Rather Than Selling, We Stay Close. | Our Way of Thinking About Omotenashi

The moment you enter a shop, products are pushed at you so strongly that you feel a little tired. Perhaps everyone has had an experience like that.

Value Village wants to be the opposite of that. Rather than selling, we want to stand alongside each person's everyday life.

Today, please let us talk about the spirit of hospitality that we cherish.

Why don’t you use the word “customer service”?

The word customer service has, somehow, the ring of “a technique for selling.” But what we want to do is not sell. It is to quietly accompany the everyday life of the person in front of us. That person has lived a life up to today, and has a life beginning from today. We are allowed to be present for just one small part of that life. When we think of it that way, we naturally stop rushing to sell. That is why we choose the word “accompanying,” not customer service.

Where does hospitality begin?

It begins not with selling, but with listening. What is that person worried about, what do they hope for, and what kind of everyday life do they want to live? The answer is not on the product shelf. It is in that person’s words. That is why we listen first. Rather than making a suggestion right away, we imagine that person’s life and think together. We believe hospitality begins with a quiet gaze before any words are exchanged.

What do you do when a product is not a good fit?

If our product is not right for that person, we tell them so honestly. Even if it means losing today’s sale. That is because we believe that honesty becomes trust ten years from now. More than persuading someone to buy something once, it is far more important that they feel, “I can trust this person.” We choose long-term connection over immediate profit.

What is it that we want to hand over?

Our work is not only to hand over products. We want to offer a time that makes people feel, “I’m glad I came here.” Passing something through the register is not the goal. We hope that person can leave feeling a little lighter. We hope tomorrow’s daily life becomes just a little more in order. That is our wish. Products are only a means; the main character is always the life of the person in front of us.

When we feel unsure, what question do we return to?

When we feel unsure on the front line, we ask ourselves: “Am I trying to sell right now? Or am I trying to be helpful?” Simply keeping this question in mind naturally changes the way we act. If we try to sell, our words become a sales pitch. If we try to be helpful, our words become a form of support. Which direction are we facing? I believe that alone is enough to convey the spirit of hospitality.

Supporting someone rather than selling to them may seem like the long way around, but it may in fact be the surest path.

We want to be a place where you can simply be yourself. We will continue to be a partner that stays close to your everyday life.