Problem? You think that I think there’s only one problem with shopping? Ha! I don’t go looking for problems, but as a shopping expert, they find me. Since spring has sprung, now is a great moment to share some insights to help make your own shopping experiences better.
Last week, while shopping for a client, I experienced something we can all relate to: being ignored. In the ladies shoe department, not one of fifteen employees approached me while I matched up shoes to two lovely dresses. Only when I photographed the shoes did the manager come out from her office to tell me how I was violating store policy. Little did she know that I was going to read her the riot act! Once she understood that only one employee looked at me as if I were the three-headed monster, but no one offered to help, did she and another employee get right on it. Three pair of shoes later, they wanted to be my best friends. Seriously.
Lightning struck twice in the store’s jewelry department where I laid out the two dresses, a cute printed top, and the three pair of shoes in order to coordinate jewelry items. One employee walked out from behind the counter, where she watched me set everything up, and disappeared! In another jewelry bay, I found two poorly dressed, bubble gum smacking employees chatting it up. I exclaimed, “Can I get some assistance, please?” If rats could have crawled into the wall any faster…
The thing is, I know exactly what to look for when shopping for clients. Usually all I need is someone to get sizes from the back and ring me up.
Stores frown heavily upon in-store photography. Generally, I’ve not had problems because people in stores know my professional credentials. But if you are shopping on your own, it is not recommended to take photographs, even with your cell phone camera.
If you’d rather not wait for assistance, approach an employee who you think would be helpful to you. Don’t wait to have someone approach you. I didn’t need anyone’s influence, so it didn’t matter much from a sales perspective when an employee approached me. But the lack of service left a negative impression of the store’s professionalism.
Thankfully my client is thrilled with the new additions to her wardrobe. It was worth going through all of that for her. She got to avoid all the bad service.
Recently, Nordstrom send it’s spring men’s catalogue, calling it a “theory of men’s style.” Here’s their pitch: “You don’t need a Ph.D. to discover the secret of looking your best every day.” Okay, but how about some inspiration? Set in a lab, the most colorful objects are sporty watch faces, t-shirts, and liquid-filled beaker props. The catalogue is tinted gray to the max, and the season’s “must have” plaid shirt items languish in diffused lighting. No offense to Nordstrom, but if this is your sole source of information and inspiration, it’s hard to get revved up about spring shopping.
Don’t solely rely on a store catalogue, or on a fashion or lifestyle magazine to tell you what to buy for the season. Just this morning on “The Today Show” a guest explained how it’s possible to dress for no more than the cost of a pizza. Is that pizza topped with bologna? Make the most of your shopping experience by planning to invest in items you can wear for the foreseeable future. You’ll be happier with what you get, you’ll use more of what you buy, wear them more often, and spend less in the long run.
Finally, if you just hate shopping because you don’t like the lack of service and don’t find it easy to be inspired by what’s available, you can always rely on a guy like me. I’m most concerned with providing an excellent experience for you, and part of that experience is to inspire you with new ideas that are not based on fads, but are based on who you are and how you want to define yourself.
Do you have a shopping horror story? Feel free to share it.
Designing and managing your image is the secret science to your success.
Joseph Rosenfeld helps professional men, women, and corporate workgroups create effective visual brands. Visit JosephRosenfeld.com for details.