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A new study out says it's better to hire a diverse workforce than only pretty salesgirls. Photo: Ray Moreton, Getty Images

A new study out of the University of South Australia shows that women between the ages of 18-26 are less likely to buy from a sales associate that is more attractive than them.

PhD researcher Bianca Price says, "Retailers often think that beautiful is better. In the same way they use a celebrity to endorse a product, they hire a beautiful girl thinking that it reflects the brand and that other women will want to be like her."

"It doesn't always work like that -- women may not consider celebrities a direct social threat, but they might consider the girl at their local shopping centre to be one."

Price chalks it up to biological competition, explaining that because young women feel tremendous pressure to be beautiful, the reaction to an attractive salesgirl is to avoid them and not buy the product.

The study's conclusion is limited to young women though. In these cases, Price recommends, "Retailers need to understand that beauty can affect their bottom line. The solution lies in hiring women of all shapes and sizes, someone for each of your potential customers to relate to."

For retailers like Abercrombie, whose "look policy" has caused legal troubles, the news came a little too late: The company recently reported a $26.7 million loss. What goes around comes around!

Still haven't had enough shopping? Check out these style tips here.

Attractive Salesgirls Could Turn Off Shoppers