The noun customer is clear to all of us.
customer – *a person or an organization that buys something from a shop/store or business* – OALD
customer – *someone who buys goods or services from a business.* -MW
customer – *a person who buys – Collins
And there are many more dictionaries. Note that I'm talking about the first meaning and not the other which is referred to dealing as in A cool customer.
Now the context
The Bishop mall has a large number of footfalls everyday. However, not all of them buy. Many simply enquire about the product and go away. I could use the word 'footfall' because I'm referring to the masses. But I'm talking about one person and 'he's a footfall, not a customer' does not look correct.
My question is, what are they called? They did not buy anything. Are they merely referred to enthusiasts?
In my day-to-day language, any person who enters into the shop is a customer. As being a manager, I'd ask my salesperson, "Go, attend the customer!"
This question is not nitpicking, but there has been an actual situation like this. While discussing our friend's shop's business, I got stuck while describing that person 'X' is not a customer (won't buy anything) he's just __________.
[I know the word 'window-shopper' but it won't fit here. The person is not staring at store's windows but he actually enters, enquires, might show some interest and then go away!]
Visitors is another word that I thought of but it's very casual. It does not fulfill the qualities of customer of being enthusiastic, curious or throwing some enquiry.
Is there any term for a person who does not buy anything?
Best Answer
In agreement with talrnu’s comment, I think “window shopper” is in fact appropriate here. In usage (which might be better represented on Urban Dictionary and Yahoo Answers), this term is commonly employed to refer to people who walk around both inside and outside of shops, and is used to differentiate such people from those who have more of an inclination to make a purchase.
From Urban Dictionary:
From Yahoo Answers:
“Browser” does not sound right to my ear as it seems like an awkward nounification. Most people will think of something they use to view websites. I have not heard the word used this way. It would probably require explanation, which would defeat the purpose of having a single word for it.
That said, I have heard people say that they are “just browsing” to indicate that they are not actively pursuing a purchase at that moment. For your case, I could certainly see someone saying “he’s just browsing.” As far as saying “he’s not a customer”, you have another problem.
Anyone visiting the store is, potentially speaking, a customer. so it’s not ideal to say “he’s not a customer” unless you are pointing to an employee, security guard, pomeranian, etc. You might be clearer if you qualify the word “customer” before you establish this comparison, for example: “he’s not a serious customer, he’s _____________.”
Lastly, another term I know for such a person is to describe them as a looky-loo.