Dialogue: Insincere selling bane of shoppers

By TAMSIN GEORGE

Shopping is one of our favourite pastimes. Almost like a sport, it is deemed leisure and pleasure. Testament to this is the growing number of shopping malls - with more to come.

It is also unnerving to see that what were once the January sales - an occasion religiously awaited - have now become the Boxing Day sales. Our holiday time, which, strictly speaking, is for family, friends, barbecues and beaches, has been encroached upon by bargain-bin madness.

It is too good an opportunity to pass up, and precious relaxing time is spent with the masses in skyless, sandless, friendless malls. After the spending frenzy before Christmas, one would have thought post-Christmas would be spent recovering.

Shopping can, in fact, be likened to a team sport. There are two opposing teams, one most commonly numbering two to three people. These buyers often take time out and ask each other strategic questions before going to the next level - buying. Afterwards, debate continues as the buyer rallies support from the others to ensure post-purchase dissidence is kept at bay. Only then can the true pleasure of the activity be enjoyed.

What is important, and what will ensure that the buyer remains pleased is that the salesperson in the opposing team plays fairly and sells only the item most suited to the buyer.

The best example is clothing retailing. Let's say you are trying on a pair of trousers and, as you inspect yourself in the mirror, have a tiny inkling they are not quite right. Sure, they look OK but they just do not look amazing.

Along comes the salesperson who exclaims loudly that you look fabulous, absolutely fantastic, and gushes excitedly about how wonderful you look in these trousers that were designed by blah blah blah, who is the latest designer from New York and is credited with dressing superstars and models.

For a moment you are swept up in the enthusiasm and ignore that little niggle telling you these trousers are not quite right. They feel a bit tight, but they will stretch, you are told.

Perhaps you should try a different style, you wonder. Then you look at the price tag and balk at paying such designer prices.

As if sensing your hesitation, your salesperson buoys your sinking mood and before you know it you are at the counter handing over your credit card.

You get home and put on your new trousers. Your friends and family think they look OK, but they are not particularly excited. So taking one last look at your purchase, you put on your favourite comfortable trousers and hang the new pair in the closet. You probably won't wear them again, or go back to the shop.

What, though, if you had been served by a different person, someone with more patience and honesty? Someone who took the time to find different styles for you to try on, so that you went home with a pair of trousers you knew looked amazing and felt comfortable. You could have been saved from disappointment.

This would, indeed, be a much fairer opponent. Not only would you be saved from post-purchase dissidence but the game itself would have been more enjoyable. During the time you spent trying on trousers, you would have developed a rapport with your opponent and would be more inclined to return to that shop.

Retailing, particularly clothing, offers funny little insights. It depends on trust; as a consumer you need to feel that you can trust the salesperson to sell you only what is best for you. It is also important to trust your own instinct.

Actors are often heard to ask what is their motivation for a scene, a question we should ask ourselves anyway and perhaps keep in mind when dealing with other people. Particularly a salesperson. What is their motivation? Just a sale? Or are they developing a relationship with you, in whatever small way that may be?

It is odd that salespeople are prepared to let customers leave the store with potential fashion disasters in their bags. Most items of clothing are easily distinguishable and to see someone dressed badly in an item is surely to undo all the good advertising the label has done.

Similarly for other goods. People talk, and are quick to criticise.

It is much nicer to deal with sincere people. People who will play fair in the game of retailing and who are honest and tell you when something does not look right, and who know their products well enough to direct you to something that is.

With so many choices, there is no need to tolerate insincere service. If you sense you are just a walking dollar sign, take your custom to where you, as a person, will be appreciated.