how to sell to Japenese

[evanny]

well. i've been working for a couple of days at a gift shop in a large hotel. i have met plenty people from all around the world and have had many new impressions.

however. the weirdest one was with a couple of Japanese ladies. once i noticed that they were Japanese i approached them and started speaking to them in Japanese - some small-talk about items/prices. what was weird - they actually didn't seem surprised about me speaking Japanese.
in comparison if i went to a small country in africa and someone spoke latvian i would be left standing with my jaw open

it was simply interesting situation....
so. the main point is. can you Japanese yourselves give me tips and maybe even some expressions which are guaranteed to sell you something?
この琥珀がバルト海の中であります。琥珀が古いです。 八千万年ですよ。だれが言った「琥珀の中でたくさん神 様がいます」。
so...would something like this and a smile win you over to buy some amber?

[MMM]

Originally Posted by evanny

can you Japanese yourselves give me tips and maybe even some expressions which are guaranteed to sell you something?
この琥珀がバルト海の中であります。琥珀が古いです。 八千万年ですよ。だれが言った「琥珀の中でたくさん神 様がいます」。
so...would something like this and a smile win you over to buy some amber?

There is no phrase to guarantee you can sell something. If you are presenting a good product in a good environment, then you will have sales.

Smiles mean nothing. Why would I buy amber?

[evanny]

because everyone here buys amber (pedants, necklaces, tobacco wallets etc), specially asian and russian tourists. Baltic sea is also the only one that has it.
and the shop is high quality with plenty of ceramic and amber souvenirs ranging from 50$ to 4 000$ a piece


and i didn't mean it like "is there a magic word that makes Japanese buy everything"...i was more interested in phrases that Japanese use usually on markets, shops so to make a more coherent and most of all interesting conversation.

[Obba3]

Studie up on japanese ethics/manners.
Not so much that they feel like home.
But a little so they feel "special" (?)

Because when im outside my country its allways fun if someone know a little bit about my language and manners.

[evanny]

ahhh. i already now the basics and can hold a simple conversation. but in order for the conversation not to be so simple maybe there are some merchant things here and there that can help liven it up at least.

[Obba3]

Do something with their costom to buy souvenirs to friends, co-workes and family.

I dont know what to be do in that field. But thats the only merchant tip i can think of.

[acjama]

Originally Posted by evanny

so. the main point is. can you Japanese yourselves give me tips and maybe even some expressions which are guaranteed to sell you something?

No such thing as a guarantee. Some people (even Japanese) just like to see.

Eye contact and a heartily smile are very important if you want to confuse somebody into buying something they don't want (if they want it, they will buy it anyway).

If you want to make them feel at home, you need to learn proper Japanese sales etiquette including keigo. After you get even a whiff of what's that all about, you may consider yourself extremely advanced in Japanese, since my native friends don't always understand what shop ladies are saying. But even Japanese don't necessarily travel to the other side of the world just so they could feel like every fri%#$&ng day.

Japanese tourists want to take in as much as they can in as little time possible. If they come to look at your ambers, they would be pleased to hear (short and wondrous) stories about how they came from the sea to your desk, or how they ended up in the sea in the first place. Don't assume everybody knows about them. Ask the manufacturers for more stories if you must.

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by acjama

Eye contact and a heartily smile are very important if you want to confuse somebody into buying something they don't want (if they want it, they will buy it anyway).

I'm not so sure about that. It's poor manners to look someone in the eye in Japan too much. This is a big difference between Japan and the West. I can't help but wonder if it will make a customer uncomfortable and less willing to buy something from your shop.

[acjama]

Originally Posted by KyleGoetz

It's poor manners to look someone in the eye in Japan too much.

Good catch. Meant to say "a brief eye contact". Ogling is bad.

Speaking in Japanese doesn't quarantee that a Japanese hears Japanese, not in Japan and especially not in a foreign environment. The short eye contact helps Japanese penetrate the foreign dialect barrier easier.