Working in Retail

October 12, 2009 8:38 PM

Following a second interview tomorrow morning I will more likely than not be working at a large chain bookstore for a few months (including, obviously, the holiday season). I've never worked in retail, or anything that required me to deal with the public for that matter. I'm not expecting it to be very difficult, but is there anything I should know?
posted by phrontist to work & money (29 comments total)

No, it's not hard. Just pay attention on day one and ask questions when you need to. The tricky thing will be understanding register procedures- Where the buttons are etc. If it's a large chain then chances are that the system is pretty dummy-proof, but again: Ask away.

Also, prepare to gain endless amounts of sympathy for cashiers everywhere. Customers are horrible people- Just keep smiling and be nice. Some people you can't change, but a lot of people will lighten up if they have a friendly cashier.

Ask about register scams- I had a friend working at Barnes and Noble who got nailed on day one. There's a popular scam where they come and ask for change and start swapping bills and they make your head spin and then the drawer is short 50 bucks. They may warn you about these, ask in advance. And, again, if something seems weird or strange, ASK about it.

Other than that: You will be flat, dead tired your first 2 weeks or so. It gets better!
posted by GilloD at 8:47 PM on October 12

wear good shoes.

any time i've worked as a cashier, i've been grateful for comfortable, supportive shoes. even a 4-hour shift can be tough if you're on your feet the whole time and not moving around much.

also, be sure to wash your hands if you eat on your breaks.
posted by gursky at 8:52 PM on October 12

Wear comfortable shoes.

I find drinking a lot of caffeine helps me a lot in retail; I'm always maniacally grinning away and I chirp away like a cheery chipmunk even through it's 8 in the morning. If you're a coffee drinker, drink your cup at home and then bring the rest of the pot in a thermos to rescue long dragging tiring shifts. Tea works too. Avoid falling in a habit of energy drinks; if you drink them during enough lunches to keep you going until clothes I eventually find I want one everyday.

Lord, I sound like a junkie.

I'm the most socially awkward person ever and I don't find it too difficult to have short interactions with many many people in a day at a cash register. Remember, it's not 50 different conversations; it's the same conversation, 50 times. Chat people up nicely if it relieves the tedium, but at the bare minimum all you have to say is "Press cancel for credit. Ok, go ahead and sign on the screen there. Reciept in the bag or with you? Allright, now, have a nice day."
posted by Juliet Banana at 8:56 PM on October 12

wear good shoes.
Wear comfortable shoes.

Take your footwear VERY seriously. The rest is not unlike Math-9. You've got to learn a few new tricks; maybe difficult at first, very quickly second nature.

And remember:

THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS WRONG (but keep this to yourself)
posted by philip-random at 9:12 PM on October 12

I came in to say wear good shoes.
posted by furtive at 9:14 PM on October 12

The ones above are all good suggestions, and I agree, most people are horrible customers!!
We have a big, non-chain bookstore in my town and I recall a newspaper article featuring the business and the owner; one of the points made was the owner's rule about the staff staying mum on opinions whether positive or negative about the product for sale. For instance, comments about how "good" a book/publication is or how it is selling are taboo, but I can see the reasons for a rule like this and how that is a different (or non) consideration when selling clothes or cars.
Hope you enjoy the work, not all customers are horrible, sometimes they make your day!
posted by bebrave! at 9:14 PM on October 12

I worked at a Barnes & Noble for about a year, including Christmas.

Even though you'll be selling books, for the most part you might as well be selling any other retail merchandise. Don't expect a literary salon.

However, people will ask you questions about books. Sometimes they will know the title or author of the book. Often they will not. They'll only know "It's a new cookbook about Italy," or "I heard about it on NPR," or "It's a mystery with a female detective." It can help you to know what's going on in the world of commercial bookselling. If you're familiar with what's happening you can often identify books based upon the slimmest of descriptors. Additionally, if you have good Google-fu, it's likely you can find a book you haven't heard of based on a few keywords you get the customer to cough up. They'll have their own search database at the store, but it works similarly to internet search, so if you're good at one you'll be good at the other.

If you tell someone on the phone you're going to set aside a book with their name on it for them to pick up later, DO IT RIGHT AWAY. If you do anything else first you're likely to forget. The book will sell out, you'll have no more copies, and then you'll be looking at an annoyed customer who made the special trip to your store because they knew you had set it aside. No amount of smiling makes up for that.

Make recommendations. Especially at Christmas, as people are cashing out, you can comment on books and recommend some other similar ones. A lot of times people just aren't sure what to get a relative whose reading is different from their own. It's a good opportunity to sell a few more books, and that is tracked, and might help you get merit raises and the like.

Every now and then you might get just crazy fed up with people and the register. You can ask to be shifted onto the floor to reshelve or straighten. It can be a really good way to take a break from the register and interact with people in a truly helpful, accessible way - or not at all, if you keep your head down and look super busy.

Barnes and Noble used to offer to cash our paychecks in the store. A nice service...but also a hellacious temptation. When you are looking at books all day, and see the sexy new titles come in all the time - especially the holidaytime fancy editions of things - it makes you want books, and make mental lists of books you're going to buy. If you make the mistake of cashing your check at the store you may essentially end up exchanging your hours of work for piles of books. Take your check to the bank first! Let your blood cool!
posted by Miko at 9:18 PM on October 12 [4 favorites has favorites]

When I was a young whipper-snapper working in retail, it was very difficult for me to not argue with the customer if they were wrong (especially if they were angry, too). I didn't actually argue with anyone, of course, I'm just saying -- it may be harder than you think to bite your tongue and smile instead. Be prepared with a good poker face, and try to remember that being patient is part of the job. You can vent about horrible customers with your coworkers later.

Also: If you're standing for a long time, don't lock your knees -- it'll make your legs and back hurt. Try to keep your knees slightly bent. And busy times are better than slow times -- slow times in retail work make every minute feel like an hour. Working during the holidays should mean the time will go quickly.
posted by chowflap at 9:30 PM on October 12

most people are horrible customers!!

I think one of the most important things about keeping your peace of mind when working retail (especially cashiering) is to remember that most people are not all that bad. It's been my observation that those who hate working retail the most is that they let the rudest customers they have color their entire day; also, a noticeably negative attitude encourages others to treat you negatively. Also, the majority of people are not terribly bright and this is not their fault; an attitude of commingled respect and forbearance will probably get you through the day nicely.
posted by frobozz at 9:35 PM on October 12 [2 favorites has favorites]

Yet another proponent of good shoes. And good insoles. And good posture with as much stretching as you can fit in.

Also, depending on your personality, don't be surprised if you feel kind of emotionally drained at the end of the day. I'm a socially competent introvert whose generally good at talking to people, but when I worked retail, I found being on and interacting with strangers all day to be more of a trial than I expected. When I got home at night, I found it was hard to be around other people since I'd chatted and smiled and been agreeable all day. I'd get snippy or exhausted very quickly.

I eventually learned to honor my need for silence and solitude in a purposeful way, and that helped keep me on a more even keel. That may not be a problem for you, but if it is be sure to give yourself the mental rest you need.
posted by mostlymartha at 9:46 PM on October 12 [1 favorite has favorites]

Expect customers to say and do unexpected things. Go with the flow when they do.

Expect to spend a lot of time putting merchandise back where it belongs.

Know the merchandise well enough to be able to guide them to the things they are looking for. Know when to talk to them and when to step back and let them make their own decision.
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 9:51 PM on October 12

I've been in retail for over thirty years and have to disagree with the "most customers are horrible" comments. Most people simply reflect your attitude right back atcha. Not to say that some people are not truly horrible, but they are a tiny minority.

If you simply develop an attitude that it is an honor and a pleasure to serve others, you will have a much better time. Who knows, maybe you'll catch the bug and stay in it. I drifted into retail until a "real job" came up, like many others. 30 years on, I simply cannot imagine doing anything else. Retail has allowed me to travel all over the US and Europe, meet tons of great people and truly believe I've made people's lives better.

Lecture mode *off*
posted by Expat at 10:21 PM on October 12 [1 favorite has favorites]

"I'm looking for a book, and I don't know the title, and I don't know the author, or what it's about, but it has a blue cover and the lady on the bus said it was really good."

You'll get that a lot -- be prepared.
posted by Jacqueline at 10:26 PM on October 12

Be cheerful. The one retail Christmas season that I wasn't healthy, I didn't have the energy to be cheerful, and customers were ruder than I'd ever experienced. Try to enjoy it; you'll get a good discount, and booksellers are fun. I'm still friends with people I worked in a bookstore with year ago.
posted by theora55 at 10:28 PM on October 12

Yeah, I'd like to expand on my "customers are horrible" quip above. They are not literally horrible, they are people just like you. And you are the obstacle between them and purchase x and getting home, so. Keep it in my mind.

I always HATED most customers, but I always smiled and said Hello and asked how their day was. I'm just saying that for me it was helpful to internally view customers as 'the enemy'. It gave me something to push towards. That could be the wrong attitude for you, maybe you work better feeling like you love everyone. Now that I'm not in retail, that's the case for me.

Point being: Don't feel bad about hating customers, just don't show it.
posted by GilloD at 11:09 PM on October 12

If I may be forgiven the little piggyback, I've been wondering about this for a while:

Is there anything I can do when I'm at the bookstore register to make the cashier's life a little easier? Aside from just not being a jerk, I mean?
posted by lauranesson at 12:14 AM on October 13

As a cashier when it's busy, work quickly but don't be curt -- it doesn't mean you have to have a conversation with every customer, but don't act like you're just trying to get rid of them either.

Be patient -- some customers will try to monopolize your time and need a lot of hand-holding. If it's not busy, that can be OK, but when it's busy try to balance helping other people too -- like to the monopolizing customer "Here are the cookbooks. We have a good selection of dessert cookbooks. I'm going to leave you to look for a couple of minutes but I'll be right back" while you go help someone else. And do check back in with them.

Some customers will just be jerks, no matter what you do. They will want you to do things you can't (like give them discounts, whatever) and just have a general bad attitude. This can be hard, but keep in mind it has nothing to do with you. And if necessary, call your manager. You're not getting paid enough to deal with those kinds of people.
posted by darksong at 4:45 AM on October 13

Don't take unpleasant treatment personally. Know in advance that some folks will do and say foolish and stupid things (like the classic "I'm looking for a book - it has a green cover I think"). Be nice and try to be helpful -- for your sake as much as the customers'. Negativity and bitterness and "hating" the customer in service jobs just create a horrible self-perpetuating spiral you really don't want to get sucked into - it'll poison you both on and off the job.
posted by aught at 5:25 AM on October 13

I've a few years of retail experience, and some time at a major bookseller.

In general, customers are not the enemy. Customers are not horrible. Retail is a customer service based job and the better customer service you provide the more likely the customer will respond positively. Some non-specific tips:

1) Smile! You don't have to flash them teeth, but a smile goes a long way toward a good interaction with a customer. Customers respond poorly when they think you don't want to have anything to do with them. Not only are they less likely to buy anything, some might even go complain to your boss...which can be bad, if your boss places an emphasis on customer service (as most should).

2) Patience. You'll need it at some point or another, and by showing a customer that you don't mind stopping what you're doing to help them will go a long way toward making the customer happy, but you happy. It doesn't matter if you've got a box of books to put up or shelves to straighten out, helping out that customer is the number one thing. Again, the customer will respond positively if you're willing to help them out.

3) There's always a bad apple. You're going to run into some customers who are grumpy or just outright jerks. They're not common. Don't let them ruin your day. Just let those experiences go and move on. The shift will go much better if you're not sulking over a pain in the rear who decided to shift his or her own problems onto you.

4) Be alert to the line. Customers hate waiting in line. Every job I've worked, the golden rule is generally, if there are more than three people in line, grab that intercom and call for help at the register. These includes paying attention to the line! Sometimes it'll just explode in size and surprise you. Never be afraid of asking for more support at the registers.

5) Learn the store. While you will learn a lot of where what books and authors are located just by shelving (which I'm sure you'll do besides register work), it will make your job easier if you know exactly where to go for which type of book. Not to mention, it'll impress the customer when you say, "I know exactly where that is! Let me show you!"

6) Learn to multi-task. You will need to do this when you find yourself working that shift when either no one else is around to help or they're on lunch. You may find yourself having to deal with a line of customers, a person on hold, and trying to look up another book for someone else. It's essential you learn to balance all these activities so that no one person feels they're being slighted. Sometimes you will fail. (One of the few times I ever got a complaint - crushing!). Just remember you're trying your best! Be sure to apologize for any hold up.

7) The Sales Pitch. Undoubtedly, you will be asked to sell something at the register, probably some kind of discount card. It'll take some time to perfect the pitch, from your comfort with the facts about the card to just getting something together that is attractive. Watch how your more successful coworkers do it, and if need be, steal some of what they do and then alter it to make it your own.

With regard to the register work, itself, it's a quick learning curve. Don't fear the register. After a few days, and especially a week, you'll wonder at how simple it really is. You will make a mistake or four, which will need to be voided out. Don't let it get you done or nervous. Everyone will and has done it who starts a new register job. Be watchful of the state of the change in the change drawer. A customer may not like to sit and watch you struggle with opening a plastic wrapped roll of dimes. Try and keep the change in a plentiful number between customers (right after a transaction when the drawer is still open). Lastly, credit cards are your friends. Pretty much the most mindless transaction you can have on your register. Yay plastic!

A lot of the customer service stuff really boils down to you thinking how you would and want to be treated.

Some bookstores operate on a "alpha-close" shelving instead of alphabetic. Always go for alphabetic when you can. Not only is it easier on the customer, but its easier on you when you're searching for that author.

Lastly, everything else that other folks are posting. Good stuff, especially the shoes.
posted by Atreides at 6:29 AM on October 13

When it is busy, especially when it is very very busy, relax yourself by remembering that it is making time fly by.

When it is slow, busy yourself with shelving, dusting, re-organizing, and getting to know the store. Your managers and co-workers will notice.

You don't have to like or befriend any/all of your coworkers, but stay out of any drama.

When I worked retail, we were asked not to point customers in the right direction ("over there, by the back wall, on the right") but rather to walk them over there and show them. This may be more difficult in a larger shop, but it is polite, gives the customers a nicer experience than other shops, takes up another 30 seconds til you get to leave, and gives you the opportunity to leave, help someone else, and check back in while the customer you dropped off browses.

Don't ever leave the customer in front of you to answer the phone.
posted by juliplease at 7:04 AM on October 13

Always check the shelf before you make the statement "we have that book". Computer inventory can be wrong or a book can be misshelved.

After one particularly rude customer I scribbled on a post it note "I'm a person too" and stuck it to the back of my name tag (the kind that hangs from a lanyard). One day it flipped around and a customer saw it and we laughed about it. I had forgotten that I had written it and stuck it there. I left it on the back of the name tag. It always made me smile after dealing with a difficult customer.
posted by collocation at 7:09 AM on October 13

I worked in retail throughout my teens and twenties, part of that time managing a chain bookseller; I will never ever ever work in retail ever again but then I am a well-known misanthropist. If you actually tend to like people you'll probably be fine, but working retail could test the compassion of Mother Theresa. Here are some things to remember:

Keep a smile on your face. Not a smarmy or sarcastic one, this is not a smile for the customer. This is a smile for you. It is much easier to keep your cool if you are smiling.

If a customer is mad, for pity's sake let her rant. Let her say her piece-- don't interrupt, don't try to explain ANYTHING even if she's clearly wrong. Don't stop the tirade. She will eventually stop herself. Then you say, "you are so upset, and I want to fix this problem. Tell me what you want me to do." Then if it is at all within your power, do it then and there. (Usually it is.) This will fix the vast vast majority of problems. A lot of times the customer either has a very specific, easy-to-do solution, or doesn't really care what happens, they just want someone to listen to them. Agreeing that they have a problem and offering to fix it will just take the wind right out of their sails. (haha I almost typed "sales")

With the rare customer who will not be helped, give them free stuff and the manager's name and phone number. This can be a 10% off coupon, or a couple of pieces of the candy from the register area (make sure you clear this with your manager). You tell them, "wow this is not a problem I can fix right now. Can you call this person at this number around such-and-such a time, and we'll take care of this. I'm so sorry, here's a piece of chocolate. I'd give you a beer but we don't sell that here."

As far as crowds, if you keep your cool with difficult customers, give them the time they seem to need and better yet solve their problem, the other people in the crowd will be 100% on your side. Everyone in earshot who then comes to your register will praise you, which is hugely affirming. You will also have reassured them that if they have a problem, you will solve it for them.

If a customer wants a refund ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS give them the refund. Don't ask them why they want to return it. Forget dog-eared pages, coffee stains and the list of checked-off people to whom the customer has clearly lent this book. If you work at a store that does not support a refund policy I pity you.
posted by nax at 7:33 AM on October 13

What expat and many other have said, x3!
Also, never let that one rotten apple (and I hope you only ever get one) ruin your day/week. For the truly intractable, you-can't-do-anything-to-please-me customer, remember these magic words:
"I'm so sorry I can't help you. Please let me get the store manager/shift manager for you."
Once in a while, this statement gets folks to back-pedal - "Oh no! That's okay, just give me x and I'll be fine"; and when it doesn't, well - that's why the managers get paid more than you. It's really not your job to take too much abuse.
However, if you take a positive attitude with you, you may find that retail is the most fun you can have while working (there's a reason they call it "work"). I believe that people are generally good and kind, and when given the chance will prove that to you. So have some fun, and see what you can learn about human behavior.
posted by dbmcd at 8:45 AM on October 13

If you've really never worked any job that required customer interaction before, please be prepared for this job to be more difficult than you think it'll be. You will be standing up all day, and you'll be required to maintain equanimity even when those around you are being obnoxious. Allow yourself lots of time to relax and unwind after work, especially the first few days. (This goes double if you are not naturally extroverted.)

There is more to retail bookselling than being a cashier, too. You may spend a lot of time shelving, re-alphabetizing, answering the phone, watching for shoplifters, carrying heavy things, climbing ladders, dusting, vacuuming, and so on. Get to know your store's layout and stock. Ask for help when you need it. Take the breaks you are allowed.

In customer service, if you are pleasant and make an effort to be helpful, 90% of your interactions will be positive. For the other 10%: try not to take it personally; keep your cool; and refer impossible cases to your manager.

I was a bookseller for 7 years, and I loved it. Not every minute of every day, but overall it was a great experience.
posted by expialidocious at 9:17 AM on October 13

darksong: Some customers will just be jerks, no matter what you do. They will want you to do things you can't (like give them discounts, whatever) and just have a general bad attitude. This can be hard, but keep in mind it has nothing to do with you.

Quoting for truth. Or, as aught puts it: "Don't take unpleasant treatment personally."

I worked for a short time in retail for a large department store, and what left an impression on me was how differently customers would react to the same service. Some customers were gruff and gave the impression you couldn't do enough for them, while other customers would be so kind and grateful I wanted to invite them round for lunch.

It says more about the customer than you. Just keep doing what you're doing and try not to let the occasional bad vibes/treatment you get from a customer get to you.
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 9:17 AM on October 13

I worked at Barnes and Noble for a year and it was actually a pretty sweet job. I hated cashiering because it was boring, not because the customers suck. My favorite tasks were working the info desk and reshelving. The store I worked at assisgned you one task a day - you were either on register all day, reshelving all day, or info desking all day. This rotated so you and everyone else had the same # of days doing the same task (because everone loves one task and hates another.

Here were the most important things for me:

1. Know the layout of the store and where the different book categories are - this makes reshelving go really fast and is also useful because you will get questions like "where are the cookbooks" while walking around the store with a name tag on. Also be conscious of what books are in promo spots at the end of isles, on tables in the isles, and around the info desk - a lot of people come in looking for new books they heard about and 70% of the time the book is fetured in some promotional location.

2. Don't be annoyed when customers ask questions. Does you doctor get annoyed when you ask him questions? no, he's there to help with your health problems. You are there to help with finding books. If you are helpful customers will love you and be kind. If a customer asks for a recommendation, give one if possible ("when I was around his age I read this book all the time...") but if you really know nothing about the topic, just admit so, but show the person to the section with the type of book they are looking for. You can even spend a few minutes helping them there if you want ("Hmmm this one seems to have a lot of diagrams which seem helpful...").

3. Don't blow all your money on books. It's easy to do just that.

4. Learn to make nice gift-wrap corners.

5. Familiarize yourself with the in-house search tools - B&N actually had a starter page with the New York Times best sellers lists, Oprah's book club selections, and other places where customers could possibly have seen books they come in to purchase.

6. One at a time. Help one customer at a time. If another customer interrupts you, kindly let them know that you will be right with them once you are finished helping the first customer.

7. Don't tell customers what you were helping other customers find. Nancy doesn't need to know that Suzy was looking for a book on genital warts treatments.
posted by WeekendJen at 12:14 PM on October 13

Know now that for the rest of your life, when you see misaligned books in a store you will unconsciously straighten them. (Damn you, B.Dalton! *shakes fist*)

And drink enough water to stay hydrated but not so much that you're endlessly in the bathroom -- or, worse, waiting for your break.

The question of "what book the book is that they heard on the radio last week" is infuriating, but if the store kiosks have real web access then maybe you can actually track it down for them!

Some customers are simply cussed, but there are many warm book-lovers out there who you'll be lucky to get to know.
posted by wenestvedt at 12:01 PM on October 16

The customer is not always right
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 9:14 PM on October 18

One of the most useful sayings I encountered during my retail career is "The customer is not always right - but the customer is always the customer." Translated, it meant that even if the customer is utterly wrong, they are in a specific type of relationship with you and with the business that creates a certain set of parameters within which you, the staff member, must act in order to achieve a positive outcome for both parties. So don't get hung up on whether they're right or you're right. Focus on what you need to do for them to walk away relatively satisfied and not planning to badmouth the store or call the manager or district head, not what you need to do to satisfy your ego. You're performing a role when you go to work - it's not about you.
posted by Miko at 6:57 AM on October 19