5 tips to a smooth and enjoyable shopping experience

Shopping is a time to pamper yourself with things you have been wanting or needing. It should be enjoyable and relaxing. As a person who works in retail, I have seen customers get upset over things that could have been avoided had they just done their homework. 

1. Read your coupons and receipts
   Customers come in all the time with the intention to save more money on items that are already reduced and become upset when the item they want is an exclusion to their coupon. The back of the coupon will always state any and every exclusion that applies. The majority of the time, coupons cannot be combined with other coupons.If you are shopping at the mall, do not expect flea market haggles. In regards to the receipts, always read them before returning your items. Some stores, like New York and Company, will give you the lowest selling price for an item if you don't have a receipt. That means, if you paid $30 for a top and the lowest price it will sell for is $9.99 and you don't have a receipt, you will get $9.99 either in a merchandise credit or back to your account. Other companies, like Forever 21, will not give you your money back at all! Even if you return it the very next day with a receipt, their policy only allows for a person to receive store credit if they want to return something. On that note, read your coupons and receipts carefully to avoid embarrassment at the register. 
2. Listen to what the associate has to say
   Associates are trained on the product they sell and are also informed of any and every promotion available. They are not trying to rip you off, I promise. It is their job to let the customer know about every promotion that is available. Yes, the signs will help, but sometimes there are things in fine print (conveniently)  that are easily overlooked. Take the 20 seconds to listen to the associate when you walk in and avoid being the person that realizes they could have saved an extra $5 had they been paying attention.
3. Stay in the store
   This is going to cause the moms of the world to get upset but hear me out. Most, if not every, store has a conversion goal that they have to maintain. Conversion is the ratio of people to sales. For example, if two people walk into the store and one person makes a purchase, then the store has a 50% conversion rate. If conversion is low, the managers get yelled at by their superiors and then they yell at the associates which makes the pressure to keep conversion steady even higher. If you are a parent and your little ones tend to run in an out of stores, bring an extra person with you to keep them occupied at a play area while you shop (it can be a win-win if the person you bring hates shopping anyway; just buy them lunch!). Avoid the evil glares by the associates...
4. Let the associate help you
   Too many times customers have walked through the store and left without finding what they needed because they did not want any help. After they tell me what they want, I pull at least 3-4 pieces that would work for them. Sometimes they take my advice and try the items on and other times they are too flustered from their failed attempt and they leave. If you walk into a store that has potential to carry an item you need (e.g., dress for a wedding, slacks for an interview, bright red, rock-studded pumps for your bday, etc), tell the associates working there and they will save you time by getting the items for you or sending you to a store where you can find them. 
5. Be nice to your cashier
   It is so important to be nice to the person ringing you up. They have to keep a smile on their face and maintain a bubbly personality for sometimes 8 hours at a time. Some of them are parents that rarely see their kids, others are students that go to school full-time and are trying to keep up with the pace, and others have only had one day off the entire week. The last thing they need is someone being rude to them. Your cashiers are also the coupon distributors and have the power to decide how to bag your items. If you choose to be rude, don't be surprised or offended when your clothes are stuffed into a tiny bag or when you walk out without next week's coupon. Just saying.