So now that it is almost Thanksgiving, there has been a lot of articles posted and talked about on the social media platform I use most often: Facebook. I just read an article written by someone who has worked in retail for years. The author writes about how he hated the holiday shopping season because of how much he worked, and how people treated him.
Having gone Black Friday shopping in years past, I have seen people behave differently as part of the shopping mob than they would if they weren't so worried about pleasing their kids with the best things for Christmas. Honestly, why do parents worry about getting a game system 2 years after they bought one? Kids do NOT need everything electronic gadget there is. I have seen a 10 year old with cell phone and tablet. I am 23 and don't have a tablet, and I am perfectly happy! Besides, growing up, there were few Christmas presents that I have kept from longer than a few months. The only one I can think of is my stuffed animal, Stuart. He was my favorite stuffed animal until I was about 15.
Sometimes when I am shopping, I can be in a hurry to get somewhere. And on Black Friday, I think a lot of people are hurrying from one store to the next. I know that stores try to stagger their opening times to get the most shoppers in the store as possible. So people rush from place to place. People just need to start treating others like people, not objects. It is easy to say mean things, or have an attitude with someone else, until you realize they are just like you.
Having worked with customers, I understand how if something does not go as planned can affect people. At the hotel, if a guest's rate is not what they think it should be, or their credit card declines, they can get very upset. If the rate is too high, they think I should have the ability to change it. Maybe I should, maybe I shouldn't. It is not up to the customer to decide what I can do. Honestly, there are rules I need to follow, and those rules are in place for a reason. I may not like them as much as you don't, but your complaining won't change anything. So this Black Friday, please say something nice to the workers of any stores that you enter. They are working hard so that you can shop.
This year, my wife and I started thinking of Christmas presents in October. We have already bought most of the things we will be giving, and Cathy has been working on 3 of them recently. Instead of spending a lot of money on something, why not think a little, and give something that is meaningful and will be something the person can use?
I know there are horror stories of Black Friday's where people literally trample someone who falls down. I know there is a mad rush to get the door busters, or the best deals on the latest and greatest X-Box or Playstation. I know that there are TV's that are really cheap that morning, but it is not worth putting someone's life or risk injury to get a TV. Period, end of discussion.
I will be participating in some of the Black Friday Rush, and I will make sure I thank the cashiers, the security people at each store I enter. If you join me in shopping, please do the same.
