By David Harouche

Last week I had dinner with someone who’s led retail training for some of the most iconic luxury brands in the world, Marcus Sberna. Between bites of charcuterie and stories from the floor, he dropped a concept so simple, it stuck:

“Most associates are clerking. The good ones are selling. Training is what makes the difference.”

Let’s unpack that, because it hits hard if you’ve ever stood on a busy sales floor and watched a thousand-dollar opportunity walk out with just a pair of socks.

First, what is clerking?

Clerking is what happens when a customer says, “I’m looking for a black dress,” and the associate leads them to a rack, smiles politely, and fades into the background.

No questions. No energy. No follow-up.

It’s not wrong, per se. The customer asked for something, and the associate provided it. Task complete. Gold star.

But the customer only walked out with the black dress.

Selling, on the other hand…

Selling starts at the same place, but it doesn’t end there. The associate asks, “Is it for something special?” They find out it’s for a cocktail party. They mention a pair of heels that would match perfectly. They introduce a bag that just came in. They paint a picture of the whole look.

And suddenly that single-item transaction becomes a three-piece sale, and a customer who leaves feeling like they’ve been styled, not just served.

The hot product trap

Here’s the tricky part. When a brand is hot, or a product is flying off the shelves, clerking can look like selling. Associates appear busy. Sales are up. Everyone’s feeling good.

But when the product cools off…and it always does – the cracks show.

That’s the moment when teams start to struggle. Conversion dips. Baskets shrink. And the “What happened?” conversations begin.

Here’s the truth: when business is good, that’s the time to invest in training. It’s the perfect moment to sharpen selling skills, reinforce behaviors, and coach the team beyond order-taking.

Because when product alone is doing the heavy lifting, you’re leaving long-term performance to chance.

Why training is the turning point

No associate wakes up deciding to be average. Clerking is often a result of confidence gaps, not laziness. If you don’t know how to ask the right questions, or you’re unsure about the product, you’ll default to the safe play — get them what they asked for and move on.

That’s where strong training steps in. Not just one-and-done onboarding or outdated e-learning, but real-world, repeatable, relevant training that sticks.

Think short, sharp, in-the-moment coaching. Real scenarios, not scripts. Delivered in the flow of work, not just during slow Tuesdays.

Selling is a skill. And skills can be taught.

With the right tools, associates learn how to engage without pushing, recommend without overselling, and guide the customer journey without being robotic.

They start noticing cues. Asking smarter questions. Building trust.

And when they do that consistently, something wild happens: they start to love it. Because now they’re not just restocking, or ringing up…they’re styling, solving, storytelling.

That’s what turns a good associate into a great one. And a one-time shopper into a lifelong fan.

So, which one is your team doing?

  • Are they clerking?
  • Are they selling?
  • Would they know the difference?

It’s not about pointing fingers. It’s about recognizing the opportunity hiding in plain sight. Even in luxury, even at the top of your game, the basics matter. Execution matters.

And when you build those habits during the boom times, you don’t just survive the slowdowns. You outperform them.

Want to turn clerks into sellers?
Start with training that does more than check the box.
Start with INCITE.