A discussion about retailing, retailers, and merchandising

People skills are what I've been told through the years is the talent I've come the closest to mastering in the world of retail.

"Through the years."

My name is Mark Wade. There are more than twenty five years of retail experience behind me mostly in management from department to store level. Medium sized boxes to Big boxes.

There are now also almost three years of Blogging under my belt along with ten years of attempting to make a living online with some reasonable success.

I know retail. I know retail merchandising. I learned from and worked with some of the best retailers and some of the worst retailers. I've watched businesses grow and also seen some die.

I haven't seen everything when it comes to dealing with customers in retail but I can certainly relate hundreds of stories that will make your sides split, or make you cry, or make you angry. I've seen a lot. I imagine I've spoken to thousands of customers in varying stages of peacefulness and anger. I've been called every possible bad name I could have ever thought of which is one of the reasons I've had to develop my people skills to a high level.

I'm an opinionated person as you might see from other places I blog at like my now stagnant personal blog and one of my two b5media blogs - Workboxers. I love Blogging and expressing myself while having the opportunity to stick up for the little guys. 

May I extend a hearty "Thank You" to Easton Ellsworth and Dan Smith for the opportunity to write at Merchant Voice. 

This will give you an idea what retailing has done to me...

Now, if you don't mind I have some boxes of "stuff" I need to move in here... and - before I forget - please, I'd really, truly love it if you are employed in retailing or have a family member working in retailing - know that I will be looking for your input at Merchant Voice. Let us all see what we might be able to do to help one of our "fellows" make it through a bad day today, okay?