Point of Sale or Point of No Sale?

I've been amused by the retail "giants" in Western Australia recent complaints about people buying goods online. "They" say it's not fair because online shoppers don't have to pay GST... on goods bought from outside of the country (Australia has a Goods and Services Tax much like the VAT - Value Added Tax of elsewhere) and the Government should level the playing field.

Why am I amused.

For every news article I have read, I have to admit reading the hundreds of comments from irate shoppers who feel they have been ripped off by these same "retail giants" for years - and why shouldn't they shop online where they get the same goods but at a much cheaper price - even with postage. But the biggest issues it seems for shoppers with regards to the WA retailers are the false and misleading advertisements for goods including those on "sale" and the complete lack of understanding and customer service by their sales representatives and checkout personnel.

How many times have you walked into a store wanting / needing to purchase something only to find - no-one on the tills, and those that are, are too busy talking to their colleagues about what they ate for dinner last night and can't be bothered to serve you. Yesterday was a very good case in point. I needed just a couple of items from the supermarket - so wandered through the heat to the closest one. I eventually found what I was looking for - still not sure why they put vitamins next to the chocolate and sweets! but that wasn't the problem. I had 5 items in my basket, but there was no-one on the express checkouts and they had just one till open ... this was during a lunch time and the 2 people in front of me had bought enough groceries for the entire year or so it seemed. No apologies, no empathy and no sense to get on the tannoy and ask one of their colleagues to come front and help out. Will I be going back to that store? Unlikely, even with the additional walking to the other supermarket, I could have been finished and back at the office in the same time.

• Are you in business?
• Do you want to stay in business?

Then make sure the people who are front and centre, and the ones who are on the telephone are pleased to be there and have learned at least the basics of being polite.

Buyers have learned to base their decisions on more than just price. A lot of the time people continue to buy from a place because their service is better, even if their prices are more expensive than the competition down the road.

So why shouldn't people buy from overseas - no waiting in line, no need to be treated to the surly I don't give a damn about who you are and in most cases (having using a myriad of online retailers over the years) brilliant follow up and customer service. Which is definitely something to think about if you are in the business of being in business.

If you don't know what your organisations point of sale experience is like, then may I suggest with all due respect that you find out and fix any problems you might find, or you might just find your customers going elsewhere.

With many thoughts

Elle