The following is a guest post from our friends at Findoo.com.au
Okay everyone, I have some things really important to say. From the cocky behavior of some bad tempered customers to the sneaky little tricks the shops always pull on the majority of you fashion-loving, poor unknowing suckers, I have written a comprehensive expose of all the secrets that I have accumulated over my many years of retail dedication. Why am I blackmailing the industry and it’s worshippers you might be asking me – well, the thing is, I’m not. I’m simply going to set the truth free, just like a pair of harem pants.
PART I
The Greatest Sales Misconception
Don’t be fooled by the fancy promotional stickers, the bright neon banners or the seemingly hip ads because I am here to tell you that Black Friday sales really aren’t all that special. I mean, sure, the stock in store has been pulled down a couple of notches, but keep in mind that it was marked down from the seriously high and inflated price of $XXX to a still considerably high price of $YYY.
I hate to have to inform you, but Black Friday sales usually aren’t as marked down compared to some of the lesser known sales. Every retail store know that regardless of how much they mark down the prices, you are going to be present with your credit card and wallet in hand simply because it is Black Friday, so why on earth should they pull the prices down that far? After all, the majority of the customers that fall into the Black Friday scheme hardly ever visit the store during the other times of the year, hence if they ever see that aisle of marked down items, they automatically think with a proud smile that they are going to snap up the sweetest deals.
Here is a small giveaway, from my own personal experiences, seriously, be ready with your money prepped and polished the weekend before Christmas – honestly, this might sound weird, but they do have better sales than Black Friday.
PART II
Hey, don’t get me wrong, the majority of customers are great, with only a handful being more than your average girl can deal with. However, I do believe that most of the little things that irritate us are the questions that can actually be cleared up with a simple explanation.
Don’t Be Embarrassed
Look, there is absolutely nothing wrong if you don’t know the exact size you are when it comes down to trying on some items. Not only is sizing in each store different, but it is perfectly normal for your body measurements to fluctuate from time to time. I, and every other fashion orientated employee totally get this. The only thing we do not get though is when you ask us to find five different sizes of dresses and then toss them on the floor, waltzing out of the room, leaving us to clean up your mess. You’re not a toddler, so seriously, not cute guys.
Cleanliness
Okay, before you say that refolding clothes is the job of a fashion employee. Yes, it is. But please be considerate. If you were at a restaurant, would you be a complete slob and eat with food flying out of your mouth in all directions leaving your tomato stains on the window for the waitress to clean or chew with your mouth open so that a ginormous pile of crumbs accumulates beneath the table for the waitor to tidy up after? We totally get that shopping in itself can be a rather tedious task, after all, retail workers are all inner fashionistas! But, if there is any tiny thing you can do to help, like simply bring out the clothes from the changing room after you are down, or at least attempting to be careful not to knock over an entire stack of folds instead of bulldozing your way through, that would be greatly appreciated.
So while my time being a beloved (hopefully!) employee at a fashion chain store is long and truly over, every time I go into a shop, I can’t help but remember all the experiences that I have endured and always make that extra effort to remind current employees that it is not all that bad. In fact, you might end up finding a good friend or stellar shopping tips like Black Friday!
About the Author:
David C. is an entrepreneur and digital marketing manager at Findoo.com.au, a fashion startup where you can discover and shop millions of fashion items.