The winter brings shoppers into your store who may have never entered the entire year as the winter is filled with the best discounts, the season of giving, and occasions like Black Friday that encourage customers to come to your boutique.  They come in frantically to find the perfect gifts for their friends and family and have high expectations for the level of customer service they should receive.  Their presence in your store gives you the opportunity to make an extra great impression on them that will make them not only want to spend money at your store on holiday gifts, but also make purchases for themselves that will make them want to keep coming back for every quarter of next year.

The best way to ensure a conversion is to get customers trying on clothes in the fitting rooms.  In fact, a shopper is seven times more likely to make a purchase once she uses a fitting room compared to her simply shopping the sales floor.  Many factors contribute to this number, including the idea that most customers won’t bother to go through the trouble of changing into something that they are not intending to purchase, most people who use the fitting rooms are assisted by sales personnel who could influence purchasing behavior, and the fact that even going to try on the item enhances their self-perceived interest in it.

All in all, once your customer is in the fitting room, it greatly increases the chance of conversion. But, during winter, people are layered up and not always open to trying on clothes due to time constraints or inconvenience.  We have several tips for getting your customers to take the time and energy to try on your pieces in the fitting room in order to make larger and more informed purchasing decisions.

1. Understand the customer’s needs and make applicable suggestions

Training your sales personnel to take the time to determine customers’ needs can go a long way in increasing conversion.  If you see a shopper eyeing a bold dress, sales associates should ask if she has any special occasion coming up.  She may need a confidence boost and some encouragement to try on a few options. Once the customer agrees to give it a try, a sales associate can show her other items that she may like instead. 

2. Remind them the benefits of trying on

Some customers dread the fitting room, whether it is because of the time and effort it takes to try on or the fact that they would like to see if they like an item on themselves in the comfort and privacy of their home.  There are several things that sales associates can say and do to combat opposition, including but not limited to:

•  “Take the time today to make the best purchasing decision.  No need to leave unsure.”
• “We are here to help you find other colors and sizes as you need.”
• “If you try on now and are not satisfied, you won’t have to come back in the cold to make a return later.”
• “If you take the time now to try on a bunch at once, it can be way more efficient.”

3. Ask to reserve a fitting room

As sales personnel see customers beginning to accumulate many items in their hands, it is time to ask them if they would like a fitting room reserved for them.  This is a great sales tactic as it gets them into the fitting room which is bound to increase their chances of conversion, but it also shows the customer that your associates are looking and listening for her needs. Not to mention, starting a fitting room for a customer allows you the opportunity to include additional items you think they might like in the dressing room too.  As she continues to shop, continue to ask her if she would like you to add her items to the fitting room to ensure that her hands are clear to keep browsing the sales floor.  Once she is ready to go try-on, be sure that you have another sales associate back there to direct her to the correct room and to assist her from then on. 

4. Be of impeccable service

The best way to encourage customers to get in the fitting rooms is by displaying and following through on great service.  Dressing rooms should always be cleaned and uncluttered of other patrons’ clothing.  Not only does this make the rooms more comfortable,  but it makes the entire experience feel more personalized.  There should always be enough sales personnel in the fitting rooms to assist the number of customers back there with additional colors and sizes and even perhaps refreshments.

In the future, luxurious features like Augmented Reality (AR) are bound to be disrupted and made more available to retailers of all sizes to make the try-on process easier and more appealing to the customer experience.  Until then, boutiques can do their best to provide the utmost service and convenience for their customers to increase sales and retain customers past the holiday gifting season.

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Visit WFS to get trendy women’s clothing, jewelry, and accessories at 50-70% below typical wholesale prices.