My Experience Buying a Basketball

I have always been an avid fan of basketball ever since I was a kid. whether it was watching or playing it, I spent countless hours on the sport. I had played for fun my whole life but when it came time to try out for the middle school JV team I wanted to really make practicing and improving at it a priority in my life. This meant I would have to get a nice basketball that could take a beating and still function properly. I had done some light prior research but when I walked into Dick’s sporting goods looking for a ball I was mainly depending on my dad to know the best balls, or at least that is what I thought. As soon as we got to the basketball section an employee asked what we were looking for and when we told him we were looking for a basketball he responded with a string of questions about things like traction, price, durability, and whether we wanted to use it indoors or outdoors. The employee let me answer all of these questions as well as describe how often and where I wanted to use the ball. After that quick conversation the employee pointed to a couple balls that he believed fit all of these qualifications the best. With his help my dad and I were able to easily land on a great ball with very little confusion in the process. This employee’s sales tactics reflect perfectly what we have been talking about in class. He provided me with questions that I could answer myself and elaborate on instead of bombarding me with yes or no questions that leave me feeling I have little control in the process. Also, the employee let me describe what I wanted for awhile and didn’t just take charge of the conversation. This is a purchasing process that I will always remember, especially now that I have taken this class.