Customer Reviews

Pretending You Care: The Retail Employee Handbook

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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.

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.

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.

The day I bought this book, everyone who saw the cover took paused and smiled, whether it was the girl behind the counter at the bookstore or the Italian guy doing stuff on his laptop next to me on the train ride home. Feuti is talking about something everyone deals with but hardly anyone actually talks about: the life of a retail worker.

Although his main thing right now is apparently being a cartoonist, he's a surprisingly engaging writer, and he presents the world of retail in a way that's engaging, human, and honest. He pulls no punches, and presents a very realistic view from the sales floor. The book covers every imaginable aspect of retail, from getting hired all the way to stores going out of business. He puts inane corporate policies, incompetent holiday help, and obnoxious, irrational customers in their place. It's not always a funny book (though there are some laugh out loud hilarious parts here and there), but it's so full of humanity and truth that I couldn't put it down.

I am not joking when I say that I think the world would be a better place if more people read this book. In particular, I think everyone who works at a corporate office of a retail chain (especially those who've never worked a day of retail in their lives) needs to be forced to read it, RIGHT NOW.

To start, I'm a supervisor at a certain chain department store. For a while now, I've intermittedly thought that I should write a book about all of the illogical/hilarious/stupid things that happen in the semi-bizarre world of retail. Then I discovered that Norm Feuti had already written it.

I adore it. This book magnificently (and honestly) lambasts every aspect of working in retail. Some of the more striking sections include Customer Types (such as the Displacer, who was evidently looking for a black V-neck sweater, as evidenced by the fact that there is now one in the bedding section, the shoe section, the toy section, the candle section, and the hardware section); The Stockroom (where one can hide when an insistent customer demands that you look for a lamp that has been out of stock for three years); Corporate (who would like to know why you have not filled that display with the specified merchandise despite the fact that that particular merchandise has been sold out for two weeks), and Christmas (at which point you will not only hire new people, but also be forced to cut payroll, which means that you can hire people but not actually invite them in to work).

Of course, sprinkled throughout the book are the comics from the strip "Retail" and also Horrible Customer Stories, which are of course always a delight, so long as they are happening to someone else. I found myself yelling "Yes!" at various points thoughout this book (which is admittedly not something I am normally prone to doing).

In short: if you work in retail, or if you are struggling to find a present for someone who has been afflicted with Retail Employment, this book would almost certainly be appreciated.

Wonderfuly funny book about life in retail. The author also writes the comic strip "Retail", which is consistently outstanding. I'm hoping for a compilation book of the first years strips soon. Keep up the good work, Norm!

Feuti's book is conversational, funny, and most importantly of all, truthful about the mundane and mysterious aspects of working retail.

As a jaded retail worker, I found myself nodding and laughing (or groaning) with his points (sometimes made in the form of cartoon strips), in an I-feel-your-pain kinship. Of course his humour makes that an enjoyable experience.

As tedious as retail is, and as eye-opening it is in terms of rudeness and craziness from customers.... it's a validating feeling to see, in black and white, someone else bringing the poorly-paid purgatory of retail to light.

While Feuti unveils retail, warts and all, the book is not a 'whine'. Its light-hearted undertone is important, and perfectly accompanied by his cartoons.

In terms of layout, these cartoons and the short subtitled sections in the book make it a particularly easy one to dip into.

Overall, an enjoyable read for anyone with any life investment in retail.

Oh, how I wish this book had been around years ago, before I started my first retail job with no idea of what to expect! While the rushed, sink-or-swim "training" I got on the job and the slick videos I watched were sorely lacking in usefulness, "Pretending You Care" would have definitely reduced my confusion and aggravation enormously.

This book is an absolutely realistic take on the retail experience which will educate new employees and amuse seasoned veterans. Instead of the familiar corporate propaganda about how to kiss up to customers, author Norm Feuti focuses on the flip side: namely, despite your best efforts at working hard and being nice to customers, you will often get nothing but abuse in return. The difficulty and unpredictability of dealing with the public is the book's main recurring theme, and for anyone thinking of a career in retail, it really can't be emphasized enough: you WILL have to serve a lot of hostile, shifty, or just plain crazy people on a daily basis.

However, there's more to the book than just that. Feuti gives the reader an in-depth breakdown of the entire retail experience, from the initial job search onward. Using his own experiences in retail as a guide (even including several "horror stories" from his various jobs), Feuti explains how to avoid being disliked by coworkers, how to advance into management, and how to deal with stressful events such as annual inventory. He provides lengthy breakdowns of the typical types of customers and coworkers that a retail employee will have to cope with as well. All of this is done in a knowing, sarcastic tone which is sympathetic to the low-level retail workers who are on the "front lines," the ones who get plenty of blame yet little reward for their efforts.

Sprinkled throughout each chapter are selections from the author's syndicated comic strip, "Retail." Some are amusing, but many are a little too predictable for my tastes. "Dilbert," another popular workplace strip, is more entertaining because of its exaggerations and occasional surrealism.

Although Feuti is brilliant at identifying frustrating situations and personality types, there isn't always enough advice about how to actually handle them. More specific tips on how to deal with irritating coworkers would have been more useful than just telling the reader that some of their coworkers may be grumps or gossipers. Another example is in the chapter on loss prevention. Feuti makes the excellent point that many seemingly odd company policies were designed to prevent employees from stealing. However, it would have been even better if he had given advice on what to do if you're ever falsely accused of stealing, or unfairly scapegoated for something beyond your control. I have witnessed this happen to some of my most honest and responsible coworkers, and loss-prevention goons can be extremely intimidating. Specifics on how to handle such a situation would have been ideal.

Then again, I can't expect Feuti to include everything about the world of retail in one book. "Pretending You Care," while not perfect, is still very useful and entertaining, and perhaps if it's successful enough, Feuti can focus more on specific situations in a sequel. I'd buy it! As it stands, if you are thinking of getting a retail job, or if you currently have one, this book is required reading.

What a great find, I've been in retail over 20 years and it is fantastic to finally find a book that highlights the horrors of dealing with customers and companies expectations that are beyond what people in "real jobs" could ever handle.

If you work retail, this is the book for you.

I bought this book after I saw it at Borders when I first started working there. I had never worked at retail before, and though at the time I was enjoying it much more than working with fast food (death to McDonald's), I really had no idea what was coming for me. I've now worked there for nearly a year, and although most of the time I enjoy my job and the people I work with, there are invariably times when things happen that make me think of this book. It actually helps keep things in perspective for me so I don't go off on customers that do the most annoying things... (i.e. coming up to the register and not wanting to purchase about half of what they bring to you.) I loved this book and would recommend it for anyone who has worked in retail or anyone who is getting started or thinking about doing retail. It's also just funny in general, but trust me, it's much funnier when you've experienced most of the things he talks about. ;)
~Lora