My Experience in Sales: Marine Layer

Over the winter break I was left with a dilemma that most college students face, the lack of money. So, in order to add some funds into my bank account and occupy my time I searched for work over break. I had never done any form of retail work before but began employment at one my favorite clothing brands, Marine Layer. Marine Layer is a sustainable clothing brand out of San Francisco. The style is modeled after vintage west coast surf culture and has slowly spread to around 50 locations across the United States. Initially I picked Marine Layer to take advantage of a hefty employee discount but left not only with countless clothes and little to no paycheck but I gained an abundant respect and knowledge of sales and the retail market. This blog will act as a time for me to share the practical knowledge that I attained with my time at Marine Layer. In my time I learned a lot about retail and the selling floor. The two most foundational lessons that I was able to learn was the importance of not only knowing your product but loving it. The second lesson I learned was always let the customer do the talking.

The first lesson I learned seems like an obvious stipulation to sales but you would be amazed with the number of sales people that not only don’t love the product but at the very least know the in’s and out’s. Countless times I remember having more success when I understood the product and also loved the product. The reality is when you are working retail you are responsible for enhancing the customer experience. Whether that be by your mood or your knowledge, both are equally as important. In the case of Marine Layer ,the brand likes to maintain a vibe that sells the fact that its a small “niche” brand. That way when a customer buys a product it seems unique. This vibe not only can be represented by your words but your actions. Showing you love the product and know its ins and outs allows the customer to fall in love with the product or experience.

The second and last lesson I learned was to shut up and let the customer do the talking. As a customer I understand how frustrating it is when the salesperson tries to put words in my mouth or chats my ear off. After a few failed selling experiences it became clear that customers will tell you what they want if you let them. Constantly prodding them with questions and “product facts” does not allow the customer to really express their preferences. At end of the day relieving the freedom of purchase to the customer allows for a more pleasant experience.