they don't), but I did once see some jerk try to measure fabric on the floor because he didn't want to wait in line at the cutting counter.

Why lay it out on the floor? If you must, take it to the pattern book table and lay it out there! It's much cleaner than the floor, you can sit in the comfy chairs and see it much closer.

Far too many customers do dump merchandise on the floor, not to look at it, but because they're too lazy to put it back where they got it.

As for the people who insist on opening packages when they can see quite clearly through the packaging... I mean, you can see the pattern on the bandanna perfectly well, the way it's packaged. You don't have to rip the damned thing apart and lay it on the floor!

[MoonCat]

And then, let me guess, they put it on a shelf (any shelf) and grab a fresh one because "that one was on the floor, it's dirty! I don't want it!"

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

While that behavior is definitely sucky, I must say that I am relieved to find out this thread has NOTHING to do with restaurants!

[icmedia]

One of the "trendy" stores in our mall posts Instagram photos of their new/sale items multiple times a day, and they're always laid out all over the floor in the pictures. The nasty, dirty, old mall floor. Not just jeans or jackets-bathing suits, camisoles, everything.

And yes, maybe people wash the clothes before wearing them (as you should), but the people who are trying these items on in the store probably don't realize how dirty those clothes are, rubbing up against their bare skin. Ugh.

[notalwaysright]

One of the "trendy" stores in our mall posts Instagram photos of their new/sale items multiple times a day, and they're always laid out all over the floor in the pictures. The nasty, dirty, old mall floor. Not just jeans or jackets-bathing suits, camisoles, everything.

Oh, crap, I hope this doesn't become a trend. I guess people think that floors are disinfected multiple times a day or something... The floor at my store gets swept every day, and every couple days the guys come in to buff it with machines, and occasionally it gets striped and waxed. This gets some of the dirt, but it's not CLEAN, there is a difference. Also, do you know how much accumulates each day? I mean, each morning when the guy sweeps there are big piles of dirt and debris.

And ignoring all that, it's just rude because nobody can get a cart down the aisle if it's totally blocked by junk on the floor. Oh, and XCashier, our store has a table up in quilting which is specifically for these people who want to lay stuff out, in addition to the pattern table. I also get super cranky at how many people rip open the fat quarters (pre-cut pieces of fabric about 18"x22", popular for quilts) to see the pattern. I have never seen a fat quarter with a pattern so large that you can't see it when it's folded up. And even then, why not bring it to the counter, or at the VERY least pull the sticker off instead of ripping it? It does come off without tearing, there is no need to destroy it. Gah.

[XCashier]

Oh, crap, I hope this doesn't become a trend. I guess people think that floors are disinfected multiple times a day or something... The floor at my store gets swept every day, and every couple days the guys come in to buff it with machines, and occasionally it gets striped and waxed. This gets some of the dirt, but it's not CLEAN, there is a difference. Also, do you know how much accumulates each day? I mean, each morning when the guy sweeps there are big piles of dirt and debris.

Yes, fabric store floors get amazingly dirty. It's mostly fabric lint, with loose threads, sequins, glitter, etc. Plus the dust that every place gets. Oh look, a bag of seed beads popped a seam happy happy joy joy, more mess!

Oh, and XCashier, our store has a table up in quilting which is specifically for these people who want to lay stuff out, in addition to the pattern table.

We have one of those too, though it's usually piled high with fabric bolts customers decided they didn't want and couldn't be bothered to put back where they got it.

I also get super cranky at how many people rip open the fat quarters (pre-cut pieces of fabric about 18"x22", popular for quilts) to see the pattern.

You and me both. They also unroll ribbon spools and tear open sticker packages, despite the perfectly clear cellophane packaging that you can easily see the item through. And you know the worst perps are the ones who always complain about how messy the store is...!

[Teefies2]

I had a variation of this tonight. Woman wanted an umbrella. Our umbrellas are in a rack WITH sample ones for you to look at. Oh no, that wasn't good enough for her. She proceeded to take each umbrella out of the protective envelope it was in (does that make sense?) and OPEN each one. Then, of course, she couldn't get them back into the envelope. I went over and said "can I help you?" "No, I'm just checking the size of these umbrellas." Well great lady, now you've opened six of them and NONE of them can be put back into their envelope. She finally decided on the style she wanted, but oh noooooo, she doesn't want ANY of the ones she opened, she has to get one that hasn't been opened. I had to 'waste' all the others. GRRRRRRR

[sirwired]

I can understand the impulse to open a sealed package if there is no display model available. But to decide on a purchase, and then insisting on one that hasn't been opened? Arrgggghhhh!!!!

[BigBird]

Some people are idiots. Fabric on the floor in a store? How at all is this acceptable? Mind you, when I worked at a yarn store, we actually had to ask people not to walk while eating and drinking since, you know, food or drink on a $14 ball of yarn can wreck it. And forget the sign on the door asking people not to eat or drink in the store, or the numerous signs hanging up around the store stating the same thing. I guess some people don't think the rules apply to them. These are generally the ones who turn into sucky customers too I'm guessing?

[pudddykat]

Yeesh! I visit craft/fabric stores often and never even thought of doing any of those boneheaded things!