Retail employees often want to look presentable and well-dressed. After all, a neat appearance creates a good first impression. But recent research suggests that this approach can also backfire. Studies show that a luxury appearance in salespeople working in a non-luxury store may actually work against them.

No luxury appearance during sales conversations

I once had a friend who worked in software sales. She already warned me about the risks of projecting a luxury image. The companies she visited certainly had money, she told me, but they could still be intimidated by what she was wearing.

Because she loved expensive handbags, she always paid attention to which bag she brought to meetings. Her rule was simple: the bag should never cost more than the monthly salary of her client. Even though the client would most likely have no idea what the bag actually cost, she did not want to take the risk of creating the wrong impression.

 

Luxury appearance in salespeople

While this example concerns a business-to-business relationship, research shows that consumers are sensitive to the same signals.

Researchers from Auburn University, Old Dominion University and Baylor University (2024) studied how customers respond to salespeople with a luxury appearance working in stores that do not sell luxury products.

The results show that when consumers see a salesperson wearing expensive designer clothing, they immediately assume they will get a worse deal than when the salesperson does not wear luxury items.

This also happens when customers purchase more expensive products, such as cars. When car salespeople carried a Louis Vuitton briefcase, customers judged them more negatively. Consumers perceived these salespeople as more materialistic. They also assumed that the person’s values, ethical standards and integrity were weaker. As a result, customers expected that they would not get a good deal.

Interestingly, a customer-focused attitude from the salesperson did not improve this perception. In some cases it even made things worse. When salespeople displayed signs showing positive customer reviews while wearing luxury items, customers judged them even more negatively. The perception of materialism and weak moral character became even stronger.

A similar effect appeared in a mattress store. Customers evaluated salespeople wearing a Burberry scarf more negatively than those who did not wear the scarf. They believed they would receive a worse deal from a salesperson wearing such luxury accessories and were therefore less likely to approach them.

 

Beauty and luxury influence judgment

People often claim that appearance does not matter, but this research once again shows that it strongly influences how we judge others.

It therefore does not surprise me that a luxury appearance can trigger suspicion. When you enter a store that does not sell expensive products and the salesperson is wearing clearly luxurious accessories, customers quickly start asking questions. Most people know that retail employees usually do not earn very high salaries.

Even in luxury stores, salaries are often not dramatically higher than in other retail environments, although customers do expect a certain appearance there. Seeing someone in a Dior store wearing shoes from the same brand therefore feels logical.

But when someone displays that level of luxury in an environment where it is not expected, customers start wondering how that person can afford it. Is the margin on the product very high? Does the salesperson earn more from the sale than I think? Am I paying too much?

These questions can quietly pass through a customer’s mind. Whether those thoughts are justified or not, they still shape the first impression. And a first impression forms quickly, but correcting it is much harder.

If you want to read more about how appearance influences customer perception and buying behaviour, you might also find these articles interesting:

• Can fashion stores require employees to buy their clothing?
• Do men with beards sell better?

Best,

Aileen