15 Customers You Meet as a Retail Sales Associate

Written by Emma Kaschke, Marketing Specialist

When you’re in the retail industry, you get a chance to interact with a wide variety of customers. We’ve put together our list of 15 of our favorite (and not so favorite) types you meet at retail:

1. The customer with all of the coupons.

“I feel like I’m on Extreme Couponing!”

2. The customer who cuts in line. 

“Is your time really that much more valuable than everyone else’s?”

3. The customer who thinks they know more about a product than you.

“Yes, please tell me how your two minute Googling session better prepared you than my two years of product trainings.”

4. The customer who has no spending limit.

Though they may come across as annoying as Kim K., you should be treating them like they’re Princess Kate.

5. The customer who avoids eye contact at all costs

“Hi, I’m not Medusa – looking at me won’t turn you to stone. I’m really only here to help you…”

6. The customer who is “just browsing.”

“I’m just browsing” aka “leave me alone.”

7. The customer with all the questions.

“Ok, Sally – let’s take this one at a time, and I hope that you actually buy this after we spend a half hour going over product specs together.”

8. The customer who comes in right when you’re closing.

You may be using various curse words on the inside, but like the great sales associate you are, you smile politely and help them.

9. The customer who tries to flirt with you.

Please don’t…

10. The customer who messes up the displays.

“Oh, it’s fine. That only took me an hour to set up.”

11. The customer who brings all of their kids to the store

You want to remind the kids not to touch everything, but then remember that the parent should really be doing that…

12. The customer that doesn’t know what they want.

After each thoughtful recommendation, you continue getting a sad, disappointing letdown. 

13. The customer who pays with exact change.

You wanted to spend the next five minutes of your day counting change, right?

14. The customer who is unaware of the store’s return policy.

“I’m sorry, sir – unfortunately we are not able to take back this wine-stained dress shirt.” 

15. The customer who leaves the store really happy!

It’s awesome people like this that get you out of bed in the morning.