People often treat store employees like human search engines, ready to answer anything on demand.

One worker found herself trapped in an endless argument with a customer who couldn’t accept the word “sold out.”

Each question felt less like curiosity and more like an accusation.

Read on for the full story!

The “out of stock” customer responses

I’m sure every last person here has faced this before. The customers who act like stores should be 100% stocked 100% of the time.

I worked in a clothing store in the past, and one thing which bothered me is dealing with customers who want an item we don’t have.

The irritating conversation went something like this:

Them: Hey, do you have (item)?
Me: We’re sold out.
Them: Do you have any in the back?
Me: We don’t.
Them: Are you sure?
Me: Yes.
Them: When will you guys get more?
Me: I’m not sure. I’m not in charge of ordering merchandise, and when we do get shipments, there’s no guarantee we’re getting every item in it.
Them: But your website says you have it.

The employee continues to try and reason with the customer, to no avail.

Me: Our website doesn’t show our store stock, it shows our online store.
Them: How can they have it but you guys don’t?
Me: The online store is a warehouse. They have a giant location to store every item in boxes. We’re limited in space.
Them: But I came in (a past date) and you guys had it.
Me: Chances are it sold out in that time. We’ve had many customers shopping here since then.

(Some items I find out from the manager we’ll have in the afternoon.)

They get some insight from their manager, but the customer still isn’t satisfied.

Me: I spoke to my manager and they said we’ll have this item in the afternoon once the shipment truck comes.
Them: I can’t wait that long. I came from (another city, or even country). Today’s the only (or last) day I’m in town.
Them: Do you know if (competitor) has the item in stock?
Me: I’m not sure, you could check and find out.
Them: Don’t you know what they have?
Me: No… I don’t work there.
Them: Aren’t you affiliated with them?
Me: No? They’re our competitor.
Them: But they sell the same things, don’t they?

The conversation ended, but the confusion sure did linger.

Many customers treat stocking issues as personal offenses.

Others just won’t take no for an answer.

No amount of reason will get through to entitled people.

Some people will do anything but take some accountability.

Is it “the customer is always right” or “the customer refuses to listen.”

It takes true commitment to be this clueless.

If you liked that post, check out this story about a customer who insists that their credit card works, and finds out that isn’t the case.