My time working at Kohl’s has *almost* come to an end. Today is officially my last day. I put in my two weeks’ notice a week ago, but unfortunately, they stopped scheduling me just a few days in. It’s a little bittersweet, I’m sad to leave behind something that was such a big part of my junior and senior years. I spent so many hours in that store; it almost felt like a second home at times.
As I reflect on this chapter, I can’t help but remember some of the more interesting moments. One that sticks out happened on a chilly October night in 2023.
I was working in the Amazon returns department, tucked away in the back corner of the store. It was a simple job, accepting returns and sorting them into boxes. Pretty straightforward, but it definitely had its moments.
That night, an older man rolled in on an electric chair. His hands were covered in dirt and, to be honest, he didn’t smell great. Still, I smiled, greeted him like I did with every customer, and asked how I could help.
“I’m just dropping this off,” he said as he started to wheel away.
“Sir, I actually need a return code for that,” I said politely.
If you’ve ever returned something through Amazon, you know you’re required to show a QR code from your account once the return is processed. This customer didn’t have anything ready. He grew more frustrated by the second as he fumbled with his phone. He wasn’t even logged into his Amazon account, and meanwhile, the line behind him began to grow. Normally I’d ask someone to step aside while they get their code, but this time I just waited.
He started scrolling through his camera roll, insisting he had a screenshot of it “somewhere.” He scratched his head and finally showed me a blurry photo of a computer screen that said, “Your return has been processed.” Unfortunately, there was no QR code, nothing I could use.
“It literally says right there that this is supposed to be an easy return and no label is needed!” he shouted. Things escalated quickly.
I offered to grab a manager, and even a kind bystander tried to calm him down, but it didn’t help. He angrily grabbed his package, pretended to throw it at me, and as I stepped back, he yelled, “This is bull!” and called me a pretty rude name before rolling off.
The couple behind him apologized for his behavior, though of course, it wasn’t their fault. It was just one of those moments that reminded me how often people forget that retail workers, especially first time workers, are people too. Take this story as a reminder to always have your amazon QR codes prepped and ready!
There were plenty of other not-so-nice moments: the time someone recorded me on Black Friday because they thought self-checkout was “bogus,” or when a customer scolded me for not folding a pair of pants “correctly.” Still, I wouldn’t trade the experience. I’m so grateful for the friendships I’ve made at Kohl’s, the lessons I’ve learned, and even the tough moments that made me stronger.
Today, and like always, I’ll walk into Kohl’s with a smile, ready to say goodbye to the good, the hard, and everything in between. I’m closing this chapter with a full heart and looking ahead to college and all the new memories waiting for me there.
Latte Love,
Jill
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Some customers just need a reality check.
Or taken to the Train Station