Hi

I have in the past worked in B2B sales and marketing but as my husband and I do not want to put our daughter and childcare and he earns more than me I have recently got a part time job around his hours at a local jewelers (we are based in Victoria.)

Anyone know if Canadian shopping habits are pretty similar to the UK? for example should I avoid using British Humor? has anyone noticed any little Canadian quirks I should be aware of with customers as well as my new colleagues?

Juliet

Avoid the old "that's not how it's done in the UK ! When in Rome etc.
Listen to the punters and learn to play your market. Otherwise I don't think there's too much difference. Good luck.

Thanks Simon

Don't attempt any humour. Just grit your teeth and give them what they want.

agree with NOT mentioning about how things are done back in the UK.

Be super friendly to customers, compliment everything they do and say and then talk behind their back when they're gone. Thats pretty much how its done

A lot of (most) Canadian customers expect to be helped, with a hello as soon as they step foot in the store. They won't understand your accent, they will think your from Australia, their grandparents are from Manchester (other large city), They will not understand your humour. You will get blank looks while they process what you have just said, sometimes the blank look will turn to understanding, sometimes it won't.

Good luck with your new job.

I'd estimate that Victoria-based Canadians are far more used to hearing English accents than their Red Deer-based counterparts. I could be wrong, however.

Barely a week goes past where I don't see a 'new' English face and there are my regulars too, there are tonnes of us around here. So I disagree.

I bought some trousers in a shop in Vancouver once and the sales person said "I hope you enjoy your trousers" as I was leaving. I thought was a very odd thing to say

I have already had a number of people think I'm from Australia and quite a few blank faces (well more than I used to get in the UK)

Juliet

Come to Vancouver Island, I have met lots of expats since living here and lots of 1st & 2nd generation Canadians whose parents and grandparents originate from the UK, people seem to take great pride here in their British heritage, its quite sweet.

don't use irony. or rather, use irony at your own risk.

LOL

It also seems to be a policy for everyone to say 'have a nice day' and 'awesome' quite often, is this the same all over West Canada?

Ditto sarcasm. A good number of people will just think you are being rude.

Not sure how one would go about "enjoying" them, but even to call them "trousers" here is odd