Is "Karen" Ironically a Racist or Sexist Term?

[Guest]

This is a term that isn't new, but who's origins it seems stem on the same principle.

 

Essentially, a derogatory term to describe an entitled white woman, using her white privilege privilege to get people to abide to her will. This at times, can be a racist tirade, where one will call the police to quell otherwise innocuous disagreements.

 

I can't say I've ever experienced a woman doing this to me, but did experience this from white men quite a few times.

(closest I got it from a woman, was an older cashier in a store demanding to look in my bags accusing me of taking an item and then aggressively demanding to see my ID and receipt). My receipt and bag contents checked out, yet no apology. That set me off, to where I escalated things to the head office of the store. I chose to avoid confronting the woman directly.

 

Several of which demanding to know what I was doing walking in my own neighborhood. One of which, felt I shouldn't be biking in my neighborhood and threatened to call the police as I somehow managed to keep my calm, even though during his aggressive tirade with me, he was waving his dog's poop bag a couple feet from my face in the midst of his gesturing.

 

See, the issue here, is I'm a black male. Its unfortunately common knowledge. Police gets called on me by a concerned white person, and odds are--it won't turn out good for me.

 

So I'm forced to keep my calm, as I then justify the assault or violent claims they are at times making if I lose my mind.

 

I would like to feel this is where the term truly caught viral flames, especially in today's Black Lives Matter narrative. I'm curious if this word was popular even before it.

 

With that said, the linked video I posted was posted for a specific reason. The victimized male refused to press charges, even though he should have. He just wanted peace. He even refused to talk ill about the woman who literally was willing to falsify assault accusations, to strong arm the poor guy into compliance.

 

Why I created the thread, is that while these women are being idiots, I think the social justice that then rains down on them sort of outweighs their actions. I.E Demanding to know addresses, names, harassment.

 

Personally, I would label these people idiots, or ignorant.

 

However, would calling them by a derogatory term, be hypocritical?

 

Is "Karen" ironically a racist or sexist term?

 

[nanogretchen4]

While it's a bummer for innocent women who happen to be named Karen in real life, overall I think it's okay. White women do need to examine their privilege and become mindful of the possible consequences to Black men if they call the police. It's not racist to call out a pattern of racist behavior. As for those who scream "Not all white women!" I think that's just classic white fragility. If the shoe doesn't fit, don't wear it.

[Guest]

I think if we want to mend society which is being torn apart right now, we have to see things in a more holistic way. While she may be a "Karen" she may also be stressed from feeling pressure at what is happening. The fact is white privilege is being called into question and some white people see this as an existential threat. Plus the pressure of dealing with a pandemic and people can fall apart. But on the other hand these same pressures are not exclusive: everyone is under pressure at the moment. So it is very selfish and these often callous acts need to be called out and corrected. It is difficult to say what is the right course of action though. All I think we can hope for is to act with sympathy and understanding despite our first feelings being anger or frustration. And I don't think it's racist or sexist to call people Karen simply because it is usually just a commentary upon someone's actions rather than a dig at their race or gender. I could see a man being called a Karen even though they are usually called by masculine names like Chad. 

[i_am_once_again_stuck]

I didn't even consider it to be racist or sexist before.

 

If we're not talking about the academic definition of racism (basically you can't be racist towards those with privilege [white people]) then I get the argument that it could be racist or sexist depending on the situation, but even then I feel like it's still a bit of a stretch to call it either. For perspective, I'm a white woman myself. I don't think it's intrinsically either sexist nor racist.

 

The thing with other derogatory slurs is that they're typically created and used towards people not doing anything wrong. If you were called the n-word or f-word for instance, you're being called "black" or "queer" with the insinuation that both are bad things to be, basically saying that those people are inherently bad when they aren't. That's what makes them bad. Also take into account all the years and history with those slurs.

 

Karen is pretty much always used for when someone is being a dick for no reason. S'not really a slur when the person kind of brings it on themselves based on their attitudes.

 

I think it's rude when someone gets called a "Karen" for no reason--I'd be pretty annoyed myself if I wasn't doing anything and got called a "Karen" just because of how I look--but I don't think it's really racist or sexist. Guess the level of offensiveness depends on the context of the situation, IMO. I don't care if someone is called Karen because they're being rude to a retail employee or people trying to have a picnic; they've brought it on themselves. If someone just has "the Karen haircut" or they're an older woman and they're just minding their own business then I think it's mean.

[Lichley]

“If Karen is a slur why don’t I hear kids using it on Xbox live?”

[Mostly Peaceful Ryan]

16 minutes ago, Lichley said:

“If Karen is a slur why don’t I hear kids using it on Xbox live?”

Did you try asking for the manager on xbox live?

[Lord Jade Cross]

uhh no. I get how the term has become popularly synonymous with being exclusive only for white folks but trust me when I tell you, especially working in retail that I've met alot of "Karen's" or their attitudes, both  female and male (though I'm not sure there is a specific term for them) and their skin color had nothing to do with it whatsoever because it's come from all sides

 

[Mostly Peaceful Ryan]

1 minute ago, Jade Cross said:

uhh no. I get how the term has become popularly synonymous with being exclusive only for white folks but trust me when I tell you, especially working in retail that I've met alot of "Karen's" or their attitudes, both  female and male (though I'm not sure there is a specific term for them) and their skin color had nothing to do with it whatsoever because it's come from all sides

 

This is true, can confirm

[Lichley]

5 minutes ago, Mostly Peaceful Ryan said:

Did you try asking for the manager on live?

[Expletives Redacted] “no”

[RoseGoesToYale]

The difference between "Karen" and something like the n-word is that the former describes a set of changeable behavior, and the latter describes an inherent and unchangeable attribute. Racial and sexist slurs mock a person for something they are, something they can't change, and whose supposed undesirability to the one using the term has no rational or scientific basis. "Karen" mocks a specific type of woman for something she does, something tangibly undesirable because the behavior is rude and disruptive to the normal functioning of workplaces, and which could be easily changed.

 

"Karen" typically applies to white middle to upper class women, but not to all of those women, only the ones who make unreasonable demands on employees or managers, try to get their way at the expense of others time and patience, or act out when their wishes are not granted. The easiest way to not be called a Karen is to be reasonable and treat workers with respect, and not pitch a hissy fit just because someone made a very small human error like forgetting sour cream.

[SamewhereSameplace]

I feel that there is an unintended sexist element to the "Karen" insult by its very nature. It's a gendered term for what's a non-gendered personality.

Look at another gendered insult like "bitch." When aimed at women it's rude, but when aimed at men the insult is meant to be worse. Being compared to a woman becomes an additional element to the insult.  Same with calling someone a "pussy" or saying they do something "like a girl."

Even back when "A Karen" just meant some entitled lady raining hell on retail workers, the term had obvious problems. A guy "asking to speak with the manager" either was in his right, or was a Karen. A woman asking? Always a Karen, always.  For a term implying entitlement, the insult was stifling.



Gendered terms, be it insults or compliments, has been a pet peeve of mine for so many years. They are just everywhere in the English language, and I feel that we could do so much to dismantle gender stereotypes and pigeonholing if every time we were angry/impressed with someone, this wasn't the go-to wording to express it.

[Lord Jade Cross]

15 minutes ago, RoseGoesToYale said:

The difference between "Karen" and something like the n-word is that the former describes a set of changeable behavior, and the latter describes an inherent and unchangeable attribute. Racial and sexist slurs mock a person for something they are, something they can't change, and whose supposed undesirability to the one using the term has no rational or scientific basis. "Karen" mocks a specific type of woman for something she does, something tangibly undesirable because the behavior is rude and disruptive to the normal functioning of workplaces, and which could be easily changed.

 

"Karen" typically applies to white middle to upper class women, but not to all of those women, only the ones who make unreasonable demands on employees or managers, try to get their way at the expense of others time and patience, or act out when their wishes are not granted. The easiest way to not be called a Karen is to be reasonable and treat workers with respect, and not pitch a hissy fit just because someone made a very small human error like forgetting sour cream.

You don't even need to make a mistake. Back when the outbreak began and there was stricter entrance policies to stores, I got quite a few "Karens" male and female, doing everything from hitting the door, to screaming at me, to one older man threatening me saying "I've gotten assholes like you fired and I'm going to get you fired as soon as I get in", to which I defied him saying "oh please go right ahead and try" (professionalism be dammed) because they just arrived and didn't want to wait in line for their turn. Some even went as far as demanding I showed them written store policies where it stated that they needed to wait for a turn instead of being granted instant access. And don't even get me started on "privileged individuals"

[nutterwithasolderingiron]

honestly. ive worked retail/customer service. i've encountered these people. i dont see it as a racist/sexist term. it's more of a term to call out these rich, entitled women who throw their big boomer energy around hoping to get special treatment. for the record. my mum was a total karen and a horrible person to boot. she used to pride herself on the ability to make customer service staff cry. while not rich, she acted like she was because appearance is half the battle. 

 

tbh, im glad the term karen came along, same with OK boomer. because having an argument with this type of person is impossible to avoid and even if you're technically right, you'll always be wrong. i think my favorite example of this was when i worked in a call center for an online clothing company. the exchange went something like this. 

 

hello, what can i help you with?

"i've been on hold for 40 mins, you call this customer service?"

i'm sorry about the wait ma'am. what seems to be the problem

"my package never arrived"

i'm sorry to hear that ma'am, do you have the order number?

"no, i dont track of that shit"

ok ma'am. can i take your email address to check if it lines up to any of our orders?

"i'm not giving you my email, you might sell it to the Chinese"

we do not give out information to 3rd parties. i can't help you without your order number or your email.

"i want to speak to the manager"

ma'am, i cant help you without those things.

"where do i find my order number?" 

go onto our website and go into your account. there should be an option for "orders" click that

"this is all jargon to me" 

*spends 5 mins talking her through it and she gives me the order number*

ok. so according to our system, you ordered the dress at 8pm yesterday, is that right?

"yes, but i ordered overnight delivery"

ok, well overnight delivery is only available if you order before 5pm for us.

"but it's called overnight delivery"

yes, but our shipping warehouses stop taking orders at 5pm (this was the excuse i was told to use)

"but it's called overnight delivery"

yes, i understand your confusion. the thing is, we send out the parcels to be delivered at 8pm every night......

"so why dont i have my dress?"

ma'am, please dont interrupt me, i'm trying to explain wha....

"dont you take that tone with me young man, it's called overnight delivery, it's the next day, i dont have my dress"

you missed the cutoff to get the package overnighted. by 3 hours. the cutoff is 5pm. you ordered the package at 8pm and then clicked overnight delivery. it would have given you an estimated arrival date for tomorrow because you ordered too late.

"i dont like that tone you're taking with me son. plus it's called overnight for a reason"

ma'am, i'm just trying to explain this to you. 

"dont talk to me like i'm stupid"

i'm sorry if i came across that way, i'm just trying to help

"THEN WHERE IS MY PACKAGE YOU LITTLE SHIT?"

ma'am, please dont swear at me

"I'LL SWEAR AT YOU IF I WANT YOU STUPID C**T. YOU KNOW THERE'S A REASON WHY I STAY IN A HOUSE WORTH 750K AND YOU WORK IN A CALL CENTER"

ma'am, i'm wanting to help you but one more insult directed towards me and i'm going to have to hang up

"DONT YOU DARE HANG UP ON ME, I HEAR YOUR VOICE, YOU SOUND LIKE A CLASSLESS LITTLE FUCK, I BET YOU DONT EVEN KNOW TO DRESS"

ok ma'am, i warned you that if you insulted me again, i'd hang up. *hangs up*

 

40 mins later, she phoned back up and went through management. apparently i told her to go fuck herself. i mean i wanted to but i didn't. i explained to the manager and he said "if you get someone like that, just apologize and offer them a £10 voucher. you cant win with these people" i think it's horrible. it's like rewarding a tantruming kid with chocolate. which ironically, they'll always be the kinda person who says "there's no such thing as free money" when it comes to poor people. 

[SorryNotSorry]

Near as I can tell, it's a slur against female narcissists and histrionics. It's an attack intended to deflate.

 

It's only a matter of time before it starts being directed at men and boys too... kind of like telling them "you throw like a girl".

[Scottthespy]

The way I see it used most often, its not inherently racist or sexist, its just that the overwhelming majority of the people who earn themselves the title happen to be white women. I've seen it used a few times for men and for visible minorities, its just that these people don't pull this kind of crap nearly as often and usually not to as great an extent. "Karen" isn't a derogatory term for a white woman, its a derogatory term for 'an entitled bitch who thinks the rules apply to everyone but them'.

 

That said, I don't really like the use of it, because it is unfortunate for women actually named Karen, and it does seem to be a clarion call for people to go way overboard on the 'social justice'. Look at the recent 'Karen tries to get people to hate on coffee shop barista, people end up giving him thousands and thousands of dollars instead' situation...that's a good way to do social justice, build up the people who'be been victimized and put down, and if it happens to be in a way that makes the entitled maniac angry, bonus. More often its doxing, showing up at homes, harassing. This makes the people doling out the 'justice' worse than the initial perpetrator. 

[Lord Jade Cross]

14 minutes ago, nutterwithasolderingiron said:

honestly. ive worked retail/customer service. i've encountered these people. i dont see it as a racist/sexist term. it's more of a term to call out these rich, entitled women who throw their big boomer energy around hoping to get special treatment. for the record. my mum was a total karen and a horrible person to boot. she used to pride herself on the ability to make customer service staff cry. while not rich, she acted like she was because appearance is half the battle. 

 

tbh, im glad the term karen came along, same with OK boomer. because having an argument with this type of person is impossible to avoid and even if you're technically right, you'll always be wrong. i think my favorite example of this was when i worked in a call center for an online clothing company. the exchange went something like this. 

 

hello, what can i help you with?

"i've been on hold for 40 mins, you call this customer service?"

i'm sorry about the wait ma'am. what seems to be the problem

"my package never arrived"

i'm sorry to hear that ma'am, do you have the order number?

"no, i dont track of that shit"

ok ma'am. can i take your email address to check if it lines up to any of our orders?

"i'm not giving you my email, you might sell it to the Chinese"

we do not give out information to 3rd parties. i can't help you without your order number or your email.

"i want to speak to the manager"

ma'am, i cant help you without those things.

"where do i find my order number?" 

go onto our website and go into your account. there should be an option for "orders" click that

"this is all jargon to me" 

*spends 5 mins talking her through it and she gives me the order number*

ok. so according to our system, you ordered the dress at 8pm yesterday, is that right?

"yes, but i ordered overnight delivery"

ok, well overnight delivery is only available if you order before 5pm for us.

"but it's called overnight delivery"

yes, but our shipping warehouses stop taking orders at 5pm (this was the excuse i was told to use)

"but it's called overnight delivery"

yes, i understand your confusion. the thing is, we send out the parcels to be delivered at 8pm every night......

"so why dont i have my dress?"

ma'am, please dont interrupt me, i'm trying to explain wha....

"dont you take that tone with me young man, it's called overnight delivery, it's the next day, i dont have my dress"

you missed the cutoff to get the package overnighted. by 3 hours. the cutoff is 5pm. you ordered the package at 8pm and then clicked overnight delivery. it would have given you an estimated arrival date for tomorrow because you ordered too late.

"i dont like that tone you're taking with me son. plus it's called overnight for a reason"

ma'am, i'm just trying to explain this to you. 

"dont talk to me like i'm stupid"

i'm sorry if i came across that way, i'm just trying to help

"THEN WHERE IS MY PACKAGE YOU LITTLE SHIT?"

ma'am, please dont swear at me

"I'LL SWEAR AT YOU IF I WANT YOU STUPID C**T. YOU KNOW THERE'S A REASON WHY I STAY IN A HOUSE WORTH 750K AND YOU WORK IN A CALL CENTER"

ma'am, i'm wanting to help you but one more insult directed towards me and i'm going to have to hang up

"DONT YOU DARE HANG UP ON ME, I HEAR YOUR VOICE, YOU SOUND LIKE A CLASSLESS LITTLE FUCK, I BET YOU DONT EVEN KNOW TO DRESS"

ok ma'am, i warned you that if you insulted me again, i'd hang up. *hangs up*

 

40 mins later, she phoned back up and went through management. apparently i told her to go fuck herself. i mean i wanted to but i didn't. i explained to the manager and he said "if you get someone like that, just apologize and offer them a £10 voucher. you cant win with these people" i think it's horrible. it's like rewarding a tantruming kid with chocolate. which ironically, they'll always be the kinda person who says "there's no such thing as free money" when it comes to poor people. 

Not in clothing, but I've worked in call centers and can confirm, this is pretty much how it goes.

[Marrow]

Karen is more of an attitude rather than a race or sex. Anyone can be a Karen and ive seen it for myself.

[nutterwithasolderingiron]

31 minutes ago, Jade Cross said:

Not in clothing, but I've worked in call centers and can confirm, this is pretty much how it goes.

i'm sorry. hopefully things are better now. 

[SithLord]

It never struck me as racist, but I can see an argument for it being sexist. Not sure if entitled men demanding things ever got to the point of being necessary to label, but I do see things distinct about "the Karen" which is not how entitled men would act as much as entitled women. Then again, I've never met one of these people in real life so...

[MakeupJunkie4]

To anyone who doesn't know: The "male equivalent" is Kyle. Just sayin.

 

I don't think it's racist or sexist. From what I know, it was coined by GenZ to describe certain members of GenX. Possibly ageist? There's definitely a type, and while many are white, not all of them are. IDC what color a Karen (or Kyle) is, if the shoe fits, they're gonna wear it.

 

I will agree with those who have said it's quite unfortunate for those who legitimately have the names. I try not to use the term in conversation if I don't know the person's name. I wonder what names they'll give Milennials when we're older...? Haha

[Muledeer]

I think the term is both racist and sexist, but not offensively.

[daveb]

2 hours ago, Scottthespy said:

That said, I don't really like the use of it, because it is unfortunate for women actually named Karen

This

 

Also, like many such terms it often seems to be used thoughtlessly. I find it kind of lazy to tell the truth.

[Skycaptain]

Don't know where this piece of total idiocy came from, but I hope it vanishes ASAP. Many people are experiencing mental health issues because their name has suddenly turned into an Internet insult

[Anthracite_Impreza]

I've only just found out what this even is thanks to this thread. Personally, I just call these types of people "entitled pricks".

[Guest]

16 hours ago, nanogretchen4 said:

It's not racist to call out a pattern of racist behavior.

Definitely not. But using a derogatory term, and/or even encouraging violence against such a person.

 

Shouldn't there be  line we don't cross?

 

I.E A woman accused a boy no older than 9 years old of groping her butt. Called the cops on him. Of course, he was black--she was white. All caught on camera.

 

That boy's saving grace? The CCTV camera, that clearly showcase his school bag rubbing against her back side in a very narrow area near the cash she was bent over in.

 

I remember a child grabbing my thigh. I looked down, and he looked up and was trying to say hello by pulling at my pants. Are you kidding me. Calling the cops?

 

I just smiled and said hello.

 

 

[Guest]

13 hours ago, SithApprentice said:

Not sure if entitled men demanding things ever got to the point of being necessary to label

I've never seen such a man being labeled. I've only seen women get labeled.

 

Some would say its inadvertently demonizing white women, as not all showcase this entitled behavior.

[Guest]

15 hours ago, nutterwithasolderingiron said:

"if you get someone like that, just apologize and offer them a £10 voucher. you cant win with these people"

I disagree with automatically rewarding these people.

 

I do agree with apologizing for the inconvenience (vs trying to drill the overnight ship time frames), and not getting sucked into a needless argument with them, as yes--you will not win. Odds are you will lose your cool, then they get leverage on you due to your "rudeness" and can angle for whatever concessions that they want.

 

I make sure I make that crystal clear to my staff. *Never* argue with a customer. Mention the policy. If they want to argue, don't waste your breath. Forward them to me.

 

As an employer, nothing is more irritating than an employee riling up a customer, then giving them attitude when the customer demands to escalate. Now I'm tasked to calm this person down, which has gone from possible, to impossible unless I make concessions.

 

I will be patient for an hour if I have to. I refuse to make a concession with an idiot who refuses to read the disclaimer when they order. It will always show anticipated time frames when you pick shipping on line. You chose not to read it, and want money for your troubles? Give me a break.

 

I've worked in retail for 10 years, so had to learn to diplomatically call a customer an idiot without obviously stating it.

 

Or my classic, "I'm truly sorry you didn't get your package sir" "I will call UPS as soon as I'm off the phone, and will request they expedite the delivery, okay?" (in a tone like I was talking to a toddler).

 

"Is this the best number to call you back at, sir? Okay, if you give me 10 minutes, I'll get a firm ETA"

 

If I'm at fault, I'll make a concession. If I'm not, forget about it.

 

I hate companies that make concessions automatically as soon as someone raises a stink over nothing. It creates a precedent, you're then forcing your employees to constantly deal with.

 

I still remember a 45 minute or so call, with a client returning defective brake pads they installed. Our policy *strictly* stated the car parts we sold had to be installed by licensed professionals, in order to be covered by a warranty. No refund, only replacements if you met the criteria.

 

He told me his pads "ripped out" and "exploded". The more he described, the more it was clear he didn't properly torque the parts on.

 

I escalated to my manager, who after 10 minutes, told me I "could resolve it, I give you the green light to do it your way".

 

Customer called me a murderer (yet he was still alive), and every name in the book. I stuck to my policy.

 

He after that long while, finally gave up, and told me he'd be giving me a negative review.

 

Of course, I have to make you feel stupid without being direct, so told him: "I'm truly sorry you feel that way." "We'll gladly send you replacements".

 

He had already ruined my day, so the satisfaction of not giving into his demands (he was demanding 5 grand for his suffering and time lost, then dropped it down to 700$ for damage to his car he couldn't substantiate with pictures).

 

"What are you calling me a liar?!" types when called out, are lying. Always.

 

[Lord Jade Cross]

38 minutes ago, Perspektiv said:

 

I hate companies that make concessions automatically as soon as someone raises a stink over nothing. It creates a precedent, you're then forcing your employees to constantly deal with.

Unfortunately, this is the MO that I've seen becoming more and more standard over the years in all types of jobs. It's not just limited to retail anymore. Anything that has the term "customer service" (and more because even schools have adopted this way of thinking) in it is basically an invitation to act like a prick and make an employees life a shit show because you know nothing will be done and you will even be compensated for your "troubles"

 

I've seen it a few times now that the cashier's are just a hairs away from jumping the counter and tearing a customer's head off, especially when they start yelling to draw a scene, but know that if they want to keep their job (which isn't anything grand to boot, but job hunting should be considered a proffesion by now with how impossibly difficult it's made) they have to smile and say "Of course, let me get right on it"

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, Jade Cross said:

Unfortunately, this is the MO that I've seen becoming more and more standard over the years in all types of jobs. It's not just limited to retail or customer service anymore. 

You should do retail in Asia :cP

 

It was refreshing. All countries I have been to. They aren't meaning any harm, but are very matter of fact about policy.

 

I lost my receipt in Hong Kong for a laundromat. The clerk firmly pointed to her policy. No receipt, no service.

 

Complain all you wish. She'll call the cops. Good luck with that.

 

So I had to be very humble, in apologizing for losing my receipt and asking if she could find me by the phone number I gave her. Mercifully, she said yes but only after I showed remorse for an honest mistake (losing my receipt).

 

I felt like an utter idiot for losing it, and didn't make that mistake again, opting to always put it in my wallet.

 

You will never see locals push back. It will always be entitled foreigners.

 

For me, as a business--if you're more costly to deal with and do business with--I'm a firm believer its okay to turn down such business that brings no value to you.

[Lord Jade Cross]

10 minutes ago, Perspektiv said:

You should do retail in Asia :cP

 

It was refreshing. All countries I have been to. They aren't meaning any harm, but are very matter of fact about policy.

 

I lost my receipt in Hong Kong for a laundromat. The clerk firmly pointed to her policy. No receipt, no service.

 

Complain all you wish. She'll call the cops. Good luck with that.

 

So I had to be very humble, in apologizing for losing my receipt and asking if she could find me by the phone number I gave her. Mercifully, she said yes but only after I showed remorse for an honest mistake (losing my receipt).

 

I felt like an utter idiot for losing it, and didn't make that mistake again, opting to always put it in my wallet.

 

You will never see locals push back. It will always be entitled foreigners.

 

For me, as a business--if you're more costly to deal with and do business with--I'm a firm believer its okay to turn down such business that brings no value to you.

Sadly, that won't fly here. You will be pretty much threatened from the get go by your employers (such as a case I had when working at a call center. It was the standard protocol of superiors to quite literally say, "there's the door. If you can't handle this, leave." And I'm nowhere near Asia nor have the means to go there to tests that observation. 

 

Our only moments of feeling good at a job was when superiors got bit in the ass by their own rules, without us interfering. I remember a scenario years ago with a return. Now the policy was that "no matter what, you have to accept it, that's our store motto". It didn't matter if it looked like someone took a shit on it, put it in a box and handed it to you (which not to that extreme but we did get some pretty disgusting things in returns)you had to accept the return, even if it was years old (yes that did happen)

 

One day, the supervisor had to come down over the customer making a scene and we all knew it was useless to explain anything because "let me talk to your manager" was the go to word. Long story short, the return was made and when the supervisor, I guess feeling like he needed to demonstrate how good customer service is opened the box to find not only was it not an item from our store but another, BUT it even had the price tag on it, so he basically authorized a theft and didn't even know it. And boy did he complain about it.

 

We all laughed (separately and not in his face) about for quite some time. In my current job, I had to stop myself from bursting out laughing at the managers face when they told me "keep an eye on this, make sure no one steals" for some display merch, when in the past, I have reported thefts and you could hear the crickets chirping because nothing was done, in basically telling people that they can pretty much walk up the front door, steal in your face and walk out and there will be no repercussions