Archived How Target Should Sell Red Cards

[mrknownothing]

The space where electronics was is turned into a frozen wonderland.

So it would be completely empty?

 

[thatcashierdude]

The space where electronics was is turned into a frozen wonderland.

So it would be completely empty?

Exactly. Then flex softlines in there.

 

[Kartman]

Or a tattoo parlor!

 

[thatcashierdude]

Or a tattoo parlor!

Liquor section, have a register back there so team members can get drunk quickly before a shift. Must have a redcard to get anything over 10%

 

[BigEyedPhish]

I have had two ideas as to how to sell Red Cards.....

#1 is to have Red Card sales, sales that are only eligible to red card holders....

#2 I will save for if I ever apply at corporate.

 

[Kartman]

Or a tattoo parlor!

Liquor section, have a register back there so team members can get drunk quickly before a shift. Must have a redcard to get anything over 10%

You can't have drunk team members, lol.

 

[redeye58]

Or a tattoo parlor!

Liquor section, have a register back there so team members can get drunk quickly before a shift. Must have a redcard to get anything over 10%

You can't have drunk team members, lol.

Wanna bet?

 

[mrknownothing]

Or a tattoo parlor!

Liquor section, have a register back there so team members can get drunk quickly before a shift. Must have a redcard to get anything over 10%

You can't have drunk team members, lol.

Wanna bet?

Flow team be like- "backstock? LOL, I can make this fit, hold my beer!"

 

[mrknownothing]

The space where electronics was is turned into a frozen wonderland.

So it would be completely empty?

Exactly. Then flex softlines in there.

Or the 268 Shark vacuums that didn't sell on Black Thursday/Friday.

 

[Steph4892]

The process for getting people to sign up for RedCards is the ONLY reason I refuse to respond to the back up calls for register. Luckily the killer sales have distracted most of the TLs, but they still pester people about it. One of my friends is like, the star cashier and she's really good at getting people to sign up, but it's gotten to the point where the TLs yell at every other cashier now because no one else can rack up as many. So she's been taking one of the team and she's not suggestive selling it nearly as much anymore

 

[dcline414]

The sad thing is that the benefit really sells itself, but it is hard to explain to someone while ringing their items in a way that they feel comfortable applying when you try to close the deal.

I've gotten one card when on register for guest first, and the guy had like 3 expensive toys that we were chatting about how much more kids gifts cost now... cue mention of saving 5% with redcard and he's giddy to sign up. But by now his items are all rung up and bagged and he needs the debit option explained further because he's worried about his credit, and by this time the whole line is waiting and getting irritated. The GSTL was doing roll call of everyone on the floor, but by then everyone who wasn't on break was on a lane.

The transaction ended up having to be suspended so he could go get his checkbook, and the GSTL finished ringing him (and got credit for my only redcard) on another lane when he returned. Other than tracking credit for the sale (which seems dumb to me anyway), having someone else who doesn't have a line ring up the redcard seems like a no-brainer.

Also, prompting the cashier after the guest has swiped their card or handed over a pile of cash is about the most awkward time ever to push the redcard. Why not have a little monitor facing the guest that keeps a running total of their potential redcard savings, so then they can already see the benefit and will be more interested when the cashier asks if they'll be saving 5% today and every day.

Starting the sale on the floor makes perfect sense, except it's a little weird in grocery... are you finding everything okay? Great. And are you going to be saving 5% on those bananas? How about I explain the redcard to you while your kids run wild and destroy the cereal aisle I just finished zoning?

 

[Kartman]

There HAS to be a better way.

 

[thatcashierdude]

I honestly think they've hit a critical mass for redcards, most who want them already have them and the ones that don't will never sign up no matter how many times you ask them. Of course you get the occasional guest or identity thief that wants to apply, but it just doesn't happen nearly as often. It's probably because this company was the first to get breached and that is still fresh in people's minds.

 

[thetargetman]

well the issue I would find is that the guest has to send it in... and wait for Target to get back to them with a Redcard.... that takes time. one of the things I like is that when a guest signs up at the register a temporary prints out (provided they get approved right away) and use that until the "real" one comes in the mail in 7 to 10 days. Depending on the guest signing up and how well they know their info and how fast they read it should take no longer than 3 mins from start to finish. Guests who are waiting can go to another register that is open if they do not want to stay and wait.

 

[thatcashierdude]

Here's an idea: prompt the guests on the card reader instead of the cashier. Base the cashiers score on the total number of transactions. I do like that running total where it shows normal total and total with the redcard. Insert the prompts in random places too, and switch the buttons around the screen so they have to actually read the screen. Include monthly redesigns of this screen so it looks different every month.

 

[RedMan]

Here's an idea: prompt the guests on the card reader instead of the cashier. Base the cashiers score on the total number of transactions. I do like that running total where it shows normal total and total with the redcard. Insert the prompts in random places too, and switch the buttons around the screen so they have to actually read the screen. Include monthly redesigns of this screen so it looks different every month.

Do you actually think our guests read the screen?

First of all, our guests can't figure out how to run a debit card as credit even with the information on the card reader so giving them more info to read is a waste of time and space. Secondly, changing the screen would cause so many headaches because it literally takes months for the regular guests to figure out how to use the card reader when it's the same every freakin' day that they shop. Lastly, the score is already based on transactions: there are approximately two prompts for every 100 transactions, excluding those paid with a REDCard.

 

[thatcashierdude]

Here's an idea: prompt the guests on the card reader instead of the cashier. Base the cashiers score on the total number of transactions. I do like that running total where it shows normal total and total with the redcard. Insert the prompts in random places too, and switch the buttons around the screen so they have to actually read the screen. Include monthly redesigns of this screen so it looks different every month.

Do you actually think our guests read the screen?

First of all, our guests can't figure out how to run a debit card as credit even with the information on the card reader so giving them more info to read is a waste of time and space. Secondly, changing the screen would cause so many headaches because it literally takes months for the regular guests to figure out how to use the card reader when it's the same every freakin' day that they shop. Lastly, the score is already based on transactions: there are approximately two prompts for every 100 transactions, excluding those paid with a REDCard.

Problem with the prompts is that large cash or check payments will prompt much more often than card payments will, making the system unfair for someone who gets a lot of cash or check transactions. Kinda like how speed scores continue to time the team member while the guest is fumbling with their card/loose change.

I wasn't really being serious, probably should have used the sarcasm font, if we did all that everyone would get so pissed off. That's why I was saying every month should include a redesign of the screen, to force guests to read it while pissing off both the guest and team member.

A lot of places have a credit button on the screen where you can enter your pin, for those special people who can't read two lines of text properly (AKA 99% of guests).

 

[dcline414]

Here's an idea: prompt the guests on the card reader instead of the cashier. Base the cashiers score on the total number of transactions. I do like that running total where it shows normal total and total with the redcard. Insert the prompts in random places too, and switch the buttons around the screen so they have to actually read the screen. Include monthly redesigns of this screen so it looks different every month.

Do you actually think our guests read the screen?

First of all, our guests can't figure out how to run a debit card as credit even with the information on the card reader so giving them more info to read is a waste of time and space. Secondly, changing the screen would cause so many headaches because it literally takes months for the regular guests to figure out how to use the card reader when it's the same every freakin' day that they shop. Lastly, the score is already based on transactions: there are approximately two prompts for every 100 transactions, excluding those paid with a REDCard.

Yeah, card reader would not be that effective.

Many non-Target stores are using an extra monitor that faces the guest. It could rotate through paid product features to cover the cost, and between those show info about redcard perks. Of course it would also keep the running total and redcard discount the whole time.

Anything that helps front load the benefit info and pique interest would increase success rate, prompted or not.

 

[thatcashierdude]

Here's an idea: prompt the guests on the card reader instead of the cashier. Base the cashiers score on the total number of transactions. I do like that running total where it shows normal total and total with the redcard. Insert the prompts in random places too, and switch the buttons around the screen so they have to actually read the screen. Include monthly redesigns of this screen so it looks different every month.

Do you actually think our guests read the screen?

First of all, our guests can't figure out how to run a debit card as credit even with the information on the card reader so giving them more info to read is a waste of time and space. Secondly, changing the screen would cause so many headaches because it literally takes months for the regular guests to figure out how to use the card reader when it's the same every freakin' day that they shop. Lastly, the score is already based on transactions: there are approximately two prompts for every 100 transactions, excluding those paid with a REDCard.

Yeah, card reader would not be that effective. Many stores are using an extra monitor that faces the guest. It could rotate through paid product features to cover the cost, and between those show info about redcard perks. Of course it would also keep the running total and redcard discount the whole time.

Anything that helps front load the benefit info and pique interest would increase success rate, prompted or not.

Lock restrooms with card swiper, only redcard holders allowed in. Apply with the cart attendant using his mobile register today! Also add a redcard only line, if you don't have one then everything will need to be rescanned at another lane (or the guest just gets kicked out). Disable suspend on this register.

 

[Kartman]

There HAS to be a better way.

Just repeating myself...

 

[dcline414]

Redcard-only line actually doesn't sound like a bad idea for peak hours.

 

[RedMan]

only redcard holders allowed in.

Perhaps it should be only REDCard holders allowed out of the restroom. Our guests would just pee on the floor if they couldn't get in.

 

[Kartman]

Or pee at WalMart.

 

[thatcashierdude]

Redcard-only line actually doesn't sound like a bad idea for peak hours.

You know people will accidentally get in this line and want to pay with their normal card...which is why disabling suspend would make work so much more fun, I'm sure the guests would just love having to get their entire order re-scanned because they don't have the card and don't want to apply for it.

 

[defang]

Our entire district has been doing terrible with RCs this year so far. At my store, we've had 4 Thursday, 3 Friday, 3 Saturday, 1 Sunday and 1 today. We're in the top 20 YTD.