Pittman Claytor said signing the pledge is a good first step, but it needs to be part of a broader strategy. Da'Shaunae Marisa for Business InsiderA retail store is unique in that it's a place where people of different races and statuses come into contact with each other. That mismatch means that shoppers tend to make snap judgments about others based on how they look and dress, Pittman Claytor said.
On the other side of the equation, Black retail workers say they have been bullied or referred to in derogatory terms by customers. Pittman Claytor said that in addition to the financial toll — leading Black people to often end up paying more for the same product, Racial bias also shows up in the types of products that are made and how they are advertised. In beauty, for example, there may be dozens of shades of beige makeup marketed but only two of brown.