Pretending You Care: The Retail Employee Handbook [Paperback]

Norman Feuti (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 16, 2007

Ah, retail. It has lured in the best of us with promises of employee discounts (a sham), the "fun" of working with people (not so much), and flexible hours (don’t make me laugh).

What we got instead: cranky customers, sadistic managers, idiotic coworkers, and, oh yeah, the hell that is doing inventory.

But there are ways to lessen the pain, and this retail handbook will show you how. Inside you’ll learn how to handle the crazies (both customers and coworkers), feign product knowledge, and make the best of working the register, all the while, of course, pretending you care. This book takes years of retail experience and condenses it into a guide that is as funny as it is useful.

If you work in retail now, have done so in the past, or plan to do so in the future: this is the book for you.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Norm Feuti is a Massachusetts based cartoonist with over 15-years of retail management experience. He has sold everything from men's footwear, fine jewelry, toys, arts and crafts supplies to giftware, clothing and countless other items. His comic strip Retail, on which the book is based, is syndicated by King Features and appears in newspapers nationwide.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion (October 16, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401308902
• ISBN-13: 978-1401308902
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #806,294 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A real look at the retail world, October 22, 2007

By 

Tara (Phila, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pretending You Care: The Retail Employee Handbook (Paperback)

I became of fan of the Retail comic strip a few months ago, and instantly loved it. I got this book thinking it would be a collection of strips, but it's actually a real guide to working and surviving in the retail world. For anyone who's worked in retail before, this book is a must read. You'll recognize everything, the good, bad and ridiculous. For those who haven't have the "pleasure" of working in retail, you probably won't believe some of the stuff in here, but sadly, all of it's true.

I can't recommend this enough, especially with the crazy holiday season that's starting. It might just help you get through the day.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Norm Feuti is my Hero, October 19, 2007

By 

Jane Harrison (Seattle WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pretending You Care: The Retail Employee Handbook (Paperback)

I started with high expectations for this book. I was a fan of the Retail comic strip and assumed that it would be mostly a collection of comics with a few "retail hints" thrown in. But no, this is a full blown retail manual (with comic strips as illustrations). And it is AWESOME. Beyond my wildest expectations. Here is why:

1) If you have ever worked in retail, you will feel like this book completely understands you. He rants about the "customer is always right" mindset and how it is actually training people to be insufferable jerks.

2) This book has detailed practical advice, and it isn't sugarcoated. He tells you how to get hired, fake product knowledge, deal with each specific type of problem customer, prepare for the visit of the district manager, and come up with a customer exit strategy so you can actually take a lunch break. There is even one part where he writes out some good phrases to use if, as a manager, you ever have to write a B.S. "action plan" on how to increase sales. He suggests keeping a couple of action plans on file so you don't actually have to do the work when the time comes. The district managers don't read them anyway.

3) It is hilarious.

If you have ever worked in retail you need to own this book. Norm Feuti will be your hero too.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Insights and Laughs!, October 23, 2007

By 

Loyd E. Eskildson "Pragmatist" (Phoenix, AZ.) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pretending You Care: The Retail Employee Handbook (Paperback)

Feuti's "Pretending You Care" begins by exposing the three most often mentioned "benefits" of working in retail:

1)Employee Discounts: Feuti says the typical employee discount (20-30%, but not covering sale merchandise or clearance items) is about the same as that offered to the public via coupons and sales.

2)Working with People: This includes not only the nice people you know, but also those on daytime "reality" shows such as Jerry Springer, Dr. Phil, Judge Joe Brown. etc., as well as those featured on the 11:00 P.M. news.

3)Flexible Hours: This means you'll be working Friday and Saturday nights, and maybe even have split shifts (travel to/from work twice a day).

Feuti also identifies special problems that one wants to avoid when seeking retail employment. These include carding for cigarettes and alcohol (potential violators often become abusive), stores relying on selling high-profit extended warranties (often linked to quotas that must be met to retain one's job), dealing with "rewards" cards (extra time required to enter data and wait for shoppers to find their card), as well as getting tapped to clean public restrooms (if your store has them).

He then goes on to explain the underlying logic behind application questions and strategies for responding to them - eg. you greatest weakness (Feuti says "Kryptonite" has worked well for him), greatest strengths (don't say "Working with customers"), and a list of psychological profile questions that are supposed to trip up the unsuspecting drugger or thief.

Then, its onto understanding the real purpose and message of the Employee Manual, etc.

Actually, if I ever had any thought of working in retail, Feuti snuffed it out for me - an experience I don't need or want.