Retail Therapy: real stories of a retail worker

Sample Lady

We've all encountered this customer, and it can be a man too, it's not gender specific, but we've seen them. The infamous call of "want a free sample" beckons them over like flies to shit. Unfortunately, we had one we called the sample lady and then we all knew her.

If someone did the ritualistic call, she was there and she would circle her prey a few times, like a shark waiting for its meal., she was a frugal one. sometimes, she would sneak some in her purse thinking we wouldn't notice and clear the tray and at times she would ask if we had samples that day even though, obviously, we didn't. It got to a point where we were told to hide the samples if she would come by. she would even come in and say it was her birthday if she could get ice cream samples, so much that I think she must be 200 years old at this point at least.

One day, she did the first ever snatch and run of a basket we had full of caramels. She came over with her cart, did the old look around to see if anyone was watching and leaned in and, instead of taking just one like normal people do, she grabs almost a whole basket full and books it out of there. I believe one manager and another coworker caught this, but it is a tale that lives on in infamy in our department.

Now I say she's frugal, she had money our store is not cheap cost and it's obvious she didn't appreciate any thoughts that count, so she was rude too. Her daughter ordered her a basket for her real birthday, wasn't expensive, maybe fifteen dollars at most. She came in after she got it delivered and asked the department how much it cost. After finding out how much it cost, she scoffed and told the workers "I wouldn't pay five dollars for that basket." Well it was the daughter that paid and that's all that counts, right?