Everyone remembers how in the film «Pretty Woman» the heroine of Julia Roberts was put out of a chic boutique. We ourselves go into such stores with caution and feel embarrassed, even if we are financially ready to make a purchase. There are three reasons for this.
Each of us at least once, for the sake of curiosity, went to an expensive boutique. And I noticed that a cold interior and arrogant salespeople do not encourage purchases, although the staff should be interested in attracting customers and making the most revenue. Why do these stores look the way they do and why do they scare us?
1. Artsy interior
In expensive boutiques, an atmosphere of cold chic reigns. Large deserted spaces and luxurious finishes emphasize the status of the institution. You feel uncomfortable because it is. It’s uncomfortable here. The surrounding environment suggests — you should not touch everything, try on a bunch of things or bargain. Chua Beng Huat, professor of sociology at the National University of Singapore, explains that this is no coincidence.
Expensive shops are specially built in this style. The interior works like a barrier. It attracts wealthy clients and scares away people who cannot afford expensive designer items. The sparseness of the boutiques emphasizes their exclusivity.
Also, expensive brand stores are distinguished by their international style. Christiane Brosius, an anthropology professor at the University of Heidelberg, found that in developing countries, luxury boutiques are islands of “life abroad”. They transport shoppers from their hometown and country to the global world of fashion and design.
2. Close attention
The second difference between exclusive boutiques and mass-market stores is the number of staff. In inexpensive stores and discounters, there are several times fewer sellers than buyers. This is how stores promote the concept of self-service and reduce costs.
In expensive boutiques, the opposite is true. There are more sellers than buyers here to cater to every whim of customers. However, the lack of buyers and the surplus of sellers creates an oppressive atmosphere and scares people away. It seems that you are in the center of attention. Sellers look at you and evaluate you. You feel like under a microscope.
The arrogance of sellers in expensive boutiques, oddly enough, fuels the desire to make a purchase.
Psychologist Thomas Richards explains that fear of being the center of attention is one of the manifestations of social anxiety. You are afraid that others will evaluate you negatively or judge you. If deep down you think that you are unworthy of shopping in an expensive store, then under the scrutiny of the staff, your fears are exacerbated. They’re about to realize that you don’t belong here, and they’ll throw you out of here.
3. Unfriendly staff
The staff evaluates you for a reason — they figure out if you have money. Salespeople are paid based on sales, they don’t need customers who just come to gawk. If the shoes, clothing or accessories don’t match the class of the store you’re logged into, sellers will notice. They will ignore you or help you reluctantly.
Psychologists Morgan Ward and Darren Dahl of the University of British Columbia have found that the arrogance of shop assistants in high-end boutiques fuels the desire to make a purchase. We strive to restore justice and prove that we deserve to buy things in a chic place.
How to overcome fear?
If you are financially ready to make a purchase in a luxury store, it remains to prepare mentally. A few tricks will make the process more comfortable.
Dress up. Sellers really value your clothes, shoes and accessories. If you feel uncomfortable in expensive boutiques, you should not come there in jeans and sneakers. Choose more presentable clothes and shoes.
Explore the range. Familiarize yourself with the assortment in advance on the website of the store or brand. Choose the thing you like and be interested in it in the store. The staff will notice your awareness and take you as a serious buyer.
Listen to the seller. Sometimes sellers are intrusive, but they know the range of the brand better than you. Sellers have complete information about available styles, colors, sizes, as well as the availability of goods in other stores.