Rules For Clerks: Black Friday

[Cvstos]

#1: Take your time, get it right. Don't get pressured into hurrying a transaction, no matter how rude the customer. When you rush, mistakes happen, and it takes even more time to correct them.

(Hourly employees only.) #2: Don't worry if people are complaining about the length/slowness of the line. You're hourly. You get paid the same if people buy a $2 trinket or an Xbox 360 and half your available game library.

#3: Always check $50's and $100's for authenticity.

#4: If you're not a manager, you aren't paid to take undue abuse. If you start receiving it, get a manager. They're paid to take undue abuse. If you are a manager, bring some antacid.

#5: Arrive at least 45 minutes early, the mall parking lot doubles as a demolition derby today. And park way out there, don't even bother fighting the traffic.

#6: Arrive 1h 15 min early if you want to eat before working.

#7: Be smarter than your customers. Shop early, shop online.

#8: When you inevitably get a gift card that doesn't work, don't argue about how much is on there, just say the computer said no, and that's all there is to it. Failing that, get a manager. If you are a manager, take some antacid.

#9: Remember riot gear saves lives! Yours, particularly. Bring some.

#10: DO NOT bring credit cards or large sums of cash with you. Pickpockets are everywhere and can even somtimes sneak into your back room.

[BrassCowboy]

Those are some very good tips. I am glad I dont work in a mall though.

[shelly2jn]

Sorry, I'm in Ireland...what is Black Friday?...I know Thanksgiving is just around the corner for you guys...is there a big sale before the holidays?

[friendofjimmyk]

There's HUGE sales the day after Thanksgiving...hence, "Black Friday"!

Stores and malls will open early (5am) and most of them have these special sales - like from 5 am - 12pm and that's it. Then they'll run other specials all day long and into the weekend. It's insane. I have never gone out on Black Friday. I don't really celebrate Christmas, but I do try to make it to the mall once during that time to feel like a kid again.

[flybye023]

The "black" is in reference to the fact that due to big sales, companies' bottom line goes "into the black".

[Brighid45]

Shelly, the 4th Thursday in November is our Thanksgiving holiday. As friendofjimmyk and flybye said, the Friday afterward is Black Friday--although clerks and cashiers across the country have a different definition of the 'black' part of that title!

Thanksgiving was yesterday. Last night on the local news I saw that a couple of stores were already open that evening for Christmas shopping, and one mall in the area planned to open at 3 a.m. today (Friday). Insanity.

I'm sending a bottle of virtual single malt, a Barcalounger and a foot massager with heat to all clerks who were driven crazy and/or run off their feet today. I spent many Black Fridays working like a madwoman, so I feel yer pain! When you get home tonight, kick off your shoes, sit back and relax. You've earned it.

[Gurndigarn]

#4: If you're not a manager, you aren't paid to take undue abuse. If you start receiving it, get a manager. They're paid to take undue abuse. If you are a manager, bring some antacid.

No, they're not. They're paid to take due abuse only. When the customer refuses to accept a sound decision/the company policy/reality, and you've tried all the alternatives you can think of, it's time to move them out of the store.

The "black" is in reference to the fact that due to big sales, companies' bottom line goes "into the black".

And the employees moods afterwards.

[Becks]

Last night on the local news I saw that a couple of stores were already open that evening for Christmas shopping, and one mall in the area planned to open at 3 a.m. today (Friday).

I heard that Circuit City or some such was open last night (Thanksgiving night) for a few hours, for the REAL early birds.

I prefer going out shopping on Christmas Eve morning.

[El Barto]

#4: If you're not a manager, you aren't paid to take undue abuse. If you start receiving it, get a manager. They're paid to take undue abuse. If you are a manager, bring some antacid.

Bull Crap. I'm not paid enough to take customers giving me funny looks. But that's because my company is run by cheap greedy s.o.b.'s who think its ok to pay supervisors only a few cents an hour more than they would make as a cashier at a lot of other places.

And taking antacid only works for the first two hours (or the first hour or less if you work in a store who's biggest sale was better Coke 2 liter bottles for $0.66). The only solution that worked for me was hiding in the back room scanning overstock hoping that when I was paged it wasn't because of a pissed off customer.

[Cvstos]

OK then, revised.

#4: If you're not a manager, you aren't paid to take undue abuse. If you start receiving it, get a manager. They're paid to take undue abuse, or at the very least corporate usually says they have to take it. Either way, get a manager. If you are a manager, bring some antacid.

And El Barto, it's not the antacid's fault that you like to drink a rather acidic beverage. :P

[El Barto]

I didn't know water was very acidic.

[saint]

#4: My revision. (considering customers in general, not just the mallrats)
If a customer wants to be an ass, come and get me. I've dealt with enough of them to keep my cool. I don't even mind anymore. I would prefer not to see my cashiers balling their eyes out in the back room later.

[Gurndigarn]

Thanksgiving was yesterday. Last night on the local news I saw that a couple of stores were already open that evening for Christmas shopping, and one mall in the area planned to open at 3 a.m. today (Friday). Insanity.

The local Dollar General opened on Thursday. I don't know what is more pathetic: the thought that a Dollar General in a villiage of less than 2000 people is willing to coerce/force their employees to work on one of the three major US holidays, or the thought that they may actually make money doing so.

[lordlundar]

More than likely shelly, you deal with this stuff on Boxing day. Same garbage, different day.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

I didn't know water was very acidic.

I think that was a reference to malt vinegar.