Allyship: Your Store and Your Customers

What does it really mean for a space to be inclusive? Is your shop as inclusive as you think it is?

In the Racial Bias in Retail Study conducted by Sephora one of the things that became clear was that the experience of shoppers varied widely depending on their race, ethnicity, or identity. Regardless of a store's welcome message or marketing, customers reported feeling judged, discriminated against, or ignored whether directly by store staff, or implicitly by store policies. In the study, the things shoppers felt most judged by were

• Black Shoppers: Skin Color
• Latinx Shoppers: Body Weight or Size
• Asian Shoppers: Ethnicity
• White Shoppers: Age

More than half of LGBTQ+ people report being discriminated against in public spaces such as stores, public transportation, or restrooms. The situation is also serious for disabled people and those who are neurodiverse, because they are continually judged against a standard of "normal" that excludes them by default.

One of the first things a store can to do create an inclusive space is put together a diverse team to look at the shop from other perspectives. Working with organizations within the local community to re-imagine or re-invent the space also amplifies those groups and voices.

Stores should also involve staff and invest in training, as well as continually seeking feedback from staff and customers alike. Providing multiple options for feedback is critical: online surveys, written forms, social media inquries, focus groups, town hall-style meetings... because the store is asking for their honest opinion, it is important to give people the option to choose the method they are most comfortable using.

Transforming space into something truly inclusive is an ongoing process that can involve both major changes (widening store aisles to be comfortable for larger body types, making an older building ADA compliant) or smaller ones (turning off the store music or scheduling "quiet shopping" times). Even very small changes can make a big difference to the comfort of your customers:

1. Look at your inventory with a fresh eye. Your book selections and displays may have been created for diverse readers, but what about the greeting card rack? The wrapping papper you use? The gift items you display? What about the store t-shirts you created on Bonfire.com? Are plus sizes available? Are they available in the store?
2. What is your customer's journey through the store like? Do they have to navigate narrow spaces? Reach up high or down to the floor to see something? Are they forced to interact with the store staff to find what they want, or is there an online store map or texting service they can use? How easy is it for a customer to check out? Do they have to fit everything into a tiny counter space? Are there different check out/payment options?
3. How inclusive is your marketing imagery? Do your store photos show diverse shoppers and staff? Are your social media posts created with your diverse audience in mind? What about your in store signage? Adding icons alongside or in lieu of text is useful for people who have dyslexia or for whom English is not their first language.

As you work towards turning your store into a truly inclusive space, it is worth sharing the story of its transformation. This not only holds you accountable to your customers, it allows them to become engaged in the process and therefore in your business.

That "All are Welcome" sign on the front door, the Diversity & Inclusion statement posted on the store website, are promises made to your customers that require dedication and committment to fulfill. It is also important to note that "All are Welcome" is a promise not only made to your diverse customers, but to ALL your customers. According to a study from McKinsey & Company, two out of three Americans consider social values when they shop. Diversity and inclusion matters the people who shop at your store. The changes you make are not "accommodations" for hypothetical people, but investments in reaching real people in your community.