shopworn­ trope

English translation: overused recurrent theme

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:shopworn­ trope
Selected answer:overused recurrent theme
Entered by: B D Finch

16:25 Feb 9, 2017
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
English term or phrase: shopworn­ trope
Hello everyone,

From the book Hug Your Haters by Jay Baer.

Why do we so often tell the tales of the legendary, great providers of customer service? Why are case studies from Zappos, Nordstrom, and ­Ritz-Carlton such a ***shopworn­ trope***? Why do we constantly reference a tiny, familiar menagerie of companies that we’ve all agreed “do it right” in customer service? It’s because they are different. And they are rare. They have made an organizational commitment to provide superior customer experiences, and succeed at differentiating from their competition as a consequence of that emphasis. Does Zappos sell better or cheaper shoes and clothing than competitors? No. Does Nordstrom? No. Does Ritz­-Carlton provide demonstrably better accommodations than other ­high-end hoteliers? No. But each company uses customer service as a wedge to separate it from simi-lar providers of goods and services.

Does "shopworn­ trope" simply imply trite expression/cliche in the context above?

Thank you.
Mikhail Korolev
Local time: 23:20
overused recurrent theme
Explanation:
"Shopworn" is not the same as "worn out". A retailer may reduce goods that are shopworn, but even a second-hand shop wouldn't sell goods that were worn out, because while the former would have minor damage, the latter would not be fit for use. The difference might be compared to a jumper with slight bobbling of the wool vs one that had been worn until it had holes in the elbows and frayed, unravelling cuffs.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shopworn
Definition of shopworn. 1 : faded, soiled, or otherwise impaired by remaining too long in a store. 2 : stale from excessive use or familiarity "shopworn clichés"





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Note added at 20 hrs (2017-02-10 13:11:44 GMT)
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Note that the writer is saying that case studies from Zappos, Nordstrom, and ­Ritz-Carlton, even though used so often that they have become "shopworn", are still valid and useful. "It’s because they are different. And they are rare." So, the author is arguing that they are NOT "worn out".
Selected response from:

B D Finch
France
Local time: 22:20
Grading comment
Many thanks to everyone.
Thank you, B D Finch.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
3 +3a worn out cliché
Shera Lyn Parpia
4 +1overused recurrent theme
B D Finch


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
a worn out cliché


Explanation:
your text says it all

It’s because they are different. And they are rare. So these studies have been quoted over and over again and reallly well known and boring.

Shera Lyn Parpia
Italy
Local time: 22:20
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 36

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  magdadh: yes, used all the time, well known and not adding anything new
1 hr

agree  Ashutosh Mitra
11 hrs

agree  Yasutomo Kanazawa
12 hrs
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20 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
overused recurrent theme


Explanation:
"Shopworn" is not the same as "worn out". A retailer may reduce goods that are shopworn, but even a second-hand shop wouldn't sell goods that were worn out, because while the former would have minor damage, the latter would not be fit for use. The difference might be compared to a jumper with slight bobbling of the wool vs one that had been worn until it had holes in the elbows and frayed, unravelling cuffs.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shopworn
Definition of shopworn. 1 : faded, soiled, or otherwise impaired by remaining too long in a store. 2 : stale from excessive use or familiarity "shopworn clichés"





--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 20 hrs (2017-02-10 13:11:44 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Note that the writer is saying that case studies from Zappos, Nordstrom, and ­Ritz-Carlton, even though used so often that they have become "shopworn", are still valid and useful. "It’s because they are different. And they are rare." So, the author is arguing that they are NOT "worn out".

B D Finch
France
Local time: 22:20
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 192
Grading comment
Many thanks to everyone.
Thank you, B D Finch.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Yvonne Gallagher: see my Dbox entry//:-)
1 hr
  -> Thanks Gallagy - yet another trope of great minds thinking alike!
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