How to sell more without losing customer trust?

Today, discounts and sales are no longer considered an effective tool for achieving sales targets. Furthermore, online and offline stores offer consumers virtually the same price for shoes, and consumers often choose not the cheapest option, but the easiest and fastest one. This is why service and soft sales are becoming a key competitive advantage for shoe stores, says Maria Gerasimenko, an expert at SR in fashion business management and development.

Maria Gerasimenko -

CEO of Fashion Advisers and the first online school for fashion business Fashion Advisers School, expert in business management and development, business coach. Fashion business management experience - more than 12 years. Successfully defended 2 MBA dissertations (Mirbi International Higher School of Economics, Russia, Moscow, 2013) and London Metropolitan University (Great Britain, London, 2017)

Main areas of activity: strategic and anti-crisis management of the shoe business, assortment matrix management, development of motivation programs, conducting trainings in the field of management, service and sales. Clients include: Unichel, Tamaris, s'Oliver, Kotofey, Rieker, Sinta Gamma, Helly Hansen, Rusocks and others.

Just a few years ago, sales in the shoe retail industry revolved around a simple and straightforward tool: discounts. Discounts of 30-50%, phrases like "Today Only" and "Final Sale" reliably brought customers into the store and helped meet sales targets. This approach worked for a long time, but by 2025, its effectiveness had significantly declined.

Shoppers have become more sophisticated. Shoe selections in shopping malls, online stores, and marketplaces now largely overlap. Price differences between sales channels typically fall within 5-10%. Under these circumstances, shoppers choose not so much "where it's cheaper" as "where it's easier, more relaxed, and more intuitive to buy." This is why service and soft sales are becoming key competitive factors for shoe stores.

What does a buyer understand by service today?

In footwear retail, it's especially important to immediately distinguish between two service approaches. The traditional "salesperson-consultant" format—where an employee shows styles, quotes prices and sizes, and tries to quickly guide the customer to the purchase—is increasingly causing internal resistance among customers.

Modern service is a managed customer experience. It includes attention to detail, respect for the customer's personal boundaries, and the ability to address the doubts that inevitably arise when choosing shoes: comfort, size, fit, compatibility, and appropriateness.

Shoppers expect a few basic things from a shoe store:

 - professional knowledge of the product range;
A salesperson should be knowledgeable about shoe materials, lasts, width, fit, and wear characteristics. When a consultant helps you choose the right size, explains how the shoe will fit after wear, and offers alternatives, buying stops being a risk and becomes an informed decision.

- soft selling instead of pressure; 

Pushiness is irritating. Soft selling is built on questions and clarification, not on phrases like, "Take it, this is the last pair." The buyer feels supported but retains a sense of control over their choice.

- emotional comfort; 

A clean store, comfortable fitting rooms, a wide range of sizes, calm music, and friendly communication directly impact the customer's willingness to try on and buy. Choosing shoes is a personal and sensitive process, and service should support the buyer's confidence, not increase their hesitations.

- minimum difficulties in any contact with the store; 

Fast checkout, no lines, clear return and exchange policies, and the ability to pay conveniently. The less friction in the process, the higher the likelihood

- trust and transparency. Easy-to-read price tags, clear promotional terms, an official warranty, and proper claims handling foster long-term relationships. In the footwear business, trust is especially important, as customer loyalty and repeat purchases are at stake.

Old-Style Service vs. Today's Service: Key Differences

1. Previously, the salesperson would formally greet the client with the question "How can I help you?" and wait for the client to take the initiative.

Today, an effective model is direct contact within the first 30 seconds and a genuine interest in the buyer's needs.
2. Previously, the employee only knew the basic characteristics of the model. 

Today, he acts as an expert: he explains the differences between shoe lasts, selects the right size, and offers options for different wearing scenarios.
3. Previously, sales were based on pressure and scarcity. 

Today - on gentle accompaniment, questions and freedom of choice.
4. Previously, service depended on the seller’s mood.
Today - from standards, training and control.
The main difference is in the goal: if previously it was important to sell “here and now,” today it is to return the customer and form a habit of buying in this particular store. 

Soft selling is not passivity

One common mistake is to confuse soft selling with a lack of initiative.
Soft selling in shoe retail is not about "leaving the customer alone," but about managing the process without pressure.

The salesperson asks questions, directs attention, offers alternatives, but does not push a decision. They remain involved in the purchasing decision-making process, while respecting the buyer's pace and hesitations.

Why Measuring Service Is Important: The Role of NPS

In the Russian footwear retail industry, service quality is still rarely systematically assessed. Companies carefully measure revenue, average order value, UPT, and turnover, but rarely consider customer experience metrics. As a result, service remains a "feeling" rather than a manageable process.

One of the key assessment tools is NPS (Net Promoter Score), The willingness to recommend a store index. The buyer is asked a simple question:
"On a scale of 1 to 10, how willing are you to recommend our store to other customers?"

Clients who give 9-10 points are considered promoters.
Those who rate a store 7-8 stars are neutral customers. The harshest customers—those who give 0-6 stars—are critics.
The formula for calculating the index of willingness to recommend a store is simple:
NPS = % promoters – % detractors

This metric allows us to understand customers' overall attitudes toward the store and its service. However, it has an important limitation:

NPS shows results, but doesn't explain why.

To understand why a customer is or is not willing to recommend your store, you need a second tool: a customer service quality assessment.

Assessing the quality of service through mystery shopping

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If NPS answers the question, “What do customers think?” then mystery shopping reveals, What do your customers encounter in practice?.

Even with operational standards and training for sales staff, shoe store owners often see a distorted picture of service: the manager sees the process from the inside, salespeople know when they are being evaluated, and performance metrics don't reflect what is happening on the sales floor and fitting room.

Mystery shopping records the actual customer journey – from the first contact in the store to the completion or abandonment of a purchase.

This is especially important for shoe retail, because a purchase decision almost always hinges on details: whether they helped you choose the right size, whether they were there during the fitting, whether they offered an alternative, whether they gave you time to think, or, conversely, whether they created pressure.

What exactly should be assessed?
An effective service audit should reflect the manageable elements of the process:

• speed and quality of the first contact;
• the ability to identify a need rather than immediately demonstrate a product;
• knowledge of the range, sizes, pads, materials;
• accompanying the client during fitting;
• the correctness of soft sales without pressure;
• reaction to the phrases “I’ll think about it”, “it’s expensive”, “I’ll look at it again”;
• soft end to contact, even if the purchase did not take place.

It is important to record not only actions, but also the manner of communication: calmness, respect, confidence, lack of intrusiveness.

Why is mystery shopping especially important in soft selling?

It's difficult to monitor salespeople's performance using numbers. Conversion and average order value show the bottom line, but they don't explain where exactly the process is failing.
Mystery shopper inspections often reveal common problems:

• the seller is afraid of being intrusive and becomes passive;
• the fitting remains unaccompanied;
• no alternatives are offered;
• The seller is at a loss after the phrase "I'll think about it."

For the owner, the inspection results are not a reason for fines, but a basis for adjusting training and standards.

How to integrate checks into service management

The optimal frequency of inspections is once a month for a store or randomly across the network. The inspection results are important:

• discuss with the manager;
• discuss with the team without personal analysis;
• use as material for planning meetings and micro-learning.

In a bundle NPS + mystery shopper Service ceases to be a subjective concept and turns into a manageable business tool.

How does service impact sales in figures?

Service isn't an abstraction. It directly impacts key business metrics.

1. Conversion 

A warm greeting and timely contact increase the likelihood of a purchase. Even a simple rule of "meeting the customer within the first 30 seconds" can significantly increase conversion.

2. UPT 

When a salesperson is helpful and knowledgable, customers are more likely to complete their purchase with a second pair of shoes, care products, or accessories. A 0,3-0,5 unit increase in UPT yields a significant increase in turnover without increasing traffic.

3. Repeat purchases 

The discount is valid only once. The service creates a habit of returning.

The most common errors that destroy service

1. Lack of standards. When a customer is greeted at the door in one store and ignored in another, the brand loses credibility.
2. Lack of regular training. Without meetings and micro-trainings, even strong salespeople will eventually simplify their work.
3. Ignoring feedback. Customer comments highlight real issues, but often go unanswered.

What can be implemented tomorrow: 1. Greet the client within the first 30 seconds.
2. Use catchphrases instead of the formal "Can I help you?"
3. Regularly check the service with a mystery shopper.
4. Conduct an express audit of customer experience.
5. Use short scripts to identify buyer needs and objections.

The service creates a long-term advantage that cannot be quickly copied.

In the shoe retail industry, the winning stores are those that can help: help customers choose, explain, alleviate doubts, and build confidence in their choice. This approach turns a casual visit into a repeat purchase and ensures sustainable business growth.

Security question for the store owner:
Is your customer willing to pay 10% more for comfort and service?
If so, the service is working. If not, that's where you should start making changes.