As an individual who has worked retail, Forever 21 specifically, I would get asked quite often if I could assist a customer with their shopping endeavors. As that was my job I would oblige and sometimes perform more if I could. There's one instance that stays with me because it presented a huge challenge for me at that time.
I was working in the fitting room. There I’d put people into rooms and keep count of how many items a person would bring into the room with them. Every now and then I’d run to get a different size or color of any item the customer wanted.
On that day, there was a woman who was shopping by herself, she was trying on many different outfits. I could tell she was having a hard time finding something she felt comfortable wearing. So, I went over to ask if I could find something in particular for her to try. She was very indecisive about what style she wanted, and I’m sure I wasn’t asking the right questions. She confided in me saying she just wanted to look sexy or more attractive for her boyfriend who had recently told her that she had started to "look like a piggy.”
I realized at that moment that I wouldn’t be able to give her the assistance that she truly needed, which was someone to be one-on-one with her and help her find confidence within herself. Also, to get through to her that her boyfriend might be the thing she replaced (sorry, not sorry). Lastly, she needed to be advised that he shouldn't be the deciding factor in her apparel but that the right fit can accentuate her figure. All I could do was run her other sizes.
I didn’t know the woman personally so trying to persuade her went into one ear and out the
other. After going back and forth with her, she changed back into the original fit she was wearing upon entering the store and left defeated. Turns out, she didn’t buy anything. She left empty-handed and visibly dreadful; her face said it all.
I know there are many people that shop around feeling like that woman and
it’s unfair to the individual to shop with the intent to magically feel better about themselves with clothing that doesn’t speak to them or their style. However, if they have
someone on their side explaining which styles would work better for them and why,
confidence and the clothing would come naturally.
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