‘It takes a lot of discipline’: How retail brands are educating their in-store staff

At the National Retail Federation’s annual Big Show this week in New York City, brick-and-mortar was at the center of the conversation. With the pandemic era fully behind us, customers are returning to stores, and brands and retailers are looking for ways to make the in-store experience more seamless than ever. One special area of focus for many brands: upgrading their store staff’s training and on-hand technology.

At NRF, representatives from multiple brands spoke about the necessity of properly equipping and educating store staff to efficiently serve customers in the store. New data from the NRF showed that 73% of customers go into a store knowing what they want to buy instead of just wanting to browse, compared to 54% of people saying the same about e-commerce.

Foot Locker’s customers in-store are often dedicated sneakerheads with both in-depth product knowledge and a specific product in mind that they’re looking for. Sasha Palacios, district manager at the newly reopened Foot Locker flagship in Manhattan, told Glossy that it is imperative for the retailer’s in-store staff to be just as educated on the latest releases as the customer is. To do that, Palacios said employees receive training and education on new sneakers every day through Foot Locker’s internal apps, Lace Up and Sneaker U.

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