10 years at Wal~Mart and I'm not insane---yet

As many of you know I worked at Wal~Mart for 10 years.  I started back when Mr. Sam was still around and the concept of a 'Super Wal~Mart' was just being batted around.  This was back when Wal~Mart was still looking out for their associates and the customer was always right. 

I was at my local Wal~Mart earlier today and was strolling through the Christmas decorations when I overheard a customer complaining to her shopping companion about how it wasn't even Thanksgiving yet and all the Holiday decorations were already out.  Wal~Mart was pushing the holiday.  Uhm.  No.  Not like that at all.  If people didn't buy it that early it wouldn't be put out.  Besides when do you want it to go out?  The day after Thanksgiving is the busiest shopping day of the year.  You want to be able to come to the store that Friday morning and be able to buy any and everything you want and/or need for Christmas---but you don't want it out before Thanksgiving.  Are you saying that you want Wal~Mart associates to give up their entire Thanksgiving day in order to put out ALL of the Christmas merchandise that will be bought on that Friday?  Do you have any idea how long it takes to set up each four foot section of merchandise?  So, maybe the middle of October is too soon for Christmas merchandise to be on the shelves---but mid-November is not too early.  If you don't like it, don't go to that part of the store, other people enjoy browsing and planning.

I worked the service desk (return desk) for years.  Most of the time it was fun and I had a good time.  There were times that it wasn't so pleasant--like the time I got screamed at by a lady because I refused to take her toaster back.  She started screaming as soon as I said: "I'm sorry, I can't take this ____"  She didn't even give me time to finish my sentence which included: "you got it at Sears, the receipt and the box both say so."  I didn't get an apology when she snatched up her toaster and stomped from the store, either.  Things I learned while working the service desk.  Keep your receipts.  Avoid the Service desk in the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Seriously, the lines were longer then than at any other time of the year.  People exchanging early gifts or returning something that ended up being a duplicate gift.  If you must visit the Service desk during that time do NOT go right when the Service desk opens, do not go during lunch or right after work.

When I worked at Wal~Mart my favorite days of the year to work were:
*The day after Thanksgiving---I loved that the store was crazy busy, I loved helping the customers find what they were looking for, and I usually worked early enough that I was done with my work day by 11:00 or so.

*The day that all the lay-a-ways were due out in December (usually about the 15th).  The lay-a-way line was usually really long so I stayed busy either taking payments or searching for the boxes.  While I hated when a box was misplaced, I loved the challenge of then trying to find it.

Chris hated it when I had to work really early the day after Thanksgiving or Christmas.  Especially those times that I had to be at work at midnight and work until 8 the next morning.  He said it always ruined the holiday because I'd have to nap on the holiday in order to stay up all night working.  But then I wonder how much that has to do with him sleeping alone while I was working.

Now-a-days when I'm shopping at my local Wal~Mart I find myself falling back into old habits, if I'm shopping a section and I notice it is a mess---I straighten it out...I can't help it, it's a habit.  I drive Chris and Jordan nuts as I straighten boxes and make sure things are right...I like to think that the associates don't have to clean up after me.