Are over-attentive associates creeping shoppers out?


A new university study finds store loyalty, purchase intentions and spending behavior are negatively affected when consumers encounter a salesperson who is standing nearby.
The close proximity resulted in greater feelings of psychological discomfort among consumers, which, in turn, decreased spending, according to the study. The phenomenon was found to be even more pronounced with products that are closely tied to the consumer’s identity expression.
Freeman Wu, co-author and marketing professor at Vanderbilt, said in a statement, “When shoppers are purchasing something that is closely tied to their personal identity — an article of clothing, for example — a salesperson in close proximity elicits a self-preservation response in the shopper, reducing the likelihood of a sale.”
The studies were conducted before the pandemic and the researchers said further studies could explore whether social distancing had made people more sensitive to physical proximity.
Researchers noted that the studies took place in individualistic cultures in North America and Western Europe “where personal space is valued” and that the findings might be different in collectivistic cultures, embraced by many Eastern countries, where community and relationships with others is emphasized.
The researchers suggest that salespeople could be trained on how much personal space to provide shoppers, as “too little personal space may inadvertently repel sales.”
Another university study that appeared in 2019 in the Journal of International Marketing found Western consumers were less suspicious of store associates they didn’t know versus Eastern consumers as long as the reason behind the extra attention was evident.
The researchers wrote, “Our empirical studies indicate that any single element of high attentiveness, be it frequent contact, intensive warmth, unsolicited care and information, or their resulting combinations, is sufficient to induce negative responses due to suspicion of ulterior motive among such consumers. Nonetheless, our results suggest that this response may be overcome if employees mitigate consumers’ suspicion of ulterior motive, such as by revealing to customers that their income is not commission-based, or by showing high attentiveness out of genuine concern.”
The findings comes despite the complaint of not being able to find a salesperson regularly ranking as the top pet peeve in studies of in-store shopping.
- Close proximity between salespeople and consumers reduces spending behavior – Phys.org
- Consumer Responses to High Service Attentiveness: A Cross-Cultural Examination – Journal of International Marketing
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: What channels or types of stores may be guilty of associates sometimes being too attentive for in-store shoppers? What advice would you have for finding the right balance between being attentive versus suffocating?
Join the Discussion!
22 Comments on "Are over-attentive associates creeping shoppers out?"
You must be logged in to post a comment.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Chief Executive Officer, Progress Retail
The headline could read: “Stores that don’t comprehensively invest in developing their teams risk creeping shoppers out.” The skills of deep listening, tonality, accurately reading the customer’s body language, and being aware of *our own* body language go a long way towards ensuring that the needs of the customer are met when they are in our store. Irrespective of store format or channel.
Principal and Founder, Retail Strategy Group
Beauty has a reputation of overly attentive in-store associates but it is warranted in many cases.
Sales associates need to be brand ambassadors and product experts but many are not and it comes down to proper training. On product and in selling.
Some may be crossing the line to “creepy” but I think these sales associates just need to have deeper training on “reading the room.”
Founder, CEO & Author, HeadCount Corporation
It’s a delicate balance of delivering the “right” amount of service. Too much and customers are creeped out; too little and customers feel ignored. Since the definition of too much/too little service is exclusively in the eyes of the shopper, it’s impossible to generalize about what the right amount of service is. It will also be greatly dependent on the type of store — luxury vs. warehouse. Ultimately, store associates need to learn to be situational and deliver the best service they can. Be earnest, honest and helpful.
Principal, Retail Technology Group
“Too attentive” is a subjective description. As the foreword states, proximity and distance are cultural preferences. If this question is asked in the context of the continental U.S., attentiveness is uncomfortable to most. As to advice to retailers, that is a lesson in sociology. Every associate has to read the customer.
Managing Director, GlobalData
Good salespeople should be able to judge the appropriate level of proximity and interaction. Showing a customer you are present and willing to help is good. Standing over them and breathing down their neck is clearly not. This is just common sense.
Director, Retail Strategy, CI&T
The ulterior motive is the key here. When you can tell a sales associate is motivated by the sale itself versus a genuine desire to help you, it feels like you’re being preyed upon. Victoria’s Secret used to be really bad about having sales associates constantly hovering. Now that we’re facing labor shortages and retailers are pulling back on associates being available though, it can be extremely frustrating trying to find help. The best way to navigate the balance is by making sure enough associates are visibly available to help without following individual shoppers around proactively. Shoppers just need to be able to easily find associates when they’re needed.
President/CEO, The Retail Doctor
Chief Strategy Officer, Hoobil8
Co-founder, RSR Research
Commission-only sales associates are most likely to be intrusive. Furniture is the worst.
President, Graff Retail
What’s the most important step when selling? Rapport! We always say that as much as 70 percent of your sales success is tied to your ability to establish rapport and a connection to your customer. So if you lack rapport, it doesn’t matter how close or how far away you stand from the customer. Contrast that to when, as a customer, you have a good rapport with the sales representative: You trust them. You listen to them. You don’t care if they are standing close to you.
You could have just as many customers who are frustrated by not being able to get waited on in stores. That’s an even bigger problem. Give the store teams the training and support they need — finally.
Chief Accelerant, Incendio
I wish I had a sign that said either “shopping with intent” or “browsing for fun” to indicate how much help I want. If I’m shopping, that means please check in a few times. If I’m browsing, that means I’ll find you if I need you.
Principal, Retailing In Focus LLC
Nordstrom seems to do the most consistent training of its sales associates to find the balance between acknowledging, offering help, and hovering. As other panelists have pointed out, it depends on “reading the room” — does the customer display body language suggesting that he/she is looking for help, or would rather be left alone?
It also depends on the store and the category. Does the self-service customer buying shoes at Target expect the Nordstrom treatment? Of course not, but stores at all price points could benefit from simply acknowledging the customer.
Retail Industry Strategy, Esri
Senior Partner, Industry Consulting, Retail, CPG and Hospitality, Teradata
Director of Industry Strategy - CPG & Retail, Stibo Systems
The most important starting point is the greeting when a customer enters the door or passes by the associate. This can set the tone for the rest of the interaction. I’m surprised how frequently that I am not greeted at retail.
Secondly, the associate needs to make some human connection, not a sales connection with the customer. This could be a comment based on the familiarity of the customer or what area of the store they are shopping. It has to be authentic.
Checking back too many times, dwelling nearby, and constantly watching customers can creep customers out and I think it is an indicator of lack of training. Fortunately, this is easily reachable online and can be modeled in person to do it the right way. It takes great store leadership.
President, Humetrics
I would love to be in a situation where I had an associate trying to give me more attention. In today’s marketplace it is hard to find an associate that will give me any attention. It is easy enough to train a sales associate to identify how much help a customer would like to have. All it takes is a couple of well-worded questions. It does not start with may I help you. It starts with either giving them a piece of information about something like, are you aware of the sale we are having or are you looking for something in particular? Open the conversation but don’t ask them a closed-ended question.
President, b2b Solutions, LLC
For myself I would agree that an overattentive sales associate is something that would not only creep me out but likely motivate me to shop somewhere else. The line between being helpful and creepy is different for everyone and as the article states will vary depending on what the person is buying. What the article does point out is that being a good salesmen is a difficult job that requires the ability to read people not only before approaching them but during the conversation as well. It is definitely an underrated skill.
I believe it is all about training the sales associates on what level of interaction is appropriate and how to read the customer. Even at higher-end stores, I see wide variation in the astuteness of sales associates. Knowing immediately where to go across an entire department to show me items that might suit my need is very helpful. It’s not helpful for the associate to take over for me when I already am going through a stack of jeans looking for my size to do that same task for me while I just stand there watching. Unfortunately, even in high-end stores, my experiences skew more to the latter example.
President, Second To None
Given the high level of staff turnover in most retailers, coupled with reductions in customer interaction and sales training, most brands are simply unable to find that sweet spot of being attentive, but not overly so. I would bet revisiting this study now would unfortunately show an even higher percentage of consumers who are quick to feel uneasy with salesperson interactions, as everyone has become accustomed to contactless shopping. I do agree with fellow panelist comments that initiating rapport with “Is there anything in particular you’re looking for…” can go a long way and is generally a welcomed greeting.
Content Marketing Manager, Surefront
This data gives credence to a theory that I’ve always suspected. I don’t think that advanced interpersonal training is feasible for every retail sales associate, many of which work part-time and/or are also in school. Retailers that enable digital training may be able to impart some wisdom in terms of reading body language, comments, when to approach, etc. But much of a customer’s response to a store associate has to do with the customer themselves, who is unpredictable.
CFO, Weisner Steel
Day-in-and-day-out we hear – and often make ourselves — complaints about the lack of service, and now this … who’d have thought?
Still, there’s some truth in it. Logic would suggest luxury goods are the main offender — only they are likely to have the staffing levels that permit this to even be a possibility — but my experience is it’s not the type of merchandise that determines the behavior as much as the type of management: small, typically owner-operated shops where the role of sales person and security guard are all too-often mixed together (with the latter often winning out).
But wherever it is, the lesson is the same: assistance should be there, if needed, but not RIGHT THERE (if it isn’t).
Author, Kindness Magnet