Retail
January 24, 2018
Competent sales associates are worth just as much as flashy digital tools. Image credit: Hugo Boss
By Danny Parisi
While digital tools may be appealing, a new report from the Luxury Institute shows that many consumers value the personalized touch of a human sales associate to guide them through the shopping process.
{"ct":"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","iv":"e834ad6ef0fa54564c61b34030a7d6af","s":"7570ac938b56bc03"}
Share your thoughts. Click here