Online vs. In Person Shopping

For the longest time, sales were done face-to-face. A customer would walk into a store, look at the options in front of them, then choose exactly what they want. They could try on clothing and shoes in the store, finding the perfect fit. The way people shop has changed, however, since the coronavirus pandemic has come around. People now go online and choose the color, size, modify what they want. So where does the role of a salesperson come in now? Malls are shutting down. Many people find it now tiresome and potentially unsafe to physically go buy things such as clothes. The role of a sales person, specifically in regards to clothing sales, could be more focused on marketing. The seller needs to find a way to make the customer feel the need to buy their product, especially in a time where face-to-face shopping has been hindered by the COVID-19 pandemic. With certain in-store restrictions, companies have switched to online shopping, filtering what you need to buy. However, in-person shopping has not been put out of business yet. Companies have had to redesign the appeal to in-person shopping, with an example of this being that certain sales that are only available in store (events like black Friday in November). We are coming to a time of change, the concept of sales is changing, but the foundation will remain the same.