Is This Ageism? Common in Retail Industry?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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?

You’re too sensitive. Also, eschewing capitalization doesn’t make you look young and hip.

[Anonymous]

I worked at Altar'd State at 50. My guess is that the manager was spewing something she'd gotten from corporate. It would have stood out to me as well, but I wouldn't worry too much about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

true - was not really paying too much attention on the brand’s identity. i'm at peace now. looking forward to my Fri shift after dying my hair tomorrow haha. thx for the wise words all PPs! --OP

[Anonymous]

A brand can be young and fresh with cool older salespeople.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A brand can be young and fresh with cool older salespeople.

so you would dye greying hair 100% no doubt about it?