The National Retail Federation says around 55 million Americans work in retail. That's 1 in 4 working people. 78 percent of those surveyed are "satisfied" with their job, while nearly eight in 10 are “happy”. But a separate study shows the opposite is true for customers. General customer satisfaction has taken a dive. And unhappy shoppers are taking their anger out on staff. And don't we know it... Every now and again, there's a viral video or story about someone losing their cool, complaining or cussing in a store. In case you missed it, here are some rude customer stories collected by Bored Panda.

Customer Care Measurement & Consulting (CCMC) and Arizona State University have been conducting studies on customer rage since 2003. Their most recent survey found that “Americans are experiencing more product and service problems than ever before” and are becoming “more belligerent when they complain”.

John Goodman is the vice president of CCMC and a leading expert in customer care and consumer complaint behavior. He’s written books on the topic, directed over a thousand studies, and has been called to speak in more than twenty countries. He agreed to chat to Bored Panda to unpack what makes consumers tick and how retail staff can deal with some of the craziness they face.

“The average consumer has seven good yells in her,” Goodman told us. “If she or he calls you seven names, they will then be deflated, and ultimately embarrassed by their behavior when the blood comes back in their brain. Therefore, the objective is to depersonalize the interaction.” 

Goodman says one way to do this is to turn it into a game. “At one leading nameless computer company, I had reps who had an informal contest with abusive customers. They would identify the abuser and then hold up their hand to count off the number of expletives they had been called,” he revealed.

“The question was – ‘could you get to seven?’ Once depersonalized, they were no longer damaged by the tenor and were often ultimately able to handle the person who would apologize for their behavior.”

The CCMC study found customers are becoming more aggressive than ever. 43% admitted to raising their voice when complaining. A 35% jump from 2015. Goodman’s colleague, CCMC President and CEO Scott M. Broetzmann said he was surprised by the findings. 

"Even after 20 years of intensively researching customer rage, I remain astonished that — when sorting out ordinary product and service problems — acts of simple kindness and a sense of kinship are, all too often, in short supply,” he said. “The incidence and public displays of customers and companies misbehaving are commonplace, on the increase, and can be downright scary."

We asked Goodman what advice he has for customers on the verge of blowing a gasket. “Take two deep breaths because you are upset and therefore not thinking as clearly as you might,” he advised. 

“I always start off any complaint with, ‘I know this is not your fault, but hopefully you can help me get this resolved.’ I also ask, ‘how can I help you get action from your manager?’ Get the person on your team.”

In an interesting twist, the study also found that American shoppers disagree about what it means to be a decent human being. Half of those polled said yelling, ranting, arguing, giving ultimatums, and social media character assassination were not okay.

The other half either saw nothing wrong with those behaviors or said it "depends on the circumstances." A quarter of respondents considered threats, humiliation, foul language, and lying as “civil or circumstantially acceptable”.

It appears rudeness is on the rise in other parts of the world too. A study conducted by Britain’s Institute Of Customer Service found that more than half of workers surveyed experienced increased hostility from customers during the Covid pandemic. But British hostility extends beyond bad words. 

A more recent business crime survey noted a daily average of 1,300 incidents of violence and abuse towards shop workers in 2022/2023. These included racial abuse, sexual abuse, threats of violence and aggression.

The situation got so bad that Britain changed the law and announced a crackdown on retail crime. "Assaulting a retail worker will be made a standalone criminal offense, sending a clear message that there will be tough consequences for this unacceptable behavior," reads a government statement from April this year.

Those found guilty of assaulting retail workers could face up to six months behind bars, as well as an unlimited fine. They could also be banned from returning to certain shops. "Breaching an order is also a criminal offense and carries a 5-year maximum prison sentence. For the most serious cases of assault, such as causing grievous bodily harm with intent, offenders could face a life sentence," warned the government.

Japanese retail workers are also under attack. A labour union surveyed more than 30,000 workers earlier this year. It found that 46.8% were harassed by customers in the last two years. Most complaints dealt with verbal abuse, and some were wild.

As this Japanese newspaper reported: “Responses in the freely written section included a case where a customer said, ‘You're just a woman’, derisively to a worker and returned with a wooden sword.” In another incident, a customer allegedly threatened the life of a waiter when spoken to about their dessert.

The union is now lobbying the Japanese government to follow Britain’s example and amend the law to protect retail workers. It wants companies to be responsible for keeping staff safe from rude customers. As the New York Times reported, “Such a law would be similar to those that make employers responsible for safeguarding workers from sexual harassment or managerial abuse.”

Goodman told Bored Panda, “When customers are frustrated and angry, the blood drains from their head and they are inherently less rational and restrained.” He said the main reasons customers get mad are price increases and supply issues, adding that some companies aren’t training staff properly in dealing with complaints.

Have you ever heard the saying “the customer is always right”? If you truly believe that, you might be part of the problem. “Customers cause about 30% of all their own problems,” warned Goodman. And that’s where a lot of the drama begins.

So next time you feel your blood start to boil, and start losing your cool, take two deep breaths and let the blood flow back to your brain. Then spare a thought for the thousands of retail workers facing fury on a daily basis.

Have you witnessed or borne the brunt of a rude customer? Let us know in comments.