Agreed. There are problems with how retail works, but a big factor in those problems are the assinine expectations, behavior, and general lack of descency and common sense on the part of many customers.
I worked a LOT of retail when I was younger, and I pretty much treated everyone the way they treated me. I can be a helpful angel, or I can be a bitter, spiteful, sabotaging little son of a bitch. Treat me like I'm sh*t, and you'll find that your bananas were turned to liquid during the bagging process. Act like a condescending jerk while I'm helping you with a camera purchase, and I'll punt that little fscker from one end of the stockroom to the other. Disrespect my opinion and advice, especially after you've asked for it, then I'll suddenly develop Idontgiveafsckingshitwhatyoudoimouttahereitis.
For folks like Garet Jax, you need to understand a few things: retail employees have no skills. It's that simple. They weren't hired because of their uber 1337 education or their awesome customer service. They were hired because they can read at a somewhat acceptable level, have a social security number (unless you're in a Wal*Mart), and can presumably be taught to operate the basic functions of a cash register. That's all they were hired to do, that's all they were trained to do, and that's all they are paid to do. Lastly, they could truly give a sh*t if the store "loses your sale". Frankly, they'd rather you just GTFO and get out of their hair. They're paid the same regardless.
They were NOT hired to be your personal bitch. There were NOT hired to be an outlet for your aggression or to act as a verbal punching bag so you can go home feeling like there is at least one person in this world who's life is as miserable and depressing as yours.
If you don't know what you want, then fire up that fscking computer at home and research it. Don't pop in to the store on December 24th at 8:59 looking for a goddamn education. Don't muster a hard-on just because you saw a product slightly shifted over the obviously-incorrect pricetag.
And for fsck sakes, if you take nothing else away from this, remember one thing: if someone else is speaking, shut your stupid ignorant mouth.
If a salesperson is talking to another customer, STFU.
If a salesperson is answering your question, STFU.
If a salesperson is on the phone, STFU.
Generally speaking, you should simply just STFU. If you poll the airwaves for silence just one moment before you start yapping and barking at people, and don't hear anything, then you don't necessarily have to STFU. But if what you say is going to be rude, condescending, arrogant, and/or stupid, then again you should STFU.
Remember that the person on the other side of the counter is a person. Ideally, they should be striving to be the best they can be at their job, right? Get real and crawl out from under your rock. The sooner you come to grips with the fact that they don't give a damn about their job and are only there out of desperate necessity, the sooner you can start fostering nice - albeit temporary - relationships with these people. If you want a pleasant experience with these folks, then OFFER a pleasant experience to these folks. Most of them will return the favor real-time as long as you're not a spooging dickhead to them.