More than a compulsion...

When does business end and social responsibility begin? I work in the retail industry (I am not entirely proud of that fact), in a hardware store in an upscale section of town. We’re used to people coming in and purchasing more than a thousand dollars of merchandise. It happens frequently. What doesn’t happen frequently is a single elderly man, on an oxygen tank, comes in, spend two hours in the store, and buy $1,000 of flashlights, batteries, and duct tape. He said they are Christmas gifts.
Throughout the evening, I watched him look at flashlights. The flashlights are located right near the exit, so I assumed he was just killing time before he left. He filled up his cart, twice.
We all are aware of the problem of compulsive spending, especially during the holiday season. Store associates are paid to induce compulsive spending, and millions of dollars have been spent studying how the human brain reacts. Why else would Wal-Mart locate baby diapers near the beer aisle? Marketing.
But this story has nothing to do with marketing or consumer responsibility. It is more than a compulsion. It has more to do with corporate responsibility to the consumer. This man, although he claimed to buy them as gifts, was most likely hording these items for himself. It’s an all too common phenomenon in people with something a little off in their mind. I’ve witnessed it in my own family. Seeing it first-hand, with someone you’re close to, is awfully alarming. And it’s your responsibility to take steps to correct the problem. When you see it at work with someone you’re not emotionally connected to, is different. It’s not necessarily your responsibility to monitor and control their fiscal responsibility, but you would feel incredibly guilty if you did nothing about it. I did nothing about it, and I felt guilty. But what do you do? Where does your connection to your employer end, and your desire to help begin? Unfortunately, I wear a corporate logo nametag. While I’m on the clock, I represent the company. I can’t stop someone from buying something, especially if he says they’re gifts. If I were off the clock, I don’t know what I would have done. If he were my dad, he wouldn’t have been in the store alone.
I was writing this in my head as I drove home from work. Unfortunately, when I do that, it doesn’t seem to come out as eloquently as it was in my mind. There must be some disconnect between my brain and fingers. Sorry if you were disappointed.