Working in retail is as much about reading your customers as it is about selling a product.

So when one retail employee got a little too honest with a customer about a tight-fitting dress, she found herself in some hot water.

Read on for the full story.

Telling a customer your honest opinion

I have been working at a women’s clothing store for a few years now. It’s a family business, and most of my customers are older ladies.

She has a certain philosophy when it comes to making a sale.

I’m the type of salesperson that gives my honest opinion. I’m obviously not mean about it. I don’t just care about making sales. I like my customers to look good and be happy.

Well, I had an older lady in her 60s try on a tight dress—the kind of dress that clings to your stomach and shows everything.

So when the customer asked for honest feedback, she gave it without hesitation.

She asked me what I thought, and I told her that it fits a bit too close and that maybe she should try the next size up.

Immediately, the customer was offended.

She then asked me if I was calling her fat… and I said, “No, of course not. It’s just one of those dresses that shows everything, and even the other girl I work with tried it on, and she’s paper thin and it didn’t work for her.”

She then proceeds to tell me that she isn’t fat and that she is just constipated and bloated from something bad that she ate.

The employee tries her best to reassure the customer, but to no avail.

I again told her that she is not fat (she really isn’t fat at all) and that the color of the dress is what makes it hard to pull off on people. It’s skin colored and just really clings and shows everything.

She eventually just gets dressed and storms out of the store.

I feel really bad. She definitely has body issues, and I didn’t mean to upset her.

I just try to be honest when it comes to my sales. I don’t just care about making money, but now I feel like I can’t be honest with customers anymore.

It’s clear the customer wasn’t ready to hear honest feedback.

What did Reddit make of all this?

There are still more tactful ways to make a point to a customer.

This employee has another go-to phrase.

Slight changes of phrasing can help too.

Perhaps the onus is on the customer to not ask questions they don’t want to know the answer to.

She meant to offer honest support, not stir up insecurities.

Next time, she’ll think twice before saying what she really thinks.

If you liked that story, check out this post about a group of employees who got together and why working from home was a good financial decision.