When you work in a retail store, you get used to having customers ask you for things that you can’t really provide them.

What would you do if a customer asked you for a discount on a humidifier, but he wouldn’t stop begging even after he was told no.

That is what happened to the retail worker in this story, so for every excuse the customer gave on why he should get a discount, the worker refused. Eventually, the customer walked out empty handed.

Personally, I think the worker deserves a raise for putting up with such a horrible customers. Read through the story and see what you think.

“Can you just… give me the discount because I feel like it?”

I work at a mid-range retail store that sells a mix of home stuff and random “gift-y” items. Think shelves of candles, mugs, little gadgets, and seasonal junk people swear they need.

You never know what to expect in a retail job.

Most days are normal: someone can’t find a size, someone wants a return without a receipt, someone asks if we have “the one they saw online” but with zero details. You know, retail.

This happened on a slow afternoon when the store was empty enough that you can hear the music loop back around. A guy comes in, maybe late 30s, dressed like he’s going to a casual dinner but also like he might argue with a parking meter.

Why would there be a discount on it?

He grabs one of those little countertop humidifiers we sell, not expensive but not cheap, and then he does that thing where a customer makes a beeline to you like you’re a help desk, not a human.

He puts it on the counter and goes, “So what’s the discount on this.”

This guy is weird.

I’m already bracing, because it’s not on promo, there’s no sticker, nothing. I say, “It’s the price on the tag, but we do have a loyalty coupon sometimes if you’re signed up.”

He leans in like I just said something insulting. “No. Like what’s the discount you can give me.”

He is really trying for that discount.

I do the polite smile. “I can’t just discount it, unless it’s damaged or there’s a current sale.”

He points at the humidifier like it’s personally betrayed him. “It’s damaged.”

Does he think he is clever or something? No, just annoying.

It was in a sealed box. No dents, no torn corners, no weird tape. Just… a box. I pick it up and turn it around. “What makes you think it’s damaged?”

He shrugs. “Because it’s the last one on the shelf.”

Will he ever give up?

I actually paused, because I thought he was joking. Like maybe this is his little bit. But his face was dead serious, almost offended that I wasn’t immediately agreeing.

I say, “Being the last one doesn’t mean it’s damaged. It just means it’s the last one.”

As if he is the one being inconvenienced.

He does this big sigh, like I’m the unreasonable one here. “Okay but it’s been handled by other people. People touch it. So it’s not new-new.”

I’m thinking, buddy, you are currently touching it. I keep it simple. “It’s still new. It’s unopened, and it’s from our regular stock.”

Honestly, the worker has already done more than he should.

He taps the counter with one finger, slow and dramatic. “So you’re saying you can’t do anything for me.”

“I can help you sign up for the loyalty thing,” I offer, because I’m trying to give him an exit ramp. “Or you can check our app for coupons.”

Give it up man. It’s not going to happen.

He waves that away. “No no. I shouldn’t have to do extra steps. Like, just take ten off. It’s not hard.”

And here’s where the conversation goes from mildly annoying to fully surreal. He says, “I drove all the way here.”

Everyone who comes to the store has to drive there. He isn’t special.

We’re in a normal shopping plaza. It’s not remote. I say, “Okay… but the price is still the price.

He stares at me like I’m failing a morality test. “You don’t understand. I used gas. Gas is expensive. So it would make sense for you to, like, balance that out.”

It might be time to ask him to leave.

I’m trying to keep my face neutral but I can feel my brain rebooting. “We don’t have a policy for reimbursing… travel.”

He laughs, short and sharp. “So you’re just gonna punish customers for coming to your store.”

I can’t imagine how frustrating this must have been.

I say, “No, I’m just following the pricing.”

Now he switches tactics. He lowers his voice and goes, “Okay, what if I buy two things. Then you can discount one, right.”

The worker should just walk away. I’m sure he has other things to do.

“No, it doesn’t work like that unless there’s a deal.”

He lifts his hands a little like a magician about to reveal a trick. “What if I promise to come back.”

People shop online, and yet here he is.

I say, “We can’t do discounts based on promises.”

He’s getting frustrated now, and he does that thing where they look around like they’re expecting a crowd to back them up. Still basically empty store. He says, “This is why people shop online. They take care of you online.”

Even if he could help you out, I’m sure he wouldn’t not.

I almost said “then do that,” but I’m not trying to get written up. Instead I say, “I understand. Online does have different promos sometimes.”

He holds the box up and squints at it like maybe the discount is printed in invisible ink. “So you’re telling me there’s no way you can just… help me out.”

He should never get a discount on anything.

At this point I’m like, okay, just end it. “No, I can’t change the price.”

He puts the humidifier down very gently, like it’s fragile. Then he says, “Alright. Then can I get a discount on something else.”

Nobody made him waste his time.

I blink. “On what.”

He points at the candy display by the register. “Those. Because I had to stand here and waste my time.”

Who wants to provide service to a customer like this?

I swear I felt my soul leave my body for a sec. I say, “No, man, we don’t discount candy for… waiting.”

He frowns and goes, “That’s not customer service.”

I just go, “Sorry.”

And he has the nerve to talk about people wasting his time.

And then he hits me with the line that still makes me laugh when I think about it. He says, “Okay. So you’re gonna make me leave here empty-handed.”

Like I was holding him hostage. Like he’s a victim of The System. He grabs his keys, does one last dramatic sigh, and walks out without buying anything, still muttering about how businesses don’t appreciate people anymore.

Finally, a customer acting like a customer.

Five minutes later another customer comes in, buys that same humidifier at full price, and doesn’t say a single word besides “thanks.” I wanted to frame the receipt.

This type of thing would be terribly annoying. I can’t imagine having to deal with customers like this on a daily basis.

If you enjoyed this post, check out this story about a hardware store employee who lost his cool with customers wandering around after closing time.

Read on to see what the people in the comments have to say about it.

You know he does this everywhere.

We could give you a discount, but we don’t want to.

To be honest, we’ve already discounted it as much as possible.

This happens all the time, but managers won’t push back.

This commenter could be right, though.

Honestly, he should have shut this down a lot sooner, but they have to be patient. There is no need to put up with this at a retail store. Sadly, most stores have a policy of being extraordinarily patient with customers, and this is what you get.

I’m just glad that they didn’t eventually give in to the guy’s demand to get a discount, though. Giving in only encourages them to press for a discount to the next company they walk into.