A sad moment unfolded at the storefront of a mom-and-pop shop which stocked bags, cosmetics and other household items. Just last month, a tweet went viral about a woman who shopped for hours and then walked out without buying anything. A storekeeper, a little girl, could assist her through all of it. When the woman balked at buying, the shopkeeper cried out in desperation. The tweet had a controversial point: “Why are women so cruel? A man would never do that.” But this isn’t a moment about gender, it’s about empathy, respect and the emotional drain of small business.
The Incident:
The photograph from the tweet, a woman in a jacket with the word “KING” printed on the back, is standing next to a distraught shopkeeper, hunched over on the floor. The shop is small, apparently manned by a single person, or by a small staff. There is a QR code of Paytm which shows that digital payments are accepted - something that is typical, since many Indian businesses can benefit from it. The customer showed the shopkeeper items, and spent hours browsing, according to the tweet. The storekeeper, probably hoping for a sale, complied with every request. But the shopkeeper broke down when she asked the buyer if she would buy anything. She cried and begged, perhaps out of exasperation, tiredness, or desperation.
This woman spent hours shopping.
— ︎ ︎venom (@venom1s) January 11, 2026
The shopkeeper girl took out everything she wanted. Later, the woman said she wouldn’t buy anything.
The shopkeeper girl started crying and begging her.
Why are women so cruel? A man would never do that. pic.twitter.com/sHpSJq6Qmc
Beyond the Surface:
It is more than a failed sale at this moment. It’s a reflection of the emotional labor that small shopkeepers, especially women do. Lots of them work long hours, do inventory duties, handle finances and deal with customers with a hard time. For some, every sale matters. I have personally felt that loss of one after hours of effort. And the tweet’s caption deflects attention from empathy to blame. It generalizes the behavior, claiming that women are cruel, and men would not be cruel. Such framing is corrosive. It makes a moment of human pain into a gender war that fails to address the real question: how we treat those we serve.
The Pressure on Small Shopkeepers:
Small business owners, especially in retail, come under great pressure. They often need daily sales to survive. Unlike big stores, there isn't any backup staff or big marketing spending for them to depend on. Every customer counts. If someone spends hours browsing, then walks away without making a purchase, it’s more than disappointing, it can feel like a betrayal. In this instance, the shopkeeper’s tears could have been more than one sale to be missed. From thousands of the same events, from financial strain, and even just from some one-on-one personal struggle. Her response is a good reminder that behind each counter there is a human being, not simply a service provider.
What We Can Learn:
How this incident teaches us a few other things:
- Respect people’s time: If you have a hunch that you won’t buy, don’t ask somebody to show you dozens of things.
- Be upfront and honest early: Tell the shopkeeper upfront what your budget is or what your intentions are.
- Do not hide the work of service workers: This deserves some recognition even if you do not buy anything.
- No gender blame: Cruelty does not have to do with gender. Kindness and empathy should be universal – with good fortune and compassion.
A Call for Empathy:
Rather than asking “Why are women so cruel?”, ask, “How can we be kinder to those who serve us?” No matter how much work they do as a shopkeeper, waiter, delivery person or cleaner their contributions often go unrecognized. A little empathy can do wonders. This moment, conveyed by one photograph and tweet, is a good reminder to treat people with dignity. Not just because it’s polite, but because it’s human.
