Bendel's in New York City is looking for a new salesperson:
Henri Bendel, the Fifth Avenue luxury boutique, is looking for a salesperson to drive sales in its fragrance department. Candidates must have an innate curiosity and excitement for fragrance - how it is made, its history, and how to wear it with style. A background in fragrance selling is not a necessity but enthusiasm for learning about perfume is a must.
Selling at Henri Bendel is as much about relationship building and customer education as it is about reaching sales targets. The successful candidate is able to engage others in natural, enthusiastic conversations about personal style and new trends.
Position is full-time, with competitive hourly wages and an aggressive commission structure. Extensive training provided.
If you are interested in applying, email Carla Dunham at cdunham at limitedbrands dot com.
Another requirement: The ideal candidate for this sales position should be able ask each and every potential customer whether s/he is familiar with the Comptoir Sud Pacifique scents. Regardless of whether the potential customer answers “No,” “slightly,” or “yes, and I really dislike them,” the salesperson should then be able to perform a twenty-minute monologue on the entire CSP line, with fifteen or twenty paper blotters spritzed with the various fragrances and offered in quick succession. If the customer responds by saying, “Thank you, but I'm late for an appointment and really need to get going,” the salesperson should be able to turn a deaf ear and then move on to demonstrating the entire Henri Bendel line of fragrances and candles.
Emphasis on “aggressive commission structure.”
Subhead would be edited to read: “must be able to bully potential customers with aggressive salesmanship until they purchase their way out of the department.” Unfortunately Patty and I are such witches we just left emptyhanded with a friendly “get the he__ out of my way.”
Hilarious — they chased me out the door with the CSP!!! You think the coast is clear at that point — you've escaped the frag dept. and are breathing a sigh of relief — and they're lurking by the front door with the CSP, ready for the kill!
Hee! If only the sales jobs were half as appealing as the ad makes them sound.
They go on about becoming educated and building customer relationships, but in reality I'm sure the SA's are forced to flog particular scents.
I've never worked retail, but I think I would enjoy selling fragrances were it not for the pressure to hit sales targets!
Thank your for understanding!
Of course, they sell some excellent fragrances in that department… but oh, the pressure.
That is, thank *you.* Duh.
J & M, that is so funny, I don't even remember seeing the CSP line in the new perfume area, although I do seem to remember they had it back in the stairwell. I had much better experiences the times I've been there since they moved. Well, one of you needs to go work at Bendels, methinks!
M, I would have liked to have seen that
I couldn't sell a tire to someone with a flat, so I'm out of the running.