Final answer:
The best resource for a sales associate to gain product and service information is the company website and product manuals, ensuring they provide customers with accurate, reliable, and complete details.
Step-by-step explanation:
The best resource for a sales associate to use to gain information about the benefits of the store's products and services is C. Company website and product manuals. These sources are designed to provide accurate and detailed information about the products and services offered by the company. In contrast, personal assumptions and opinions, customer reviews on social media, and competitor's advertising materials may be subjective and not always reliable or complete regarding the details needed to understand and sell a store's offerings.
Providing factually accurate and clear information is critical because buyers make decisions based on the satisfaction they believe they will gain from a product or service. To overcome challenges posed by imperfect information, a sales associate should rely on resources like company-provided materials which are likely to contain comprehensive, detailed, and correct product knowledge. This ensures that the buyers are well-informed, reducing regrets from past purchases and encouraging confidence in future choices.