Selling Stuff at Work...

[Galadriel]

Hey all,


Does anyone else work in retail type sales? Well, I am a cashier at this store, and today they told me it is mandatory that we ask every single customer if they want to buy this that or the other thing, basically to push the items on them. Personally I feel wrong about doing this, I am not very outspoken anyways and it makes me feel degraded or something to ask. It aggrivates me that it is manditory. Does anyone else have a job where they have to do this? I am really considering another job, as I have been at this one for awhile and have put up with a lot of crap anyways. I mean okay one thing I know I have control issues that make me kinda extra sensitive to them not pushing things on me, I like to have at least some degree of control, but then this comes along and its like you HAVE to this NOW. I mean I never had to do this before at this job, and its something I really feel silly and stupid doing. I don't like it when people push stuff on me to buy, so I don't like doing that to other people. Argh!

[ChippedAway]

I work at a bank and it is part of our job to make referrals for other products, I don't mind, we don't usually ask everyone, and we have different things to offer. I don't offer internet banking to an 80 year old, and I don't offer investments to a 16 year old or someone who only has $40 to their name.


I used to work as a cashier at a home/lumber/hardware type place (like home depot) and we always had to ask people if they wanted our credit card. I never did. I had a polo shirt that advertised it and thought that was enough. My manager used to get on my case for not asking, but still, I didn't, I never got fired, though I did quit later on for other reasons than that.


It's up to you. Sales is huge in just about everything. Even banking. I try to look at it as an opportunity to help people and tell them about something they don't know about. Like if they got overdrawn and had to pay the $29 overdraft fee, I try to refer them to overdraft protection, which only costs $15 a year, so if you fall short once, it's paid for itself. I also like to try to get people more interest. Some don't know they're not earning a lot if they have tens of thousands of dollars sitting in a basic savings, so I try to get them into one with more interest, etc.


The only thing that irks me is we need so many per week/month, and our goals are the same regardless of how many hours you work. I only work 20 hours a week, and have the same goals as people who work 40 hours a week. They help roughly twice as many customers and have twice as many opportunities than I do to get them.

[Galadriel]

Hey Chippedaway,


I guess that type of thing does tend to be common in retail type work. I am really thinking of looking for another job that is more out of the "selling stuff" business. Thats hard around here, cause it seems all there is is stores, but I'm going to try for something different.

[SimplyMe]

I've had jobs like that, they always want you to upsale. I only did it when I knew a manager was near lol. I'm like you, I hate doing that, even tho everywhere I go they do it too and I don't care I just say "no thank you" it feels weird to me. I don't know what kind of store you work at or what they wasnt you to "push" but there is usually a non-pushy way of doing it.I worked at a fabric store for a while and they wanted us to sign people up for the mailer, so I'd always ask if they had their mailer w/ them (it had a coupon) then that was a great opener ya know. Anyhow, I hope this helps!

[Galadriel]

Hey SimplyMe!


Lol I do that too, I only ask when I know a manager is around! Shh! The thing is though I've heard the manager is going to send "undercover" people to go through our line and see if we are asking. Eh well, to be honest if it is brought up it would be a great time to leave the job, I've been thinking of doing that for awhile now. They want us to push just silly items like a pack of twizzlers or a squishy ball, orsome fall candy. I mean its just random crap basically lol.