Is This Ageism? Common in Retail Industry?

[Anonymous]

got a new side gig with customer facing/service role and it's all new experience for me so maybe i'm just too old (literally) but yesterday at daily pre-open briefing manager blathering about needing to bring up customer happiness points for the month to satisfy corporate blah blah blah and with straight face in no uncertain terms said customer chooses us because 'we are young' and 'how young we are/look than competitors' blah blah blah. i looked around the room and among the 15 team members at least 3 (me included) are 50s plus 4/5 who are moms and dads with school age kids so at least half of us are definitely not young. manager is not young either probably early 30s. i didn't know what to think for a good 10 minutes. don't think they'd fire me just because of my age - they did hire me just 2 weeks ago - but still. maybe it's more common than i thought outside of my comfort zone. thoughts?

[Anonymous]

This sounds like really blatant ageism.

[Anonymous]

This sounds like you are looking for trouble. You can be a young 50+.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This sounds like you are looking for trouble. You can be a young 50+.

Me the OP? Huh? How am I looking for trouble?

[Anonymous]

Maybe competitor is 80.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe competitor is 80.

This made me laugh, PP!

[Anonymous]

It’s retail at the holidays. Don’t over think it. Take advantage of your discount. Maybe you’ll get to stay on in January or maybe you won’t. It’s all very arbitrary.

[Anonymous]

I would take it to mean young at heart and in energy. I guess it depends on if you need this job. You haven’t really been impacted by the statement. I guess you could complain but again, depends on your situation. That’s not fair but it’s life.

[Anonymous]

I would take it as a compliment and tell my spouse "See, I am a big catch and I do look at least 20 years younger than my actual age."

[Anonymous]

i do need the job but it's clear manager was talking about young as in age and in appearance. just caught me off guard to hear this from someone in her position. but again it's a EU company many they do stuff differently there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would take it to mean young at heart and in energy. I guess it depends on if you need this job. You haven’t really been impacted by the statement. I guess you could complain but again, depends on your situation. That’s not fair but it’s life.

+1
I feel younger than I am (most days) and can really show that energy with customers (as long as they are not a-holes). Then my mom side kicks in.

[Anonymous]

Are you aware of the brand’s identity? You prob don’t care if you’re just there to work your shifts or whatever. But like Aritiza is young, Talbots is geriatric - it’s like that. In retail every brand has an identity - she is probably referring to that. I think you’re overthinking it or not thinking enough about the company you’re working for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would take it to mean young at heart and in energy. I guess it depends on if you need this job. You haven’t really been impacted by the statement. I guess you could complain but again, depends on your situation. That’s not fair but it’s life.

+1

Need more context. What type of retail?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:i do need the job but it's clear manager was talking about young as in age and in appearance. just caught me off guard to hear this from someone in her position. but again it's a EU company many they do stuff differently there.

Lego?

[Anonymous]

I Don't Think It Is Ageism.