Tales from Retail

I recently finished working for a major UK retail company and though they want to present themselves as a knowledgable source of information, I can tell you, there are lots of bullshitting going on. The adage "jack of all trades, master of none" is especially true.

Many times the assistant simply read off information from the tablet. In addition, a couple of times I have overheard information that is either misleading or plain wrong. For example, I overheard someone say that QLED means the TV has a full backlit display whereas LCDs are lit from the side. While technically true, since QLEDs are often backlit, LCDs can also be backlit. QLED refer to the quantum dots that Samsung uses for a "purer" light source.

Another example is that a manager said a fast read and write times for micro SD cards means the SD card can capture faster action. With slower speed, they said that the dash cam cannot capture fast actions. While technically true, I don't think a dashcam with a recommendation of UHS 1 will require a card with UHS3 speed. It would be a bit of overkill.

And don't get me started with the tech. The tills run a Windows 7 and they frequently freeze. Twice I have had a cash register freeze mid-sale. Also, there is a ticket printer that hasn't been working for over 1 month!

Furthermore, managers often push for the sale of mishaps insurance. Sale assistants get 50p for every plan sold. Also, the additional services count against your "measure" and you could be disciplined if you fail to meet your measure. What they don't tell you is that you can get £5-£10 discount on the plan, depending on the colleague or manager.


Moreover, one quirk I found was that some items are cheaper together than separate. For example, you can get Microsoft Office Home & Student (2019) for a lower price if bought with McAfee AntiVirus and their brand name cloud storage. So always ask to check for customer offers.

Another odd thing I found was that the "reviews" you get after a sale of an online order or delivery reflect upon the colleague who sold you the item, not the online team. I think that's a bit unfair if the delivery team did a rubbish job and the customer dings you for it.