A customer wants a style of women's jeans that is out of stock in her desired color. What is the associate’s BEST response?

• A. "That style looks great on you. You should get another color and come back later for the one you want."
• B. "Get the jeans that fit regardless of the color."
• C. "Check back with us. We get shipments every week."
• D. "We have a direct line to our web inventory. We can have your gene shipped to you."

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is solving a stock problem by using all available channels to fulfill the customer’s exact request. When a desired style and color is out of stock in-store, the best move is to proactively check the online inventory and arrange for the item to be shipped to the customer. This keeps the customer’s preferred item front and center—style and color intact—while providing a clear, convenient path to purchase.

This approach is best because it shows initiative and respect for what the customer wants. It avoids making the customer compromise on color or style, and it removes unnecessary friction by offering a direct way to get the product without requiring a store visit or waiting to see if stock changes. It also helps protect the sale and builds trust, since the associate is leveraging the full range of inventory and delivering a concrete next step.

Context that helps you understand why it works: today’s retail environment often links in-store and online inventories. Customers expect seamless solutions—if something isn’t on the floor, offering to source it from online stock and ship it to them is a practical, customer-centric way to close the sale. If you need to discuss specifics, you’d confirm the size and color, check shipping options and delivery time, and share any costs or holds as part of completing the order.