Dive Brief:

• More than half of shoppers entering a store seek help from a sales associate, according to a new study by Marshall Fisher, professor of operations and information management at The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, and consulting firm Experticity.

• Retailer stores with knowledgeable sales staff able to help customers made 69% more money than those that didn’t, the study found. Such associates bring more shoppers to checkout and cash in higher sales each time.

• Fisher followed 63,500 sales people at more than 330 stores over two years.

Dive Insight:

While consumers are increasingly doing research on the web ahead of going to the store, and as e-commerce continues to increase, this study shows that knowledge sales associates nevertheless remain an all-important factor in the success of brick-and-mortar retail.