Confessions of a Retail Clerk

Ever wondered what's really going through the mind of that perky retail salesperson who never seems to get annoyed with even the most demanding customer? To answer this question, we interviewed a retail clerk (who wishes not to reveal her identity) from a large national chain store. The responses might surprise you. She dishes on how customers are judged by their looks and treated accordingly. She gives away her cunning strategy to lure you back to her store and she also shares her biggest complaint about shoppers.

You Are Being Scrutinized
The anonymous retail clerk told us that almost every time you walk into a retail store, you are being judged on how you look. She revealed that many retail employees are actually trained to size you up. Based on your appearance and how you respond to the clerk’s greeting, you are categorized. You are then treated a certain way based on how the salesperson labels you.

"I get trained on how to spot different types of people," she said. "First I look at their clothes and make a few decisions. Once I say 'hello' to the customer, I observe his response to me and his body language, then I change my tone to suit his kind. I'm an actress every day."

Which Type Are You?
A "Wanna Be" is someone who dresses straight out of the pages of a fashion magazine. "I need to stay on top of what the stars are wearing. That way I can pinpoint exactly which type of celeb the customer is trying to emulate. If I name drop about the product and pick the right celebrity style, such as 'This is what so-and-so is wearing,' the customer will buy it almost every time." The Wanna-Be is also more likely to agree to join the mailing list to get exclusive offers. The clerk told us the Wanna Be gets the feeling of crossing the red velvet rope when alerted to special deals.

The "Believer" is identified by a more hesitant presence. She has done no research before shopping and expects to be educated by the salesperson. The secret clerk says, "The Believer wants me to offer my product knowledge and she wants to believe everything I tell her. The funny thing is, she has no idea that she wants to be taught or that she wants to trust whatever I say."

The least popular among salespeople, the "Expert" has done her research and has come to the store to buy specifically what she wants and nothing else. She is recognized by being entirely closed off and she does not want to hear a sales pitch. The anonymous clerk says, "We don't like to see an Expert coming, our anonymous clerk observed. There's no suggestive selling to them. I could say to her, 'You should buy this hat to go with that scarf, because it looks totally cute.' She'll be like, 'Did I say I wanted a hat? No, I don't want a hat.' The Expert doesn't want my help. I just get her to the register, ring her up and be done with her."

Biggest Pet Peeve
"I absolutely hate doing returns," the clerk said. "I work on commission and I have sales goals, so when someone brings back what I've sold them, my commission gets docked for that item. Besides, while I'm dealing with a return at the register, I'm not on the floor making money off other customers. And the worst part is that 90 percent of the time, customers who return merchandise are confrontational. I don’t know what it is, but it's like they think they're going to get yelled at so there's always a song and dance and some big excuse." She continued, "I don't want a confrontation any more than they do. They should just be nice, and I'll be fast so I can get them out of the store."

How She Lures You Back
The anonymous clerk said that it's important for her to follow the cues of her customers. "I'm just giving people what they want. I shadow box with them and provide the kind of service I think they're looking for," she said. "If they want me to be helpful, I will. But I'll also leave them alone if I think it'll make them happy."

She revealed that the biggest mistake a retail clerk can make is to pressure a customer. "When you push someone into buying something he doesn't want, he's just going to return it anyway. And then he's had a bad experience and he's not coming back."

The anonymous clerk said she is a big fan of gradually building rapport over time. "It's better for me if the customer doesn't buy anything, but he has a positive encounter. Then it helps me develop a relationship with him and he's more likely to revisit my store. My favorite customer is a repeat buyer -- someone who remembers that I helped him out and will return again and again. At the end of it all, my aim is to be helpful and make someone want to come back."

The Biggest Shocker of All
"I absolutely love my job," the clerk confessed. "I get to meet new people every day. I get such satisfaction out of seeing customers get a new look that's more flattering, and also just helping people feel better about themselves." She also likes that every day is different from the last. She says, "I would never go back to a desk job -- I'm too much of a people person," she said. "I never want to have to return to an office every day and stare at the same four gray walls. Retail is like freedom to me."

Re: Confessions of a Retail Clerk

Interesting article!