Aggressive selling in retail

This will be long, but I need to vent. 😪

I work in retail. I’ve been here for two years, there are ups and downs but this is something that makes me extremely uncomfortable. Recently none of our stores have been doing well. The company actually sent out a memo about a possible bankruptcy, but the company has been doing better after getting the memo.

Our area leader came today (my store managers manager) and forced me to aggressively sell to a couple of customers. This is how the conversation between the customer and I went:

Me: “Hello!”

Customer: (just looks at me.)

M: (walks toward the customer) “How are you doing today?”

C: (just looks at me, again)

Meanwhile my store leader and area leader are watching me because I’m supposed to sell her 3 items.

M: “What are you all out shopping for today? Looking for anything special?”

C: “no.”

M: “Oh okay, well I’ll let you know the sale while you all browse. (I tell them the sale) then I follow it with “if you all have any questions feel free to ask, my name is ____.”

I walk away and start tidying the store. My manager comes in over the headset and says “What are they looking for? What did you learn about them?” I said “she is just looking. I took her cues as she just wants to browse and be left alone.”

At this point my area leader butted in and said “let’s have Trisha (coworker) go over there and try.” (Basically saying I’m incompetent.) 🙄

She goes over, talks to the customer, and she says the same thing I did, the customer said the same thing back but acted more annoyed.

At this point, my area leader tells me to go up to her and show her our new shirt. I didn’t want to but I did. After I attempt to sell it to her she says “look. I’m just out to try to walk my baby out. I don’t want anything. I’m just looking.”

I said “okay, that’s fine!” Because surely they wouldn’t make me keep bothering her. But they did. 🤦🏼‍♀️

They make me go BACK to her, as she’s leaving and try to show her something else “that’s more her style”. She’s very annoyed now but I think she can tell I’m only doing it because of them. She kind of goes along with it but is trying to scurry out the door. (I don’t blame her.)

At this point my manager comes over the headset again and tells me to start a fitting room for her with at least 3 items. I do and I tell her I made her one for her and she is confused. She goes back to the room and tries on a top then says she doesn’t like it and she’ll try another time.

Then my managers come over the headset and ask for her sizes. I’m not sure why but I tell them then they come over with a FREAKING HEAP of clothes (at least 10 tops and 5 bottoms) while I’m talking to her.

She looks at me then at them then at me then at them. She goes back in the room and I go hide in the damn bathroom until she leaves. I come out and she didn’t buy a single piece, I certainly wouldn’t either.

This highly annoys me. As someone with social anxiety disorder, just coming to a new store makes me anxious. My manager is very outgoing and talkative so she doesn’t understand. I can’t imagine being pestered like that while trying to walk your baby out. Not to mention, it’s not like she can wear those clothes considering she’ll have her baby very soon.

I’m really torn because I’ve been here for a while and made lots of friends but this is unacceptable. I get that this is retail and we need to sell, but aggressive selling doesn’t work. It will not make the customer want to come back, and she will most likely return it.

How would you react in a situation like this? Both as an associate and the customer? Would you leave the company because of this?

Also just a note for really anyone that shops at big businesses: please be polite. If I ask how you’re doing, please don’t ignore me. Because I have to talk to you regardless if you ignore me or not, so it’s just going to make it worse for everyone. If you ever feel annoyed, please don’t take it out on the associate. Most of us are just young working a part time job. If anything, call corporate and let them know you felt pressured. They will hopefully use that info to make things better.