Retail Shoe Salesmanship

by George F. Hamilton; Frank Butterworth; H. T. Conner; A. H. Geuting

The salesman is called upon for the use of tact, which means an understanding of what is proper to be done under varying conditions as they arise under different circumstances. The clerk who asked his customer to go outside and look over the styles in the window, and to return after he made a selection, stamped himself at once as being a man without tact. He had not properly tuned-up to his customer and therefore the remark, although it seemed perfectly proper to the clerk, could only produce discord on the mind of the customer.

The salesman’s proper attitude of mind should be that of working along with the customer. He should train himself, as he proceeds with the sale, actually to feel the contact of his own foot in the new shoe as it slips on the customer’s foot. He should experience the satisfaction of the purchaser, who mentally notes that he has just spent, perhaps a considerable part of a week’s pay, in a good cause and with no regrets. He cannot serve the customer and hope steadily to get satisfactory results unless he can transplant himself into the customer’s frame of mind. He should be able to consider himself sitting in the chair, he should look at the shapes and colors submitted, through the eyes of the customer, and he should feel the shoe on his own foot as he adjusts it to the customer’s. Pure imagination, of course, but how else can he successfully work along in the sale with his customer—how else can he hope to work in harmony?

Most customers have a mind of their own and can make a decision when they feel assured that they have the shoe best suited to their requirements. It is recognized by merchants that the customer is more dependent upon the ability of the shoe salesman to supply the goods needed than he is upon any other salesman from whom he makes purchases. The shoe salesman who really lives up to his responsibility is a consulting expert to whom the customer comes for suggestion and advice, in the same way that the doctor is an expert to whom the patient comes for help.

The salesman’s responsibility therefore is to think with and not wholly for the customer.

CHILDREN

Already the fact has been mentioned that there is great variety in human nature. Although each nature or disposition is slightly different in some respect from every other disposition, as one blade of grass is different from another, still it is reasonably possible to make some broad classifications for the purpose of considering their points of difference.

The first great distinction among people is that between young and old. “Men are simply boys grown up,” we say. But the experienced salesman knows that what will be satisfactory in the nature of service for the young boy will not do for the “old boy.”

Most youngsters, especially boys, do not like to be sent to the grocery store on small errands to get supplies of food for the dinner table. On the other hand, there is generally a change of attitude when the boy learns that the errand is to a grocer’s where he knows some good-natured soul will take the trouble and special interest to hand out, perhaps a cracker to make him happy on the way home. To use a homely illustration: A butcher in New York city built up a following among all the children in the neighborhood because he showed a fatherly interest, and at the same time handed out pieces of bologna to the youngsters, whenever they came in to buy. He may have handed out a pound or two in the course of a day; but some of the young boys have since become old boys and are still trading at the old stand.

Success in serving children, whether it be food or shoes, is in showing a genuine interest in them and in pleasing them. The salesman need not take time off to explain the operations of the store or department, but he will find his time not lost in spending a moment to inquire kindly on some minor point concerning the child and perhaps to learn its name. The child is pleased, and except in most unusual cases the mother is too.

With children the matter of proper fit should be foremost. In addition to the fact that the foot is continually growing, it is soft and easily moulded. An incorrect fit under these conditions should be carefully guarded against. The matters of wearing quality, price and style should be of secondary importance to fitting properly. If the parent seems to be unaware of the full importance of correct fitting the salesman can generally win a good customer by taking the necessary time to explain.