April 12 2009: First Day of New Baby Store Job
Filed under Uni/Work
So, I did my first ever shift at the baby store yesterday (I took on a weekend casual on-call position).
I have always enjoyed the human interaction that retail work provides, especially considering the demographics of the people I’m selling to. The past three years, I was selling maternity clothing to pregnant women; now I’m selling baby furniture and bits and bobs to expectant parents, parents of young children, etc. Similar customer base, and the thing I love about them, is that they’re generally happy customers. They’re happy to be expecting a baby, they’re happy to be parents, and they’re happy to spend money in being parents. They’re happy to shell out a couple of hundred, thousands even, for car seats, prams, cots, changing tables. They’re not the sullen and sour customers that I’d imagine I’d get if I was, for instance, selling skimpy clothing to tarty teenagers. It’s the best retail environment possible – your customers are always happy.
Anyway, while most of the day was spent with the manager running me through specifics of each item (e.g. how to fold prams and strollers, how car seats work, different types of cots, what items conform to safety standards, etc.), I did actually make my first couple of sales – an all-terrain pram (perfect for mums who intend on jogging with the pram after birth), a car seat, a baby bath, some cot and bassinette sheet sets, etc. All up, $1000AUD in sales, which the manager was happy about – they never thought that someone on their first day who didn’t know the stock could sell that much.
I think I’m going to enjoy this job. Doubtless it’s going to make me more clucky than I already am (my womb is begging to be impregnated), but it’s a fun environment, the customers are always nice, my co-workers are lovely and I get paid well. And, I play with the breast pumps when there’s no one in store, because I’m immature enough for that to entertain me.
4 Responses to “First Day of New Baby Store Job”
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That sounds like such a nice working environment. It’s amazing how much better it is when people are generally happy around the place. yay I’m happy for you :D
marilyn on April 12 2009 #
The whole working in retail thing has never appealed to me, I couldn’t help but LOL at you playing with breast pumps though :p
Jem on April 12 2009 #
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