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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Do people really look down on retail staff?

132 replies

Deemail · 20/08/2017 17:10

Aibu to think more people than I realised secretly look down on people who work in retail.

I work in retail, in quiet a nice store. I earn quiet a bit more than minimum wage and get some nice perks. While it's certainly not the most taxing/complicated work I am required to use my brain more than appears to be perceived.

I've noticed on threads on here people usually will defend retail staff and seem to understand how trying dealing with the public can be. However while posters admit to having previously worked in retail no-one seems to admit to currently doing so. I've also noticed defensive comments about having worked in retail, that it was only done to support a degree etc. That's fair enough but on a recent thread a poster made reference in front of a customer (who was been nasty about her job) about having made sure she let the woman hear she was doing her degree and wasn't stupid. Sounds daft but up until then I hadn't considered that we would be considered stupid because we work retail.

Thinking back I've often seen similar comments before but not quiet as blatant. It was only then I realised that I've never seen anyone here else "own" up to working in retail.

I'm not going to explain/justify why I'm currently working this role other than it suits me to do so now and on the whole I like it. But I am going to say I don't think my job or anyone else's defines me. I am not better or worse than anyone else and don't look down on or up to anyone else because of what their profession is.

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 20/08/2017 18:01

Some folk do

But they are insecure gobshites

JuicyStrawberry · 20/08/2017 18:12

I don't think anyone should be looking down on retail staff. If it wasn't for them, people wouldn't be able to do their shopping. Even if they did it online someone has to pick it and deliver it. Just like the waiter/waitresses that serve them at restaurants- someone has to do it or these obnoxious people with super important jobs wouldn't be able to go out for meals or socialise.
They are all important jobs!

Alisvolatpropiis · 20/08/2017 18:15

People absolutely do look down on retail workers. Nothing has done so well at convincing most of the general public are actually arseholes, than working in retail.

Fauchelevent · 20/08/2017 18:17

I remember a thread that specifically discredited working at the department store in which i formerly worked. Grin really wanted to defend it but it was a bit outing. Now i work in an office and compared to retail i am so bored

Original poster
Deemail · 20/08/2017 18:19

I'm in Ireland and while I regularly deal with horrible people I don't feel that many look down on us, most of them are just horrible in general.
Of course I've encountered the odd one with a superiority complex but I reckon they're like that with most people so wouldn't take it personally. A lot of people need to approach us for help/advice so most of them realise it's in their best interests to do so nicely. Those that don't risk shooting themselves in the foot but are too blinkered to realise this.
The majority of customers are normal and just trying to go about their business. It's a small minority who are rude/demanding but can feel like more as they tend to leave a bigger impact after them.

I earn significantly more than my previous office job and a fair bit more than (Irish) min wage and have better hours plus get lovely perks.

OP posts:
WhatToDoAboutThis2017 · 20/08/2017 18:21

I've worked both retail and fast food. Currently working in fast food and I absolutely love it; I have such a blast, my colleagues and managers are so much fun.

I don't care if people want to look down on me; I don't want the responsibility or stress of a career. It's not important to me.

My entire goal out of life is to be happy, and I am happy. That's the most important thing.

Original poster
Deemail · 20/08/2017 18:21

"most of them are just horrible in general"
I mean most people who are horrible to me as retail staff are horrible in general, not most customers.

OP posts:
enthusiasmcurbed · 20/08/2017 18:23

I work for Tesco Mobile. I'm not looked down on. This is because I help customers choose what they need, solve their problems when they have them and am generally lovely! I was once asked if I'd gone to uni to learn everything I know.

HelenaDove · 20/08/2017 18:27

The problem is with the way retail staff are treated. There was a thread running on here in the run up to last Christmas about the staff at Next not finishing until midnight on Christmas Eve and having to be back in at 3am on Boxing Day.

A friend i visited last weekend is a hospital cleaner. 9am till 2.30pm Monday to Friday. She used to work in retail .........3 different places including a large supermarket.

She now has weekends and bank holidays off. Shes now allowed to book time off in December if she needs it.

If shes invited to a wedding on a Saturday or wants a trip to a theatre which she loves she can go instead of worrying about whether or not she can book the day off which would likely get refused.

In one of the retail outlets she used to work in the manager once came up with the incentive of a ............chocolate bar for the one who had the most sales that month.

I remember when retail work used to be preferable over care work. Now its the other way around.

Birdsgottafly · 20/08/2017 18:35

""In my opinion, if you do a skilled job such as paramedic or lawyer (two examples of skilled work from different fields), I would say your job is more likely to define or at least reflect who you are as a person.""

That you've had chances that others haven't, or will only work for a higher wage?

I worked in retail, then I did a BA as a mature student. I don't think I became more intelligent during my degree, I just learned more stuff that trains me to do a specific role. During my working life, it was life experience that I drew on.

Having worked and socialised with professionals, I can say that they aren't any better than those on NMW and that includes the 'Caring' professions.

My Sister and s lot of her friends who did the School-College-Uni-Middle-class life, route, is away-with-the-fairies when it comes to common sense and intellect on RL situations.

fussychica · 20/08/2017 18:44

Absolutely not. I loved working in retail as a Saturday and holiday job. I always thought I was pretty good at it and would have been happy to have done more of it. When I came back to the UK I thought I might apply to Waitrose and join the lovely ladies and gents who work in our local branch.
I've also worked in a staff canteen when I was a student. It was bloody hard work but I enjoyed it but not the way I was treated by some of the senior managers using it who definitely looked down on us.

skittycat · 20/08/2017 18:44

When I first started in retail I loved it. It wasn't something that I wanted to do, it was a necessity but I really enjoyed the work & being able to help the customers.

Sadly as time went on health issues combined with being treated terribly by customers meant that I chose to leave to work in an office. I do miss interacting with customers on a regular basis & some were genuinely lovely... I probably would have stayed if it wasn't for the health issues tbh.

I certainly would never look down on any one working in retail - I know that a lot of retail workers do work hard for very little reward. However, from experience a lot of people do look down on retail workers - an ex boyfriends parents disliked me because I was 'only a shop worker'.

HolaWeenie · 20/08/2017 18:47

My closest friend is a manager for next, she works harder than I ever have! The stories she tells me are unbelievable. She had one customer who held her son in a seated position so he could take a shit on the floor once.

carefreeeee · 20/08/2017 18:49

I have four degrees and have never thought to look down on people who work in retail or any other job.

If anything I have even more respect for people who work for very little money and are still committed and do their best at it.

I might be tempted to look down on people who are rude and unhelpful in their job but that would apply whether they were a doctor, lawyer or any job really.

I do think that the attitude of the public can vary though - I am a professional and people are often very nice with me but then go outside and are rude to the reception staff.

Original poster
Deemail · 20/08/2017 18:50

#anyfucker, I think you could be right when you said it's their own insecurity. If people are happy with their own jobs why would they care about how others live their lives. As a pp said I'm very happy with my life. My job suits our family, it's extra money for nice things. If ever necessary I could up or reduce my hours. I've been lucky enough to be fulfilled in my personal life.

For me personally who has never had burning desire for any career, I know I wouldn't find the same fulfilment from one or desire to progress.. I'm very happy for people who do but don't believe this is something I need to lead a quality life.
Its a good thing that we're all so different else there'd be no-one to fill the thousands of different areas of work required to make society run smoothly.

I'm lucky that I've set hours, don't do late evenings (or indeed evenings) Sunday's or bank holidays. The set hours and wage is one of the reasons I'm not looking elsewhere. Plus I work with a great bunch and we spend a lot of time having fun.

I suppose if I had min wage, changing Rota and awful colleagues I'd feel differently but that would be my choice.

OP posts:
NeverTooOldForAnything · 20/08/2017 19:08

People absolutely look down on retail workers.

I used to work in retail, if customers ever found out that I had a masters' degree, they would usually express surprise that I hadn't found anything "better" . The funny thing was, I often got to see pay slips in the course of my work, and very often the people who looked down on me earned considerably less than me. I also had really good career options so I am not sure what they meant by "better".

It's just people's perception that to work in retail you have to be either thick, uneducated or both. In my experience, the opposite is true

NameChanger22 · 20/08/2017 19:14

Silly question. This is the UK. Everyone looks down on everyone.

mirime · 20/08/2017 19:23

I had some people be really rude to me about my job when I worked in retail. It was harder work for less pay and with a load of unnecessary hassle from customers and supervisors than I have in my current office job. It also gave me quite a negative view of the general public. So many people seem to turn into arseholes when they step inside a shop.

DH works in retail now so I get to hear all the stories.

IamMoana · 20/08/2017 19:28

No, never. It says more about the person looking down on them than the retail staff. I know who I'd have more respect for.

Anatidae · 20/08/2017 19:30

I don't, no. I've worked in retail between contracts as a student and when starting out.

Some people do. Generally people who aren't very nice.

ForalltheSaints · 20/08/2017 19:31

I worked in retail many years ago and I think some people do look down on anyone in a customer facing role. Not just in traditional retail though.

OliviaTheFox · 20/08/2017 19:32

When I was young 😆 Late teens early twenties and silly in ways of the world. I think I did. Esp middle aged women on a check out.
Foolish me. I need that kind of job now because it could fit round family life well.
As would cleaning in the evening.
I now know a job doesn't always have to define you, it can just bring in the cash.

Rufustherenegadereindeer1 · 20/08/2017 19:51

Loads of people 'own' up to working in retail

The customer service threads are usually full of them

StorminaBcup · 20/08/2017 20:00

This might be a bit of a tangent but I think how an employee treats it's staff speaks volumes. I worked in retail (admittedly while studying) and I found that in stores where the employer treated like you crap, staff turnover was high and the quality of the staff then impacted the 'customer experience' and it's a vicious circle. The public and the managers assumed you were thick because you didn't care about the job. In other retail companies, that treat their employees well, offer good perks etc., I think the public tend to be less snobbish about the staff (unless it's somewhere like Harvey Nichols were you are bought down a peg or two for just working in retail).

user1468353179 · 20/08/2017 20:02

No, why should I? They're just doing a job like a lot of people.