BrainTrust Query: Is ‘Selling’ a Dirty Word in Retail?

In retailing today, “selling” is
a dirty word. “What?!” you
may be asking, “How can that be? Isn’t retailing all about selling?” Not
really. Think about it. Selling is something that both store employees and customers
hate. It puts the two groups at odds when they can and should be partners with
the exact same goals of helping people buy the products they want in the way
they want to buy them. Traditional sales models involve selling things that customers
do not want — by convincing them that they do. The goal has been to essentially
generate more dollars for the store at the expense of a customer who does not
want to spend those dollars but gets coerced into doing so by a “great” salesperson.

Today’s
consumers are increasingly disinterested in dealing with traditional sales
people. They’re not looking for friends or relationships in stores and don’t
care if the staff knows their name. They want to get what they came for and
get out. They’re busy and want a store that understands that, providing what
they are looking for, efficiently. These consumers want information about products.
They want fair pricing, and they want all the other services such as gift wrapping
and easy returns — but they don’t need to talk about it. They want the information
online. They want it in clear signage in-store around the product and its attributes,
as well as store policies, procedures and services. They don’t want to have
to ask.

These customers spend money just like traditional customers do and
they deserve respect. But most small shops not only fail to give it to them,
they continue to insist on trying to speak with them and showing them items
they did not come in to get. They frustrate and drive out shoppers who have
money and want to spend it. Shoppers do not want to be “sold” or “told”;
they want to shop on their terms. Smart stores allow them to do so.

We encourage
you to transform how you think about sales by designing your store to have
the following things to allow customers to shop how they want. We call it the “Inform & Deliver” selling
model:


  • Have clear signage to provide non-verbal communications. 
  • Don’t put employees at odds with customers by pushing sales incentive
    programs. 
  • Remember — you sell merchandise, not service. 
  • Make sure you have the goods. If you don’t, the customer can easily
    find them with a click. 
  • Brand your store at every touchpoint and then live up to your brand. 
  • Be transparent and avoid phony sales and promotions. 
  • Change your mindset.

 

BrainTrust

Discussion Questions

Discussion Questions: Do you agree that customers today do not want or need to be “sold” or “told?” How would you expect customers in a store that typically uses traditional selling techniques to react to a less aggressive, more informative approach as outlined in the article?

Poll

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Dick Seesel
Dick Seesel
12 years ago

All of the bullet points illustrate the fact that “selling” (just like “customer service”) can’t be strictly defined by the traditional image of person-to-person communication. But don’t doubt for a minute that retailers and service providers are in the business of driving sales. It’s no coincidence that the highest-rated retailers in the latest customer service rating have embraced many of the methods listed in the article, from in-store signing to efficient supply chain management.

Max Goldberg
Max Goldberg
12 years ago

I don’t think that the current state of retailing is as black and white as the article would like us to believe. For example, a retailer does not need to be aggressive in order to provide great customer service; a trait that is still appreciated by most consumers.

I do agree that a strong branding strategy at every touchpoint is vital, as is living up to the brand message. This is true for large and small retailers.

There is room in the marketplace for many types of retailers. If all retailers followed the model outlined in the article, the retailing world would be a dreary place.

Dr. Stephen Needel
Dr. Stephen Needel
12 years ago

A bad salesperson tries to sell a customer a product they don’t want. A good salesperson knows their products and can extol the virtues of each item. A great salesperson can upsell a customer by just a little bit. I don’t think we have a problem being sold, we just have a problem being sold badly.

Total Wine is a good example of great selling. Lots of information (good signage, product descriptions, wine picks by their various in-store experts) and they are very willing to help you or leave you alone, as you request. Invariably, I buy a bottle of wine $1 or $2 more than I was tempted to spend–a trivial upsell but an upsell none-the-less.

Ryan Mathews
Ryan Mathews
12 years ago

I think it all depends on the store, the customer and the purchase.

I see plenty of people asking questions in places like Best Buy and, yes, they are getting “sold.”

Or, go into an Orvis or many other specialty retailers and you’ll see a customer base that enjoys the sales interaction even though, in many cases, it’s fairly sophisticated.

Do people want to be sold canned peas? Maybe not, but there is a lot more to most transactions than the exchange of money for goods.

Matt Stearn
Matt Stearn
12 years ago

I have never “sold” anything. I “help.”

Kevin Graff
Kevin Graff
12 years ago

It’s been a long time since I’ve so vehemently disagreed with an article posted on RetailWire. In an effort to support the author’s own “Inform and Deliver” model, they are using out of touch views on what ‘selling’ is, a biased view on what customers want, and missing the point of the importance of sales staff to both the brand, the customer experience and sales.

There’s not much wrong with the author’s program, but to suggest ‘selling’ and ‘sales staff’ are the root of the problem just isn’t right. If you view ‘selling’ with cynicism (plaid pants, white shoes, used car lot) then of course you’ll want nothing to do with sales staff. But if you get the reality that selling is nothing more then understanding and meeting customer needs, then how can this article’s stance be accepted?

We often say,’good service isn’t always good selling, but good selling is always great service’. Maybe in the author’s future world view, we won’t need sales staff because we will be able to get everything out of a giant vending machine with good signage.

Paula Rosenblum
Paula Rosenblum
12 years ago

This article misses the point. Shoppers would certainly appreciate some educated assistance. But “aggressive selling” isn’t desirable, nor is assistance from an employee who knows less about what the customer is looking for than the shopper him/herself.

In other words, most consumers (unless they have enough disposable income to shop at Nordstrom or the Apple store), don’t even have a context to put service or selling in.

Bob Phibbs
Bob Phibbs
12 years ago

With all due respect, selling does not put people at odds. Use “helping” if you have a problem with the word selling, but selling is what is done with the customer.

When the writer says as fact, consumers are “disinterested in dealing with traditional sales people. They’re not looking for friends or relationships in stores” and “Traditional sales models involve selling things that customers do not want”–you’re just plain wrong.

As the sales guru and trainer for some of the very best brands in the world, I really take exception with this piece.

This is not written by someone who, like me, has trained thousands how to sell merchandise at retail; sorry. And if this were the advice you are getting I would consider you to check with me or some of the other great sales trainers’ websites to increase conversions, not just have a pretty store.

People DO want to make connections in retail, at work, in life. If someone comes into your shop, they obviously WANT something. If I buy a luxury watch, I do expect someone to “sell” me it. To help me belie the little analytical voice, “you don’t need this,”” to justify the price, to correct a lot of the misinformation about pricing and value online, in short to get me to trust them. People buy from people they trust.

Without that, it’s a race to the bottom on price.

If a customer prefers no one talks to them -good-stay home and don’t write that this is a “new customer.” Selling is about people helping people, not making your store be like a point-and-click website. Indeed, change your mindset.

Lee Peterson
Lee Peterson
12 years ago

The art of selling has never been about selling! No one wants to be sold to, ever. Sales is about good customer service, knowledge dispersal and genuine, honest, passionate behavior. Of course, it also helps to be a likeable person and to actually ‘love’ the product.

But even more fundamentally, you have to hire people that like people! I know this sounds basic, but it’s a missing attribute you can spot at retail every day–many ‘sales’ people just don’t like people. You can tell by the way they treat you.

The best example at retail of good hiring practices to me is at Starbucks. Those people are having fun just talking to people, ringing up $3 sales all day long. If retailers were serious about hiring ‘non-sales’ sales people, recruiting at your local coffee shop might be a good place to start.

Dean A. Sleeper
Dean A. Sleeper
12 years ago

I would agree that the premise does not apply to every retail context. But I would say:

a) today it does apply to the majority of retailers, almost all big box and large store count chains

b) just because customers are speaking with store staff does not mean they want to “be sold”

I believe the critical distinction is that the new consumer wants the information necessary to buy. They never want to be sold. In some cases they may wish to interact with staff in order to procure the information necessary to sell themselves.

I believe this is the majority of retail today and that whatever that percentage is today, will only increase as time passes. The new consumer will demand it.

Doug Fleener
Doug Fleener
12 years ago

If someone is buying, that means someone is selling. I agree with Alyson that customers don’t want pushy and obnoxious salespeople but sadly, a lot more store employees ignore people than try to sell them something.

I have clients in some if not all the top centers in the country that have salespeople who sell and deliver an experience second to none. The key is the staff’s job is to add value to the customer’s experience by providing knowledge, know-how, and to assist the customer in making the best possible purchase IF the customer chooses. Most do because the employee truly cares about the customer and their experience.

The key is to do many of the things Alyson listed, but I also believe that people are a key differentiator that keeps specialty retailers from becoming an Amazon.com showroom.

Warren Thayer
Warren Thayer
12 years ago

Depends on the store, the location (urban/rural) and the individual shopper. Ryan had it right. When I lived in NYC, I wanted in and out quickly, at least partly because of the crowds of people competing for their 30 or 60 seconds with a salesperson. Now at my general store in Vermont, I know all the clerks, their families and it’s a whole different experience, that I cherish. I’ve always hated the stereotypical used car salesman. (Gawd, why can’t they change, or get new ad agencies?) Clerks who know their stuff and just try to help are the best salespeople, if you can only find them or afford to pay them vaguely what they’re worth. But most retailers are conditioned to push PRICE all the time, so we get the bottom of the barrel. Finally, I don’t think human nature on the buyer-seller relationship has changed whatever. Nothing new under the sun here.

Doug Stephens
Doug Stephens
12 years ago

I’m afraid I have to join the “completely disagree camp” on this one.

I think the article is dangerously general in its view and out of step in its characterization of professional “selling.” And as others have noted, so much depends on the fundamental positioning of the retailer. What kind of store is the author talking about, Walmart or Bergdorf Goodman?

If the proposition hinges on in-and-out convenience, then sure, don’t create undue friction with gratuitous and potentially fruitless sales interaction. However, if the customer’s expectation is that they be provided with suggestions, companion product ideas and alternatives, then they are expecting to be sold–so don’t disappoint them.

Some of the finest and most successful retailers in the world take a strong sales and expertise approach to their business. Other very successful businesses rely on a self-serve model of convenience. What you can’t do is offer neither. Offer neither and you’re dead.

Richard Gordon
Richard Gordon
12 years ago

I think that the philosophy outlined is close to 100% correct for mass merchandisers, and I certainly agree that people do not want to be sold something they do not want. I also agree that shoppers should be allowed to shop the way they want to shop.

However good salespeople who know their products and can elaborate on the virtues of a product can be invaluable and prevent a customer from making a mistake. A great salesperson reacts and caters to customer wants and needs and they may certainly upsell a customer by just a bit. I think in many cases, customers love to be encouraged and catered to in a way that excites and delights. As Max stated, we just have a problem being sold badly. Selling badly in many cases, means not taking a queue from the customer and reading whether they want to be helped or they wish to do their own thing.

I totally disagree that customers are not looking for friends or relationships in stores and don’t care if the staff knows their name. The fact is, this is what’s missing in too many retailers today. Just as anyone wants to hear themselves greeted by name in a nice restaurant, they value the experience anywhere. Yes, on any given day they may want to run in, get what they came for and get out, but a good retailer that is truly service oriented reads the signals and reacts accordingly would help make this happen. I would like nothing better than to be accommodated and helped through a purchase as quickly as possible by a merchant that knows me and wants to react accordingly, as opposed to being left on my own and leaving my visit and me to chance by saying effectively, “good luck in finding what you want and getting out of here.” Yes, consumers want and need information and signing so they “can” be left to their own devices, but this should not be the only option, especially in a specialty store or good service oriented retailer.

I believe that too many stores are failing customers on the service end because they don’t serve or in some cases they don’t react to their customers appropriately. Today one of the big problems is the attitude that relationships are not needed and wanted. Shop in Walmart if you wish to be left to your own devices. I believe that it’s the relationships we have and the connection we make with “people” that are what make a store special. Retailing is still about emotions…emotional buying decisions, as well as emotional connections with other people. We remember the special experience and help we got from a “real person,” and their help, care and the fact they may have put a smile on our face. We don’t remember and treasure the experience we got from finally finding a product on our own as a result of trudging up and down the aisles of Target or Home Depot.

We now have an entire generation or more that don’t even know or understand what good customer service is. This includes management and salespeople. Where would the average person have learned about it or even seen good customer service? Would they find it at Walmart, McDonald’s, TJ Maxx, Home Depot, Pizza Hut, the average hotel, the average hospital emergency room?

Mark Burr
Mark Burr
12 years ago

I will have to join the line of disagreement with Alyson and align more with Bob’s strong disagreement.

However, I would add a few thoughts and a bit of caution. First, disagreement is good. It makes for good and spirited caution. Secondly, the experiences that certainly I would like and I am quite confident that others would like are rare. As a result, it has made the race to the bottom possible and has led retailers like Walmart to a strong position of dominance.

With ever growing web-based retailing and experiences at shopping with retailers online like Zappos and L.L.Bean, it is possible that there is a growing number of shoppers that will begin to disconnect shopping with connecting with people. No, I didn’t say that there aren’t people behind the experiences at great web retailers. There are great people. Yet, the interaction is there only when necessary and in the background the execution creates the experience. So, great people are necessary in both environments. However, the exposure and the interaction is different.

To a different generation or to the entire trend towards a growing market in web based retailing, could there be an expectation that the same should translate into the same type of experience inside bricks and mortar? Sure.

Caution? You bet. They are different–very different.

Doug Garnett
Doug Garnett
12 years ago

Sounds mostly like a question of definitions.

No, store help should not be at odds with the customer. But in store selling IS primarily an informational process. As I listen to people around me talk about good store experiences, they all involve store teams who do smart selling–not the confrontational selling described.

But, I think we do ourselves a disservice to decide to jettison the word “selling.” This has caused potentially irreparable harm in the advertising business, is leading to horrendous wastes of money in social media, and would speed up retail’s descent into what consumers hate most: a place where you can’t find anyone who knows anything about the product you are buying.

John Boccuzzi, Jr.
John Boccuzzi, Jr.
12 years ago

I am afraid I strongly disagree with Alyson’s comments. I can also only assume Apple Stores and Trader Joe’s would disagree with Alyson as well. These stores focus on not good, but outstanding sales professionals that are in store to assist their customers with anything they may need including questions about a product. A person that is trying to sell something to someone that does not want or need the item is 1) a poor sales person and 2) not properly trained.

I can’t imagine walking into a store with no one there to help me. Just signs in the store with information about products? That sounds really scary.

In my humble opinion, this article totally missed the mark. What this article should help store owners do is realize they need to invest heavily in hiring the right people and train them on how to best service the stores customers. That approach seems to be working incredibly well for Apple and Trader Joe’s.

David Zahn
David Zahn
12 years ago

The article does point out a level of frustration that some have with the state of the art in retail. While I am not prepared to throw the baby out with the bathwater here when it comes to “good” vs. “bad” selling, the message is not completely off track.

Shoppers want to buy, clerks, sales people, retail employees are there to facilitate the transaction, and businesses are not in it for the emotional reaction, exclusively (they have to make a buck). How to put all of that into the blender and create a palatable mixture is all that we are after. It need not be any more complex than that. Help me to buy, answer my questions, make RELEVANT suggestions and I will return. Make it harder for me to accomplish what I came into your store to do–and I will choose other options.

Michael L. Howatt
Michael L. Howatt
12 years ago

What a horrible picture this paints. Everyone complains about customer service these days but isn’t the opposite just as true? Consumers have turned into a bunch of bad people as well. Give me what I want and don’t try to “sell” me. Where selling needs to be more about information giving than pushing, the consumer has overcompensated. The problem is on both ends and won’t be solved until it’s illegal to talk on your phone anywhere in public.

Herb Sorensen, Ph.D.
Herb Sorensen, Ph.D.
12 years ago

Equating "selling" with personal staff is a big mistake from my point of view. But "selling" without personal staff–what self-service retailing is all about–is VERY poorly done in bricks-and-mortar retailers, period. It is so bad as to raise serious questions as to whether self-service retailers really know what selling is. I write on this subject regularly, in one such Views being "The Amazonian Ghost."

Dave Wendland
Dave Wendland
12 years ago

Although the point has been made by other experts represented in this post, I must echo my disappointment with the limited view of the selling process. Well-trained and well-meaning associates within the retail segment are not only helpful–they are essential.

Having trained many, observed many more, and been served by still more, I do value the relationship of an informed retail team member and their willingness to listen, facilitate my decision process, and lead me to a good “solution.”

David Rich
David Rich
12 years ago

We have struck a nerve here. I love the passion behind this discussion. All points have merit. At the end of the day selling must happen. It needs to be done right to reflect the organization’s DNA. That comes from understanding who they are, who the customer is, and both being aligned how to do that in a way that reflects what the brand stands for in the marketplace. Once this is in place the associates, sign, website, store design or all of the above can help both the company and customer win.

Mel Kleiman
Mel Kleiman
12 years ago

No one wants to be sold anything. But people love to buy things. If retailers are selling things to make dollars and not help customers to solve problems or achieve something they want to accomplish then they are making a major mistake.

But, just like the salesperson who sold me an upgraded phone after mine got dumped in the ocean this last weekend, I do not think he sold me anything – I feel like I bought a better solution to my communications needs. He helped me make a better decision.

That is true salesmanship.

Alyson Anderson
Alyson Anderson
12 years ago

Wow! We at Retail Concepts are impressed with the healthy debate this piece has stirred up and thank you for all the comments.

In response, we would like to say that we feel many of you overlooked that we were not in fact saying that great employees are no longer relevant. Of course it is important to have knowledgeable and engaging employees. However, if your store does not carry the right products, is not merchandised well, and can’t meet the needs of your customers, then the fact that you have good employees is moot.

Apple was used as an example by many and it is a great one. Yes, their employees are impressive. But, first things first, they actually carry products that people want to buy. If you go into their stores and watch people shop, you will also note that they have amazing visuals and easy to understand signage, allowing people to get the information without the aid of an employee. Many of the shoppers do not in fact speak with someone but engage with the product directly, as it is out to use and touch. While many take advantage of the store staff, many do not.

Yes, empowered employees are necessary to a successful store…outdated thinking is not.

And, I am flattered by the comments with regard to the numbers of retailers I have trained. I will take that as a statement about how young I look…as our client record speaks for itself… 🙂

Fabien Tiburce
Fabien Tiburce
12 years ago

Your post reminds me of Seinfield (the comedy series) about a bunch of self-centered misfits. You paint a bleak picture of evil store clerks and disfranchised “angry” customers. Ouch!

The vast majority of customers enjoy interacting with store clerks. The vast majority of store clerks are well-meaning, hard working professionals who like to help as well as sell. Yes the product must be good and yes signage should be clear. But whoever said you can only have one? I will heed your advice on product and signage and try to forget the rest; at the end of the day even bubble-boy craved some interaction. Most people do.

Ted Hurlbut
Ted Hurlbut
12 years ago

I think this piece starts with the assertion that selling is a dirty word, and pretty much goes downhill from there. The idea that customers have no interest in engaging store associates is far too narrowly conceived. Customer’s needs and shopping habits are as wide and varied as people themselves.

If you’re selling commodities in a mass-market retailer, then customers probably don’t want (or expect) a whole lot of interaction with salespeople, given their experiences. But there are a whole range of interactions where customers place great value on a positive and constructive experience with sales associates.

M. Jericho Banks PhD
M. Jericho Banks PhD
12 years ago

We are a nation of easily-manipulated morons, and sellers can persuade us to buy stuff we don’t want. If that’s true, the statements made in this topic are accurate. After all, the concept of stupid, uninformed consumers seems to be its foundation. Do you find this offensive and unsubstantiated? In your personal experience, have you purchased something you didn’t want because a salesperson persuaded you to do so? Probably not, because it’s always the other guy, not you, who is so enamored with a sales pitch that they buy something they don’t want. This notion is urban myth reinforced by mother-in-law research. Selling as a means to get consumers to buy stuff they don’t want is a hollow claim, but it’s popular among those who can’t take responsibility for their actions. “They made me do it, it’s not my fault.” Sound familiar?

As a thesis, the idea that sellers make us buy stuff we don’t want falls well short of credibility and substantiation. Who is willing to admit that “I’m so stupid, open to manipulation, and uninformed that I will buy anything a seller tries to sell me?” Are there studies or is there research to support this idea? No, and for a good reason: It doesn’t exist.

“Nothing happens until someone sells something.” Most of us are familiar with this truism. Why would selling be a bad thing? It’s a bad thing only to those with no new insight or research, and who are subject to urban myth and mother-in-law research.

Gordon Arnold
Gordon Arnold
12 years ago

This is a powerful message for someone interested in a vending machine business or perhaps a beginner with a shopping cart selling pretzels, cola and water. But it is no way to run a business where the customer’s purchase must be correct for their need simply because there are no resources or time to recover from a poor decision.

Al McClain
Al McClain
12 years ago

In defense of the author of this piece, I’d just say that some of the comments are pretty harsh. To me, the meaning of the article is that “old-fashioned” sales pushiness isn’t working any more, especially with younger customers. We all remember cases of pure hard selling, where we have ended up with a product or products that we didn’t want, didn’t need, or that underperformed when we actually used them.

For retailers, I think the issue is to better zero in on who your core and best customers are, and interact with them on their terms. Everybody wants great service (which means different things to different shoppers on different shopping trips) but nobody wants to have merchandise pushed on them. Interacting with shoppers as much as possible without turning them off is the goal.

Marge Laney
Marge Laney
12 years ago

Retailing isn’t about selling? Really? Well, I can think of several retailers who believe that and their storefronts are plastered with % off, and BOGO signs all the time. Retailers who don’t hire and train the people who interact with their customers to sell miss the important opportunity to show customers what’s great about their products and why they should buy them. The selling experience is a teaching tool as well as a key differentiator. Without a great sales team, products become commodities that are sold to the lowest bidder.

George Whalin
George Whalin
12 years ago

Yes, it’s true customers no longer want to be pressured into buying but they do want to buy. Smart retailers understand they are still in the business of selling merchandise and satisfying the wants and needs of customers. What’s surprising is that any merchant would believe they don’t have to create an environment with associates that understand that selling and great customer service are an integral part of the same thing.

Retail Concepts’ “new” selling model is hardly new. There are many very successful retailers that do all of these things and more and have done them for a long time.

Bob Phibbs
Bob Phibbs
12 years ago

Al, I respect your need to defend the author. However. However… her basic thesis is inflammatory to sales professionals who work in the world of training people to sell.

Many sales professionals do indeed enjoy their job, their products and customers. Jonathan Baskim told a story in AdAge about going to buy a suit as a young man: “I was in the hands of an expert salesman, because I had no idea what choosing a suit entailed. The guy seemed to listen to me, both what I said, and what my tone and body language suggested. I don’t remember feeling pressured or distrustful. I even backed off the purple-checked three-piece, thanks to his gentle nudging, and thought it was my decision. I left the place with not only a suit but also a dress shirt, tie and belt. I was completely satisfied.” That’s not pressure, that’s called service.

I would offer most businesses don’t even try to sell anything through their people whether that is their embrace of mobile or lax hiring standards.

But foisting antiquated notions of salespeople like stereotypical used car salesmen that have been around for decades makes my job and those of the sales professionals I serve much harder.

Kai Clarke
Kai Clarke
12 years ago

Selling is the delivery of information that moves a consumer to action. Whether it comes from a live person, from prior readings, access to internet information, reviews, etc. The product still is sold, and the consumer is shown all of the benefits and reasons why they need to get this product. The end result is a sale…pure and simple.

Tony Orlando
Tony Orlando
12 years ago

I disagree with this article, on the mere fact it is how I make my living. The art of selling something takes years to perfect, and my customers are thankful for the goods I offer up, and are more than happy to buy that great deal on ribeyes, or homemade pulled pork bbq, that they never had any intention of buying in the first place. Costco samples a million things in their stores everyday, and YES they are trying to make a sale, through offering up unique snacks and drinks.

I can’t stand the pushy car salesperson mentality, which I’ve seen a lot of in some stores, which is why this article was written in the first place.

Independents can make a huge difference in their bottom line through effective selling techniques, which in turn keep us in business. Customers do not like a B.S. artist, but they do love to enjoy and taste great foods, at a fair price, and they will buy over 80% of the time.

kimberly dean
kimberly dean
12 years ago

I do not understand or agree with this article. I would like the people I do business with to recognize me and suggest things I might like. It’s a relationship. When I go into a supermarket and the lady working there addresses me by name, it makes me want to come back. I cannot be the only one who enjoys this ‘relationship’.

Stuart Moskovitz
Stuart Moskovitz
12 years ago

I believe that the advent of centralized checkouts and the elimination of commissions has caused the impersonalization of retailing and therefore selling. Rarely, before centralization of checkouts and the elimination of commissions, were customers pointed in the right direction for merchandise they asked about and my pet peeve “My name is…call me if you need me.”