Things Your Salesclerk Won't Tell You

Biggins

Things Your Salesclerk Won't Tell You

1. The greeters who welcome you to our store aren’t really there to greet you. If we look you in the eye as you’re coming and going, you’re less likely to shoplift.

2. I won’t ask a yes-or-no question like "Can I help you?” Instead, it’s always an open-ended “What can I help you find today?"

3. Many retailers count the shoppers who come in, then calculate the percentage who actually buy something. If I don’t “convert” enough browsers to buyers, I hear from my district manager.

4. New merchandise goes at the front of the store, bargains at the back. The endcaps on the back side of aisles at Target, for instance, usually have items 15 to 75 percent off. If you want a deal, try to figure out when your favorite retailer does its markdowns. Some do them on Thursdays or Fridays, others at the end of the month.

5. When you ask me if something looks good on you and I suggest a different style, take the hint.

6. Sure, I’ll put that sweater on hold for you. But most of the time, you don’t come back. So don’t blame me if I sell it to someone else.

7. My pet peeve? Customers who paw through a stack of shirts. Now I’ve got to spend 15 minutes board-folding that whole pile again.

8. Even though most of us don’t work on commission, sometimes we’re given a salesgoal for each customer. If we meet it consistently, we’ll get bonuses and, eventually, a promotion. So when I tell you about a pair of earrings that would go perfectly with that sweater, I might have an ulterior motive.

9. Please don’t tell the cashier no one was helping you after I brought you six different sweaters in the fitting room. It’s rude.

10. We do a lot more than unlock fitting rooms. We scrub the bathrooms, Windex the mirrors, dust the shelves, answer the phone, and clean up after our customers. And that includes two-year-olds.

11. And what is it about fitting rooms that brings out the worst in people? You stick gum to the walls and even leave dirty diapers in there.

12. After you buy something, keep your receipt and pay attention. Most mainstream retailers promise a refund if the item goes on sale within a certain number of days after you buy it. Websites like priceprotectr.com track the prices of hundreds of products from retailers such as Best Buy, Amazon, and Sears.

13. With savings clubs, e-mail deals, coupons, Internet discount codes, and other incentives, fewer and fewer people are paying full price.

14. If a good customer buys a dress, I’ll hang it up for her and put it in a nice plastic bag. But if you’ve been rude to me, I’ll smush it into a bag that’s too small.

15. Even though I seem friendly, I’m not your friend. Please don’t take me hostage with your small talk.

16. It is way tacky to buy placemats, use them for your party, then return them to the store. At least wipe off the food crumbs first.

17. This is not a garage sale. I can’t give you a lower price just because you haggle.

18. If you start to throw a fit in front of other customers because I won’t take a return, I’ll probably give in and offer your money back. But I really want to kick your tush.

19. Need me? Don’t wave like you’re hailing a cab, whistle, yell across the store or stand in front of the fitting room waiting for it to magically open. Just ask nicely.

20. Most shoplifters aren’t the people you’d expect. They’re great customers who come in all the time, buy a lot of stuff, and are really nice to you. I guess they’re thinking, ‘I’m a good customer, I deserve a little something.’

21. Our store sends out a birthday coupon to customers on our mailing list. When people redeem it, I often say “Happy Birthday” as they walk away. Sometimes the customer will say “you too.” I know it’s because they aren’t really listening, but that cracks me up.

22. If you call the store to ask if we have an item and we don’t, don’t ask me where you can get it. I have no idea.

23. If you don’t know a store’s hours, call. We hate the people who come in five minutes before we close and want to shop for a whole wardrobe.

24. Some of us will tell you anything to make the sale. Especially if you haven’t been nice.

25. I don’t understand parents who give their children some merchandise to keep them occupied, then when the child destroys it, the parents just stick it on some random shelf and don’t say anything. How is that different from stealing or vandalism?

26. Literally everyone who returns anything broken claims it broke the first time they used it, no matter when they purchased it. Um, yea right.


27. If you want some extra attention or you need something special, call ahead and see if the store will let you make an appointment for a private visit. In a lot of stores, especially upscale ones, clerks are willing to open a little early or stay there a little late for a loyal customer.

28. I just spent an hour putting that display up. So if you want to try something on, ask for help. Don’t grab a pole and leave a naked mannequin on the floor.

29. Everything gets marked down eventually. Watch and wait for the discount, then pounce.

30. Outlet stores likely sell special outlet merchandise, and it’s not the deal you expect.

31. If I’m 200 from my sales goal and having a tough day, and you ask me if it’s going to be cheaper tomorrow, I may lie.


Source: http://www.rd.com/your-america-inspiring-people-and-stories/13-things-your-salesclerk-wont-tell-you/article186890.html

Mr Benevolent

Biggins is heroically trying to lift AH out of its economic gloom. Or he's drunk. I tip my hat to him either way.

danniemcq

American so tl;dr

FatherLen

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Biggins

Confab wrote: »

Biggins is heroically trying to lift AH out of its economic gloom. Or he's drunk. I tip my hat to him either way.

Its the former - but would love it to be the latter!

senordingdong

Confab wrote: »

Biggins is heroically trying to lift AH out of its economic gloom. Or he's drunk. I tip my hat to him either way.

If you were drunk, would you stare at and type all that text?

PanchoVilla

32. We are paid to convince you to spend your hard-earned money on crap you don't need and probably don't even want.

EL_Loco

they forgot the "dropped out of school at 16". Meeeow!!!

phasers

Literally nowhere in Ireland does most of that stuff

chin_grin

After Hours, where Biggins can copypasta recently received emails that have been doing the rounds since the invention of the internet.

Biggins

chin_grin wrote: »

After Hours, where Biggins can copypasta recently received emails that have been doing the rounds since the invention of the internet.

Well its better than the political stuff. We need a break!

chin_grin

Biggins wrote: »

Well its better than the political stuff. We need a break!

Can't argue with that!

flyton5

Sales clerk?

Biggins, i believe they're called Shop Assistants.

Kimono-Girl

Biggins wrote: »

29. Everything gets marked down eventually. Watch and wait for the discount, then pounce.

i can argue this one.:D

no it does not :mad:


in Ireland we have what they call 'sale stock' which comes in specially for the sales, all cheap tat that no one would buy, NOt everything gets marked down mostly its kept at the same price until its sold/sent back to suppliers!

:rolleyes:

chin_grin

flyton5 wrote: »

Sales clerk?

Biggins, i believe they're called Shop Assistants.

Or "yungfleh" or "yungwan".

cml387

I shop at LIDL.
Where is the greeter that's supposed to look me in the eye?

PanchoVilla

flyton5 wrote: »

Sales clerk?

Biggins, i believe they're called Shop Assistants.

Actually the correct term is Sales Associate. I used to be one and it's a pretty horrible job.

chin_grin

cml387 wrote: »

I shop at LIDL.
Where is the greeter that's supposed to look me in the eye?

Big fella standing at the door with a scar on his face. Wearing all black. Can't miss 'im.

Biggins

PanchoVilla wrote: »

Actually the correct term is Sales Associate. I used to be one and it's a pretty horrible job.

You must have been working for Dunnes.
I'm told they are one of the hardest stores to work for.

(I could be wrong! Probably am...)

PanchoVilla

Biggins wrote: »

You must have been working for Dunnes.
I'm told they are one of the hardest stores to work for.

(I could be wrong! Probably am...)

Xtra-vision in Fairview then in Palmerstown.

readyletsgo

Lol this is all so true!
From workin in retail for 10 years myself I know this! So glad I work in an office now and dont have to deal with 'customers' anymore lol.
Very American though. All English shops I have worked in used to push this american idea of greeting everyone and pushing sales on them, I hated doing it and I hate staff who do it, we are in IRELAND not England/USA, customers are different here! but I know myself its the higher's up who ask you to do it and wouldn't dream of doing it themselves.

bonerm

PanchoVilla wrote: »

32. We are paid to convince you to spend your hard-earned money on crap you don't need and probably don't even want.

33. We will influence, manipulate and downright lie to you in order to achieve our goals ... but, hey, please be nice to us.

/worst list ever.

readyletsgo

bonerm wrote: »

33. We will influence, manipulate and downright lie to you in order to achieve our goals ... but, hey, please be nice to us.

/worst list ever.

But its all true. Your an idiot if you think the lists a lie lol
All about making money at the end of the day isnt it? good or bad.

KerranJast

From my own experience working in retail (a defunct PC store) here:

Biggins wrote: »

Things Your Salesclerk Won't Tell You

1. The greeters who welcome you to our store aren’t really there to greet you. If we look you in the eye as you’re coming and going, you’re less likely to shoplift. - Eh no. We want to get a sale from you. Shoplifters are security/the floor managers problem.

2. I won’t ask a yes-or-no question like "Can I help you?” Instead, it’s always an open-ended “What can I help you find today?" - Not here. Irish people don't do American style fake nicy-nice.

3. Many retailers count the shoppers who come in, then calculate the percentage who actually buy something. If I don’t “convert” enough browsers to buyers, I hear from my district manager. - Never heard of this in Ireland. Unless the retailer installs one of those footfall counter floorpads they aren't going to pay staff to be a fleshbag counter for the day.

4. New merchandise goes at the front of the store, bargains at the back. The endcaps on the back side of aisles at Target, for instance, usually have items 15 to 75 percent off. If you want a deal, try to figure out when your favorite retailer does its markdowns. Some do them on Thursdays or Fridays, others at the end of the month. - Shock! Most retailers here actually publisise their special deals, bargains & offers to get footfall. Once they're in the door *then* you can sell something pricier.

5. When you ask me if something looks good on you and I suggest a different style, take the hint. - No comment

6. Sure, I’ll put that sweater on hold for you. But most of the time, you don’t come back. So don’t blame me if I sell it to someone else.

7. My pet peeve? Customers who paw through a stack of shirts. Now I’ve got to spend 15 minutes board-folding that whole pile again.

8. Even though most of us don’t work on commission, sometimes we’re given a salesgoal for each customer. If we meet it consistently, we’ll get bonuses and, eventually, a promotion. So when I tell you about a pair of earrings that would go perfectly with that sweater, I might have an ulterior motive. - Sales people *always* have an ulterior motive. Even without commission every sale is logged on the cash desk so management can track who's pulling their weight. Commission is great anyway because its an incentive to pull in sales. I made more money from commission over the last Christmas I worked in sales than I did in my wage packet which was decent anyway.

9. Please don’t tell the cashier no one was helping you after I brought you six different sweaters in the fitting room. It’s rude.

10. We do a lot more than unlock fitting rooms. We scrub the bathrooms, Windex the mirrors, dust the shelves, answer the phone, and clean up after our customers. And that includes two-year-olds.

11. And what is it about fitting rooms that brings out the worst in people? You stick gum to the walls and even leave dirty diapers in there.

12. After you buy something, keep your receipt and pay attention. Most mainstream retailers promise a refund if the item goes on sale within a certain number of days after you buy it. Websites like priceprotectr.com track the prices of hundreds of products from retailers such as Best Buy, Amazon, and Sears. - Very few stores observe this and I doubt it's anyway enforceable. It's purely something shops have to say to keep up with their competitors.

13. With savings clubs, e-mail deals, coupons, Internet discount codes, and other incentives, fewer and fewer people are paying full price. - Most shops will haggle on price as the advertised price is more than the profit margin the shop hopes to get. Standard thing is throw in some freebies of stock you need to get rid off and mark down the main item a little bit. You still make a decent profit and you get rid of crap noone is buying.

Corruptedmorals

Biggins wrote: »

You must have been working for Dunnes.
I'm told they are one of the hardest stores to work for.

(I could be wrong! Probably am...)

Yes they are! Though you're a sales assistant there not 'associate' or 'retail adviser' or any of that.


List only applies to a few places here, none of this 'sales target' or commission crap. In most shops, nobody cares what you buy or don't buy. And I didn't have to say 'Can I help you?'!:D Not that that would have been feasible anyway, too much work to do, too many customers, too few staff.

bonerm

readyletsgo wrote: »

But its all true. Your an idiot if you think the lists a lie lol
All about making money at the end of the day isnt it? good or bad.

No. You're an idiot if you think I missed that reality. I'm saying it's a bit rich to read a list full of points about how a given retailer subtly manipulates the customer and then peppered in between it read points about how the customer should be nicer to and more considerate to said retailer.

readyletsgo

bonerm wrote: »

No. You're an idiot if you think I missed that reality. I'm saying it's a bit rich to read a list full of points about how a given retailer subtly manipulates the customer and then peppered in between it read points about how the customer should be nicer to and more considerate to said retailer.

Well not the whole list, but there are cu*ts of custs out there who think you owe them the world for even being in your shop, even in the boom years when i was in retail. Did it for years, enjoyed it loads, but people can be rights douches and the list happens to point out this haha.

p.s. dont be so patronizing with your spell check, its the freakin internet for christ sake not a book :rolleyes:

orly.

bonerm

readyletsgo wrote: »

p.s. dont be so patronizing with your spell check, its the freakin internet for christ sake not a book :rolleyes:

Rolleyes? Really? TBH based on what you've written thusfar I'm surprised to learn you even know what a book is.

Copper23

Kimono-Girl wrote: »

i can argue this one.:D

no it does not :mad:


in Ireland we have what they call 'sale stock' which comes in specially for the sales, all cheap tat that no one would buy, NOt everything gets marked down mostly its kept at the same price until its sold/sent back to suppliers!

:rolleyes:

This = false

I sure hope you don't work in retail.

Corruptedmorals

It is true for River Island, where else though? I've never seen it done anywhere else.

Copper23

"Sale stock" as it's referred to in this case is unsold merchandise which is put on reduced price usually during sales.

It is REGULAR STOCK... do you think they just buy cheap clothes to sell when there's a sale? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of the sale?

All shops have leftover stock... you have 1 or 2 of anything left over and it has to make way for new stock.

These can go into storage to come out at sale.

They can be sent back to central warehouse dirtributor for larger chains, they can often gather enough to send a full range back to a shop in a different market or else just at a reduced price, things sell better when its not jsut one on a shelf.

Some have factory stores to send them to.

What does NOT happen is sending the stock back to the manufacturer. Only very small brands who will accept items back if they do not sell in your store take anything back sometimes, this is so they can get a foothold into the market by allowing you return the stock if it is unsold. It makes shops take more chances on newer/smaller brands.

Corruptedmorals

River Island have total crap never seen at full price, always with a sign saying 'this stock was sold at full price in 10 of our 150 stores'. Obviously from crappy English store, this is what that poster is referring to. Everyone else, and Dunnes where I worked, follows the normal procedure in reducing stock..

Copper23

Corruptedmorals wrote: »

River Island have total crap never seen at full price, always with a sign saying 'this stock was sold at full price in 10 of our 150 stores'. Obviously from crappy English store, this is what that poster is referring to. Everyone else, and Dunnes where I worked, follows the normal procedure in reducing stock..

I don't get your point... Your saying it IS sold at full price but its also NOT? What?