1. RETAIL SHMETAIL
By Erin McMahon
Do you hate walking into a store only to be ambushed by pushy employees? You are not
alone. However, most customers are not aware that this persistence is a requirement of the job
and that most retail employees hate bothering you as well. This negative connotation that
surrounds the retail industry does not intimidate Anthropologie employee, Shelby Hibbs. She is
beginning her second year as a sales associate at the high-end clothing store, and is not afraid to
spill the inside scoop of what it is like to work in retail.
Plopping down on the couch after a long day at work, Hibbs still looks simply chic
wearing a headband, glasses, plain black shirt, jeans, and unadorned boots all from
Anthropologie’s sister store, Urban Outfitters.
“I get the same 40 percent discount at Urban Outfitters,” Hibbs says. “I like to shop there
because sometimes Anthropologie is a little too expensive for me, and when customers ask
where I got what I am wearing, I can promote Urban Outfitters as well.”
As a sales associate, Hibbs’ duties include working the register, manning the fitting
room, or covering the floor, focusing on standards.
“When working on standards, I have to make sure that every button is buttoned, that the
pants are all hung consistently, the hangers are all facing the same way, the tags are all visible in
the same manner, the clothes are folded based on specific criteria -- you get the idea,” Hibbs
says. “I was terrible at remembering everything that had to be done when I first started work.”
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About two years ago, Hibbs was walking around the mall with a summer job in mind.
She walked into Anthropologie on a whim and management immediately requested that she
partake in an open interview. She, together with one other applicant, went through the interview
process, which included questions and a clothing challenge. Both applicants had to put together
outfits for customers, based on specific situations, such as “a woman in her 40s going out with
her girlfriends.” After a few weeks spent waiting to hear feedback from her interview, Hibbs was
hired.
“It is crazy to think that I started working there only two years ago,” Hibbs says. “It feels
like I have been working there forever!”
Throughout her time at Anthropologie, Hibbs has learned to have patience, awareness of
her surroundings, and that the customer is always right -- most of the time. One of the downfalls
of retail is the constant need to please every customer who enters the store.
“Most customers are good; you just really remember the ones that are bad,” says Hibbs.
“It really frustrates me when customers tell me how to do my job. I think (but do not say), ‘Have
you read our policy?’ Probably not.”
On top of pleasing customers, Hibbs has to be very aware on the job to monitor the
security of the store. On multiple instances, she became alerted to suspicious activity occurring
in the store, but was unable to do anything about it due to Anthropologie’s policy.
“This is really specific and kind of confidential, but one time, while I was working the
register, I noticed a woman stealing a pair of shoes,” says Hibbs. “According to store policy
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though, I am not allowed to leave the register while I am assigned to it, so the woman ended up
getting away with it. Looking back, I realize that I should have taken action to stop her.”
There are many other aspects of the retail industry that frustrate Hibbs, including on-call
schedules. Sometimes the Anthropologie managers will schedule an employee for an on-call
shift, which means that the employee is required to call the store, usually two hours before the
shift start time, to find out if they are needed for that particular shift.
“Tomorrow I’m scheduled for a 9:00 am – 2:00 pm on-call shift and I literally have to
call at 7:00 in the morning,” says Hibbs.
Looking past the frustrating aspects of customer service, Hibbs has learned a lot about
business and has gained real world experience from working in retail. The fast-paced, unique
environment of Anthropologie allows Hibbs to be extremely hands-on and interactive with the
customers and creates new challenges for her daily.
“When I work with a customer for 30 minutes trying to find something for her to buy, it
gives me a feeling of accomplishment when she actually buys based on my suggestions,” says
Hibbs.
The business aspect of Anthropologie is different from other, typical retail stores. Upper
management takes everything involving the store - from design display to customer service -
extremely seriously and ensures that the unique feel of the store always remains intact.
Working in retail has also allowed Hibbs to develop her sense of fashion and her
understanding of how pieces of clothing work together. Before Anthropologie, Hibbs was able to
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put together nice outfits that reflected her personal style, but now she is more familiar with
trends and what each piece means in the world of fashion.
Next time you enter a retail store, try to imagine that the roles are reversed and you are
not a customer, but an employee. Think about the frustration of dealing with people trying to buy
clothes for seven straight hours and see if you still feel the same way about the retail industry.
You might find that you have some sympathy for the very people that you find annoying.
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