I said, "WE DON'T HAVE ANY!"

[Cosmic Cat]

There are a few items in the store that are real hot gift items this year. Two hours after we got them in, they were gone because people would buy them in large quantities.

Corporate has been sending them to us a few at a time. There is a waiting list of over 60 people for each of these items. People can't seem to understand the concept of "We don't have any."

Today this guy came into the store with a sales ad, pointing to one of the before mentioned items and asking where it was.

SC: Where is this?
Me: We're sold out. We've been sold out for two or three weeks.
SC: WELL THEN YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE PUT IT IN THE AD!!!
Me: This store doesn't make the ad. The hq in Chicago makes it. All the stores get the same ad.
SC: Surely you must have it somewhere!
Me: No.
SC: You're hiding them somewhere! Look in the back! I know there must be some!
Me: We don't have any there.
SC: But I must have them!
Me: I can write you a rain check.
SC: When are you getting them? Tomorrow?
Me: I don't know.
SC: HOW CAN YOU NOT KNOW?!?
Me: ...I just don't! All I can do is give you a rain check.
SC: Okay. Do you think you'll get them soon? Before Christmas? I must have them for gifts!
Me: I can't promise you that. There are over 60 people ahead of you.
SC: WHAT?!? Well, I want eight of them.
Me: I can't promise you that many. We have to distribute them fairly among the people on the list. If I give you a whole bunch of them, that means less for the other customers who have also been *promised* one.
Manager: *walks by* Is there a problem here?
Me: He wants a rain check for (item). *runs off*

AAHH! *runs around screaming* I'll be glad when the Christmas madness ends.

[Reyneth]

Don't these people understand that the purpose of our jobs is to make money for our bosses? And to do that, we should sell everything we have. Therefore, if we are telling you we don't have something and thus cannot take your money for it and put it in the store's bank account - HEY! we actually don't have it!

but that would require logic and that's too much to ask.

There are times I get the feeling SCs think I tell them we can't do X or Y service because I'm too lazy. Riiiiight. If we can, we will. We can't, so we won't and we get paid by the hour anyway and there is a pile of work waiting for me, so seeya!

[COMINATCHA]

SC: Surely you must have it somewhere!
Me: No.
SC: You're hiding them somewhere! Look in the back! I know there must be some!

"Yes sir, because we love to hide stuff away from our customers so they can yell at us about it. It's the highlight of our day."

[Lace Neil Singer]

Ah yes, the mythical back room. Why do customers think we have a back room which contains every substance known to man?

[Becks]

Lace, because they just KNOW that we say we're out of items just to make their shopping experiences just a bit more challenging.

[South Texan]

Ah yes, the mythical back room. Why do customers think we have a back room which contains every substance known to man?

Isn't that the room where Santa, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, unicorns and lepricans hang out? Some people still believe in them too.

[protege]

Ah yes, the mythical back room. Why do customers think we have a back room which contains every substance known to man?

Hehe some places *do* have a back room like that. The hobby shop I frequent is like that--there's all sorts of weird stuff back there. Before the founder's son retired last year, he was constantly pulling all sorts of out-of-production things out of that room. Of course being in business since 1945 kinda helped...

Anyway, the last time I dealt with him, I was looking for some parts for a New Haven coach (the "American Flyer" ones) I was working on. When I told him what I wanted, he said something like "well, those have been out of production since about '90...but I still have some in the back if you want more."

I guess people think that every retailer is like that...even the new "big box" type places.

[Primer]

Back about 1979-81, I managed a very small jewelry and gift shop. By small, I mean maybe 15 ft x 25 ft. We literally had no "back room"--just a few shelves behind and to one end of the counter where displays would have been impossible anyway. It never ceased to amaze me how many customers were just positive that we had backstock on anything. During the holiday season, the owner would park a van at the back of the parking lot, and we would keep some of the original boxes in there. Many times, I had to cut down big packing boxes that we received shipments in, and actually make boxes for customers' purchases.

That was the same place that I came in on Sunday (when we were still closed on Sundays) to do year-end inventory while having to listen to the same 30 minute tape of xmas drecch, and fight of SC's that could not understand why I would not let them in.

No, I don't miss it one bit!

[Misanthropical]

I will ask sometimes if the store has more in the back, because sometimes they do!

[Cosmic Cat]

We got a new one today: "I know you all hide all the good stuff for yourselves in the back."

[Dria]

We got a new one today: "I know you all hide all the good stuff for yourselves in the back."

"Well, then, if you want the good stuff why don't you come and work here over the holidays? "

[Bella_Vixen]

We got a new one today: "I know you all hide all the good stuff for yourselves in the back."

Actually, in the good old days at Goodwill, most of the people in the back did this. Hell, even the manager types knew about it. I think one or two even participated in it.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

SC: WELL THEN YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE PUT IT IN THE AD!!!
Me: This store doesn't make the ad. The hq in Chicago makes it. All the stores get the same ad.

Not to mention the ad is made months in advance, with no knowledge of whether or not they will be able to get the product back in once the ad has hit.

SC: WHAT?!? Well, I want eight of them.

And I want a billion dollars, my own private island in the Carribbean, and Rachel McAdams to beg me for a date. Learn to live without. I have.

Ah yes, the mythical back room. Why do customers think we have a back room which contains every substance known to man?

Naw, that's just where we keep the replicator. Put any item inside, enter the number you want, and voila!, Mr. SC can have his 8 of whatever it was he wanted.

Oh well, only one more day to go, or none if you're lucky enough to be closed Christmas Eve.

[Becks]

Actually, in the good old days at Goodwill, most of the people in the back did this. Hell, even the manager types knew about it. I think one or two even participated in it.

I miss that. Hell, employees or customers would hide stuff in the shelving units. That's actually how I found my Winnie the Pooh picture. Someone (and I SWEAR it wasn't me!!!!!!!!) had hid it there and apparently forgot about it. I found it, cleaned it, and eventually bought it.

[DesignFox]

Yes, the mystical back room...we LOVE to hide stuff away just so YOU can't buy it!!! Idiots....

hello, we make money by selling stuff. we won't meet our sales goal for the day by not allowing you to buy something! If we have it, surely we'll sell it...moron.

Incidentally, I caught someone sneaking a peak into our backroom one afternoon... I said loudly, "Can I help you there?" Friendly, but with enough force to be startle the person... I mean...c'mon! the secrets of the backroom are ours to keep! Don't violate the sanctity of the backroom!