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How To Be a Good Retail Customer

Do's and Don'ts of Being a Retail Shopper

By Brendan RobertsPublished 6 years ago 3 min read
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Source: https://www.credit.com/personal-finance/cashiers-check/

Many retail customers can be rude, intrusive, and difficult to help. After many years of retail experience, it has become apparent that this is due to the lack of knowledge of what it's like to work in retail.

Many retail workers are underpaid, work long hours, and deal with people who make them feel like dirt. If the customer comes in with a positive and respectful attitude the customer and worker experience is greatly improved.

DO'S & DON'TS...

1. Hand your form of payment to the cashier, don't just put it on the counter.

As fun as it sounds, scraping change off of the counter or picking up crumpled bills is one of the most inconsiderate things that regularly happens in retail. Not only does it take up more time, but it places the burden on the worker of sorting out your money for you.

2. When you are greeted upon entering the store, don't ignore whoever greets you.

Nothing is more frustrating then asking someone if there's something you can help them with and receiving no response. Then a few moments later when you are assisting someone else that same person that ignored you is in your face needing help.

3. Please do not touch the workers.

It is very common for people to put their hands on other people's shoulders or putting a hand on the back, but this makes workers uncomfortable. Keep in mind that no matter how excited you are about the product, the employees are strangers to you.

4. If you take something out, put it back.

Whether it's a pack of socks, shoes, a t-shirt, or anything else, put it back where you found it. Not only is this helpful to the workers but it's respectful to the other customers/shoppers.

If you remove something from display and put it somewhere it doesn't belong, someone who wants that item may not be able to find it, thus ruining another person's shopping experience.

5. Ask for your size before trying the display on. (Shoe store-specific!)

This is common sense. If you wear a size 8, don't force a size 6 on your foot so you can see how it looks. After many people do this, the shoe will get stretched out and become damaged.

Asking for your size is not only respectful to the retailer by not damaging the product, but it's respectful to the other shoppers. Someone who is that size will not be able to fit it once it has been tried on by so many people.

6. Don't demand discounts.

Retail workers are more willing to go out of their way to offer discounts and get you the best deal when the customer was pleasant and fun to help. When the worker experience is great the worker will more than likely return the favor and help you as best they can.

7. Don't touch or move the mannequins.

Working in retail in Las Vegas, I have seen many people take pictures groping the mannequins or pulling the clothing down. By doing this you can damage the clothing on the mannequins, as well as the mannequins themselves.

8. Don't walk behind the cash-wrap or into the stockroom.

There are many reasons to not do this. The biggest reason is lost prevention. There's a reason why only employees are aloud in these areas.

The goal of this article is to bring attention to the habits that retail shoppers have. Hopefully when these habits are brought to the attention of shoppers they will try their best to avoid continuing to do them. On behalf of every retail worker, we thank you.

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