1. The Questions
As word gets out that your store is going out of business, you will have to field questions from first-time shoppers to your most loyal customers. Unfortunately, everyone seems to be interested in the same information.
"When is the last day?"
A regular customer who asks this question may be thinking about stopping by for one last browse or to say goodbye to their favorite employees, but the majority of people want to know so they don't miss out on the final markdowns. Customers typically will not believe you if you say you don't know or it hasn't been decided yet, and will often try to coax the information out of you or drop to a conspiratorial whisper and promise not to tell anyone.
"When will the prices go down?"
Most liquidation sales begin with a relatively modest markdown, and end with merchandise being sold dirt cheap just to get it out the door. Though there's no shame in looking for a bargain, asking employees this question just makes customers seem greedy.
"Where is your store located?"
This is the number one question you will get over the phone, and it is usually accompanied by the previous two queries. This comes from people who have never set foot in your store, but heard there was a sale going on and decided to stop by. Don't be surprised if they ask for your hours too, and directions to your doorstep from wherever they live.
2. The Nosiness
In addition to the questions above, many customers will feel the need to ask about your personal life, particularly your employment status. If you work in a store that is part of a chain they may ask if you will be transfered to another location. Some may ask more open-ended questions like, "So, what are you going to do now?" or "Will you still have a job?"
There is really no reason why they need to know this, and in all likelihood they are just being nosy. You can decide for yourself how you want to answer: make them feel good about getting a great deal by reassuring them that your employment is secure, or make them think twice about the true cost of their purchase by saying you have been laid off and will be filing for unemployment benefits. Feel free to vary your story based on the customer, no matter what the truth is.
3. The Pushiness
When a store closing is first announced, the phone will likely be ringing off the hook with people asking if there's going to be a sale and when it will start. Some people are just casual observers who might drop by if they get the chance, but many are hardcore bargain hunters who smell a deal a mile away. These are the same people who go to foreclosure sales and auctions and take their buying very seriously, and will get testy if you don't have all the information they want right when they want it. Unfortunately playing the "I'm about to lose my job" card doesn't work on the serious shoppers, so be prepared to be assaulted with questions no matter how many times you say you don't know the answers.
As the sale continues, many people may try to haggle their way into a better deal. This is especially true of merchandise without a fixed price, like the store's fixtures and furniture. No matter how many times you give a pushy person the price they will suggest you give them an extra discount, and can often become angry and try to intimidate you if you refuse. Toward the end you will probably start to give in to some of these requests, mainly because at that point you will have stopped caring.
4. The Mess
No matter how hard you try to keep your store in order, it's going to be a hot mess by the end. For some reason customers believe they can set things down anywhere they want and just walk away, and you'll find little piles of merchandise in the most unexpected places. The hours you spent organizing and straightening merchandise will be all for naught as eager shoppers paw their way through in search of that coveted item.
The mess will be particularly noticeable at the cash registers, where there will be larger and larger piles of items that customers decided at the last minute they do not want to purchase. This often happens when you ring up an item and they discover their math skills are not what they used to be, and decide the price is just too high. Other customers will simply continue to shop while you are ringing them up, and either hand you an item straight away and say they don't want it, or decide on a whim to have you take items off of their purchase after the final total has been calculated. At this point your mother's teachings about putting things back where you found them will be ringing in your ears, but apparently not everyone was taught that growing up.
5. The Depression
As the sale goes on longer and the discounts get deeper, the store will get emptier and you'll begin to forget how it looked in its full glory. You will dread picking up the phone and answering the same questions over and over, and simply going to work will feel like a herculean effort.
As unpleasant as those final days may be, there are ways to make them better. When the sale first begins, pick out any items you would like to have and stash them in a hiding place somewhere in the store. As long as you are creative (and don't include any indication that you are the one hiding them) you will be able to cash in on the last day and get the best deal on the merchandise that would have otherwise been sold out for weeks.
Employees at closing stores are also able to take a much more relaxed attitude toward work. "What are they gonna do, fire me?" can become your new store motto, and an air of casual apathy can transcend all work activities.
Above all, take solace in your coworkers. They are going through the same thing you are, and the closing of a store can become a bonding experience for everyone involved. Not only can coworkers lend moral support, they can also keep each other informed of new job opportunities, and provide solid recommendations for future employment.
The bottom line: it's not going to be easy, it's not going to be fun, but you will get through it. Try to think of it as an opportunity rather than a crisis, and perhaps the world's way of telling you to consider a different career path.
Ashley