AN EX-PANDORA worker has lifted the lid on the behind-the-scene store secrets.
Francesca Roffey, who is 25, from Kent, worked at Pandora for three years while she was studying History BA at Queen Mary University of London.
Speaking exclusively to Fabulous Digital, she's now revealed what it was like working at the popular jewellery store and has even disclosed the best time to nab a bargain is – and hint, it's not Boxing Day.
Francesca, who now works for the NHS as an administrator, also tells all about her worst type of customer and the secret code staff used to alert each other when they spotted a shoplifter.
"The biggest bargain tip I can give is that the Boxing Day sales definitely aren’t as money saving as other deals," she says.
"There are definitely better sales and deals throughout the year which include free bracelets if you spend a certain price, or 3 for 2 on jewellery."
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The former Pandora employee recommends customers save the items on their wish list on the website.
"When it comes to the ‘spend a certain amount and get a free bracelet’, or 3 for 2 deal, they can then efficiently go into store and get what they want," says Francesca, who previously worked in H.Samuel.
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"I know some customers who used to wait until the ‘spend a certain amount and get a free bracelet deal’ to buy items on their wish list or do their Christmas shopping early, and they’d get a free bracelet which they would sell to make some money!"
Francesca, who has been with her boyfriend for eight years, says that the worst thing about working in the store was dealing with "the Karens of the world."
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"Especially the ones who would try and return items that were clearly worn and damaged," she says.
"The worst type of customers were the outright rude ones who never said 'please' or 'thank you,' and the occasional ones with bad breath that didn't know the concept of personal space."
The biggest bargain tip I can give is that the Boxing Day sales definitely aren’t as money saving as other deals
Francesca also recalls how male customers were particularly a nightmare in the week leading up to Christmas.
"They had no patience whatsoever when they were told to join the queue," she says.
"I saw quite a few temper tantrums when I told them to join the queue, made even worse when they had already queued and were then told that a particular item was out of stock."
During her three years on the store floor, Francesca says she developed a secret code to alert colleagues that there was a thief in store.
"The secret code we had was asking another college for a 'red pen' which we would say when a particular thief came into the store and tried to get served," she explains.
"We'd say this as we didn't use red pens in store, so we knew immediately this lady was on the loose!"
However, the former Pandora employee recalls there was one occasion where this failed to work.
"The worst thing that happened was when a lady stole a ring by cutting it from the string that attached it to the stand," she ays.
"It happened right next to me whilst I was nattering to my Mum and Nan (oops!).
"After watching the CCTV back, she had gotten scissors out of her bag and cut it – the cheek of it, especially because the store was so busy!"
The worst type of customers were the outright rude ones who never said 'please' or 'thank you,' and the occasional ones with bad breath that didn't know the concept of personal space
But Francesca, who loved her time at Pandora, says there was a massive perk of the job.
"I loved working at Pandora – especially being able to choose what jewellery to wear during my shift to show off to customers," she explains.
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"During the Easter promotion I wore the popular locket necklace with other layered necklaces and I was also able to style my own bracelet with my favourite charms.
"The staff discount was also extremely handy to have, especially when it came to getting family and friends presents for Christmas and birthdays- although I can't remember whether the discount was 10 or 20%!"
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