Online option

Each time I hop into a local store to check out the latest fashion trends I gaze around to check what best suits my style. There was a time when shopping was more than a transaction – it was an experience I cherished after all the money that goes into it. A visit to a store meant receiving personal attention, professional advice, and discovering products that were prudently selected and displayed to inspire customers.

For someone like me very sharp at paying attention to details I make it a habit to take the time to ask what I want and get what I want. Today, that experience appears to be fading.

As online shopping endures to cultivate, retailers often blame convenience and technology for changing consumer habits.

Gone are the days when a sales associate acted as a fashion consultant, understanding a customer's preferences, recommending styles, and helping create confidence in a purchase decision. Shopping was interactive, enjoyable, and often rewarding. This problem extends beyond customer service.

People still enjoy discovering products, seeking advice, and experiencing retail environments that inspire confidence and excitement. The challenge for retailers is not competing with online shopping – it is giving customers a compelling reason to walk through their doors again. Let’s perhaps learn our marketing and selling techniques as a refresher.

Mathew Litty,
Dubai