3 /5 Grace Alegria: I wanted to point out a few important things from my visit. When I first came in, I was greeted by a young red-haired associate named Loren. To be fair, her initial customer service was good — the standard friendly greeting of “How can I help you?” and asking what I was shopping for. I understand she’s still young, and I was surprised that most of the staff seemed to be teenagers.
As my shopping continued, however, her approach became noticeably pushy. I’ve worked retail before, so I understand sales techniques and that some places are commission-based. She mentioned what items were on sale, which is normal, but then repeatedly came back to me very abruptly — asking for my opinions on clothes, suggesting fitting rooms, and trying to steer me toward items. These are valid sales methods, but the tone felt more forceful than helpful.
At one point another associate (a young Hispanic woman) approached to ask if I needed help, and my husband noticed Loren giving her a sort of “mom look,” as if to claim me as her customer. He also saw her do this earlier with another coworker. Even while I was paying, she continued trying to sell perfume.
I understand she’s hustling, and I respect that, but the overall experience came off as pushy rather than charismatic or genuinely helpful. A softer, more intuitive approach would feel more welcoming and less overwhelming for customers.