Season 4- Episode 3: How To Shop At A Department Store

If you are anything like me you prefer to shop online and avoid the department store altogether. I have been on both sides of the shopping experience being a customer and being a sales professional. I would have to say that I would of course prefer being the customer. (duh girl). Since I have been on both sides of the spectrum I thought it would be a good idea to give you lovely folks some tips on how to shop in a department store. We all have had the experience of going to a store like Bloomingdales or Nordstrom and the first counter you go up to the sales associate is nice but a tad pushy and then they start talking to you and then BAM! they just sold you something that you really didn’t want or needed. I am hoping my top 5 tips will help you not only navigate your favorite department store but to help you not be so intimidated by sales professionals.

1: Make a list — if you have been reading my blog for a while then you must know my love for making list is how my world function on a daily. I truly advise you to do the same I make a grocery list, a to do list, and even a shopping list that I call Fashion Needs/Wants. This will help you when you walk in the department store to have a clear head on what you really want and keep your target item in front and center of your thoughts so it doesn’t get mixed in with all of the other shiny things that you will see when you walk in there.

2: My next tip is to work with only ONE sales associate. You should have a back-up associate just in case your first isn’t there on the day that you go shopping. If that’s the case get their schedule and make appointments. I say this because being on the sales professional side there were so many times that I felt I made a connection with a client and tried to keep following up with them to make appointments and come to find out they already had a designated person that they go to for every thing. So FIND a sales professional that you really hit it off with and tell them from the beginning what your style is and they will always follow-up and make daily appointments with you! Trust me, you’ll thank me.

3: Look at the directory. I know this sounds super juvenile but you should look at the directory because nine times out of ten the last time that you went to a department store they probably changed their layout of the store or even products. For example if Mac Cosmetics was on the first floor the last time you went into your favorite department store and now its on the third floor how would you know unless you didn’t check?

4: Department stores always have discounts or sales (at least a section dedicated to it) so asking for a discount every time you go shopping is a little irritating to the sales professionals. I am not above getting something for less or even half the price. But this is why you should befriend your sales professional. They will hook you up with not only current sale items, things that are about to go on sale that you had your eye on, or even things that haven’t even hit the shelves that have only been in catalogs or on the runways. You need them because you want that new Chanel that was on the runway and it hasn’t even hit the shelves yet.

5: Now this one is obvious but to some people… BE KIND. Man oh man not only do we need more kindness in the world in general right now but being in the fashion industry is already a little tough to break into. The people who make us look good on a daily basis deserves our kindness just as much as the next person. Trust me when you are kind to them they will always go the extra mile for you. You might end up getting that this season bag right off the runway that same day.

Until Next Time

XOXO

Teri Michele