MEGATHREAD Hang Me (The Softlines Thread)

[JAShands]

Ask your pricing person if they COLLECT the hangers when they remove the salvage. Some lazy price change tm’s will process the salvage item and leave the empty hanger on the rack.
Oops. Never mind. Now I read you mean you are SHORT on hangers. We always have TOO MANY empty hangers.

Yeah we usually either have the right amount to rehang or some leftovers, rarely are we short.

Ok so I definitely work in the ghetto 😂

 

[Tessa120]

I have always been of the opinion that some guests steal hangers. Too many times I would see a couple of items thrown over a four way, and there's no corresponding hanger in sight. Not on it, not on any around it, not on the floor, nowhere.

 

[preciousfists]

So 3 weeks in, and it is apparent that softlines is understaffed, and there is much pressure to focus on go backs/reshop, like, ALL. THE. TIME. They never seem to end! I have never worked in a big box store, or a store with such volume, but as someone with pretty extensive retail experience, I am just surprised that the presentation of the sections seems like an afterthought. I don't like shopping in a department that looks like a bomb went off, and would never want to present stuff I'm selling that way. Very strange...not sure what to do about it, if anything? I like my TL, but it seems like she mostly cares about getting shit done FAST, not well. I guess it's not really what I was hoping for when I applied to be a "style consultant." Or maybe I'm just being bitchy because I'm tired and back to school weekend kicked my ass. We'll see. Anyway, thanks for letting me vent. 😂

 

[Tessa120]

I also never understood why presentation wasn't the number one priority. I know I want someplace that is visually appealing.

 

[flow4areasonuno]

I also never understood why presentation wasn't the number one priority. I know I want someplace that is visually appealing.

It always sounded to me like zoning/presentation was something that they thought didn't take long so it didn't need scheduling. They don't want to pay you just to make things look nice, after all. It's not as important as pushing or reshop, etc.

Again this is just the way it's treated.

 

[preciousfists]

It always sounded to me like zoning/presentation was something that they thought didn't take long so it didn't need scheduling. They don't want to pay you just to make things look nice, after all. It's not as important as pushing or reshop, etc.

Again this is just the way it's treated.

Yes, this is what I'm learning, but during my interview I got the sense that the ETL really cares about visual merchandising, and we specifically discussed it. So, perhaps a shift will happen? I dunno, but I take no pride in doing a half-assed job of zoning. If that is what they really want, though, it will be hard for me to care or take ownership of the department.

 

[happygoth]

Yes, this is what I'm learning, but during my interview I got the sense that the ETL really cares about visual merchandising, and we specifically discussed it. So, perhaps a shift will happen? I dunno, but I take no pride in doing a half-assed job of zoning. If that is what they really want, though, it will be hard for me to care or take ownership of the department.

My store has always made it seem like zoning was important. When I was first hired, the night crew zoned first and foremost, and pushed some reshop either at the beginning of shift or last hour. Three closers who all came in at 3 or 4. Usually had good closings, fully zoned. Then the hours got cut and they started playing around with scheduling, and suddenly closers were pushing truck until 8 and zoning was not getting done properly. Now, with Modernization, the day/mid TMs are expected to zone while pushing truck, and the hope is that night crew will be able to maintain and push some reshop. We were floundering for a while but things seem to be getting better. It's definitely nice to walk in for my four hour closing shift and not have my area be trashed.

 

[preciousfists]

I still feel like such a newbie...well, I guess because I AM. Hahaha. I've been through all the softlines departments, and have done most of the stuff I guess is considered day-to-day stuff but, still, we always seem to be drowning in reshop. It is always the first thing I am asked to do, no matter what time my shift is and, if I'm closing, zoning is always at the end. I'm learning to live with it, but I'm hoping once school starts it will be less insane? Please? 😅

 

[graffiti]

ETLs only care about metrics and focus areas. If gobacks are what the district manager is on them about that week, that's all that matters. When presentation is what DTL cares about next week, that's what they'll press on while reship stacks to the high heavens. You'll come to see that it's all very cyclical and predictable, so just do what they want you to do that day and then go home with no worries. 😎

 

[happygoth]

I still feel like such a newbie...well, I guess because I AM. Hahaha. I've been through all the softlines departments, and have done most of the stuff I guess is considered day-to-day stuff but, still, we always seem to be drowning in reshop. It is always the first thing I am asked to do, no matter what time my shift is and, if I'm closing, zoning is always at the end. I'm learning to live with it, but I'm hoping once school starts it will be less insane? Please? 😅

Yes you will have to accept that reshop will never go away. However, if everyone is on the ball and there is a good system in place, it can be controlled. The problems come, at least for our store, when there are callouts, or fitting room and/or Guest services get crazy busy with people trying on tons of stuff and lots of returns.

My frustration always comes back when we go through a slow-ish period and are actually able to keep up on things relatively easily and I get lulled into a false sense of security, then BAM!, it's swimsuit season or Back to School or the dreaded Holiday season and everything goes to hell.

Although, school starts in a week here and honestly, we have not been that busy with Back to School at all. Even the BTS seasonal section looks good. Hmmm...

 

[happygoth]

ETLs only care about metrics and focus areas. If gobacks are what the district manager is on them about that week, that's all that matters. When presentation is what DTL cares about next week, that's what they'll press on while reship stacks to the high heavens. You'll come to see that it's all very cyclical and predictable, so just do what they want you to do that day and then go home with no worries. 😎

This is exactly right, was that way even at my previous job. Whatever District cares about is what's important, and that can change from week to week. Something that didn't matter a few days ago is suddenly the MOST IMPORTANT THING. And that could change in a few days. Gotta just roll with the punches.

 

[preciousfists]

Yes you will have to accept that reshop will never go away. However, if everyone is on the ball and there is a good system in place, it can be controlled. The problems come, at least for our store, when there are callouts, or fitting room and/or Guest services get crazy busy with people trying on tons of stuff and lots of returns.

My frustration always comes back when we go through a slow-ish period and are actually able to keep up on things relatively easily and I get lulled into a false sense of security, then BAM!, it's swimsuit season or Back to School or the dreaded Holiday season and everything goes to hell.

Although, school starts in a week here and honestly, we have not been that busy with Back to School at all. Even the BTS seasonal section looks good. Hmmm...

I guess that is the biggest adjustment for me, the feeling that things are never actually totally done! But hopefully we get to that point where we are actually keeping up on things...sooner rather than later would be nice. 😂

 

[happygoth]

I guess that is the biggest adjustment for me, the feeling that things are never actually totally done! But hopefully we get to that point where we are actually keeping up on things...sooner rather than later would be nice. 😂

I felt exactly the same way, and it was quite an adjustment for me too! At my old job, we were not nearly as busy and you could be all caught up from one day to the next. Sometimes we would save something for the next day just to have something to do, lol. The only time things were really busy was the holiday season, and for the last five or six years I was there it got less busy with each passing Christmas.

Another thing that I had to get used to was the fact that there are a lot of TMs who have no sense of urgency, and are not really concerned about getting things done in a timely manner. To this day, it really bothers me when I hear two or three TMs laughing and joking around while taking their own sweet time doing their work. When I first started and saw TMs just standing around and talking, I would think to myself "WTF, don't you see how much reshop there is to put back, not to mention that half the floor is trashed? Why are you just standing there?!" 😬

I guess my best advice is to just do the best you can each day, do whatever your leader tells you to do and show them that you are hard worker and eager to learn. Hopefully it will get noticed. And if you want hours, you have to go after them - that was something else I really had to get used to, as I was always full-time before and getting hours wasn't an issue. Unfortunately, with the way the system here works, hours are often evenly distributed and it isn't always up to your direct supervisor who gets what. I have to have a convo with my TL soon, because I am not getting the hours I want and I have noticed that other TMs are getting more, and swap shift posts get taken quickly. Need to put a bug in his ear and see if I can't get some longer shifts.

Good luck, hope you find the board a helpful place, I have really found it a great resource as well as a good way to vent, and hear others' perspectives on life at Spot. 😀

 

[preciousfists]

I felt exactly the same way, and it was quite an adjustment for me too! At my old job, we were not nearly as busy and you could be all caught up from one day to the next. Sometimes we would save something for the next day just to have something to do, lol. The only time things were really busy was the holiday season, and for the last five or six years I was there it got less busy with each passing Christmas.

Another thing that I had to get used to was the fact that there are a lot of TMs who have no sense of urgency, and are not really concerned about getting things done in a timely manner. To this day, it really bothers me when I hear two or three TMs laughing and joking around while taking their own sweet time doing their work. When I first started and saw TMs just standing around and talking, I would think to myself "WTF, don't you see how much reshop there is to put back, not to mention that half the floor is trashed? Why are you just standing there?!" 😬

I guess my best advice is to just do the best you can each day, do whatever your leader tells you to do and show them that you are hard worker and eager to learn. Hopefully it will get noticed. And if you want hours, you have to go after them - that was something else I really had to get used to, as I was always full-time before and getting hours wasn't an issue. Unfortunately, with the way the system here works, hours are often evenly distributed and it isn't always up to your direct supervisor who gets what. I have to have a convo with my TL soon, because I am not getting the hours I want and I have noticed that other TMs are getting more, and swap shift posts get taken quickly. Need to put a bug in his ear and see if I can't get some longer shifts.

Good luck, hope you find the board a helpful place, I have really found it a great resource as well as a good way to vent, and hear others' perspectives on life at Spot. 😀

Thanks! This thread, in particular, has been super helpful so far! It seems like my store is a consistently busy one, and I have never seen any TMs NOT busily doing something! Man, I can't even imagine that, especially with the amount of work there is. I'm gonna give it some time to see how it goes, I just don't enjoy trying to live up to unrealistic expectations. The TLs seem to give an unmanageable number of tasks, which they can't reasonably expect one person to accomplish. I do my best, and I care about doing stuff well, so hopefully that counts for something.

 

[L4D]

Has there been any new information about C9 being discontinued?

 

[workinghard]

My store is high volume, too. And now with there being no overnight team to push freight out to the floor (like when I first started at Target years ago) the opening shift is tasked with pushing freight to the floor, zoning and go backs. Oh, and now, we're supposed to pull our own stuff from the back room, because there's no more BR TM to do that.

 

[softlinesarehard]

So I’ve been working at target for about a month and omg it’s a lot of work. I work in NIT/C9/Sleepwear. Every shift starts the same whether I’m closing or not. I go to the back and work on my truck and metros and z racks. Usually there’s a lot of stuff to push and it usually takes 1/2 of my shift since I’m so new and idk where stuff goes. Since I’m only part time, I think the visual merchandiser helps my area when I’m not there along with maybe some help from other softline people. Anyways every time I go into work my area looks terrible and instead of just taking the time to zone it, the TL will tell me to work on truck and reshop :| Im afraid that the TL will expect me to be able to have a good zone and my truck done and reshop done but when I only get scheduled for a 4.5 hour shift I’m not sure that’s even possible. I always feel so uncomplished when I’m leaving and my zone isn’t spotless. I’m just really hoping once it’s closer to the holiday season that more people will start working in my area bc lord I need some help!

 

[TargetElder]

I work at a high volume ST and the zone always comes first. Walk your area and zone, then pull from the Backroom, and then push freight. Strays (go backs/reshop) are ran through out the shift. If a certain area needs more love, we blitz the zone together. It’s all in establishing routines, it’s all important. Having a good zone first makes it easier to push to the floor, see what needs to be filled and maintain brand standards.

To those that are new, try not to stress yourself out. Control what you can control and be adaptable because change is constant. Frustration comes, but don’t let it overwhelm you.

 

[SLPumpkin]

My store is high volume, too. And now with there being no overnight team to push freight out to the floor (like when I first started at Target years ago) the opening shift is tasked with pushing freight to the floor, zoning and go backs. Oh, and now, we're supposed to pull our own stuff from the back room, because there's no more BR TM to do that.

THIS! We're now needing to pull MANCAF's now too on top of autofills, OOS, and PC daily too. Closing is a nightmare, hours feel worse than end of Q4 too, and with 6 hour shifts, it's hard to do all of that, zone, push truck, and come clean by the end. Softlines at my store is a legit nightmare now, but we can only do so much

 

[flow4areasonuno]

THIS! We're now needing to pull MANCAF's now too on top of autofills, OOS, and PC daily too. Closing is a nightmare, hours feel worse than end of Q4 too, and with 6 hour shifts, it's hard to do all of that, zone, push truck, and come clean by the end. Softlines at my store is a legit nightmare now, but we can only do so much

I know, right? We've got 4 and 5 hour shifts. Backroom looks awful and I can only imagine how bad softlines is

 

[oath2order]

Whats project ruby

 

[Black Sheep 214]

 

[JAShands]

View attachment 8649

🙈🙉🙊

 

[Meep]

Does anyone have a list of the codes for the plastic pieces that go into the tagger guns? Someone threw out the list I made, and when they rearranged our fitting room after remodel, threw out the actual boxes ours came in, specifically the j-hooks that hang things on pegs. Our TLs never have time to find them and we have about 15 bundles left between us and guest services (or whatever the hell they're called now). Thanks.

 

[happygoth]

Does anyone have a list of the codes for the plastic pieces that go into the tagger guns? Someone threw out the list I made, and when they rearranged our fitting room after remodel, threw out the actual boxes ours came in, specifically the j-hooks that hang things on pegs. Our TLs never have time to find them and we have about 15 bundles left between us and guest services (or whatever the hell they're called now). Thanks.

Darn, I'm not back to work until Wednesday night but I can get those numbers for you then if no one else answers - we still have boxes in our fitting room closet.