Anthropologie Interview

What are your strengths?

Creativity, organization, detail oriented

What makes a successful selling & service environment?

Great customer service and merchandising

What qualities make a good leader?

A good leader would possess the following qualities: good listening skills, able to make decisions, respectful, responsible, communication skills

What qualities make a good manager?

Ability to delegate, ability to communicate, responsible, ability to meet goals/deadlines, ability to motivate others, empathy

What are some ways you might upsell our products?

Add ons, merchandising a zero seller product in an A (focal) section, cashwrap items, mentioning another clothing piece that may add to the customers current items, suggesting jewelry to add to the customers current clothing selection.

Why do you think you are fit for this position?

Based on my experience, the initiative I take, and the qualities I possess, I feel as though I would be a great fit for this position.

What qualities do you think make a good sales associate?

Being polite, friendly, well trained, customer service oriented.

How would you describe excellent customer service?

Excellent customer service means going above and beyond the customer's expectations. Having a good attitude and willing to help with anything and everything. You make the customer feel you value them.

What would you add to a team?

I believe I would add my experience, leadership skills, and creative ideas to a team. I love sharing what knowledge i have, helping and listening to others, and thinking of new ways to keep improving the store.

Have you ever surpassed customer expectations?

Once I had a customer come in looking for a specific dress they had found online. I knew we had none on the floor but looked it up in our system anyway. It said we had a full stock of them. It was either being currently processed by our stock room, or still placed in a shipping box. I checked the stock room for them being proceed but they were not. I then went and checked through multiple shipping boxes for the dress. I was eventually able to find the dress for the customer.

If you had to pick three words to describe our brand, what would you choose and why?

Three words I would use to describe the Anthropologie brand would be eclectic, unique and distinct. I would use these words because the brand carries an array of items that you'll find no where else. The items are colorful and tasteful.

How does your past experience make you a suitable candidate for this role?

I have experience in completing opening & closing store procedures, educating & providing feedback to associates, checking hourly sales reports & creating plans/ goals to drive these sales, completing paperwork, markdown/ sale execution, store signage and damage procedures. I also have knowledge in merchandising processes.

How versatile are your skills?

I have experience working on the sales floor, using POS systems, processing and placing stock, leading a team, and training and coaching team members. I can work in merchandising, inventory or leadership positions.

How do you grow your love for styling?

I have grown my love for styling through my merchandising experiences at both Forever 21 and H&M. I also follow fashion accounts on both tiktok and pinterest that provide creative influence for my own styling.

Can you tell me about a time you had a conflict with a supervisor and how you handled it?

I have never had a conflict with a supervisor. I've always gotten along well with supervisors and coworkers. Sometimes there would be discussions about not meeting merchandising or sales goals, but there would be no conflict and we would discuss on how we can improve and do better the next day.

What do you know about Anthropologie?

I know that Anthropogie opened in 1992 in Pennsylvania. It has over 200 stores around the world and it part of the URBN brand. The store sells clothing, shoes, accessories, furniture, home decor, bridal and more.

Do you prefer working independently or with a team?

I prefer working with a team. Much more can get done when responsibilities can be delegated. It's also nice to have fellow team members to get input from or ask questions to.

Who is the Anthropologie target audience?

I would assume the Anthropolgie target audience is women between their 20s-40s.

How would you mitigate loss prevention?

I would prevent customer theft by politely giving the customer extra attention. I would ask if they need help finding anything, offer to put any items on hold, offer them a bag to hold their items, or start a fitting room for them. I would never accuse someone of theft.

How would you describe your sales strategy?

I would say my sales strategy would be to provide the best customer service. I found that it's easier to apply add ons or ask for membership if you engage in small talk with the customer.

What suggestions would you make for us based on what you've seen so far?

I would suggest focusing a lot on customer service. Through the various reviews I saw from Anthropologie stores, the main issue that stood out was problems with customer service. For example: not being greeted and/or not having employees available to customers on the sales floor. Another issue customers complained about was the disorganizitaion of the sales racks/ room. I would suggest keeping the sales section organized & sorted by silhouette, & roygbiv. It seems to be the easiest for customers to shop.

Describe a time you had to deal with a difficult situation with a customer.

I've had upset customers when our systems would shut down and we could not process any purchases. I sincerely apologized to the customers and offered to have their items put on hold while they waited so they could shop somewhere else as they waited

What are your weaknesses?

My main weakness is overthinking. In order to avoid this, I try to not stress my self out in certain situations and keep things simple.

Do you have experience setting and meeting sales quotas?

Yes. At Forever 21, we had daily credit card goals for every employee. At H&M we had daily goals for signing customers up for the membership. I would regularly hit these goals. We also had store sales quotas we would need to hit each day. As a manager at Forever 21, I was in charge of checking hourly sales. If we were not where we needed to be, I would come up with a plan in order to boost sales. This could include having cashiers talk about add ons at the register.

What three words would you use to describe yourself?

I would describe myself as creative, empathetic, and organized.

How do you stay calm in stressful situations?

Take a deep breath so I can think clearly, then decide what the most efficient way to go about the problem would be. I try not to overthink the issue.

How would you describe the Anthropologie customer?

The Anthropologie customer typically does not follow trends. They are unique and creative with their fashion and home style. They may be interested in various color and textures in their outfits.