A FIELD GUIDE TO RETAIL
Identifying Customers in the Wild World of Shopping
Written by Mem Davis
- Do you work in retail or customer service?
- Are you jaded by humanity?
- Do you love people-watching?
- Are you in desperate need of a good laugh?
With a clear description of every individual and scenario encountered in retail, including an illustration for each main customer species. This book will have you laughing and shaking your head all at once over the absurdity of the human race.
Anyone who has ever worked in retail can tell you that customers come in all shapes and sizes, from the sublime to the ridiculous. Retail staff are the ultimate people-watchers, able to identify various customer species with just the briefest glance. Sometimes, this is a matter of survival on the shop floor.
Anyone who has ever worked in retail can tell you that customers come in all shapes and sizes, from the sublime to the ridiculous. Retail staff are the ultimate people-watchers, able to identify various customer species with just the briefest glance. Sometimes, this is a matter of survival on the shop floor.
In this people-watcher’s guide to the wild world of shopping, experienced retailer Mem Davis takes a lighthearted look at the various breeds of customer that inhabit Australia’s malls. By turns funny and shocking, A Field Guide to Retail will ensure you’ll never look at a shopping centre the same way again.
This is the ultimate guide to life in retail, where no-one escapes ridicule and the daily struggle is met with humour and compassion.
About Mem Davis
Mem Davis is a musician and book editor. She excels in humanities, holds a science degree in Health Science, and – most importantly – successfully escaped a past career in retail and health. She now lives in a caravan touring Australia, sharing music and promoting this book as part of her merchandise collection.
“Mem clearly has a thorough understanding of the joys and challenges of retail. In my retail world I’m lucky that 99% of our customers are lovely but…that other 1%! I recognise every single one of them. People who haven’t worked in retail may think she exaggerates, but I can attest that these interesting individuals exist exactly as described. Mem has captured the funny and sometimes downright ridiculous side of retail to a T.”
Jess Bailey
The Cruelty Free Shop