The Student Room Group

How do you approach customers on shop floor?

Hi everyone, I currently work in retail as a sales assistant and I know that every store has different ways of approaching their customers. Just wondering if you also work on the shop floor what do you find is the best way to approach your customers??

Also if you don't work on the shop floor, do you like being approached by sales assistants?

Usually i approach them with just a simple greeting or something like that then if they look like theyre interested in something i'll ask them if theyre looking for anything in particular, but some customers dont like that at all !!

just like to see what everyone elses opinions are !! x:smile:
Reply 1
Original post by vintagepearl
Usually i approach them with just a simple greeting or something like that then if they look like theyre interested in something i'll ask them if theyre looking for anything in particular, but some customers dont like that at all !!


Yeah pretty much this...I don't like it when shop assistants stalk me though. Like wth....

Tbf though I hardly ever use shop assistants unless I can't find something in my size. :colondollar:
Reply 2
Like this:

" Wanna buy some gear :colonhash:"
Reply 3
Dont stalk them.

If they make eye contact, try and distinguish if thats because they need help or not.

I never really approached people who looked fine and never made eye contact. They know i am there, im wearing uniform, if they atleast want me attention that will look at me
Original post by vintagepearl
Hi everyone, I currently work in retail as a sales assistant and I know that every store has different ways of approaching their customers. Just wondering if you also work on the shop floor what do you find is the best way to approach your customers??

Also if you don't work on the shop floor, do you like being approached by sales assistants?

Usually i approach them with just a simple greeting or something like that then if they look like theyre interested in something i'll ask them if theyre looking for anything in particular, but some customers dont like that at all !!

just like to see what everyone elses opinions are !! x:smile:


Where do you work?

I work for Boots doing Customer Care, approaching customers is my job too :smile:

Some people don't like being approached, tbh women are more approachable than men, IMO. If someone looks like they can't find something, that's the best time to approach them. 1 in 10 of these people will just be looking for someone, but they don't seem to mind you asking them.

Some people don't want to be approached, and occasionally you'll be approached by customers asking for help. Just be friendly with a smile on your face and don't get pissy if they don't want your help. I had a (seemingly) rude young American man in my first few weeks on the job but I think that's just the way Americans are, seems rude to us but normal for them. It was annoying but you have to remember your job is to wander around the shop floor looking for people who need help.

If you can think of something in your store that is particularly hard to find, and work out the demographic for those, it might make things a bit easier for you. For example, in my Boots store, all the mens stuff is upstairs but not a lot of people realise we have an upstairs, men unfamilar with the store often can't find it.

I honestly just walk up to someone who looks like they need any help and ask if they're looking for something or if there's anything I can help with. I'd say about 50% of customers are looking for something, the other 50% aren't.
No, mostly because if somebody approaches me it's not because they want to offer me help.

"Hi, can I help?" actually means "Hi, I'm going to try to sell your something now". I don't like it when shop assistants approach me so I wouldn't do it the other way around. It's obvious who shop assistants are; if you need help - ask.
Reply 6
Original post by ilickbatteries
Where do you work?

I work for Boots doing Customer Care, approaching customers is my job too :smile:

Some people don't like being approached, tbh women are more approachable than men, IMO. If someone looks like they can't find something, that's the best time to approach them. 1 in 10 of these people will just be looking for someone, but they don't seem to mind you asking them.

Some people don't want to be approached, and occasionally you'll be approached by customers asking for help. Just be friendly with a smile on your face and don't get pissy if they don't want your help. I had a (seemingly) rude young American man in my first few weeks on the job but I think that's just the way Americans are, seems rude to us but normal for them. It was annoying but you have to remember your job is to wander around the shop floor looking for people who need help.

If you can think of something in your store that is particularly hard to find, and work out the demographic for those, it might make things a bit easier for you. For example, in my Boots store, all the mens stuff is upstairs but not a lot of people realise we have an upstairs, men unfamilar with the store often can't find it.

I honestly just walk up to someone who looks like they need any help and ask if they're looking for something or if there's anything I can help with. I'd say about 50% of customers are looking for something, the other 50% aren't.


I work in French Connection, but my contract is coming to the end anyway so i've just got another job the other wk at Selfridges but its in one of their concessions. Yeah i get what you mean by American customers. I mean a lot of tourists Ive dealt with were nice but like the customer you had, they're really forceful!!!


So anyway i've always been asked to approach customers, obviously trying to sell something. I mean i have sold things before but wondering what everyone else thinks is the best way to not sound too pushy when trying to make a sale?!
Original post by vintagepearl
I work in French Connection, but my contract is coming to the end anyway so i've just got another job the other wk at Selfridges but its in one of their concessions. Yeah i get what you mean by American customers. I mean a lot of tourists Ive dealt with were nice but like the customer you had, they're really forceful!!!


So anyway i've always been asked to approach customers, obviously trying to sell something. I mean i have sold things before but wondering what everyone else thinks is the best way to not sound too pushy when trying to make a sale?!


Do you work in a student town?

I work in one and there's quite a few foreign students and academics who don't speak English as a first language, the language barrier makes things hard to deal with :frown:

Approaching customers trying to sell something is all about figuring out what they need and offering it to them, concentrating on the advantages of buying the product. It's hard though, you have to get the balance between a confident sale and simply being pushy. I know some people who have it down to an artform though! If you're hovering around a department and people are looking at products, just ask them if they're ok, if they need any help and often they'll ask you about the differences between one product and another.

It obviously helps to know the ins and outs of the products you're selling. Are you being allocated to a specific department or is it a store-wide position? My position as customer care is store-wide but its not sales orientated really.

I actually don't know what Selfridges sell :redface:
Reply 8
I hate it. Ruins my train of thought when they approach me. If I want something I will ask for it. I know they are been nice but I just don't like it.

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