Employees from Costco, Walmart, and Target share their worst horror stories — and they’ll make you rethink how you act when you shop

Walmart, Target, and Costco employees have seen some pretty gnarly things on the job. Many retail workers, in fact, can probably think up at least one or two less-than-positive incidents they’ve experienced while working a shift.

Oftentimes, customers are at the center of these troubling situations. A study from the University of British Columbia found that we tend to treat retail workers worse when we’re hunting for bargains.

Business Insider has heard from a number of current and former retail employees who had stories to share about particularly gross, bewildering, or nightmarish scenarios that unfolded during their shifts.

The employees we corresponded with have experience working at Walmart, Target, Costco, McDonald’s, Macy’s, Home Depot, and other retailers. Their stories just go to show that it’s always a good idea to be nice, even if you’re not having the greatest shopping experience.

Here’s what retail employees had to say about the horror stories they’ve experienced on the job: