I received an interesting email from a client the other day. We have been corresponding for a few weeks regarding an amazing leopard-print coat that I've had my eye on for her. She decided to go to the store and check it out, and while she was there, she wanted to see some other items she had circled in that store's latest catalog.

Not the Best Day Shopping

I can only imagine the chaos she explained in the next line of her email. Apparently the store had just received merchandise and the staff were in the process of setting out their new products, rearranging old products, and putting their looks together while the store was open. Usually this kind of merchandising is done after store hours so the staff can focus on the customers.

Because of the hubub, instead of showing a salesperson the catalog and then waiting for her to locate the items, my client started to try to do this on her own, all the while getting frustrated and annoyed that she couldn't find what she wanted. She left after ordering only the coat and nothing else, feeling that she had wasted her time.

Improve Your Shopping Experience: Ask for Help

The moral of the story? When you are in a store looking for something and a salesperson asks if you need help, say yes! Let this person know specifically what you are looking for and don't be afraid to say, "No, that's not quite right" or "I'd like to know what else you have." These people are here to help you. That's their job and many are on commission to do so. No one knows the merchandise better than they do.

Experts Get Things Done Faster

Think of it this way: as an expert in YOUR field, do you expect people to come to your business or service and not need your help? No, you expect to do YOUR job, which is to assist them because you are the expert. It's the same when you are shopping: the salesperson's job is to help you. Your job is to walk away with something you love.

I have clients who could shop all day, and I have clients who can't take more than 45 minutes in a store before their eyes start to glaze over. Either way, you can make the best use of your time by asking for help and accepting it. (And I probably don't have to tell you - this could go a long way in other parts of our lives as well!)

Enjoy the beautiful fall days!