Women In Retail Share Horror Stories About Male Customers

But retail employees — especially women — have to deal with much more than demanding patrons in December. Though 38.4% of retail salespeople are women, they make 64.3% less than their male co-workers, according to a study from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. Superior Pics In addition to being overworked and underpaid, women must navigate a never-ending stream of sexist remarks from customers and all too often, their co-workers.  Revelist spoke to women in retail about their worst experiences with men while on the job: I was so young and so thrown off by this creepy dude (they were probably in their late 30s and I was still in college) and I didn’t know what to say. I literally just whispered ’no thank you’ and left the area." I was 18 and didn’t realize that my co-worker absolutely should not have called me that but I’m pretty sure my managers overheard him and didn’t tell him to stop." An impeccably dressed man in a suit came into my store with about 4 shirts under plastic dry cleaner wrap. I could tell they weren’t our merchandise. He showed me slight fraying at the collar and cuffs and demanded I return them. I asked how long had he had the shirts. He said SEVEN YEARS! I explained that they looked to be in great shape for 7-year-old shirts, showing normal wear and tear, and unfortunately I could not return them due to being purchased elsewhere (and the fact they were 7 YEARS OLD). I remained calm and repeated myself and even asked if he had the receipt. He said no, then proceeded to remove every shirt from the plastic bag and individual hanger and throw the shirts one by one, in my face while screaming, “YOU WILL NEVER BE ANYTHING. YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A DIRTY GIRL WHO WILL BE STILL WORKING AT TOMMY HILFIGER 10 YEARS FROM NOW!” He also said I should throw away my sweater because it was ugly." Co-worker a couple years younger than me (I was early-20s) asked if I had ever considered being a stripper because I had the body for it. Somehow in same convo he proceeded to give me details of his sex life. He was let go shortly after. Once, a male customer called me a bitch and went on a rant that ended with me ‘having a stick up my ass’ all because I told his girlfriend I’d have to double-check price on a pair of baby shoes. They had switched price labels to try and get them discounted. It was a group of six adults (four males) and all of them joined in laughing or egging him on. I was by myself in the front of the store." I kept repeating that it wasn’t store policy for employees to try anything on, but he wouldn’t stop until I called my boss to intervene." A manager of mine once said to me that I was ‘clearly wearing the wrong bra’ because although I was so young, my breasts ’looked saggy.’ I was 17 and this was in a staff meeting about properly sizing customers." And I start to go, ‘I’m a little young for that,’ you know, let it go, smile and wait for this interaction to be over, but he cuts me off to say: ‘Because you have GREAT child-bearing hips!’ Did I mention I was 16?" I had on a blouse that showed no cleavage at all — I actually still have it. Regardless of how revealing my top was is besides the point. I was chatting with a male co-worker and he interrupted me to say, ‘I’m sorry I have to stop you, but I just need to tell you that your breasts look amazing today.’ I was caught so off guard I said thank you, and walked away feeling really uncomfortable. I pulled my manager aside and she said it was awful. I asked her what I needed to do, and she said not to go to HR because she would handle it. This manager and I didn’t get along and I stupidly didn’t go to HR because she made me feel like I was being dramatic. She spoke to the co-worker, and I had to suffer through a humiliating apology from the guy. I left the company not long after." As I was walking out of the dressing room a male stopped me and said, ‘Oh no, that’s not for you. You’re way too broad to wear that. She (pointing at co-worker) could wear it, but not you.’
Then came back an hour later to tell me again not to get the sweater, in case I wasn’t already insulted enough." Also, I had a customer — male — tell me I was as wide as I was tall. I was probably a size 9 then. I thought I looked good. I was so upset." He thought it was a big joke and he only stopped after I implored him to look it up in a dictionary and he saw the multiple references to prostitutes, lewd woman, slave women, etc.
Another time, I was working in an electronics store that has long rows of cashiers.  One of the male cashiers walked down the row one day smacking selective women on the butt with a ruler. I  didn’t even understand what had just happened to me until I looked around and saw the male co-worker with the ruler walk down the line and smack another woman on the butt." Working in a man’s industry is so very fun." I was 16 years old." I do not miss retail one bit." One of my shifts I worked super early by myself and one of the truck drivers came in while I was working. After telling him where he needed to direct his truck, he came around the window and put his finger in one of the holes of my jeans and proceeded to say ‘Oh, it looks like you have some holes in your pants.’ This same guy came back the next day and caressed my thigh while saying, ‘Oh you these pants don’t have holes in them.’ They were leggings. I was 21 and completely disgusted." Male co-workers and customers were always flirting with me when they came to the desk, commenting on my outfits/figure, asking if I had a boyfriend or was married. I could be wrong but I feel like that does not really happen to men." I was stocking shelves at one end of an aisle and a man was at the other end, just standing there, watching me. then he whistled, like you would for a dog. So I ignored him. He whistled twice more, about a minute apart, before finally storming halfway down the aisle and shouting, ‘Hey?!’
That’s when I finally acknowledged him and asked, ‘Can I help you?’ and he said, ‘Yeah, I’ve been trying to get your attention for like five minutes,’ and I said, ‘Oh, I’m sorry. I heard whistling, but I thought perhaps someone had lost a dog.’ And he just about turned purple and demanded to speak to my manager. So I picked up the phone and paged a manager, and when he arrived, the man immediately began telling him that I had ‘just ignored him’ and that’s ’terrible customer service’ and demanded an apology. My manager then asked me why I didn’t acknowledge him, I said, ‘he was whistling, and —’ my manager cut me off, turned to the man, and said: ‘You’re right, I’m sorry no one taught you how to ask for assistance.’"

title: “Women In Retail Share Horror Stories About Male Customers” ShowToc: true date: “2024-09-10” author: “Amanda Wilson”

But retail employees — especially women — have to deal with much more than demanding patrons in December. Though 38.4% of retail salespeople are women, they make 64.3% less than their male co-workers, according to a study from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. Superior Pics In addition to being overworked and underpaid, women must navigate a never-ending stream of sexist remarks from customers and all too often, their co-workers.  Revelist spoke to women in retail about their worst experiences with men while on the job: I was so young and so thrown off by this creepy dude (they were probably in their late 30s and I was still in college) and I didn’t know what to say. I literally just whispered ’no thank you’ and left the area." I was 18 and didn’t realize that my co-worker absolutely should not have called me that but I’m pretty sure my managers overheard him and didn’t tell him to stop." An impeccably dressed man in a suit came into my store with about 4 shirts under plastic dry cleaner wrap. I could tell they weren’t our merchandise. He showed me slight fraying at the collar and cuffs and demanded I return them. I asked how long had he had the shirts. He said SEVEN YEARS! I explained that they looked to be in great shape for 7-year-old shirts, showing normal wear and tear, and unfortunately I could not return them due to being purchased elsewhere (and the fact they were 7 YEARS OLD). I remained calm and repeated myself and even asked if he had the receipt. He said no, then proceeded to remove every shirt from the plastic bag and individual hanger and throw the shirts one by one, in my face while screaming, “YOU WILL NEVER BE ANYTHING. YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A DIRTY GIRL WHO WILL BE STILL WORKING AT TOMMY HILFIGER 10 YEARS FROM NOW!” He also said I should throw away my sweater because it was ugly." Co-worker a couple years younger than me (I was early-20s) asked if I had ever considered being a stripper because I had the body for it. Somehow in same convo he proceeded to give me details of his sex life. He was let go shortly after. Once, a male customer called me a bitch and went on a rant that ended with me ‘having a stick up my ass’ all because I told his girlfriend I’d have to double-check price on a pair of baby shoes. They had switched price labels to try and get them discounted. It was a group of six adults (four males) and all of them joined in laughing or egging him on. I was by myself in the front of the store." I kept repeating that it wasn’t store policy for employees to try anything on, but he wouldn’t stop until I called my boss to intervene." A manager of mine once said to me that I was ‘clearly wearing the wrong bra’ because although I was so young, my breasts ’looked saggy.’ I was 17 and this was in a staff meeting about properly sizing customers." And I start to go, ‘I’m a little young for that,’ you know, let it go, smile and wait for this interaction to be over, but he cuts me off to say: ‘Because you have GREAT child-bearing hips!’ Did I mention I was 16?" I had on a blouse that showed no cleavage at all — I actually still have it. Regardless of how revealing my top was is besides the point. I was chatting with a male co-worker and he interrupted me to say, ‘I’m sorry I have to stop you, but I just need to tell you that your breasts look amazing today.’ I was caught so off guard I said thank you, and walked away feeling really uncomfortable. I pulled my manager aside and she said it was awful. I asked her what I needed to do, and she said not to go to HR because she would handle it. This manager and I didn’t get along and I stupidly didn’t go to HR because she made me feel like I was being dramatic. She spoke to the co-worker, and I had to suffer through a humiliating apology from the guy. I left the company not long after." As I was walking out of the dressing room a male stopped me and said, ‘Oh no, that’s not for you. You’re way too broad to wear that. She (pointing at co-worker) could wear it, but not you.’
Then came back an hour later to tell me again not to get the sweater, in case I wasn’t already insulted enough." Also, I had a customer — male — tell me I was as wide as I was tall. I was probably a size 9 then. I thought I looked good. I was so upset." He thought it was a big joke and he only stopped after I implored him to look it up in a dictionary and he saw the multiple references to prostitutes, lewd woman, slave women, etc.
Another time, I was working in an electronics store that has long rows of cashiers.  One of the male cashiers walked down the row one day smacking selective women on the butt with a ruler. I  didn’t even understand what had just happened to me until I looked around and saw the male co-worker with the ruler walk down the line and smack another woman on the butt." Working in a man’s industry is so very fun." I was 16 years old." I do not miss retail one bit." One of my shifts I worked super early by myself and one of the truck drivers came in while I was working. After telling him where he needed to direct his truck, he came around the window and put his finger in one of the holes of my jeans and proceeded to say ‘Oh, it looks like you have some holes in your pants.’ This same guy came back the next day and caressed my thigh while saying, ‘Oh you these pants don’t have holes in them.’ They were leggings. I was 21 and completely disgusted." Male co-workers and customers were always flirting with me when they came to the desk, commenting on my outfits/figure, asking if I had a boyfriend or was married. I could be wrong but I feel like that does not really happen to men." I was stocking shelves at one end of an aisle and a man was at the other end, just standing there, watching me. then he whistled, like you would for a dog. So I ignored him. He whistled twice more, about a minute apart, before finally storming halfway down the aisle and shouting, ‘Hey?!’
That’s when I finally acknowledged him and asked, ‘Can I help you?’ and he said, ‘Yeah, I’ve been trying to get your attention for like five minutes,’ and I said, ‘Oh, I’m sorry. I heard whistling, but I thought perhaps someone had lost a dog.’ And he just about turned purple and demanded to speak to my manager. So I picked up the phone and paged a manager, and when he arrived, the man immediately began telling him that I had ‘just ignored him’ and that’s ’terrible customer service’ and demanded an apology. My manager then asked me why I didn’t acknowledge him, I said, ‘he was whistling, and —’ my manager cut me off, turned to the man, and said: ‘You’re right, I’m sorry no one taught you how to ask for assistance.’"

title: “Women In Retail Share Horror Stories About Male Customers” ShowToc: true date: “2024-09-23” author: “Bradley Woodcock”

But retail employees — especially women — have to deal with much more than demanding patrons in December. Though 38.4% of retail salespeople are women, they make 64.3% less than their male co-workers, according to a study from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. Superior Pics In addition to being overworked and underpaid, women must navigate a never-ending stream of sexist remarks from customers and all too often, their co-workers.  Revelist spoke to women in retail about their worst experiences with men while on the job: I was so young and so thrown off by this creepy dude (they were probably in their late 30s and I was still in college) and I didn’t know what to say. I literally just whispered ’no thank you’ and left the area." I was 18 and didn’t realize that my co-worker absolutely should not have called me that but I’m pretty sure my managers overheard him and didn’t tell him to stop." An impeccably dressed man in a suit came into my store with about 4 shirts under plastic dry cleaner wrap. I could tell they weren’t our merchandise. He showed me slight fraying at the collar and cuffs and demanded I return them. I asked how long had he had the shirts. He said SEVEN YEARS! I explained that they looked to be in great shape for 7-year-old shirts, showing normal wear and tear, and unfortunately I could not return them due to being purchased elsewhere (and the fact they were 7 YEARS OLD). I remained calm and repeated myself and even asked if he had the receipt. He said no, then proceeded to remove every shirt from the plastic bag and individual hanger and throw the shirts one by one, in my face while screaming, “YOU WILL NEVER BE ANYTHING. YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A DIRTY GIRL WHO WILL BE STILL WORKING AT TOMMY HILFIGER 10 YEARS FROM NOW!” He also said I should throw away my sweater because it was ugly." Co-worker a couple years younger than me (I was early-20s) asked if I had ever considered being a stripper because I had the body for it. Somehow in same convo he proceeded to give me details of his sex life. He was let go shortly after. Once, a male customer called me a bitch and went on a rant that ended with me ‘having a stick up my ass’ all because I told his girlfriend I’d have to double-check price on a pair of baby shoes. They had switched price labels to try and get them discounted. It was a group of six adults (four males) and all of them joined in laughing or egging him on. I was by myself in the front of the store." I kept repeating that it wasn’t store policy for employees to try anything on, but he wouldn’t stop until I called my boss to intervene." A manager of mine once said to me that I was ‘clearly wearing the wrong bra’ because although I was so young, my breasts ’looked saggy.’ I was 17 and this was in a staff meeting about properly sizing customers." And I start to go, ‘I’m a little young for that,’ you know, let it go, smile and wait for this interaction to be over, but he cuts me off to say: ‘Because you have GREAT child-bearing hips!’ Did I mention I was 16?" I had on a blouse that showed no cleavage at all — I actually still have it. Regardless of how revealing my top was is besides the point. I was chatting with a male co-worker and he interrupted me to say, ‘I’m sorry I have to stop you, but I just need to tell you that your breasts look amazing today.’ I was caught so off guard I said thank you, and walked away feeling really uncomfortable. I pulled my manager aside and she said it was awful. I asked her what I needed to do, and she said not to go to HR because she would handle it. This manager and I didn’t get along and I stupidly didn’t go to HR because she made me feel like I was being dramatic. She spoke to the co-worker, and I had to suffer through a humiliating apology from the guy. I left the company not long after." As I was walking out of the dressing room a male stopped me and said, ‘Oh no, that’s not for you. You’re way too broad to wear that. She (pointing at co-worker) could wear it, but not you.’
Then came back an hour later to tell me again not to get the sweater, in case I wasn’t already insulted enough." Also, I had a customer — male — tell me I was as wide as I was tall. I was probably a size 9 then. I thought I looked good. I was so upset." He thought it was a big joke and he only stopped after I implored him to look it up in a dictionary and he saw the multiple references to prostitutes, lewd woman, slave women, etc.
Another time, I was working in an electronics store that has long rows of cashiers.  One of the male cashiers walked down the row one day smacking selective women on the butt with a ruler. I  didn’t even understand what had just happened to me until I looked around and saw the male co-worker with the ruler walk down the line and smack another woman on the butt." Working in a man’s industry is so very fun." I was 16 years old." I do not miss retail one bit." One of my shifts I worked super early by myself and one of the truck drivers came in while I was working. After telling him where he needed to direct his truck, he came around the window and put his finger in one of the holes of my jeans and proceeded to say ‘Oh, it looks like you have some holes in your pants.’ This same guy came back the next day and caressed my thigh while saying, ‘Oh you these pants don’t have holes in them.’ They were leggings. I was 21 and completely disgusted." Male co-workers and customers were always flirting with me when they came to the desk, commenting on my outfits/figure, asking if I had a boyfriend or was married. I could be wrong but I feel like that does not really happen to men." I was stocking shelves at one end of an aisle and a man was at the other end, just standing there, watching me. then he whistled, like you would for a dog. So I ignored him. He whistled twice more, about a minute apart, before finally storming halfway down the aisle and shouting, ‘Hey?!’
That’s when I finally acknowledged him and asked, ‘Can I help you?’ and he said, ‘Yeah, I’ve been trying to get your attention for like five minutes,’ and I said, ‘Oh, I’m sorry. I heard whistling, but I thought perhaps someone had lost a dog.’ And he just about turned purple and demanded to speak to my manager. So I picked up the phone and paged a manager, and when he arrived, the man immediately began telling him that I had ‘just ignored him’ and that’s ’terrible customer service’ and demanded an apology. My manager then asked me why I didn’t acknowledge him, I said, ‘he was whistling, and —’ my manager cut me off, turned to the man, and said: ‘You’re right, I’m sorry no one taught you how to ask for assistance.’"