Fashion's (lack of) Passion...
January 10th 2012 09:39
Wow. Its been a really, really, really long time since I posted on this blog - as in THREE YEARS. Good grief.
Far too much has happened in that time including me having two children. Eek!
So, I apologise in advance for anything I write that may not make sense - see I am rather sleep deprived. Oh sleep, how I love thee! Why did you leave me?? Oh thats right, children...
All righty, onto more interesting things!
I thought for my return, I might just delve into a rant about Retail Fashion.
The thing (amongst many) that is irritating me at the moment is the complete lack of interest and training from staff that I seem to encounter every time I walk into a clothing store (well any store actually, but I am focusing on fashion here).
Excuse me? But I would have thought in the job interview at least, there would have been a pre-requisite for the candidate to have an actual interest in fashion? A helpful personality even? No?!?
It just seems to me, no matter what age, that these women DO NOT.
I wont talk too much about the badly dressed ones (er, if you look terrible in the clothes, why on earth would I be inspired to buy them??), instead, more about their crappy service.
I'll give you an example - I went into Country Road a few months ago, cash to spend. I approached the saleswoman and told her EXACTLY what I was looking for - a dressy top for a birthday lunch I was attending, any colour that would suit me and must be able to breastfeed in it. She came back with a high necked shapeless butt-ugly top in a poo brown colour. Um hello? Did you not listen to a word I said? (obviously!!) since when does a high neck allow me to feed discretely? Since when does a shapeless high necked top look good on anyone with boobs? (hello! prow of a ship/shelf of boob) And does poo brown suit anyone? Besides poo?
I was just flabbergasted (what a darling word!) that I had pretty much handed her the information on a plate, a ready and willing customer, and she hardly even bothered to lift a finger.
How hard is it to:
(a) LISTEN to what the customer is telling you?
(b) LOOK at the customer - what is her body shape, what is her colouring, what types/colours of fabrics would be most flattering on her?
(c) ASK questions - find out what their lifestyle is like, what do they like/dislike, what is their personal style? Do they need help defining that style? Do they want the outfit/piece for work or play or both?
(d) TAKE THE TIME to know your own store and its collections and how they can work (or not) for individuals
(e) BE INTERESTED in fashion and excited that you will be helping people to look & feel fabulous!
I get so frustrated when I see and hear the retail sector whinging about profits declining and people not shopping anymore, as if it is the fault of the consumer. The fact is, it's because retailers are the problem! Put the right people in the job and you wont need fancy sales pitches, you just need people who can do all of the above, which is not difficult, and your profits would soar!
How wonderful would we feel if someone was able to help us find even just one item of clothing that we looked fabulous in? And I guarantee you would go back and spend more!
It seems that good service in retail is a forgotten art by the bigger names, and only exists in some smaller boutiques.
Anyone received good/bad service recently and wants to share? Name and shame or talk them up!
Love, Miss Rabbit
xo
Far too much has happened in that time including me having two children. Eek!
So, I apologise in advance for anything I write that may not make sense - see I am rather sleep deprived. Oh sleep, how I love thee! Why did you leave me?? Oh thats right, children...
All righty, onto more interesting things!
I thought for my return, I might just delve into a rant about Retail Fashion.
The thing (amongst many) that is irritating me at the moment is the complete lack of interest and training from staff that I seem to encounter every time I walk into a clothing store (well any store actually, but I am focusing on fashion here).
Excuse me? But I would have thought in the job interview at least, there would have been a pre-requisite for the candidate to have an actual interest in fashion? A helpful personality even? No?!?
It just seems to me, no matter what age, that these women DO NOT.
I wont talk too much about the badly dressed ones (er, if you look terrible in the clothes, why on earth would I be inspired to buy them??), instead, more about their crappy service.
I'll give you an example - I went into Country Road a few months ago, cash to spend. I approached the saleswoman and told her EXACTLY what I was looking for - a dressy top for a birthday lunch I was attending, any colour that would suit me and must be able to breastfeed in it. She came back with a high necked shapeless butt-ugly top in a poo brown colour. Um hello? Did you not listen to a word I said? (obviously!!) since when does a high neck allow me to feed discretely? Since when does a shapeless high necked top look good on anyone with boobs? (hello! prow of a ship/shelf of boob) And does poo brown suit anyone? Besides poo?
How hard is it to:
(a) LISTEN to what the customer is telling you?
(b) LOOK at the customer - what is her body shape, what is her colouring, what types/colours of fabrics would be most flattering on her?
(c) ASK questions - find out what their lifestyle is like, what do they like/dislike, what is their personal style? Do they need help defining that style? Do they want the outfit/piece for work or play or both?
(d) TAKE THE TIME to know your own store and its collections and how they can work (or not) for individuals
(e) BE INTERESTED in fashion and excited that you will be helping people to look & feel fabulous!
I get so frustrated when I see and hear the retail sector whinging about profits declining and people not shopping anymore, as if it is the fault of the consumer. The fact is, it's because retailers are the problem! Put the right people in the job and you wont need fancy sales pitches, you just need people who can do all of the above, which is not difficult, and your profits would soar!
How wonderful would we feel if someone was able to help us find even just one item of clothing that we looked fabulous in? And I guarantee you would go back and spend more!
It seems that good service in retail is a forgotten art by the bigger names, and only exists in some smaller boutiques.
Anyone received good/bad service recently and wants to share? Name and shame or talk them up!
Love, Miss Rabbit
xo
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Comment by Journeywoman
Great Hair Style Tips
I Dream of Hollywood
Fashion Peach
It's largely why I do almost all of my shopping online now - that, plus my seven month old daughter makes shopping a tad difficult these days!
Nice to see another fashion writer back on Orble.
Comment by MissRabbit
Glamour Gossip
I absolutely agree, the larger stores just seem to think they can skate by on their 'name' and not do any work for our dollar (s)!
Well, they will learn a hard lesson - from you and I anyway...heheh
Oh, I am so with you on shopping with a baby! I have a 9 month old and a 2 and a half yo = in, out, gone! I am dying for my next birthday so I can go shopping...ALONE
xo