Rules for shopping at my thrift store

[scroob]

1-If there are long lines, or for some reason our computers are down, don't stand there and bitch the entire time. There is a reason why the line is long, and there's nothing I can do about it.
2-If I am the only cashier, don't ask/demand that another register be opened. It is likely that: The other 3 are needed in the back for a project, I am the only one who is competent at the register, or more likely that I am not going to call to the back for assistance if I believe I can handle it myself!
3-Don't remove price tags or switch them. We will catch you and be pissed (and may throw you out.)
4-Don't leave a mess in the dressing room for us to clean late at night when we have better things to do.
5-If I or someone else makes a mistake, let us know in a calm manner. Shouting and/or making one of my cw's upset (or myself) will not endear you to us.
6-If you need help with something, for God's sake make it clear what you need. We are not mind readers and without some help from you, we cannot help you.
7-If you break something, tell us immediately. I promise you we will not get mad (or at least, I won't.) I will joke around with you about our "you break it you buy it" policy (which does not exist) but I won't get mad. Don't just leave it in the middle of the floor for someone to get hurt on, because that's just malicious.
8-For the love of all that is good, don't EVER forget rule #8!!!!!!!!!
9-The toilets in the bathrooms are the only place that bodily fluids belong. Enough said.
10-Don't bitch at me about our prices, or ask me to lower them (for a reason other than quality control on clothing. I will likely give 15% off or so.) Even though our stuff is donated, we still have bills to pay and need the money.
11-If I explain our policy to you, and you don't agree with it, just accept it and don't complain about it. If I have to call a manager to resolve it, then so be it, but you will not be high on my list of good customers. The easiest way to get on that list is to listen to what I tell you, because I've worked here long enough to know damn well what our policies are.
12-If there are runners on first and second and less than 2 outs, and the batter hits a fly ball on the infield...
WAIT! Who in the blazes let the infield fly rule get in there?
13-Just have fun. I guarantee that if you enjoy your experience at my store (as clearly most people do since probably 80% of our customers are at least twice a week regulars), the feeling will be mutual. If you make my job easier as a cashier, I will do everything in my power to ensure that your shopping trip is painless and fun.

[Rapscallion]

I'm surprised nobody has taken the opportunity to add their own rules.

Rapscallion

[Sarah81]

I honestly can't add any from the employee POV 'cause I've never worked in a thrift store. But I love shopping in thrift stores, so:

1. When we're standing in line and there is an unfortunate delay, do NOT turn to me and gripe about the cashier, the store, or anything else. I am not going to take your side unless:

a) the cashier is actively trying to make my life a living nightmare (extremely rare) or

b) the cashier is wielding a flamethrower and it's not pointed at you, the SC (also extremely rare).

2. This is a THRIFT STORE. They carry whatever items happen to come their way. If you saw a shirt here three weeks ago, you should have bought it then. Didn't have two bucks that day? Tough. Quit running your suck about it - the cashier has nothing to do with your problem, and probably doesn't care about it any more than I do.

3. If you're eligible for a discount (senior citizen, student, whatever), have proof of eligibility ready to go. And don't throw out the Cat Butt Face when the cashier asks you for your student ID. Jerk.

4. If you're able to read the text messages that your friends are sending to you while you're waiting in line, then you're able to read the giant "NO CHECKS" signs posted all over the place, including the register and checkout counter. Pull out your checkbook and I just might body-check you.

5. Before you take any action, ask yourself, "Would my fellow poo flingers at the zoo do something like this?" If the answer is "Yes," then stop and be very, very ashamed of yourself.

And that's my point of view, for what it's worth.

[Evil Queen]

14- No, we can't special order that <item> for you. What part of THRIFT STORE do you not understand??
That was an actual sighting some years back in TN. TN has some really really nice Goodwill stores and this batshit crazy woman wanted a pink cocktail dress that someone was in the middle of purchasing. Yeah, it was greeeeeaaaat...

[Chromatix]

As a side note: I see that EQ has become the Dancing Queen. ;-)

15: If you're *giving*, make sure it's clean and otherwise saleable. The shop doesn't have the resources to clean it for you.

[Evil Queen]

Yes, I has mad dancing skillz, yo. I found the avatar on another forum and had to have it. Isn't it cute?

16: No, we're not reducing the price because it has a small stain in a spot you can't see. And hey, check it out, it comes out with detergent! Gasp!

[the_std]

17. If you ask whether we have an item and I take you to the section where it would be and, GASP, we don't have it, then WE DO NOT HAVE IT. We are a THRIFT STORE. We have no control over the merchandise we get in. Don't throw a fit and tell me that what I'm doing is ILLEGAL OMFG! I see you've had the infamous rectal-cranial inversion process done. Unfortunately, it suits you.

18. If you ask me how often we get stock in and I tell you that we are constantly putting it out (at least every fifteen minutes from 8:30am till 4:15pm), don't tell me that that is inconvenient and that I should show you everything we have in the back room. Seriously. Argh.

[Becks]

8-For the love of all that is good, don't EVER forget rule #8!!!!!!!!!

Sounds familiar.

12-If there are runners on first and second and less than 2 outs, and the batter hits a fly ball on the infield...
WAIT! Who in the blazes let the infield fly rule get in there?

I you.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

8-For the love of all that is good, don't EVER forget rule #8!!!!!!!!!

Yaaaaay, you remembered rule #8!

[scroob]

It just didn't seem right to put a rule 8 for my store with the infamous rule 8 always lurking on this site...

[RootedPhoenix]

3-Don't remove price tags or switch them. We will catch you and be pissed (and may throw you out.)

Wise words.

4-Don't leave a mess in the dressing room for us to clean late at night when we have better things to do.
9-The toilets in the bathrooms are the only place that bodily fluids belong. Enough said.

Corollary: 19. The pile of clothes in the fitting room is not a toilet, and the people cleaning it will hate you.

10-Don't bitch at me about our prices, or ask me to lower them (for a reason other than quality control on clothing. I will likely give 15% off or so.) Even though our stuff is donated, we still have bills to pay and need the money.

20. Your nasty, dirty, gross shirt is not an acceptable trade for a nice clean $1 shirt. Especially if you decide to break rule #19. Please try again, with money next time.
21. 25 cents is not too much for a spoon. No, I don't care.
22. You may be standing in a thrift store, but those sheets are new. As in, unused and donated by the kind companies that distribute them. (I assume, anyway.) You can't have a discount just because you think they should be 50 cents or something.

13-Just have fun. I guarantee that if you enjoy your experience at my store (as clearly most people do since probably 80% of our customers are at least twice a week regulars), the feeling will be mutual. If you make my job easier as a cashier, I will do everything in my power to ensure that your shopping trip is painless and fun.

Regulars are awesome! SCs........not so much.

15: If you're *giving*, make sure it's clean and otherwise saleable. The shop doesn't have the resources to clean it for you.

23. Your dirty underthings are not appreciated. We will laugh about it and then throw them out, like you were supposed to. (This was why some of us in the backroom took to showering after work.)

24. Donate things during business hours. If you leave them in a pile outside the gates, they may not make it inside the store. Bonus points if it's a rainy night and your stuff gets dirt ground into it.

25. Hang stuff up where you found it, not on the neighboring rack. (At least they were close?)

26. No one is impressed by your child's ability to launch small toys several feet.

27. The large stuffed animals are not sentient beings and cannot provide childcare.

28. Baby clothes do not belong over by kitchenware.

29. Hanging the clothes backwards impresses no one. (They'd hang it such that you had to reach under to unhook the clothes.)

[scroob]

Rule 25 may be a tough one. It may be a little harsh on the customers. My philosophy is that if it's close, and shows the cust made at least some kind of effort, it's fine. It's possible that they don't remember where they got it, or someone else may have gotten it off the racks. After all, sometimes I can't even tell if a woman's shirt is short or long sleeved. But putting a dress in the men's long sleeve is somewhat different.

[RootedPhoenix]

*thinks* Maybe so. But everything else is still true.

[depechemodefan]

7-If you break something, tell us immediately. I promise you we will not get mad (or at least, I won't.) I will joke around with you about our "you break it you buy it" policy (which does not exist) but I won't get mad. Don't just leave it in the middle of the floor for someone to get hurt on, because that's just malicious.

I broke this cute little nik-nak and told the cashier and she just tossed it and said dont' worry about it.

I hate when you get in line, and you are at the counter. The counter has display cases and you see people looking at the display jewlry and valuable stuff. Then the person looking at the display case gives you cat butt face or becomes psycho because "I'm next in line!" or "I was in line, and I was looking at this stuff! Don't you dare get in front of me!" or really crazy shit I had to put up with.

Also, one time, the register woman was also showing the stuff in the display cases. Mom was trying to get her attention to look as some angels and a woman in got in line and when it was her turn said she wanted those angels before my mom got to get them. Granted, I don't know the whole story, if the woman saw them before my mom or saw them after my mom, got in line, and got them, but it's not a gripe on the cashier, just kind of hard to get stuff since stuff at the thrift store is one of a kind.