Statistics show that 70 percent of our clothing purchases are made while we are in the fitting room. According to Robert Phibbs, The Retail Doctor, certain retailers have tricks of the trade that they use time after time to get consumers to leave their respective stores with a purchase and most importantly, will have them returning for additional purchases.
"Nowadays it's your money and you don't want to settle," says Phibbs. "Good service doesn't go out of style no matter what you're selling."
The fitting room is a very important step in the clothing purchase process. From shoes to shirts to coats, Phibbs says the more professional the surroundings, the better the odds a customer will commit to a purchase.
For example, at Victoria's Secret, the main goal according to Phibbs is to get your measurements and then have one of their well-informed, friendly sales associates custom pick lingerie for you.
Phibbs sites the billion dollar clothier as a prime example of a retailer that gets the fitting room scenario right. "There's a huge difference between somebody that just manages the fitting room instead of being a trusted adviser," says Phibbs. "A great store will help people learn that you have to look professional."
Other ways retailers use their fitting rooms as a tool in the never-ending battle for customer loyalty are simple and extremely efficient:
Keeping a well lit fitting room. Smart retailers will provide plenty of mirrors and lighting for their guests. The better a customer sees himself or herself in the clothing, the better the chance they will buy it.
Maintaining a clean fitting room. For this story, I visited five separate fitting rooms at major retail chains and found four of them to have clothing all over the fitting room floor and all over the sitting area. It's safe to say that I didn't make any purchases at the four retailers with the unkempt fitting rooms.
Giving the potential customer a comfortable environment. A proper number of fitting rooms to better accommodate potentially long lines like on holidays (Christmas) or during prime shopping seasons (Back-to-school) is one way customers get drawn in to make a purchase.
Having knowledgeable sales associates available. "They have an associate that can develop a trust factor while encouraging a customer to buy certain pieces without being too pushy," says Phibbs. "Retail associates understand that it's a game of seconds."
And speaking of "seconds", time is short, make it easy. "The smart retailers make shopping easy," says Phibbs. That means having multiple selections at the ready while "helping the customer see what you see in their selections."
