Let’s face it, we all shop, whether it is for a new handbag or a gallon of milk. It is something that every college student is going to have to deal with and will continue to handle for the rest of their lives. Shopping seems easy enough right? You go into the store, get what you want, pay and leave again. However, there is another side to shopping that many people do not see.
Having worked in retail myself for the past five months, I have seen firsthand the difference between a good customer and a not so great one. There are many things you as a shopper can do to make the lives of the store workers a lot easier.
Treat all unpurchased items as valuable merchandise. When you try things on in fitting rooms, fold or hang them back up and leave them in the cart, or with the fitting room attendants. It is always a nightmare walking into dressing rooms to find clothes tossed willy-nilly, balled up, and sometimes even ruined because of a careless shopper.
Cell phone overuse is something that can often annoy someone attempting to ring you up. People that are constantly on the phone during a transaction make it difficult for the cashier to do his/her job. Often they need to ask you a question or tell you the total and that is not easy when you are distracted by a phone call or text.
Something everyone learned, or should have learned, in kindergarten is to put things back where you found them. The same applies in a store. If you picked something up and realized later you do not want it, take it back to where you found it. If you cannot find it, or are in a hurry, find an associate. They will more than likely have no problem taking care of it for you. It is always frustrating to find things out of place such as toasters in the swim suit aisle.
The final tip is to just have a good attitude. It is so much nicer to see friendly faces and work with cheerful people than those who are snippy and impolite. For the most part, sales associates are happy to help you find what you are looking for and make your shopping experience a great one, so do the same for them. Taking the time to smile and make small talk with them can be the difference between a pleasant day at work and a bad one.
Following these simple steps, you can have a satisfying day of shopping, while easing the burdens of the retail workers at the stores. They thoroughly appreciate your business and your courtesy and when you make life easier on them it makes them that much more willing to help you find everything you need.
