When store worker isn’t helpful
By Lena Kovadlo
@lovebuglena (52200)
Staten Island, New York
August 22, 2023 6:48pm CST
I was at Home Depot today looking for kitchen sinks and while I was there I remembered that my mom needed those sticks you put into planters to keep plants upright. I had no idea what they were called.
Went to the garden department but couldn’t find them. No worker there to help me. Managed to find a worker in the main store after walking around looking for one and explained what I was looking for, telling the lady I don’t know the name for it. She told me she doesn’t know the name for it either but that I should try the garden department. I had just come from there and didn’t see any.
I ended up googling something along the lines of “stick to keep plants straight” and Home Depot came up in the results. Clicked on the link and turns out it’s called a garden stake. It even told me the exact location in the store where it’s located (in the garden department). Went there and there they were. Wonder why I didn’t notice them the first time.
If only I had googled it right away instead of walking around the store trying to find a worker to help me...
13 people like this
9 responses
@lovebuglena (52200)
• Staten Island, New York
23 Aug 23
Wow! How rude! That’s part of his job. Or so I would think.
2 people like this
@jstory07 (148764)
• Roseburg, Oregon
23 Aug 23
@lovebuglena You would think so to and stores want the employees to help you.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52200)
• Staten Island, New York
23 Aug 23
@jstory07 and you’d think workers would be able to tell you where to find something, especially if what you’re looking for is not very specific. Not always the case.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (174658)
• United States
23 Aug 23
Most store employees can't help you with things in another department and they can get in trouble if they leave their department to help you. You can always go to the front of the store and talk to the person over the registers and they will "normally" call someone to help you in the department you need.
Walmart was like that when I was still working there. Sometimes I could help someone in another department but would get in trouble if my department manager found out I wasn't in my own department if someone there needed help.
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (174658)
• United States
23 Aug 23
@lovebuglena They may be able to tell you the department the item will be in IF the store carries it. The employee won't be able to tell you if they carry it, though.
If you came to me in electronics and asked me if the store has rose bushes, I can direct you to the garden department but that's all I'd be able to do. Same goes with clothing, cosmetics, plumbing, shoes, etc. If it's not an electronic item, I wouldn't have any idea if the store carries the item or not. And, in Walmart, some items aren't carried in the department you may think the item will be in.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52200)
• Staten Island, New York
23 Aug 23
If I want to know where something is located a store employee can tell me that (if they know) without leaving their department.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52200)
• Staten Island, New York
24 Aug 23
@DaddyEvil “in Walmart, some items aren't carried in the department you may think the item will be in”
Why is that? That’s weird.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52200)
• Staten Island, New York
23 Aug 23
That’s what I am wondering too.
1 person likes this
@Raine38 (12387)
• United States
23 Aug 23
Isn't it disappointing if they themselves don't know what they are selling? I understand if she is totally not familiar with it, say she was never assigned to the garden department. But maybe at least she can direct you to someone who is? Instead of sending you back in the area hoping that this time around someone will be there to assist you.
2 people like this
@lovebuglena (52200)
• Staten Island, New York
23 Aug 23
Yeah. She could’ve also told me to wait a minute and that she’d ask someone else to help me. She did not.
3 people like this
@Shavkat (141905)
• Philippines
26 Aug 23
@lovebuglena I had tried to check out and it does give some accurate information. I do think it is not a perfect one. I heard two lawyers were punished in NYC for not reading the information got from it. They thought that the given information was right.
@lovebuglena (52200)
• Staten Island, New York
25 Aug 23
Really? I am not really familiar with ChatGPT aside from its name.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222728)
• United States
23 Aug 23
I"m glad you were able to find the stakes. Have a good day.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52200)
• Staten Island, New York
23 Aug 23
I hate that it took a while though.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
24 Aug 23
I'm glad you finally found out what to call it. I wouldn't have known either.
@peachpurple (13961)
• Malaysia
23 Aug 23
Some employees do not know what you are describing or simply dont even know what the store is eelling either. This is a normal case.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52200)
• Staten Island, New York
23 Aug 23
Maybe the lady I found was new to the store. Usually, store workers are helpful.
