I've worked in retail for a few years now and it has definitely changed my perspective as a shopper. So, in order to help you be a more respectful customer, please adhere to the following procedures when shopping:
1. If you pick something up and later decide you do not want it, please put it back where you find it. We spend between two to three hours every night, and countless wasted hours during the day returning items to their proper spot. As a shopper, you are probably frustrated when there is an item you want, but it appears to be out. It could be it's just not in the right spot because someone has picked it up and put it down somewhere else in the store. I was working one day, wheeling my cart full of misplaced items through the aisles trying to return things to their home. A woman with her child in the cart was in the same aisle. She had picked up a lunch box a few aisles over and, because her son was misbehaving, decided he didn't need that item so she put it down in right in front of me, looked at me and said, "I'm sorry." I bit my tongue so I wouldn't say what I was thinking: "If you're truly sorry, then put it back where you found it."
If you decide last minute that you do not want an item, we would much rather have you bring it up to the counter and let us know. Most retailers have return areas for these items where they can all stay in one spot and we don't have to hunt for them throughout the store.
2. Pay attention to what your kids are doing. If you bring your children into a store please pay attention to what they are doing. This isn't a playground. The items in the bulk bins aren't free and aren't their toys unless you pay for them. Nearly every day I watch kids run up and down the aisles, play dress up, throw balls back and forth across the store, eat candy right out of the bins without paying for it and scream and cry when they are told to stop - usually by us, not by their parents who are on the other side of the store.
During Christmas, a girl, about 7 years old, wanted a gumball out of the gumball machine. She was upset when she didn't get the color she wanted so she started throwing a tantrum. Her mother, obviously not wanting to deal with her daughter, just left the store, leaving her daughter throwing screaming and crying in the store. The girl threw her gumball in frustration. It hit another customer in the head. The mother was halfway to her car by this time. Please accept responsibility for the irresponsibility of your children. If they break something, buy it or at least let us know - don't hide it behind the shelf. I witnessed a little boy playing with an item at the checkout counter. He dropped it on the floor and it broke. He picked it up and started to hide it behind the candy. I calmly said to him, "If you broke it, how about instead of hiding it behind the candy, you give it to the cashier so she can throw it away." His mother huffed out of the store and said, under her breath, "she didn't have to be so rude about it."
3. If you use the bathroom, keep it clean. If you make a mess, discretely let us know. It's OK, it happens, but we would rather fix it immediately than have another customer run across it and get grossed out. All you have to say is "the restroom needs some attention." You don't even have to implicate yourself.
4. Do NOT EVER open merchandise on the floor unless you ARE going to buy it. We understand you want to see exactly what it will look like, but we cannot sell open packages. If you open the package, buy it. If you open the package and decide you want it, don't put the open package back and take a sealed package - what's that all about?. If you want to see something out of the package, ask a sales associate. Don't open it yourself. We damage out hundreds of dollars of merchandise that is perfectly fine except some a**hole has opened the package and it can no longer be sold.
5. If you return something you should have your receipt. Many retailers will not take anything back without a receipt. Again, you cannot return an opened item. We can't resell it if it's open. Whining and pleading to take something back because you failed to retain your receipt is not going to change our return policy. If you can't return it, try selling it on Ebay or Craigslist.
Please understand that we have rules we have to follow. It's never personal, we have to protect our assets, especially in today's economy. The more loss we suffer, the fewer people we can sustain on the payroll and the more the faultering economy affects us as individuals. You wouldn't want someone coming into your workplace and causing unneccessary disruptions, please give us the same respect in the retail environment.
And, that's all I have to say about that...
Monday, April 20, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
This was posted on another forum I frequent:
THE THREE MOST AGGRESSIVE DOG BREEDS
Mutts, a blog by John Woestendiek of The Baltimore Sun
Attention, America, or at least all you state and local politicians who are banning or considering banning ownership of pit bulls, Rottweilers and other big, scary dogs: In the midst of your rush to pass breed specific legislation, a new study has shown that the most aggressive dog breed in the world is ... Yes, the Dachshund, the wiener dog, better known in some countries as the sausage dog.
This vicious beast, despite enjoying a good reputation, is at the very top of a list of 33 dog breeds that were rated for their aggression in a study that analyzed the behavior of thousands of dogs. One in five Dachshunds have bitten or tried to bite strangers; about one in five have attacked other dogs, and one in 12 have snapped at their owners, according to the study, which was reported in the London Telegraph. Before all you Dachshund owners start experiencing the same fears as pit bull owners, and begin contemplating how to hide your pet from authorities (a large bun, perhaps?), it should be pointed out that, as a small dog, a dachshund won't inflict the same amount of damage as a large one, or the same amount of headlines. So you're probably safe.
Now that we're all relaxed we can move on to No. 2 on the most aggressive list .... German Shepherd, maybe? Perhaps the Chow Chow, or Doberman. Nope. It's the Chihuahua. Look out, Paris Hilton. Chihuahuas, even smaller than Dachshunds, and the fashion accessory of choice for Paris Hilton and other celebrities, were the second most hostile breed. According to the study, they are fairly regularly snapping or attempting to bite strangers, family and other dogs.
In third place was another small dog ... the breed that captured our heart in the television show, Frazier -- the Jack Russell terrier. The study shows beyond any doubt: Small dogs are not to be trusted. Just kidding, of course. But that is precisely the sort of generalization those passing laws against pit bulls are making. (Then again, they are probably small politicians, who really can't be trusted.)
There may, however, actually be some basis behind my theory that small dogs often display a bit of a Napoleon complex -- at least judging from the number that yap and snap at my big dog. Dr. James Serpell, a University of Pennsylvania researcher who worked on the study, said smaller breeds might be more genetically predisposed towards aggressive behavior than larger dogs. "Reported levels of aggression in some cases are concerning, with rates of bites or bite attempts rising as high as 20 per cent toward strangers and 30 per cent toward unfamiliar dogs," he added.
Most research into canine aggression up to now has focused on dog bites, but researchers said that data (pit bulls aren't at the top of that list either) is misleading. Most dog bites aren't reported, and because the bites of big dogs are more likely to get reported, they are generally viewed as more aggressive. The study, published this week in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science, involved researchers from the University of Pennsylvania questioning 6,000 dog owners. Breeds scoring low for aggression included Basset hounds, golden retrievers, Labradors, Siberian huskies. The Rottweiler, pit bull and Rhodesian ridgeback scored average or below average marks for hostility towards strangers. Greyhounds rated the most docile.
The study also showed that "temperament testing" isn't all it's cracked up to be. Owners of 67 dogs temperament tested and subsequently adopted from one shelter were interviewed by telephone within 13 months of adoption. The interviews included questions about jumping up, house soiling, separation-related behavior, barking and aggressive behavior. In evaluating dogs that passed the temperament test used by the shelter, it was found that 40.9% exhibited lunging, growling, snapping, and/or biting after adoption. When barking was included, this percentage rose to 71.2%. "Our results indicated that there are certain types of aggressive tendencies (territorial, predatory, and intra-specific aggression) that are not reliably exhibited during temperament testing using this particular evaluation process," the researchers said The researchers said temperament tests often fail to identify certain types of aggression.
And now for my point of view:
****All I have to say is, AMEN! Finally, some accurate statistics. I can't tell you how many times little yappy dogs on the end of unretracted retractable leashes have come snarling and aggressively barking their heads off at my two bigger dogs who just sit there and look at them. And, don't get me started on the small-dog owners who think that, just because they have a chihuahua they don't have to have them on a leash when they go outside so when they run up and bite my dog, they better not be upset when their precious poochie gets bit back by a much bigger mouth.
I have met a lot of dogs in my years in animal rescue. Although I know they exist, I have never met a well-bred, PET pitt bull that wasn't as sweet as a kitten. Every Rottweiler I have known would rather curl up and cuddle than charge and attack.
Politicians and irrational law-makers need to wake up and smell the poo piles. Don't ban breeds, ban irresponsible dog owners.
THE THREE MOST AGGRESSIVE DOG BREEDS
Mutts, a blog by John Woestendiek of The Baltimore Sun
Attention, America, or at least all you state and local politicians who are banning or considering banning ownership of pit bulls, Rottweilers and other big, scary dogs: In the midst of your rush to pass breed specific legislation, a new study has shown that the most aggressive dog breed in the world is ... Yes, the Dachshund, the wiener dog, better known in some countries as the sausage dog.
This vicious beast, despite enjoying a good reputation, is at the very top of a list of 33 dog breeds that were rated for their aggression in a study that analyzed the behavior of thousands of dogs. One in five Dachshunds have bitten or tried to bite strangers; about one in five have attacked other dogs, and one in 12 have snapped at their owners, according to the study, which was reported in the London Telegraph. Before all you Dachshund owners start experiencing the same fears as pit bull owners, and begin contemplating how to hide your pet from authorities (a large bun, perhaps?), it should be pointed out that, as a small dog, a dachshund won't inflict the same amount of damage as a large one, or the same amount of headlines. So you're probably safe.
Now that we're all relaxed we can move on to No. 2 on the most aggressive list .... German Shepherd, maybe? Perhaps the Chow Chow, or Doberman. Nope. It's the Chihuahua. Look out, Paris Hilton. Chihuahuas, even smaller than Dachshunds, and the fashion accessory of choice for Paris Hilton and other celebrities, were the second most hostile breed. According to the study, they are fairly regularly snapping or attempting to bite strangers, family and other dogs.
In third place was another small dog ... the breed that captured our heart in the television show, Frazier -- the Jack Russell terrier. The study shows beyond any doubt: Small dogs are not to be trusted. Just kidding, of course. But that is precisely the sort of generalization those passing laws against pit bulls are making. (Then again, they are probably small politicians, who really can't be trusted.)
There may, however, actually be some basis behind my theory that small dogs often display a bit of a Napoleon complex -- at least judging from the number that yap and snap at my big dog. Dr. James Serpell, a University of Pennsylvania researcher who worked on the study, said smaller breeds might be more genetically predisposed towards aggressive behavior than larger dogs. "Reported levels of aggression in some cases are concerning, with rates of bites or bite attempts rising as high as 20 per cent toward strangers and 30 per cent toward unfamiliar dogs," he added.
Most research into canine aggression up to now has focused on dog bites, but researchers said that data (pit bulls aren't at the top of that list either) is misleading. Most dog bites aren't reported, and because the bites of big dogs are more likely to get reported, they are generally viewed as more aggressive. The study, published this week in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science, involved researchers from the University of Pennsylvania questioning 6,000 dog owners. Breeds scoring low for aggression included Basset hounds, golden retrievers, Labradors, Siberian huskies. The Rottweiler, pit bull and Rhodesian ridgeback scored average or below average marks for hostility towards strangers. Greyhounds rated the most docile.
The study also showed that "temperament testing" isn't all it's cracked up to be. Owners of 67 dogs temperament tested and subsequently adopted from one shelter were interviewed by telephone within 13 months of adoption. The interviews included questions about jumping up, house soiling, separation-related behavior, barking and aggressive behavior. In evaluating dogs that passed the temperament test used by the shelter, it was found that 40.9% exhibited lunging, growling, snapping, and/or biting after adoption. When barking was included, this percentage rose to 71.2%. "Our results indicated that there are certain types of aggressive tendencies (territorial, predatory, and intra-specific aggression) that are not reliably exhibited during temperament testing using this particular evaluation process," the researchers said The researchers said temperament tests often fail to identify certain types of aggression.
And now for my point of view:
****All I have to say is, AMEN! Finally, some accurate statistics. I can't tell you how many times little yappy dogs on the end of unretracted retractable leashes have come snarling and aggressively barking their heads off at my two bigger dogs who just sit there and look at them. And, don't get me started on the small-dog owners who think that, just because they have a chihuahua they don't have to have them on a leash when they go outside so when they run up and bite my dog, they better not be upset when their precious poochie gets bit back by a much bigger mouth.
I have met a lot of dogs in my years in animal rescue. Although I know they exist, I have never met a well-bred, PET pitt bull that wasn't as sweet as a kitten. Every Rottweiler I have known would rather curl up and cuddle than charge and attack.
Politicians and irrational law-makers need to wake up and smell the poo piles. Don't ban breeds, ban irresponsible dog owners.
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