So, you're in the US on vacation!
You're probably going to do some shopping, right?
Yes! You're totally going to do some shopping!
The US is one of the biggest shopping destinations,
filled with so many offers beyond belief!
My name is Amy and here I am on Rodeo Drive,
which is one of the most iconic shopping destinations in the US,
I don't know if I can afford to be here!
Hey, everybody! My name is Lucas and I'm right here at Third Street Promenade!
Now, in this series, we're going to make sure
that you'll have all the tips so you don't get lost.
But I can't guarantee that you're not going to get carried away!
To get started, if you intend on doing any shopping in the US,
you'll have to understand something called sales tax.
Why is it so important? Because the price you see on the tag
does not include sales tax.
The sales tax is a combination of the states' sales tax
and the local city's sales tax.
Which is why you see that it varies not only from state to state,
but also, from city to city.
So, for example, in California,
the sales tax is a combination of the state sales tax
and, on average, the local city's sales tax will make it be about 9%.
Which means, that you're going to be paying 9% more on average,
than what the price tag is telling you.
So, I'm going to let you in on a little secret,
there are actually four states in the US that do not charge sales tax.
They are Oregon,
New Hampshire,
Montana
and Delaware.
So, keep that in mind if the main purpose of your trip is to go shopping.
If shopping is still one of the main purposes of your visit,
but you don't plan on visiting any of those four states,
another tip that we can give you is that, in a few states,
international customers can qualify for a sales tax refund.
This means that the money that you spend on sales taxes,
can go back to you before you leave.
And remember, this is a state by state policy,
so I recommend that you do your research before you travel.
Now that you're familiar with sales tax, let's talk about options!
You can find almost any item imaginable
for sale in America!
You'll find all sorts of sales!
There's the "buy one, get one free", which is the "BOGO" sale.
Buy one, get one half off, buy two, get one free,
you get the idea... There are so many sales!
So, we actually have someone that's going to help us answer a couple of questions,
this is Lucy, and Lucy, you're a sales associate, right?
Can you describe what a typical interaction is between you and a costumer?
Sure! Well, typically if someone has a question for me about a product
or they're trying to find something, they'll come up to me and say:
"Hi, excuse me, can I ask you a question?"
"Where would I find a nightgown?"
And then I'll tell them where to find it.
Or, maybe they want to know "Does it come in a different size?"
So, they'll say "Hey, does this shirt come in a size small?"
And one important thing I think to note, is that Lucy works at a store
that has a lot of different departments in it.
So, a giant store like the one that we're in right now,
where you might then often direct people to certain departments,
or certain sections of the store.
Exactly! Where are electronics and things like that!
Do you think that there's a big difference between
working in a larger store like this, versus a boutique
with the salesperson experience?
I think so! I think a salesperson in a boutique is much more...
sort of intimate interaction where maybe I would really be helping them
try to pick out an outfit or something like that.
Whereas in a bigger store, not so much.
It's important to know exactly how to approach someone
and correct me if I'm wrong,
but one very safe way to approach a customer service representative
is just by walking up to them, getting close to them,
so that they can hear you say:
"Hey, excuse me. Can you help me with something?"
We appreciate you Lucy! Thank you for helping us out with this!
Absolutely, yeah! My pleasure!