Product Specialist / Sales Associate
At The North Face, we push the boundaries of innovation so that our customers can push the boundaries of exploration. We remain deeply proud to be the first choice of the world's most accomplished climbers, mountaineers, extreme skiers, snowboarders, endurance runners, and explorers. As a member of our retail team, you’ll serve as an ambassador of The North Face brand and help us keep our commitment to delivering the best customer experience at our retail stores.
Description
As a Product Specialist/ Sales Associate, you will have a dual role within the store. You will be providing support to the other associates as a resource for product knowledge, providing training and monitoring the product training progress and providing additional support for new store openings. You will be responsible for maximizing sales by using the Summit selling skills to assist customers in the selection and purchase of merchandise. Sales Associates must demonstrate a working knowledge of all product categories to ensure the complete satisfaction and safety of our customers and maintaining the merchandising standards and restocking the selling floor as necessary. Some of your primary duties include:
- Achieving sales goals provided by management.
- Determining customer’s needs and answering the customer’s questions concerning features and benefits, price, location, care, fit, end use, etc, of all product categories.
- Demonstrating the ability to communicate with customers on a variety of outdoor topics and activities including backpacking, skiing, rock climbing, ice climbing, mountaineering, trail running, mountain biking, etc.
- Building relationships with customers using the Clientele Program.
- Providing assistance to other associates as needed to help a customer understand the features and benefits of the products.
- Developing a high level of product knowledge in all categories of merchandise by attending staff meetings, training clinics, vendor presentations, completing the bi-annual product test and independent review of training materials.
- Working with the Product Training Coordinator to develop training materials for meetings and in store use.
- Monitoring the product training of all associates and reporting to the Product Training Coordinator on a monthly basis.
- Ensuring that the features and benefits of each product are explained to each customer in a manner which matches the customer’s level of technical knowledge.
- Maintaining an awareness of the technical advances in the outdoor equipment and apparel industry to better service our customers and explain the unique advantages of our products.
- Overcoming any concerns the customer may have regarding the price of any merchandise by explaining the technical features and benefits of the merchandise.
- Ensuring that the customer is purchasing the appropriate merchandise for their needs, which can sometimes be extreme, to ensure complete satisfaction, safety and brand loyalty.
- Ensuring that the correct price, tax, shipping cost, and/or discount are applied to each transaction.
- Restocking shelves, counters or tables with merchandise on the selling floor.
- Maintaining retail merchandising and housekeeping standards on the selling floor.
- Completing all non-selling tasks as required.
Requirements
Ideal candidate will have a minimum of a High School diploma or general education degree (GED) or one to three months related experience and/or training, or an equivalent combination of education and experience and a minimum of 1 year of work experience in an outdoor retail environment. Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and the ability to travel are required. Working Knowledge of outdoor apparel and equipment, effective communicator with professional selling skills, people oriented, ability to prioritize projects, and an excellent follow through and attention to detail are necessary.
