Dressed for Success

If you're a big fan of simulation games like Cake Mania and the legendary Diner Dash, it's time to hit up the retail world with this fantastic offering. Take on the role of Francie as she gets hired as a clerk in a major department store. It is completely up to you to keep all the customers happy, because the owner-manager is never there to help you! You're running the store completely on your own!

Are you up to the challenge? The retail world can be a lot more challenging that most people expect, but when you are surrounded by invigorating music, colorful graphics, and an incredibly intuitive point-and-click user interface, you won't get frustrated at all. Instead, you'll be having way too much fun, upgrading to new clothing lines and helping customers pick out their favorite outfits!

Customer Service is Number One

As with other business simulation games that you may have played in the past, there are several steps involved in serving a single customer. As you would probably expect, some incoming customers will be more picky than others, so you'll have to juggle your priorities accordingly. Be sure to keep an eye on the heart meters floating above each customer as this indicates his or her level of satisfaction. When the heart is empty, a storm of anger breaks out and you might lose a sale!

Here are some of the actions that Francie can do while in the store. To perform any of them, simply click with your mouse on the appropriate item on the screen.

• Near the back of the store are the mannequin displays. Click on an article of clothing on the mannequin to get it from the back. With the shirt, dress, shorts, or pants in her hands, click on the appropriate table in the store to replenish the stock. Customers hate it when an item appears to be sold out!
• Click on clothing that has been left inside the fitting rooms to remove them, making the room available for the next customer. This article of clothing can either be placed back at the appropriate display or discarded in the discard pile.
• If there is someone at the customer service desk, they will tell you what article of clothing they would like. Either grab one from the stock room or from the in-store display, and then present them with it.
• If there is someone waiting at the cash register, it's time to ring in the sale and take their money. They might add a little money to the total too when they buy some goodies at the till.

Sounds pretty simple, right? Well, it is. The challenge isn't in the actual gameplay mechanic itself, but rather in your ability to multitask and to perform all the necessary actions in the speediest of manners. You can plan up to six moves in advance by clicking on them ahead of time. You'll see a number floating in the appropriate areas. To de-select a particular action, right-click on your mouse and you'll backtrack.

A Perfect Fit for a Fashionista

Along the way, you will be given an opportunity to spend the daily receipts on upgrades for the store. This may be an expansion of the clothing line, an additional fitting room, or perhaps extra goodies at the cash register. Who knows? If you bring in enough money and acquire enough experience, Francie just may be able to open a store of her own!