Tax Free Nightmare

I work at Best Buy. This means I work in retail. This means that anyone that could tell you about retail around certain times of year there is great deals to be had. Usually back to school and Black Friday are among some of the biggest shopping days of the year. So for anyone that works in retail would read the previous sentence as days you have to work under any condition for long hours.

Now don't get me wrong, I like Black Friday. I never even left the house until I began working at Best Buy a little over two years ago. It is not really fun getting up at 4:30 AM when you can't shop and get any of the deals. But the people are really understanding, generally; and we have it pretty controlled at the Wentzville Best Buy. No one dies over toaster deals in our store, this is a good thing in my opinion.

My retail frustrations of this weekend.
Image Courtesy of graur razvan ionut @ Free Digital Photos.

Though I think the one exception to these "fun" days is tax free weekend. First of all, it is an entire weekend. Every year I have to take a weekend out of my life to work 8 and 1/2 to 10 hour days to help customers. Well that equates to a bigger pay check so not such a bad deal. Though I miss out on all those really awesome back to school clothing that I could really afford to buy. Then the other downside is the customers. Now 95% of people understand it is busy and there is a certain procedure to do things, but that 5% can easily bring anyone down. Why don't we have those computers? Possibly because they were very popular and the manufacture couldn't afford to make more in time. What else can I get for free? Tax free and all our additional sales and deals that we offer, and that still isn't a great deal for some people. Why does it take so long? To make sure we get you everything you need without becoming Circuit City in the process.

I can totally understand everyone's frustrations, though everyone gets like that sometimes. I can't just give people at my work free things. No one wants to not get paid for something that they work hard at or know a lot about. Stores try to help you save money, and very rarely rip customers off (and if they do they don't stay in business long). And generally with a computer out of stock that you wanted you could have possibly come earlier to get it or find something that is really similar, and computers are more and more like each other all the time.

From the other side the "biggest shopping day's of the year" become a dread to many in retail. Though all we ask is for the same respect that everyone else gets treated with and a little compassion for situations. Karma is something that keeps on giving, good or bad. Whatever side you are on, the customer or the sales person, just remember to give off those good karma vibes.