The Most Effective Interview Questions for Retail Team Members

Your shopping experience can be made or broken by a retail staff member. More than many other job positions, soft skills are important for team members, and recruiters in retail should focus heavily on their candidate’s personality and soft skills during an interview.

The best interview questions and conducting interviews the right way ensure you have the best retail staff for your store. And while some retail stores still use phone screens as a screening interview, retailers using video interviews as an alternative for phone screens get a better sense of their staff before they bring them in for their second round interview. 

See what questions retail groups have been asking candidates to see if they have the blend of interpersonal skills, a passion for customer service, and the ability to multitask that makes a star retail team member.

Interview Questions to Ask For A Position in Retail

1. Why do you want to work with our company?
2. How do you stay motivated during busy or challenging periods in a retail environment?
3. What strategies do you use to upsell or cross-sell products to customers without being pushy?
4. Describe a situation where you exceeded a customer’s expectations. What did you do differently to achieve that?
5. How do you ensure the store’s merchandise is well-organized and visually appealing to customers?
6. How do you keep yourself informed about the latest product offerings and promotions in the store?
7. Can you provide an example of a time when you identified and prevented a potential theft or security issue?
8. What do you believe sets our company apart from our competitors, and how would you communicate that to customers?

Retail Interview Questions to Ask For Interpersonal Skills

1. Can you share an example of a time when you had to resolve a conflict with a coworker? How did you approach it?
2. Describe a situation where you had to handle multiple tasks simultaneously. How did you prioritize and complete them efficiently?
3. How do you handle stressful situations, such as long queues or unexpected rush hours?
4. How do you ensure you work efficiently and productively during slower periods in the store?
5. Describe a situation where you had to adapt to sudden changes in store procedures or policies.
6. Can you share an example of a time when you provided exceptional teamwork to achieve a common goal?
7. How do you stay updated on the latest industry trends and developments?
8. What are your long-term career goals, and how do you see yourself contributing to our retail team?

Retail Interview Questions to Ask For Excellent Customer Service

1. How do you handle difficult or dissatisfied customers, and how do you turn their experience around?
2. Have you ever encountered a customer who was dissatisfied despite your best efforts? How did you handle the situation?
3. How do you handle situations where a customer requests a refund or return beyond the store’s policy?
4. Describe when you went above and beyond to assist a customer with a unique request or problem.
5. How do you create a welcoming and friendly atmosphere for customers as they enter the store?
6. How do you approach customers without being overly pushy?
7. How do you handle situations where you are unable to assist a customer with their specific request?
8. Describe a time when you received constructive feedback from a supervisor or customer. How did you use it to improve?

Combine Great Interview Questions With Video Interviews 

You play a critical role in selecting the best-fit candidates for your retail team. By asking these interview questions, you can gain valuable insights into a candidate’s customer service skills, adaptability, and problem-solving abilities. But you could be gaining even more insights into a candidate’s personality and soft skills by using video interviews instead of phone screens for retail candidates. 

See how interviewstream can help your company use video interviews to determine the best candidates for your open retail positions. Chat with one of our hiring experts today. 

About The Author

Caroline Chessia is the Marketing Operations Specialist at interviewstream. She loves color-coordinated graphs, hiking in the mountains, and every dog she meets—especially the Golden Retrievers.