Have you ever worked in retail? What was your biggest customer pet peeve?

Yea and that was the problem. Indignant customers weigh on a person heavily. At least that's how it was for me. I hated working with the public and that's never going to change. This post was edited by Zack at June 20, 2017 9:42 PM MDT

I worked for Blockbuster Video as a manager. I did that while I was going to dental assisting school, so I was rather indifferent. I mostly took a "the customer is always right" standpoint and it was pretty easy. I credited off a ton of stuff I maybe shouldn't have had to, but the people were happy and came back. Sure, we had a lot of regular mishaps, like the fact that lots of people didn't understand the cases were placeholders and they'd bring us that instead of the movies. They'd get mad when a popular movie was totally checked out. They'd let their kids tear apart the displays. That stuff was pretty rare, though. I actually liked my job. Most people were happy and easy to get along with. I'd explain what the same movie was about 100 times a day or gingerly try to explain why a mom might not want to let their child take home a particular M-rated game. I had my mom wits about me, so when people tried to steal, I could usually just walk up to them and hold my hand out and they'd put the stolen goods in my hand and leave. The career thieves were different. I knew them and their faces. They'd come in- say a group of five or so- and load up their arms with new videos. They'd get hundreds at one time. I wasn't allowed to approach them, so I'd just call the police when they walked in. The cops never once showed up within 30 minutes of their departure. I got pretty sarcastic with them though. I'd greet them with "Hello, old friends!" and ask them if they needed any recommendations.

It was way better than food service. There, people would eat half their meal and then bring it back and complain we gave them the wrong thing. Really? You didn't read the wrapper? You couldn't tell you got a beef sandwich and you wanted chicken? You had to eat half of it to figure that out? Or, they'd complain that their sandwich wasn't made right when they ordered the wrong thing. And, that was always somehow our fault. I don't think I could ever do food again. People are just so weird at restaurants. Retail, though, I think I could be ok in the right niche if I had to.

I have spent miserable decades in food service. I did however for two Xmas seasons work in retail at the mall.  The strangest encounter I had was a shopper who told me she wanted the kids she was shopping for to have an especially good Xmas because a parent had recently died!   

no but id be willing to do it if someone would hire me for it

I hate when they show up. And then want help. And then ask me stuff.  

I have worked in retail for the last 25 yrs. A convenience store, Kmart, Home Depot and for myself. 
I don't let customers bother me. Some always think they should get a huge discount cause they bought $50... I always wonder how these people shop at Wal-Mart etc.