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Hey everyone, welcome back.

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Today we're diving deep into something

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I think we can all relate to,

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the wonderful world of jeans.

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Oh, jeans, yeah.

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It's a love-hate relationship sometimes, isn't it?

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It really is.

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We're gonna be digging into an article called Denim Decoded,

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and it got me thinking about,

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I remember when jeans shopping meant just like,

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boot cut or straight leg.

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Right.

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And now, you walk into a store and it's like,

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washes, styles, colors, rises.

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It's a lot.

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It is a lot.

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You know, the article talks about how overwhelming

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the modern denim department can be,

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and how that actually affects shoppers.

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Okay, yeah.

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I mean, I've definitely had those moments where I'm like,

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I just want jeans.

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Why is it so hard?

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And they say that's a real thing.

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It's choice overload, apparently.

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Is that what they call it?

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Yeah, I guess so.

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Too many choices,

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and suddenly you can't make any decision.

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Right, like you want that freedom of choice,

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but then you get in there and you're like,

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ah, I don't know what to do.

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That's it.

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And then you end up leaving with nothing,

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or something you don't even like that much.

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And then feeling like you wasted an hour of your life,

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probably.

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Exactly, and that's kind of where the article

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brings up this idea of a well-trained sales associate,

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or as they put it, a denim guru.

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Okay, a denim guru.

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So like someone who can come in

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and kind of rescue you from the abyss of denim choices.

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Pretty much.

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I mean, it's more like they guide you through it.

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The article talks about a customer named Sarah,

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who is totally overwhelmed.

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Right.

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Relatable.

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But then she meets the sales associate,

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and instead of just saying, hey, what size are you?

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They actually ask her about her style,

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what she's looking for, what's the occasion,

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that kind of thing.

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Okay, so it sounds like it's less about just like,

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here are the jeans, what size do you need,

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and more of a conversation.

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Exactly, it's more about actually listening to the customer

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and helping them figure out what they need.

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Yeah.

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And I remember the article even had

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a little sample dialogue between this shopper Sarah

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and the sales associate.

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Yeah, yeah, they did.

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And you could tell the associate really knew their stuff,

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like they were explaining like selvedge denim

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and all these things that I feel like as shoppers,

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we hear, but we don't really know what they mean.

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And that's huge, right?

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I mean, if they can break it down for you

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and you actually understand what you're buying.

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Right, because then you feel more confident

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in your choice, right?

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Exactly, and the article makes a good point

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about how that expertise builds trust with the customer.

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Which makes total sense.

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Like, if you feel like someone's just trying

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to sell you something versus someone who actually seems

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like they know what they're talking about.

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And that's what makes the difference

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between a good shopping experience

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and one that leaves you feeling frustrated.

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Totally.

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So, okay, this idea of having really well-trained associates,

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it seems like a no-brainer from a customer standpoint,

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but what about the retailers?

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Does it actually translate to better sales?

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Oh, for sure.

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I mean, the article really stresses that point.

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Like, what's the connection there?

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Well, if someone feels good about what they bought,

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they're obviously less likely to return it.

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Right.

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Makes sense.

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It's a whole repeat customer thing.

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You know, like, if you had a good experience,

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you're more likely to come back to that store, right?

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Or even recommend it to your friends.

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It's like word of mouth advertising, the best kind.

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Right, because if you trust a store,

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you're gonna trust them for all sorts of things,

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not just like one pair of jeans, right?

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Exactly.

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And the article talks about this thing called

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in-between customer training, like how important that is.

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In-between customer, that sounds interesting.

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What is that exactly?

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Yeah, so it's basically like,

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you know how retail can get really busy, right?

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That's right, yeah.

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It's these kind of like quick training modules

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that associates can do on their phone or a tablet

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whenever they have a free minute, like between customers.

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And the article mentioned this platform called Insight.

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Have you heard of that?

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Insight, no, but it sounds kind of intense, like exciting.

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I think it's getting pretty popular,

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but it makes sense though,

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because you have to keep up with all the new trends

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and stuff, right?

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Yeah, especially with denim.

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It feels like things are constantly changing.

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Totally.

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So it's like this Insight thing lets them just boom,

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get that info really fast.

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So if I walk into a store,

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like how do I know if they've got these Insight denim guru

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people?

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Well, you know, you can't always tell right away,

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but I think the biggest thing is don't be afraid

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to ask for help.

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Okay, yeah.

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I mean, that's what those associates are there for, right?

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Like if you're feeling lost in a sea of denim,

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a good associate should be able to kind of guide you, you know?

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Yeah, instead of just like pointing vaguely

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at a wall of jeans and being like,

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they're over there.

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Exactly.

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And you know, a good sign is if they actually ask you

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questions about your style, what you're looking for.

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Like we were talking about before.

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Right, like having that actual conversation,

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like they're invested in helping you find something

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that works.

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Right, totally.

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And honestly, I think it's worth maybe even seeking out

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stores that, you know, prioritize training their staff.

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Okay, yeah, that makes sense.

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Like it shows they care about customer service, right?

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And then you might be more likely to have

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that good experience overall.

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And that's true for so many things, not just jeans, right?

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Like I always think about electronics.

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Oh, yeah.

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Going to buy like a TV or something

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and you're just bombarded with specs and features.

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Totally.

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Or even something as simple as a new mattress.

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There's so much jargon and technology involved now.

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Exactly, like how are you supposed to know

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what all that stuff means?

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That's when you need a knowledgeable salesperson

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to walk you through it.

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It's so true.

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So I guess it all comes down to like,

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don't be afraid to ask for help

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and maybe do a little research beforehand on stores

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that, you know, are known for good customer service.

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Absolutely.

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I mean, at the end of the day,

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we all just want a good shopping experience, right?

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Right, where you don't leave feeling like you need a nap

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and a therapy session.

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Exactly.

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Awesome.

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Well, I think we've definitely decoded

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some denim dilemmas today.

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I think so.

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And hopefully our listeners will feel a little more empowered

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next time they head out to buy some new jeans.