In a World Full of Algorithms, Be a Human — Weekly Retail Tidbits #244
Originally published as Tidbit #244.
“People will forget what you said,
people will forget what you did,
but people will never forget how you made them feel.”— Maya Angelou
You know the scene.
Julia Roberts walks into that boutique on Rodeo Drive — still in the wig, the boots, the whole “working girl” look — and the saleswomen take one look and decide she’s not their customer. They tell her she’s in the wrong place and ask her to leave. She walks out empty-handed and humiliated.
The next day, she comes back. Different outfit. Mountain of shopping bags from everywhere else. She finds the same saleswomen, lets them recognize her, and says,
“Big mistake. Big. Huge. I have to go shopping now.” — Pretty Woman (1990)
I don’t know how many times I have thought of that scene over the years and laughed with my mother, sisters and friends. It was one of those underdog feel-good moments!
Of course, most customers who walk out of your store with nothing haven’t had anything close to that dramatic an encounter — but they’re still leaving empty-handed. Did anyone greet them? Make them feel welcome? Read their body language and respond accordingly?
Maybe they were “just looking.” People do that. But whether they ever come back depends entirely on how they felt while they were there. That feeling is everything.
I’ve been thinking about this a lot this week because of something that happened at Shoptalk — the big retail conference where major chains send their executives to figure out what’s coming next. This year, the loudest conversation wasn’t about a new platform or the latest AI tool. It was about what AI can’t do.
Steve Huffman from Reddit said it plainly: “AI can summarize the internet, but it can’t replace lived experience.” Anu Narayanan, president of Anthropologie, put it another way: “Data doesn’t tell you everything. It won’t tell you what’s next.”
Four things kept coming up — four things humans bring to retail that no algorithm, no chatbot, no agent will ever replicate.
Lived experience. Merchant instinct. Real community. And trust.
Read that list again. You already have all four.
The big chains are spending millions trying to figure out how to replicate what you do naturally, every single day.
When someone walks through your door this week, make sure your team leans into being kind, thoughtful and human. We don’t need to test whether this makes a difference in business or life because we know it does — for the better.
Enjoy those awesome human moments.
xoxo,
♥AmyFay
Technology Tip: Notice and then, update.
We’re creatures of habit. Noticing takes work. The easy path is to greet every customer the same way because we’re tired and our brain wants autopilot. Maybe we pause before greeting them. Maybe look at their face. Maybe listen to what they’re saying to the person with whom they’re shopping. Are they in a hurry? Wandering? Celebrating? Grieving?
Then greet them like you actually saw them. Because you did.
Your greeting will change without you even thinking about it. Taking a few seconds to rethink how you greet someone because you actually saw them results in customers walking out thinking that place just gets me.
The same autopilot is happening behind the scenes too — the way you keep up with tasks, post on social media, take care of your inventory. You’ve probably been doing things the same way for a long time. It works well enough. But well enough is also a habit.
There is a faster way to do almost everything now. I challenge you to pick one task this week and spend 15 minutes with your favorite AI tool. Type what you’re trying to accomplish in plain English, the same way you’d tell a friend. Let it work. Check it. Play with it.
It takes time to change a habit. It takes time to notice what you’re doing. It takes time to play. But getting better at something you do every day is always worth it.
Lean into being human — that is your superpower as an independent retailer.
Don’t waste it on tasks that technology can now handle for you.
3 Tango Tidbits
Meghan Browne Style
Meghan introduced some beautiful new pieces this month that include equestrian items like you see above. “The greatest two minutes in sports” are on May 2nd (Kentucky Derby Day).
I spent some time visiting retailers in Kentucky this week, and it always makes me smile to see the abundance of bright colors and patterns in clothing, accessories and decor. It all seems to scream “happy!”
Meghan’s sales will make you happy, too. 😉
EvaBelle
Vanee, the founder and owner of EvaBelle, makes a beautiful unique gift. Her acrylic is a nice heavy weight that does not turn cloudy or yellow. The magnets used to hold the two pieces together are made super strong to do the job well.
And then there’s taste. That human thing. Vanee knows what fonts, quotes, Bible verses and designs work together well.
What a beautiful gift Vanee creates for any occasion in life. If you carry EvaBelle, make sure you group them together for a nice statement. You’ll make it easier for your customers to find what they need and want!
True South Puzzle Co.
Thanks a bunch to the team at Luna’s Cafe in Nicholasville, KY for letting us use these photos from a puzzle party they hosted! By all accounts — a huge success!
Puzzle parties are a great in-person event to host. If you aren’t a puzzler and haven’t heard of them — I am telling you they are a thing and popular. 🧩
They are fairly easy events — and True South loves helping their retail partners with the specifics! Just ask me if you are interested in having one!
a tidbit more
The big June market is coming. When you take the time to schedule time with me, you’re telling me Tango is a priority for you. I appreciate it — a lot. And here’s what I want you to know — I prioritize you, too, through planning my territory visits around you. You made the effort. I make the effort right back. And I can’t wait to help you in your store. Sometimes it’s merchandising, sometimes it is reorders — and sometimes it’s a chat that helps you in whatever way you need.
You know what’s fun about that? It lets me lean into being human — relationship first. I enjoy it so much I almost feel guilty because it doesn’t feel like work. Y’all are fun!
“In a world full of algorithms, be a human.”
— Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General
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The next time I write to you — I’ll be a grandmother. Cheers to leaning into our humanity! xoxo, |
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With heart eyes on finding things we ♥!
♥ Sherry’s Interiors — Parsons, TN
♥ Owen’s Provisions — Manchester, TN
Also from AmyFay
Sweet Tree Jewelry — handcrafted clay earrings made in Tennessee. Wholesale buyers welcome.
Caroline B Cook — children’s books rooted in Christian virtues. The Virtue Series and Church Kitty.
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