There’s a labor trend on TikTok going around where workers are sharing secrets, pet peeves, common tasks, and hacks related to their jobs.
Through this trend, two TJ Maxx workers confirmed that they do hide viral items for themselves, and flight attendants shared how you can get free water while boarding. Many workers with customer-facing jobs have a lot to say, so this trend is the perfect one for them to partake in.
Two retail workers, TikTok user Mariana (@mxrinava) and her co-worker, are hopping in to air out their grievances. The workers are address customers directly in their clip, which was viewed 670,000 times.
“We work in retail. We’re gonna check the back even though we know it’s not there,” Mariana said, kicking off her video.
“We work in retail. No, you can’t use our employee discount,” Mariana’s co-worker added.
Mariana is then filmed fixing a rack of hanging clothes. “Of course you’re gonna to mess everything up right after I just fixed it,” she said.
Mariana’s co-worker then stood at a counter with an article of clothing in her hand to pretend she’s accepting a return. “I know you wore this even though you’re returning it,” she claimed.
“No, it’s not free just because you didn’t find the price tag,” Mariana said while holding another blouse in hand.
“No, you’re not getting a discount after finding the smallest little stain on it,” Mariana’s co-worker added.
@mxrinava just retail girly things 🫶🏼 #whenyouworkretail #retailhumor #povretail #iykyk ♬ original sound – mariana
The Daily Dot reached out to Mariana via Instagram direct message. Retail workers resonate with two workers’ grievances and chimed in with a few of their own.
“Big on the ‘I know you wore this evening though you’re returning it,’” @loveesydd wrote.
“We work in retail: I’m gonna tell you the discounted price of something 50% off because no one can do basic math,” the top comment on the video, from @mollyyymayer, reads.
“We work in retail ‘no I cant change our return policy,’” @thadine.sl added.
Retail workers, especially at high-end stores, have spoken out about the phenomenon of customers wearing then returning items. Former Nordstrom worker Sergio (@sergiosecret) said that when the store held its anniversary sale, influencers would purchase thousands of dollars worth of clothes and that “95% of it came back. Almost everything got returned.” Another luxury retail worker shared how they caught a customer returning Prada outfits after wearing them over the weekends and on Instagram. This led a customer to refer to stores like Nordstrom and Saks as “high-end thrift stores” since many of the items, in their opinion, are used.
