Do buyers really ever know what they need?

I walked into a shoe store on the weekend.

"Can I help you sir?"

"No thanks - I'm just looking." (autopilot sales resistance kicks in)

"No worries, though do you mind if I make an observation?"...the salesperson asked.

"Of course not."

"From looking at your shoes and the way you walk, I highly suspect you have an overpronating gait. This is when your foot rolls inwards to the big toe side.

This has caused more wear in the centre of the heel and the big-toe side of the forefoot.

We've found that the 'Pedag Correct Heel Pads' helps correct this issue.

They provide a soft cushioned pad that favours one side of the heel, helping to alleviate overpronation.

This will correct your walking posture and level out your heels to reduce the pressure that causes shoes to wear down.

They're also very useful for a range of other problems, including bow legs or knock-knees, levelling out your legs as you walk for a smooth, uninterrupted stride.

I have some trainers available that are ideal for maximising the impact of these pads.

Would you like to try?"

...and just like that I walked with two new pairs of trainers along with two cushioned heel pads, hugely impressed by the salesperson's knowledge, care & level of expertise.

As buyers we often don't know what our problem is, let alone the root cause.

So it's up to the astute salesperson to point this out, educate us, and then offer the most appropriate solution in our own best interests.