Blog #2

I absolutely hated working at Kid's Footlocker. I thought it would be easy and something that could come second nature to me since I already have an infatuation with shoes. Turns out, that was only the half of it; maybe even a quarter. My Manager would say repeatedly, "The shoes sell themselves." Little did I know that this job really wasn't about selling sneakers, but selling everything else unnecessary for them.
Every Friday, Saturday, Sunday, I strolled into Grapevine Mills mall with my shoulder's slumped. I would go in the back and sit down, because as soon as 5 o'clock hit, I wouldn't be sitting until we closed. Those 5 hour shifts stretched out to be twice as long, and for those of you who think you can't start to fall asleep standing up, I'm here to tell you, you can. I almost preferred sleep walking than poaching a customer. We walk up to them, greet them, and ask what particular items they're looking for. We even ask what or how they will specifically be using the product. This is simplistic conversation and I can handle this. In fact, I like having simplistic conversations with strangers. It's after the "shoes sell themselves" that we have to step in and say, "Hey, let me show you this oil filter for motorcycles -that doubles as leather shoe cleaner!" Then the customer proceeds in giving you the stink eye and shaking their head no. We completely don't acknowledge the clearly spoken rejection, and continue to persuade otherwise. Majority of us were raised under the "No means No" policy, but this is nonexistent in the retail world. It's basically how the sales representative rape their customers. We can't let them finish the purchase without nearly assaulting them.

It always felt like I was tying them down to a chair and taping their eyelids open to some black and white projected screen of something they didn't want to watch. Well, maybe it wasn't that bad. Regardless, I'm not much for trying to strongly convince someone who isn't trying to hear my lousy reasons on something I can't even agree with.

You could imagine how I didn't last a month.