Archived Black Friday 2014

[Retail Girl]

They don't even bother with a volunteer sheet for opening at my store. Everyone is fair game to have their holiday disrupted. I fully expect a 6pm opening this year. The problem is becoming that we simply don't have the staff to be open 30 straight hours. And if we did, no one would get enough hours any other time.

 

[sher]

Last year my store did a volunteer sheet and hr came around asking us all individually before the time was announced and he just asked how early we would be okay with. He started with those people but of course he had to schedule more people beyond those who volunteered

 

[pfreshdude]

They don't even bother with a volunteer sheet for opening at my store. Everyone is fair game to have their holiday disrupted. I fully expect a 6pm opening this year. The problem is becoming that we simply don't have the staff to be open 30 straight hours. And if we did, no one would get enough hours any other time.

Ya. By pushing the time further and further back we are open way longer. Even just being open 24 hours straight is an issue Pretty much EVERYONE at my store would have to work either a way longer shift or come back again after being there overnight, which absolutely SUCKS

 

[brazzlebub]

I'd laugh my butt off if the opening was pushed up to 6 pm thanksgiving day. I got lucky last year with my schedule. I opened thanksgiving evening at the service desk and closed cart attendant on friday. Saturday and Sunday I was back at service desk. Outside of a lot of easy returns and a lot of sorting, that weekend was pretty smooth.

 

[Deli Ninja]

I know I'm gonna get flack for this but I really don't care. I don't have a lot of family and I don't really want to hang out with them anyway. I volunteered for opening shift last year and I'll do it again this year. That way, people who want to be with their families can.

I volunteered to open and then close last year. I think I'm going to do it again, just because I doubt I'll have plans. It was pretty hellish, but I will also likely be in a different area of the store. Either way, I at least know I can handle it.

 

[oath2order]

I'll gladly get an opening shift. FRESH FOOD

 

[MIRSlave]

I have never not opened on black friday. Last year was pretty brutal for me: 7:45pm thurs to 8am friday electronics. Then 4:30pm friday to 1am saturday, again electronics. I did have saturday and sunday off though.

Would not be surprised to see 6pm this year.

 

[akira]

so even though i have fridays as unavailable ill likely still work? i have fridays off for a reason which i dont want to discuss online and thanksgiving i spend time with family i rarely see

 

[Deli Ninja]

so even though i have fridays as unavailable ill likely still work? i have fridays off for a reason which i dont want to discuss online and thanksgiving i spend time with family i rarely see

Make sure you talk to your ETL and HR. They'll get you taken care of. Just make sure you document everything just in case they forget or your ETL or HR turns over to a new person.

 

[Jill of All Trades]

wait wait wait.

So you guys are saying that we open on Thanksgiving evening and then STAY OPEN until Friday night at 11?

Please holy god of retail, let me be in the cash office on black Friday. I promise I'll be a good girl. I won't be sarcastic to any guests (not even a little) I won't cut anyone off in traffic (intentionally) and I will clean the cat's litterbox without waiting (very long) to see if my husband does it first. Just please grant me this one wish!

 

[Backroom81]

So you guys are saying that we open on Thanksgiving evening and then STAY OPEN until Friday night at 11?

Isn't retail great?

 

[Ringwraith917]

wait wait wait.

So you guys are saying that we open on Thanksgiving evening and then STAY OPEN until Friday night at 11?

Yep.

 

[Nauzhror]

wait wait wait.

So you guys are saying that we open on Thanksgiving evening and then STAY OPEN until Friday night at 11?

Please holy god of retail, let me be in the cash office on black Friday. I promise I'll be a good girl. I won't be sarcastic to any guests (not even a little) I won't cut anyone off in traffic (intentionally) and I will clean the cat's litterbox without waiting (very long) to see if my husband does it first. Just please grant me this one wish!

At least. Might stay open till Midnight this year, but yes, at least last year we were open 8 PM - 11 PM for a total of 27 hours. Most people got 10+ hour shifts, some that only worked one shift got 14+ hour shifts. I personally worked 8 PM - 1:45 AM, and then came back at 8 AM, and stayed till 6:30 PM, so 15.75 hours between the two shifts (16.25 there but lunch).

 

[tgtguy]

Except for last year...for a quite a few years ...we went in on Wed night ( thanksgiving eve) and working until Thursday morning. For some reason, they made us take a truck...they would cancel the truck during the day on Wed and take it wed night....which makes no sense. Last year, we didn't have a truck on Wed night and somehow I was blessed enough and didn't come in until 6 on Fri morning. I didn't go around bragging about it ...etc etc...I was truly thankful. However, a fellow team member ( who had been with the company less than a year at that point) started complaining ( after hearing a private conversation I had with my tl...about me not coming in till 6 Fri) how it wasn't fair etc etc...that I didn't have to work on Thurs night....she confronted me about it...and I told her that I didn't make the schedule...and left it at that. Well, she went to my Tl and tried to raise a stink about it ...he told her to mind her own matters . To think this woman is old enough to be my mother....in matter of fact has a child two years younger than me. Grow up people .

I think that Spot has to fight for the dollar now in a way they didn't have to before...I wish that we could go back to a 6 am Opening on Black Friday but I don't think that will ever happen again.

 

[cooljoey]

So since were so rushed and busy during black fridays do we still have to sell red cards?

 

[redeye58]

So since were so rushed and busy during black fridays do we still have to sell red cards?

Ooooooh yeh.......count on it.

 

[Bosch]

so even though i have fridays as unavailable ill likely still work? i have fridays off for a reason which i dont want to discuss online and thanksgiving i spend time with family i rarely see

That is cute. My store is unless you are curing cancer you are working. Even then you may work. They will give a shift preference but you will be working. It is the one day a year you as a retail person work over any other. Family doesn't hold a thought to profits.

 

[Kompa]

TMs on BF be like - I got stabbed and I'm at the Hospital
LODs be like - You still can come in though right?

 

[redeye58]

Like it's been said before, retail during Q4 ain't for sissies.

 

[Deli Ninja]

So since were so rushed and busy during black fridays do we still have to sell red cards?

Last year there was a store in our district that got a visit at 1am (ish) Black Friday because they didn't meet the REDcard goal for Thursday. The scheduled LOD was the only ETL there because the others didn't believe that the DTL would show up.

 

[brazzlebub]

wait wait wait.

So you guys are saying that we open on Thanksgiving evening and then STAY OPEN until Friday night at 11?

Please holy god of retail, let me be in the cash office on black Friday. I promise I'll be a good girl. I won't be sarcastic to any guests (not even a little) I won't cut anyone off in traffic (intentionally) and I will clean the cat's litterbox without waiting (very long) to see if my husband does it first. Just please grant me this one wish!

You better sacrifice a few kittens and babies if you want it that good.

 

[neversaynever]

I've solved my Black Friday issues. I will not be working there, so it won't be an issue. Putting in my notice this week....

 

[Bosch]

TMs on BF be like - I got stabbed and I'm at the Hospital
LODs be like - You still can come in though right?

Yep there were going NCNS a co-worker of mine until she sent me pictures of what was left of her car. A drunk had taken out about 5 cars on her block.. That and a police report fixed it. But they did ask for the report..

 

[pfreshdude]

Except for last year...for a quite a few years ...we went in on Wed night ( thanksgiving eve) and working until Thursday morning. For some reason, they made us take a truck...they would cancel the truck during the day on Wed and take it wed night....which makes no sense. Last year, we didn't have a truck on Wed night and somehow I was blessed enough and didn't come in until 6 on Fri morning. I didn't go around bragging about it ...etc etc...I was truly thankful. However, a fellow team member ( who had been with the company less than a year at that point) started complaining ( after hearing a private conversation I had with my tl...about me not coming in till 6 Fri) how it wasn't fair etc etc...that I didn't have to work on Thurs night....she confronted me about it...and I told her that I didn't make the schedule...and left it at that. Well, she went to my Tl and tried to raise a stink about it ...he told her to mind her own matters . To think this woman is old enough to be my mother....in matter of fact has a child two years younger than me. Grow up people .

I think that Spot has to fight for the dollar now in a way they didn't have to before...I wish that we could go back to a 6 am Opening on Black Friday but I don't think that will ever happen again.

Except they arent really gaining anything but opening earlier...we have our huge rush and then its dead for even longer until the morning again.

 

[Nauzhror]

Except they arent really gaining anything but opening earlier...we have our huge rush and then its dead for even longer until the morning again.

Not true. People spend the vast majority of their money at the first store they go to, so by opening earlier you increase the chances that you're the store the shoppers opt to spend that vast majority at.