Shopping Sale Days....Why Do People Have To Treat Things Like Junk?

@pyewacket (43903)
United States
December 28, 2008 9:24pm CST
You might say this is a peeve of mine and guess it is sort of based on a friend of mine's discussion here about the after Christmas sale days...but actually can be ANYTIME of the year. Today for instance I went to my local Walgreens....anything related to Christmas items are all 50% off...okay no problem....but I was dismayed to see that the entire isle where everything is looked like the day after the blitz...things strewn on the floor where people have walked on them, not bothering to pick them up..items like cute Christmas themed hand towels, potholders...all with "nice" black shoe marks on them now, indicating they had been walked on. Just what is it that makes people feel, that since something is on sale they can treat the items like shat? No respect for them? And it's not only something like this. My mother used to work part-time at Macy's....we're now talking about VERY EXPENSIVE clothes...designer clothes. It was her job to not only "assist" in the dressing rooms, but to pick up clothes that were strewn all over the place like so much garbage....clothes costing hundreds of dollars being treated like shat..and the same thing...they would have obvious shoe marks on them indicating they had been stepped on. So what gives? What's with people that seemingly have no respect for items just because they are on sale, and maybe walk on them, toss them on the floor, break things? Like a jerk, I was spending a lot of time at Walgreens picking things OFF the floor and placing them on shelves even though it wasn't my job to do so...it's just that this irked me so to see things treated like that
12 people like this
34 responses
@syeryn (573)
• United States
29 Dec 08
I think it boils down to the fact that people just don't respect property that isn't theirs and that it is somehow devalued because it is on "sale" My pet peeve is people who trash a buisness like a lobby in a fast food restaurant. I have seen a family of four totally trash the place and walk out leaving the mess for others to pick up. People have become selfish and disresepctful and I don't see a change coming any time soon.
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
29 Dec 08
Unfortunately many people treat items like trash even when it's not on sale...my mother would tell me she was constantly picking up clothes that customers would throw on the floor, sale or no sale
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
30 Dec 08
Ewww! Changed a baby's diaper on a restaurant table..ewwww again
@Maggiepie (7816)
• United States
29 Dec 08
[b]Boy, is that ever true! I spent my salad days working in this or that eating establishment, & I have to say, people have become much slobbier, overall, these days. Still, there are some classic ones in my memory, such as a family that actually changed their baby's diaper on the table, & left the thing steaming up the place--on the table! Gah.... You know, I find myself unable to take people such as that to task, as I can't find the words to say to someone who is just so outside the pale stupid. We have an expression: "Were you brought up in a barn?" But I've been in barns, & I have to tell you--they're not filthy! It takes a human animal to be so clueless! Maggiepie[/b]
1 person likes this
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
29 Dec 08
LMBO..I was doing the same thing..everytime i wanted something it was on the floor so i picked all the stuff up and straightened it and saw an employee looking at me and quickly walk away..guess i scared her..lol..wonder if she thought i was miss walgreens if there is such a person..hee heee
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
29 Dec 08
LOL--I guess we're neurotic neat freaks...heehee...just can't stand to see things on the floor like that though...Okay and this might show you what a "dipstick" I. sometimes I come across a cute cuddly stuffed toy.....on the floor....looking alone and forlorn....so naturally I have to rescue it and buy it to take it home so it won't feel alone and lonely...
1 person likes this
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
29 Dec 08
You i think are worse than me..lol..I clean and put in order of where the tag says its suppose to go and straighten magazines and one time i found myself color coding something..lol..
1 person likes this
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
29 Dec 08
Maybe if all schools had a class on this about how to treat store merchandise we'd have a much nicer respectful bunch of students?? if not give them that as punishment to straighten for 8 hours straight..lol..instead of sending them to jail..
1 person likes this
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
29 Dec 08
I would say that this is an American thing... or perhaps even a New York thing... where people simply don't care. I have not seen that sort of thing in Australia. Shop assistants are required to keep everything tidy and in order at all time. And in general... people would not be throwing things on the floor. Shops have security cameras everywhere and they see everything.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
29 Dec 08
Well all our stores have a ton of security cameras too. I think at times the store's help here just plain give up trying to keep things in order though...
@sconibear (8016)
• United States
29 Dec 08
sounds like a bunch of barbarians who figure it's not their stuff so they're just going to rip through it to find the "reindeer corn on the cob holders" or whatever the heck they've got their eye on as the prize. but, Walgreens should of been keeping a closer eye on the situation too.....i know they have their seasonal aisle, but they should probably have it by the cashiers or at least have a manager monitoring the "adults" also maybe they should enforce the "you break it.....or as in this case......you put your size 10's on it.....you bought it."
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
29 Dec 08
I actually feel sorry for people that work in stores like this as they must spend most of their time just picking things up off the floor...my mother did when she worked at Macy's. If this kind of behavior was the fault of little kids it might be excusable....but it's the adults who are the worse and treat things like garbage.
1 person likes this
@sconibear (8016)
• United States
29 Dec 08
it's people not worrying about anything except what their going to get out of the deal. they don't give a rat's butt if they DESTROY $5 worth of somebody elses merchandise as long as they save themselves a dollar. heck, i go nuts at Walmart sometimes just trying to figure out how to put the clothes i checked out back on the hangar or how to fold them so they look like the rest. but that's just me.
1 person likes this
@catdla1 (6005)
• United States
29 Dec 08
I used to shop occasionally at a 'better' dept store in Boston, and too was appalled at seeing women take something off a hanger, look at it, and just drop it on the floor. The sale items were well over $100 I can't come close to the mentality needed to be so disrespectful. Wouldn't you just love to see a store manager pick up an item that somebody has just dropped, give the guilty party a frozen stare and ask if it will be cash or charge? I sure would! I have been known to pick up a 'dropped' item, and it to the woman saying, "Excuse me, but this just fell out of your cart". I've also seen flaming cheeks while they put it back where it belongs...lol.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
29 Dec 08
Oh my you're a wicked one....LOL. I'll have to remember that, especially the idea of loudly "whispering" to a friend of mine.
@Maggiepie (7816)
• United States
29 Dec 08
[b]Were we perhaps separated at birth? I love to snark at people who misbehave in such crude, rude ways. Like you, I get a kick out of seeing them blush. They SHOULD blush! Maggiepie[/b]
2 people like this
@catdla1 (6005)
• United States
29 Dec 08
If you happen to be with a friend at the time, try whispering loudly (so that it can be overheard), "Gee, look at that! Can you imagine what their house looks like??" That's good for flaming cheeks too.
1 person likes this
@fairydew (180)
• United States
29 Dec 08
I agree with you on that. I can't understand why people can't just put items back where they found them. I always think, now what if I was working here, I would not like to have to put things back on the shelf repeatedly, and so I try my best to put things back where they belong. If everybody would do this, shopping at least on sale days would be a lot nicer.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
29 Dec 08
I feel sorry for the help that work in stores, since it's an endless job I would imagine to constantly pick things up the customers throw all over the place
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160665)
• United States
29 Dec 08
I have never figured this out either. I did have the experience, when I was a Wal Mart employee, of having a young employee tell me, after straightening a table display, that she would be more respectful of the merchandise in the future, because she now knew what it took to keep things nice. I was also always astounded and irked by people who would open cosmetics and try them, not buying them. Believe me, if something is not in a sealed package, I buy off the back of the shelf. Americans are lazy and are not respectful. I wonder if these people have ever had to do without anything?
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
29 Dec 08
My 24 yr old daughter works at Leggs Hanes at the mall and now that she has to straighten panties and bras a million times a day she now knows how horrible people are about throwing things around..
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
29 Dec 08
Yikes I never trust anything sold that isn't sealed up also, like as you said cosmetics. I now check vitamins though now too. Not all have those plastic seals around them, but only the seal inside the bottle...I once got vitamins and didn't notice the inner seal was broken until I got home and opened it...so took it back, telling them that the seal had been broken....so now whenever I get vitamins, I actually will unscrew the cap to see if the seal is intact
1 person likes this
@Maggiepie (7816)
• United States
29 Dec 08
[b]Pye, u r smart. One time I bought some Noxema, & when I got home & opened the jar, I saw that someone had helped themselves to a handful of it. I mean, you could see the tracks of the fingers in it. [i]Euw. [/i] Well, I wrote Noxema, & suggested they put some sort of seal on the inner jars to prevent this. They answered, & were very apologetic, & said they'd pass on my idea. They also sent me a boatload of free Noxema coupons (I still haven't run out, & that was at least a year ago! ). I now check stuff to see if anyone's messed with it, too! Maggiepie[/b]
1 person likes this
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
29 Dec 08
It runs in the family Pye. If family is messy, kids are messy. If family has no respect to anything, guess what... I respect all of my possessions and I do respect store and other people items. I know what you are talking about. I saw that 50% off of total garbage and mess...
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
29 Dec 08
But that's just it pola....it's not always the kids making messes with merchandise but the adults..
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
29 Dec 08
yes, it is not what I mean, "it runs in the family", means you respect other people possession because you have learn it from your mother or grandmother...
3 people like this
@Maggiepie (7816)
• United States
29 Dec 08
[b]I remember very clearly being a tot of two, & my mom teaching me not to MEDDLE with other people's things when visiting, & IF I were allowed to physically pick up, say, a porcelain whatnot, how to CAREFULLY handle it, so as not to drop & break it. I was an obedient child (well, most of the time...), & besides, I loved Mom & wanted to please her. I sensed even at that age that she wished to rear a child she wouldn't be embarrassed to take places, & whose company she'd enjoy. I would have been as embarrassed myself had I behaved as some kids (and adults!) do these days. I learned early & well to respect things that belonged to me, as well. Do they just not teach that any longer? One wonders.... Maggiepie[/b]
1 person likes this
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
29 Dec 08
I don't get it either. The store is already taking a bit of a loss on these items that were not sold. If they are damaged, odds are they will take 100% loss. who would pay anything for trompled on and broken items. They will have to make up for their losses by raising the prices of other items.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
29 Dec 08
Not really. All stores usually have insurances against "loss" of items. I know this to be a fact with supermarkets anyway...say the freezer at a supermarket breaks down and all that food defrosts..so in effect "damaged" can't be sold now and is thrown out...the store writes up a claim and the store is compensated for the "damaged" food....so other stores work with this mentality as well. So I guess in some ways we can blame stores that don't have much regard for the items they sell as they know they can get the money back for damaged goods via their insurance
@nanajanet (4436)
• United States
29 Dec 08
That absolutely drives me nuts!! I do not see it as much here, in Pa., as I did when I lived in Queens, but I am the one who picks up stuff and puts them back as I have worked in stores and know that it is appreciated. Just because I do not own it does not mean that I should not have respect for things. You and I think a lot alike!!
2 people like this
29 Dec 08
Hi pye, I once worked in a shop many years ago and I think its disgusting the people treat items like junk, I remember we had to go behind people to pick items off the floor then later in the week had to try and give them away as they were soiled, its was terrible. Bright Blessings. Tamara
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
30 Dec 08
So having worked in a shop you know exactly what I'm talking about..must have been endless picking up after people, right?
29 Dec 08
Hi pye, How isgusting people can be, I used to work in a shp too and I have to go behinh them putting things back on the shelves, in the we had to give away goods that been trod on. Bright Blessings Tamara
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
29 Dec 08
The real kicker is that it isn't kids with this kind of behavior but grown adults who should know better
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
29 Dec 08
Hey pye! You are not alone with these thoughts! It bothers me too to see the way that people treat merchandise just because it is on sale! They have no respect for anything! I have seen the exact same thing! Merchandise strewn all over the floor with shoe prints on them, just because they are on sale and it's after the holiday? Why do people have to act this way? And I have seen the same thing happen in dressing rooms too! And I'm not talking about holiday shopping, I'm referring to just regular shopping days where people go into tryon rooms and can't be bothered to bring out clothes and thrown them all over the place just because they have decided not to buy them! That bothers me so much! What I bring in I bring out the same way I brought it in! On a hanger neatly or folded neatly! I just don't understand this behavior! Just because you aren't buying it and don't own it doesn't mean that you have to spoil it for someone else!
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
29 Dec 08
Glad to hear you feel the same way here. I guess it boils down to people just being plain selfish and not respecting things...it spoils it for a person who genuinely wants to buy the item, but is now ruined due to other's carelessness.
@savak03 (6684)
• United States
29 Dec 08
It shows a general lack of respect. People are only interested in themselves. You can bet that if the item belonged to them they would be screaming if you got so much as a finger print on it. Most people show this disrespect to other peoples property and even to other people. Yet these very same people get into a rage if they feel like you have disrespected them. You were fighting a losing battle trying to pick the stuff up. Apparently even the store employees didn't care.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
29 Dec 08
Yes people don't even have respect for other people's property...I'm thinking in this case how people can do a hit and slam thing into a person's parked car...then speed off while the person's car is damaged.
• United States
29 Dec 08
I think people only care about things if the things that are being badly mistreated actually belong to them. Unless those items belong to them then they don't care. Otherwise, it's not something they care about. Now, if you walked into their home and threw their things on the floor and walked all over everything you can bet they'd get angry and probably throw you out of their home promptly.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
29 Dec 08
Great point...yes, if the item doesn't belong to them then people don't care how they treat the merchandise.
@Sissygrl (10912)
• Canada
31 Dec 08
I do the same.. if something is on the floor while i'm shopping and it in my sight i pick it up. . what is with those idiots who drop stuff all over the place and never pick it up. rotten jerks!
@bdugas (3578)
• United States
30 Dec 08
Honey it is not only sale items but regular priced items as well. Especially Macy's they are so tight on the racks that people try to pull them out and it falls on the floor they just leave it there and go on to something else then it gets walked on. If I can't get it back on the hanger, I at least throw it over the rack so it is not on the floor. Problem is it does not belong to them so why care. The sale racks are worse so many and I noticed last time I was in there the floor was covered with items that people had pulled off and let fall on the floor. What I'm wondering is where is the sales help that is suppose to be in each department. You never see one. Walgreens I do notice their isles always look like someone blitzed them. I heard a woman say one time she rummages through the piles to the bottom to sometimes find a different price on the ones that are on the bottom and someone might have forgotten to change the price. But you know if they do the stuff in the store like that then they probably live that way at home too.
• United States
31 Dec 08
I am with you why do people think just because it is not mine I can treat it like shat. I do not think it has anything to do with the sale price I think it has to do with no respect for others property. I think most people think the store can absorbed the cost of the item but they do not understand when that broken, stained item does not sell the cost is absorbed unto us all in higher prices.
@irishmist (3814)
• United States
30 Dec 08
Wow that really sucks, the way that mercandise is treated. I went to Wal Mart today and the store looked great, and I got some really good buys for myself.
@Maggiepie (7816)
• United States
29 Dec 08
[b]Sadly, for several decades, at least, there has been a general decline in ethics, respect for others, & just a general rise among many of an attitude that the world revolves around "Me Me ME." I see no reason to look further than that for such boorish behavior. Maggiepie[/b]
1 person likes this