[ESSAY] Walking Billboards

In our society today, many companies across the globe are advertising their stores and luring in new customers by using a different type of tactic than one would expect. These companies shape their methods to the image that they would like to protect to the general public. In this case, we are discussing who is offered a job in the stores and how those particular people would improve the sales rates for the company and attract more customers. Marshal Cohen feels that the need for these types of people as employees are essential to a store’s success.

What is an employee at stores anyway? The definition of an employee can be interpreted in several ways. To the customers, they are assistants there to help them find something within the store and people who keep the store in order. To industry experts, they are “walking billboards” of the store’s merchandise and desired image. Cohen is one of those industry experts who believe that employees are a way of advertising. I disagree with his perspective.

When I go shopping at a store, I could care less about who is working in there as long as they provide me with good customer service and have me leaving happy. I do not care what race the employee is. Neither do I care what gender they are. All these extra factors pertaining to their appearance is irrelevant to me. I could have a colored person, or white person, with bright pink hair and tattoos everywhere help me with my shopping experience. As long as that person treats me with respect and genuinely wants to help me make my shopping experience a good one, then I am fine with the employee; I would be more than okay with the employee placed in the store that I shop at.  I do not shop at a store because their employees are good-looking. A good example of these industries is Abercrombie and Fitch. I admit that some of their employees are good-looking and do grab my attention, but that does not mean that I am going to make a purchase there.

What these companies are basically trying to say is,” You can become attractive like us if you start purchasing our clothing and accessories.” That is not true at all. Wearing their clothes will not give you a well-built body packed with a decent amount of muscle. Neither does it give you a flat stomach, perfect hair, nice skin, or good facial features. The workers and models are attractive because they were born with the good genes, not because they began to wear Abercrombie and Fitch. What if, and keep in mind that I am just saying this for argument’s sake, the clothing in the store was ugly? Let’s say that Abercrombie and Fitch is next to Forever 21. There are many differences between the two stores. First, Forever 21’s clothing is much better than the clothing offered at Abercrombie and Fitch. Second, due to the fact that Abercrombie and Fitch’s belief that their clothing is what makes people attractive, Abercrombie and Fitch’s prices are three times what the prices at Forever 21 are. Finally, Abercrombie and Fitch has hired better looking workers there, but Forever 21 employees provide better customer service. Where do you think most people would go? Most people would go to Forever 21 because they have better products, can get more for their money’s worth, and have better employees.

Another point that Cohen brings up is that “Retailers defend the approach to hiring based on image is necessary and smart (…).” Yet again, I strongly disagree to his opinion. Customers want good products that they can leave with, not attractive workers in stores who they will probably never see again. In addition to that point, when customers find out about the method that the companies are using, then they may turn against the company and believe that what they are doing is not moral. It is not okay to hire people based on image because that leads to who the companies are not hiring. When stores are hiring based on image, they run into several discriminations: race, gender, religion, or disability. When the public discovers these intentions they will turn against the company and the company will become infamous. When customers find out that the company does not view them as attractive due to their physical features, their self-esteem will go down every time they enter the store. To them, the store will fill up with a bad vibe every time they make a visit.

On top of the customers who are visiting these stores, imagine how the employees feel. We are not discussing the attractive employees that are at the front of the store interacting with people, but the not so attractive employees that are placed in the back working with the inventory in the stock room. Imagine working with a company, only to discover that the reason you are not placed in the front is that you are not attractive and do not fit the criteria of what they want as their image. These people will want to quit their jobs and find employment elsewhere. This will harm the company due to lack of employees. Let’s say that the company decides to hire more people who are attractive to replace those who quit and were not attractive. Since the company is hiring based on their physical appearance only, they are not getting quality employees. What if these employees are more likely to make mistakes that affect the company negatively?

Although companies do have the right to decide who they do or do not hire, there is a point where it is no longer okay. One should be hired due to good work ethic or experience, not physical appearance. Hiring based on image is not going to dramatically increase sales. If anything, these stores are harming themselves in the long run with this analysis. Keep in mind that some of the things I said in this essay were said just to make a point and may not necessarily be true.