Sephora's Way to Communicate Without Speaking

Two types of retail customers

Some customers want help, some want to be left alone shopping. The cosmetics store Sephore came up with a color-coded basket system which helps their employees distinguisch shoppers who would like to be approached from those who prefer to shop without interaction.

Source: Huffpost, Sephora’s Color-Coded Basket System

The introvert’s dream

Sephora managed to create a way for customers to communicate without even having to talk. This is especially a real relief for introverted customers.

In addition Sephora’s initiative also targets another aspect of traditional retail shopping experiences: The shrinking of human service. Like Annette Franz, the CEO of customer experience consulting firm CX Journey mentions: “Amazon has changed our world and how we like to shop. Customers expect to grab what they need and check out, so when they’re approached multiple times by a sales rep, it’s uncomfortable for some.”