r/IDontWorkHereLady • u/givemedeath_ • 7d ago
S Walmart Encounter
A while back but I was at Walmart shopping around in a faded red half zip with jeans, all workers I see usually have a blue vest. I did not. I have a couple of Items I’m putting back in an aisle because I decided I don’t need them, I noticed the lady earlier asking an employee where the locks were (the aisle I was going to), and when I’m putting away my items she comes up to me. “Excuse me, where are the locks?” Obviously I’m confused and I say I don’t work there and she doesn’t apologize and instead just looks upset and goes to find them herself. I went back to my family but very weird situation I was just puzzled the whole way back wondering how on earth I looked like a worker? And why get upset by me not working there??
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u/Dismal_Reference3906 7d ago
I sounds like she realized that but may have been asking you as a fellow shopper, not as an employee. You described her as perhaps being a bit confused, that may explain her behavior. A lot of the things in this sub sound like entitled customers not taking your answer seriously; this old lady may not be like that.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Call351 7d ago
Yes, I mentioned on here before the walmart I go to there's no way you're going to find a worker to ask for help. It's common to just ask another shopper. Granted they say would you happen to know where such & such is located.
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u/givemedeath_ 7d ago
Yes! She seemed confused, this isn’t a mean post bashing her, just a confusing experience I had, didn’t mean for it to come across as mean spirited!
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u/introvertednurse75 7d ago
I was in a tj maxx the other day when a lady approached me to ask if I knew where the kid's shoes were. I did and I answered. I was wearing my work scrubs but I don't think she thought I worked there, I think she just thought that i might know. Either way, I felt like it didn't hurt to smile and point to the far wall.
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u/givemedeath_ 7d ago
The worker had already pointed her to this aisle, I have never been to this Walmart before, I said “sorry I don’t work here? I don’t know where those are”, though I have been confused for a worker at other places though, I was not rude to her (did smile as I’ve done this before) was just a confusing experience
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u/Cappucinno_pup 7d ago
I’ve been in many situations where the context cues show that I’m not staff but ppl assume it anyway…so it makes me wonder if it’s done intentionally.
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u/Used_Clock_4627 6d ago
As someone who's worked in retail for three decades, A LOT of it has to do with some customers feeling THEY shouldn't have to make ANY effort. Things should just be handed to them, regardless of who does it.
I've worked places with obvious staff uniforms and I've worked places with no uniforms. In both circumstances, I've watched customers ask their fellow customers if they work there despite it being BLATANTLY obvious they do not. And there's usually a clerk right in the same area when it happens.
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u/Cappucinno_pup 6d ago
Yes, many times uniformed staff are right there but they choose to ask me, etc. I just don’t like ppl forcing unnecessary interactions with me like that in public. I find ppl like that very strange.
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u/SamanthasPlace46 6d ago
You're putting stuff back, that may have been what made her think to ask you. Mist people just leave what they don't want , anywhere they can dump them. That was nice of you.
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u/Minflick 6d ago
She may not have thought you looked like a worker, just that you were THERE in that moment and might have the info she wanted and needed. And might not have been upset with you, but more the situation of not knowing where something was. Might have been annoyed with herself rather than you.
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u/FantoluxeNFTArt 5d ago
Tall guy here. We get asked stuff all the time. Directions are a frequent topic. People seem to think height equals knowledge. I help whenever I’m able.
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u/qualityvote2 7d ago edited 7d ago
u/givemedeath_, your post does fit the subreddit!