Black out months and how to get time off

[TechNix]

I worked one store where there was YOU MUST BE AVAILABLE Black Friday or Day After Christmas
Another had varying Blackout times
* One year it was Thanksgiving to New Years
* Another year it was November thru mid-January

I know at the store I am working at now, they expect everyone to work Black Friday and the day before & after christmas. They just give you the chance to sign up for the shifts you want to work instead of auto-assigning.

 

[TTB]

Yup retail you are expected to work holidays especially black friday. Its been a known thing so not something they tell you up front right away. This is the reason for hiring seasonal employees the blackout i think used to be a shorter time period but now because of pandemic they spread the deals out because we arent having a black friday and avoiding crowds. I didnt even know started that early but it makes sense now and also the holiday price match policy went into effect which they also didnt tell me. you cant price match anymore only to target.com.

 

[TechNix]

Yup retail you are expected to work holidays especially black friday. Its been a known thing so not something they tell you up front right away. This is the reason for hiring seasonal employees the blackout i think used to be a shorter time period but now because of pandemic they spread the deals out because we arent having a black friday and avoiding crowds. I didnt even know started that early but it makes sense now and also the holiday price match policy went into effect which they also didnt tell me. you cant price match anymore only to target.com.

Really? I've been taught how to price match in store, even if it is not target.com. I was taught on how to check it on myDevice and how to change it in the register. Their website hasn't changed yet then, Price Match Guarantee (target.com)

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Really? I've been taught how to price match in store, even if it is not target.com. I was taught on how to check it on myDevice and how to change it in the register. Their website hasn't changed yet then, Price Match Guarantee (target.com)

Spot will be changing it in about a week or two.

 

[TechNix]

Spot will be changing it in about a week or two.

Interesting... It is something people go to Target for, their price matching. I was just told that it had to be verifiable via a web search, or the price matching app on the myDevice. Well, that's good to know.

 

[Amanda Cantwell]

Spot will be changing it in about a week or two.

price matching blackout only happens week of thanksgiving/Black Friday.

Interesting... It is something people go to Target for, their price matching. I was just told that it had to be verifiable via a web search, or the price matching app on the myDevice. Well, that's good to know.

it cannot be a web search, as google sometimes shows old prices. it must be verifiable on the my device or DIRECTLY on the retailer's live website (that's what the my device checks)

 

[TechNix]

it cannot be a web search, as google sometimes shows old prices. it must be verifiable on the my device or DIRECTLY on the retailer's live website (that's what the my device checks)

Yup,, that is what is what I meant - that it had to be able to be directly navigated to, not a print out, screenshot or what have it. It's why even if I am picking up a cashing shift, I still grab a mydevice.

 

[TTB]

price matching blackout only happens week of thanksgiving/Black Friday.

it cannot be a web search, as google sometimes shows old prices. it must be verifiable on the my device or DIRECTLY on the retailer's live website (that's what the my device checks)

It was a memo that was printed out at guest services sorry I guess I was mistaken thinking it was October 10th the holiday price match policy begins. I didnt read the paragraph below it and says we will be price matching to competitors all season. So they didn't implement it early they got rid of it and no more price matching blackout. my bad.

 

[Amanda Cantwell]

It was a memo that was printed out at guest services sorry I guess I was mistaken thinking it was October 10th the holiday price match policy begins. I didnt read the paragraph below it and says we will be price matching to competitors all season. So they didn't implement it early they got rid of it and no more price matching blackout. my bad.

honestly that's good IMO. blackout was just confusing

 

[TechNix]

It was a memo that was printed out at guest services sorry I guess I was mistaken thinking it was October 10th the holiday price match policy begins. I didnt read the paragraph below it and says we will be price matching to competitors all season. So they didn't implement it early they got rid of it and no more price matching blackout. my bad.

Good to hear regarding no blackout. I can only imagine the "Can I speak with a manager please?"

 

[seasonaldude]

honestly that's good IMO. blackout was just confusing

Seems like more of a headache to me. We're going to be pricematching doorbusters and special deal of the days all season long. Most cashiers don't have devices to use the app to see if a request is legit. And, of course, many seasonal cashiers are well lacking in the common sense department. Just saying "no" and letting leadership deal with the occassional bitching Karen was pretty easy.

 

[TheClopen]

Hello. I just started working at target two months ago. (The upcoming 2nd will be 3)

I have a question though. When I got hired on I was told the days I want off I could have off as long as I gave them notices.
Well low and behold I just asked for a week off for a family vacation ( this is for Disney ) and got told I cannot have that much time off because middle of October - end of January is black out.
So you are telling me we want to do things with our families yet we get declined it. And I am afraid to mention about the wedding I want to attend to that is in Texas in the middle of November because of being declined.
I don’t know what to do. I was told I cannot have any time like that off because if they approve it for me that have to approve it for everyone.

I was told family came first. This is the first time me and my family are having a vacation in many years together. They told me to just reschedule the Disney tickets. Yet ... we got them for a discount and when we called they said we cannot reschedule so: 1.) either I don’t go and everyone goes and I’ll be unhappy and lost money, 2.) nobody goes and we all are unhappy and out of money or 3.) I go and risk trouble.

I was also told that in black out months people can’t cover for people since we will all be working full hours.
Yet. I’m part time. Why am I working pretty much like I’m full time ? I am very much frustrated.

I do not want to risk my job. I do love target. What do I do... someone told me to call someone higher up. I do not want to get in trouble for going around.

when hired in I was never informed about black out and was only told after I mention the Disney passes and when I asked the first few times to get approved I was told to ask again later.
Also , why ? I was told I need to work thanksgiving , Black Friday and cyber Monday. My boyfriend who works target told me he only had to work one or the other and that’s why seasonal workers exist. At his target he only couldn’t request days off in December. I can understand working those two days. But... why do I need to work full time when I’m part time and why can’t I go do things with my family. I find it hard to believe pretty much nobody can request any time off for 4 months. That nobody can spend proper holidays with family. Even team mates whose families live in other states say they can’t get time off. Which I find horrible.

I don’t understand and just want to actually have time with my family.


Sorry I’m all over the place on this message
I hope I make sense.

You could possibly see if you can switch shifts with a co-worker for a day or two of the trip, or see if someone can cover for you.
Another thing you could do is you could call out, for some of the days it's not the best option but at least you won't get marked NCNS.
Not sure what else to tell you since the request got declined.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

You could possibly see if you can switch shifts with a co-worker for a day or two of the trip, or see if someone can cover for you.
Another thing you could do is you could call out, for some of the days it's not the best option but at least you won't get marked NCNS.
Not sure what else to tell you since the request got declined.

They just started working at spot two months ago.

 

[TheClopen]

They just started working at spot two months ago.

Dam I missed that, yeah that complicates things...they're really not gonna have any pull yet. Not enough time to get any ground.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Dam I missed that, yeah that complicates things...they're really not gonna have any pull yet. Not enough time to get any ground.

Also, they forget to tell spot when interviewed about it too.

 

[NotCynicalYet]

Retail is tough on this sort of thing. Get in a different line of work, you're not willing to sacrifice what retail demands. Doesn't make you less of a good person, it just is what it is.