Archived Sexism by Guests?

[Ligithrese]

I want to firstly say that I am a female and I work in electronics. Unlike most girls my age (the 20 year old mark), I don't think I'm some sort of special for working in electronics. I'm a girl and I just so happen to work in electronics. Such as some guys just so happen to work in softlines.

A few days ago, about a half hour before my shift ended, I did my normal routine. Ask a guest if they need help, if they don't, I tell them to let me know if they need any help or I show them and help them if they do.
Well, I was asking an older guest if he had any questions about the TVs and he looks me right in the face and says "not by you no, but by a man who knows what he's talking about."
Being the nice person that I am, I kindly asked my electronics coworker, who was service desk at that moment, if he could come over to electronics and help a guest. Of course I was a bit upset over it, I mean, it's not nice to basically be told that I'm not qualified to tell you about TVs because I'm a girl. And, it wasn't the first time something of the sorts had been said--I was asked my first day while being trained why I was in being trained in electronics and not working in apparel. I've also been asked where Tide is instead of my male coworker because "surely she would know better than him". But, I've brushed them all off, because I don't tend to let things like that affect how I do my job.

When my shift ended and when my reliever came, I was walking to clock out when my friend, who is TPS, pulls me aside and tells me that if I ever feel uncomfortable by a guests sexist comments in the future, to let him know and he will kindly escort them out.

Obviously every store is different, but has anyone else gone through this before? How did you deal with it?

 

[stupid rules]

I can't stand that crap. Double standards, sexism, playing favorites, special rules for some but not all. I bet your TPS wouldn't have offered to escort someone out for making those comments towards a man! Just kidding, **** that guest. You shouldn't have even called anyone to help him. He turned down your help for his own ignorant reasons then he can use his own ignorant reasons when picking a t.v.

 

[Jwowwbudweiser29]

I see that a lot at my store from guests & at 1 point from some tl's & etl's ( I accidently made a stand/change without really knowing) we deal with a lot with guests that or sexist & we gotten to a point to where we know their shopping schedule since their regulars & we as a store have dealt with it quite good

I know 1 time I was asked bout where ironing boards were at ( I was bent over pushing a baseboard back in its place) when I turned up & around she abruptly said "oh nvm ill find em myself" I responded with the exact isle location & also told her ill walk her over to them 1 of the etl's was a few isles over n she heard the whole thing later in my shift I found out from the etl that I embarassed the guest but I provided great guest service so I was doing nothing wrong

Back last summer I made a general comment while pushing mini seasonal with the rest of the truck team that u see many females in hardlines/food ave/cashiering as u do males but u don't see any males in softlines/fitting room or females doing carts would it be unfair if some1 was willing to work & help out in those workcenters when they need the help & staff

Bout not even 3 weeks later & a chat session in between I was told the following week I be trained in softlines to do the truck process

I guess when I mentioned what I did a lot of people on the flow team agreed with me & somewhat u can say put the pressure on the tl's & etl's about the situation without sexism ever being brought up

Fastforward to now:

All new sales floor trainees get trained in both hardlines & softlines

& we have a female cart attendent that helps out when needed as well as a female truck thrower that works a few trucks a week

 

[GlobalTL123]

I like having males in softlines. When you have a bunch of women together its DRAMA. Its important to have diversity on any team!

 

[Redrunner]

Some guests have yet to socially evolve and understand we all have access to the same information. Although, it's interesting when people ask about cleaning tips... I don't know any!

I was surprised by how it seems mostly girls are in Softlines and in fitting room... And that most nights there are men doing hard lines. I'm hoping they'll break up that pattern soon.

 

[Barcode]

I was speedweaving once and was going to put this elderly lady in a line, then she said "No im not going in that line id ratherbwait here, you guys always screw stuff up"

Elderly people seem to have no shame in being complete nitwits.

 

[Ligithrese]

I bet your TPS wouldn't have offered to escort someone out for making those comments towards a man! Just kidding, **** that guest. You shouldn't have even called anyone to help him. He turned down your help for his own ignorant reasons then he can use his own ignorant reasons when picking a t.v.

Nah, he probably would have, it's just that he's a friend I've known prior to working at Target, so he's obviously going to be more protective over me as a friend and a coworker.

I know I shouldn't have, but it was like half an hour from the end of my shift and I was tired and I didn't want to deal with it at that moment. He got a Vizio, so even with the other guy's assistance, he still chose a sucky TV.

 

[Ligithrese]

Back last summer I made a general comment while pushing mini seasonal with the rest of the truck team that u see many females in hardlines/food ave/cashiering as u do males but u don't see any males in softlines/fitting room or females doing carts would it be unfair if some1 was willing to work & help out in those workcenters when they need the help & staff

All new sales floor trainees get trained in both hardlines & softlines

& we have a female cart attendent that helps out when needed as well as a female truck thrower that works a few trucks a week

We don't have any female cart attendants. We apparently had one a few months ago, but she quit because she hated it. Now we just have guys.
But, we do have a lot of women who work in the backroom/flow team/trucks, so I guess it evens out a bit.

I was only trained in hardlines. I would be so lost in softlines if I was to cover a break or something.

 

[StaticSun]

I have several backroom ladies, and they're great! In addition, we have several softlines TMs who work hardlines shifts all the time.

 

[skullfire316]

Whenever the female Electronics TMs call for TL assistance with a guest in Electronics, we have come up with a look that indicates that the guest won't deal with a female to answer questions they are completly capabale of answering, I always tell the guests I'm not completely positive I could give them the best answer and I will refer them to my Electronics "specialists", the female Electronics TM they were just dealing with.

 

[commiecorvus]

I was putting up signs in softlines and a lady walked by so I did the CIHYFS.
She sniffed and said "I really don't think you'd know anything about the clothes I need."
Sadly she was probably right but I so wished I could have broken out a major Tim Gunn appraisal of the clothes she was wearing.
I know next to nothing about fashion but I can point people in the right directions.

For fun here is a link to Tim Gunn talking about Super Hero uniforms.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fQwU7uUPcU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FxMcEZA-9k

 

[salesfloor10]

I've definitely dealt with sexism. This woman was looking for an item and kept saying "one of the guys should know where it is." uhm, hello, I'm the team lead and have seen that what you're looking for went clearance six weeks ago.
Guests have also started this annoying habit of walking away from me as I'm trying to answer their questions. Agh!
I've dealt with ageism a bit too. Sometimes guests don't love my answer then a TM older than me will come answer it the same way.

 

[researchr]

I am also female and work in electronics occasionally. I have experienced the same attitude but our store is mostly female. I just have to explain to the guest that I can try and find a male tm, but it will be a few minutes or I can do my best to help them now. They usually grudingly accept and I go about explaining the item in question using my college graduate vocabulary. I love when they ask me to explain what I just said! (Wait! Do you you mean the female needs to dumb it down for you?) Ha ha, life is good.

 

[nolongerspecial]

For a long time I was the only girl on the electronics team, so I got used to this very quickly. It happens so often that it's become laughable now. Nowadays, a lot of guests will by pass me completely and approach the Target Mobile guys, then look slightly disappointed when they get directed right back to me. It used to bother me, now it's just hilarious.

 

[Retail Girl]

I had a woman ask me to call for assistance with a carry out. She phrased it in a way that she was expecting a guy to help her. Frankly, I didn't think what she bought was carry out worthy, but whatever...not mine to judge. So I called for a carry out, and up came one of our female hard lines people. The lady took one look at her and said she really didn't need that carry out after all. The girl was more than willing and able to help her. The guest looked awfully embarrassed, and I got a great laugh out of it after she left.

 

[pfreshdude]

This is so funny because when I first started we had 2 electronics TMS that were female and they knew EVERYTHING and were awesome at their job. One is now Pricing TL and the other is HR/Pricing/Whatever else, while the couple male TMS lately have admited they dont know much and just BS pretty much.

 

[HardlinesFour]

This is so funny because when I first started we had 2 electronics TMS that were female and they knew EVERYTHING and were awesome at their job. One is now Pricing TL and the other is HR/Pricing/Whatever else, while the couple male TMS lately have admited they dont know much and just BS pretty much.

Seems typical

 

[greydot]

i love when people in furniture stop me and are like "could you have a male come over and help me put this in my cart" when its like.....an office chair. one time a guy wanted a bookcase and he was like 'can someone bring this up for me' i was like sure - except it was early morning and no cart attendants for carry-out. so it was me with a flatbed. the guy was dumbfounded i could put it on there.....its really.....not that difficult.....

 

[Target Annie]

a good friend of mine was closing the store one evening when she was called to the front to deal with an irate guest. When she arrived to deal with the situation, the male guest wanted to talk with the man in charge.

She replied that she was the Executive Team Leader - HR, in charge of the store.

game over

 

[pzychopopgroove]

a good friend of mine was closing the store one evening when she was called to the front to deal with an irate guest. When she arrived to deal with the situation, the male guest wanted to talk with the man in charge.

She replied that she was the Executive Team Leader - HR, in charge of the store.

game over

LOL, owned.

 

[HBAelite]

Kinda funny that this thread came up cuz a coworker of mine and I were discussing this on our break last night.. At my store, our electronics TL is female, I'm the only guy that works in soft lines and HBA, and our ETL-Log is female. I'm sure there are more but that's what I know so far at my store.

 

[commiecorvus]

Kinda funny that this thread came up cuz a coworker of mine and I were discussing this on our break last night.. At my store, our electronics TL is female, I'm the only guy that works in soft lines and HBA, and our ETL-Log is female. I'm sure there are more but that's what I know so far at my store.

Greetings and salutations.
Maybe you could give a clueless guy who wind up over there and have to help people from time to time a few tips.

 

[HBAelite]

Greetings and salutations.
Maybe you could give a clueless guy who wind up over there and have to help people from time to time a few tips.

It's actually not too bad in soft lines land. Lol surprisingly, I'm best with Women's and Men's but absolutely suck when it comes to Acessories, Boys, Girls and Infants...

 

[mrknownothing]

Greetings and salutations.
Maybe you could give a clueless guy who wind up over there and have to help people from time to time a few tips.

Reminds me of the many times I've had to ask for help with questions in Domestics. When it comes to bedding, decor, etc., [see username].

It's actually not too bad in soft lines land. Lol surprisingly, I'm best with Women's and Men's but absolutely suck when it comes to Acessories, Boys, Girls and Infants...

As long as you don't get stuck in Intimates...

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Reminds me of the many times I've had to ask for help with questions in Domestics. When it comes to bedding, decor, etc., [see username].
As long as you don't get stuck in Intimates...

Keep doing domestics, it is easy! Except for towel folding.