A store customer, usually
female, who vents her negative feelings toward herself and/or the world by displaying contempt for the retail stores she frequents and their employees. Retail terrorism is manifested but not limited to the following behaviors: 1) Opening, damaging, or stealing store merchandise while complaining about store prices; 2) (Mis)taking the presence of employees to
mean that they are there not to offer general assistance but to act as her/his personal shopper; 3) Attempting to take any company policy to its absolute limit by making ludicrous requests such as trying to return obviously
well-used merchandise with no receipt attached or that the store does not carry, or asking the store to hold merchandise for her for an indefinite period;
4) Entering the store one minute before closing and taking her
time making her selections knowing full
well that the employees want her to leave so they can go
home; 5) Deliberately behaving in an aggressive or combative manner in order to provoke employees and then complaining about employees to store management, which complaining may include lying and/or crocodile tears.
A retail
terrorist is distinguished from a disgruntled customer by the latter's genuine question or complaint and earnest desire to resolve a problem. By contrast, the retail
terrorist's main objective is to spread ill will and vent her free-floating hostility on a vulnerable
target.
"I was yelled at today by a retail
terrorist. She accused everyone who works for the company of conspiring to get rid of her after we wouldn'
t take her expired coupons and her credit card was rejected."
"Carla is
well-known to store employees as a retail terrorist who will buy expensive cosmetics to wear for a special occasion and then return them all the next
day."
"The retail terrorist tried on almost every piece of clothing in Jane'
s department, trashed the dressing room, let her toddler run wild, and only bought a pair of socks that she later returned without a receipt."
