Strangest Shopper Habits Bingo: How Many Have YOU Seen?

Some customers are so random and unpredictable that you almost expect to hear a laugh track ???? Your store must have been turned into some kind of sitcom because…

Surely, this can’t be happening?

Ooooooh, but it can. And it does.?

Regularly. In most stores.

(Do all customers share some kind of collective consciousness? ?? Did they secretly get a copy of the same manual, How to Keep Retail Staff on Their Toes? Do they rehearse these stunts? I NEED ANSWERS!)

So, if you’re a retail leader or store manager, this is your chance to laugh—and cry—about it with someone who gets it.

How many of these crazy customer habits and behaviours have you spotted in your stores?

Add up your points to find your retail profile (let’s have some fun, today) ??

Retail bingo: the strangest shopper habits

1. Impromptu Fashion Show – Who needs changing rooms? Certainly not that customer who decided to turn an entire aisle into a catwalk. Let’s just hope they don’t do the same when they get to the underwear section
2. Stressful Scavenger Hunt – A tank top hidden in between two long dresses on a rack. An expensive perfume balanced on the edge of a shelf (eeeeeeek!). A single shoe dumped by the accessories wall bay. Some customers really enjoy placing mystery items in random places! And of course, your team has to find them. Thank you, Karen. That’s just what they needed during peak time
3. The Stand-up Comedy Show (that nobody asked for) – Here comes the customer who thinks they’re the next James Acaster, ready to ‘delight’ your staff with jokes they’ve NEVER heard before (yeah, right): “Working hard, or hardly working?” or fan favourites like “No price tag? Must be free HAHAHAHA” ??
4. Shopping Basket Acrobatics – Is it calculated physics-defying art or an overly confident dose of “Meh, who cares if I knock this entire shelf down with my bags and basket”? Experts are still debating
5. Magical Label Misadventures – A customer misread the tag that’s literally in their hands, and now it’s your fault. “Oh, is this not included in the 3 for 2 promotion?” they ask, holding a jumper they picked up MILES AWAY from the promotional area. “Come on. Can’t you make an exception?”?
6. The After-Hours Assemblage – At 9pm, I usually get cravings for crisps or a nice hot chocolate. Apparently, some people get them for jeans ?? (Also, how odd is it, that Twilight Zone vibe when your store is eerily quiet and yet kind of bustling at the same time?!)
7. The Volunteer Visual Merchandiser – The display your team leader had just tidied up? Well, Crafty Carol has unleashed her creativity and rearranged aaaaaaaaall those items. And she even has the audacity to tell her friend “Looks better this way, doesn’t it?” Cheers, Carol
8. Self-Checkout Shenanigans – Some customers will answer “No” when a team member asks if they need any help… and then proceed to test the limits of technology (and your staff’s patience). Will they manage to scan those items, or will they end up breaking the Matrix? ??
9. The Compulsive Liar – “But I’ve already spoken to your manager, and HE said it was fine.” And that’s when you know it’s a lie, since your manager is a SHE. Or even better: when you are the manager and have never seen this person before. Anyone else feels tempted to tell them “Ok, let me call the manager” and then do a pirouette, some jazz hands, and say “Here they are”?
10. The Relentless Haggler – There’s ALWAYS a customer trying to negotiate prices in a non-negotiable retail setting. Nice try, buddy, but this is a premium brand—not a Camden Market stall
11. The Can’t-you-just-go-and-check Customers – The ones who think your back door is the equivalent of Narnia’s wardrobe. Because even though you’ve already told them you haven’t got that item or that those are the only colours? ????♀? They will expect you to go and look in the back. Well, might as well go there and have a little cry while they wait, I guess

Add up your points: how did you score?

• (1-3 points) You Lucky B*stard: You either happen to have the most well behaved customers on the planet (don’t be selfish! Share them with the rest of us), or you’re fairly new to this industry. Enjoy it while it lasts? ??
• (4-7 points) The It’s-starting-to-get-real Retailer: These crazy stunts don’t happen every day in your stores, but you’ve seen enough to realise that NOTHING is off the table in this industry” ??
• (8-11 points) The Seasoned Retailer: Your experience in this industry can be summed up with a dramatic “I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.” That’s me, too. But let’s face it: we still LOVE IT, don’t we? ??

All jokes (and facepalms) aside: there’s something you must do

Sure, these are the kinds of things we secretly enjoy moaning and laughing about.

But when your front-of-house staff have to deal with them on a daily basis? They DO have an impact on their mindset and satisfaction levels.

So, what can you do about it?

? From area managers to corporate support teams: have more empathy when it comes to retail store life

? Tap into your emotional intelligence when managing your floor staff (they go through A LOT)

? Remember: a thriving customer-centric culture should never mean ignoring your team’s challenges and struggles?

When your staff feels supported, understood, and valued??

THAT’S when they’ll want to grow with your brand and keep delivering the best customer experience (even if some people test them with their strangest shopper habits) ??

Ready to turn that into the ACTUAL reality in your stores in 2024? Let’s plan a Mindful Leadership, Softskill Development workshop together!

Kayleigh

Founder of The International Retail Academy?

PS. The Retail Comedy Club is the newsletter for retail leaders and managers craving to feel heard and brave enough to feel seen. All while having a good chuckle—not that fake customer service laugh

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