h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I work as an electronics department manager for a large chain retail store (not Wal-Mart). It is true that there should be someone near the electronics or jewelry cases, however that does not mean that they are permitted to stand at the counter all day. They are usually responsible for more than just the customer assistance in the lock-up area and may not be visible. There is often a phone or call-button that can be used to page someone to provide assistance, in some stores this may also be true for other departments. In most stores, merchandise that is locked up has to be paid for in that department; please do not be insulted that the employee cannot allow you to take the item with you while you finish shopping. Statistically speaking, one in eleven Americans is a compulsive shoplifter, so most stores don't even trust their staff.
Please accept that the employee has no control over store policy (in most cases, even the manager cannot override them). Also the employees typically get very little specialized training in the department they are working in, many work in multiple departments, so they might not be able to answer technical questions about the items. We cannot leave at night until the store is back in order, so please keep an eye on your children and do not allow them to make an unnecessary mess (i.e. stacking all of the children's books in big piles in the center of the aisle). If they do make a mess, please make them take responsibility and clean it up. Also the employees in the toy and electronics departments are not babysitters, please don't leave your children in these departments while you shop and expect us to keep an eye on them until you come back.

Parents with children in the toy department making their children clean up their mess?

Trust me, their attitude is that cleaning up those aisles is what you get paid to do.

And if stores don't want my kid hanging out in the electronics department, then why on earth would they put out operating game controllers to all the newest systems with the newest games on demo? Of course that's where the kids will be. Granted, my kid is old enough not to need to be babysat in a store.

To a certain degree, having worked so many years in retail has made me a better customer, because I have a much better understanding of the challenges retail employees face in trying to provide me with service. In other ways though I'm the worst customer, because I have higher expectations, knowing what kinds of service a store should be able to provide. I know all the buzzwords to make the manager come running, and I don't hesitate to use them when I feel the associate I'm dealing with isn't making the bar. I'm also much more likely to leave a compliment when I'm satisfied.