MEGATHREAD Signing Tips, Tricks and Quips (along with howls of despair)

jenna said:
Wait to see what is in Seasonal after the Holidays..... re: OTC, Grocery, etc.

When will corporate learn it's a waste to set random shit in Seasonal [after Xmas] that no one buys... and just ends up in the backroom.
🙄
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what would you put there? It's a lot of space to fill up
 
Dysprosed said:
what would you put there? It's a lot of space to fill up
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I wish they'd look more closely at what we already have in the store and could add a little to but not tons, that people like to buy in January - things that go with a "new year, new you" or "the big refresh" like organizing (plastic and decorative storage bins), health and wellness (select vitamins etc. but not bonkers quantities), exercise equipment, cleaning supplies, basic household needs (towels, sheets & pillows).
That plus don't wait to set for Valentine's - guests are always asking about it before it's out, like with every other holiday set.
And early gardening stuff, like seeds and starter trays. (I'm in a state where we have snow on the ground now and I'm already thinking about how I want to re-do part of a flower bed next spring.)
Another idea would be things to promote "hygge," the Scandinavian concept of winter time coziness. Things like scented candles, hot drinks, fuzzy socks, indoor activities like movies, books, and games, etc.
Plus there could be the usual "Super Bowl supplies" display but expanded to have TVs there like for Black Friday.
 
SigningLady said:
I would love if they did a hybrid set for the northern states- gondolas all set to early ODL and then leave the space where built ODL furniture goes for Super Bowl pallets (chips, soda, TVs).
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This is the way.

Lawn and Garden - Outdoor Living, with a tiny space for pallets of chips.

ETA: And Home Storage/Organization. All the New Years cleaning up shit, and packing away stuff.... Plastic Bins.
___

I remember when it was Pier One/ World Market style Furniture (forget the name of the set, though) -- Global Bazaar - (thanks, @Hardlinesmaster )

Then it became Bonus Buys for Essentials and Market -- most of which went clearance. (In with the New?)

Last couple of years, it was double-exposed Essentials and Market -- huge waste, and fills up the backroom when it all comes down to set Lawn and Garden/Outdoor Living.
 
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Random Internet Photo, but Seasonal is filled with Essentials and Market + a little Sporting Goods (New Year's Resolution) after the Xmas Set.

So, stores get all this extra freight, and then have to tear it all down about 6 weeks later.
 
jenna said:
This is the way.

Lawn and Garden - Outdoor Living, with a tiny space for pallets of chips.
___

I remember when it was Pier One/ World Market style Furniture (forget the name of the set, though)

Then it became Bonus Buys for Essentials and Market -- most of which went clearance. (In with the New?)

Last couple of years, it was double-exposed Essentials and Market -- huge waste, and fills up the backroom when it all comes down to set Lawn and Garden/Outdoor Living.
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Global bazaar was the world market thing.
 

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Yeah, outdoor and patio stuff is not what we're looking for in January in the cold and snowy north. Although the stuff that can be done ahead, like seeds, potting soil, and starter trays, would be fun. Getting a patio set in January is like a kid getting a new bike for Christmas - exciting but you have to wait months before it can be used.
I remember that Global Bazaar thing - it'd didn't sell all that well. That Florida-themed set with palm tree and flamingo prints was popular though. Guests were lining up outside the doors before the store opened.
 
Hardlinesmaster said:
Global bazaar was the world market thing.
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redeye58 said:
I miss Global Bazaar.....🙁
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I liked the Global Bazaar. That was before I was hired, it was nice stuff. I don't think I ever bought anything but it was fun to browse.

They should do a combo Valentine's Day/St. Patrick's Day set in Seasonal in January. If they don't have enough stuff they can sneak some Easter in there too.
 
jenna said:
Wait to see what is in Seasonal after the Holidays..... re: OTC, Grocery, etc.

When will corporate learn it's a waste to set random shit in Seasonal [after Xmas] that no one buys... and just ends up in the backroom.
🙄
Click to expand...
This year is decent, 50% ODL 50% Food but it’s about 80% vendor so should be a lot easier than previous years and a lot less freight off your trucks.
 

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we got Gameday set before Valentine's because we basically had no seasonal left, but a crap ton of mini. Seems like the transition timing should have been flipped, no? That is, set rear the week of 24th and valentine's the 31st?

But what do I know, I'm not the one who wastes company dollars on hundreds of thousands of gingerbread houses that will go salvage...
 
Dysprosed said:
we got Gameday set before Valentine's because we basically had no seasonal left, but a crap ton of mini. Seems like the transition timing should have been flipped, no? That is, set rear the week of 24th and valentine's the 31st?

But what do I know, I'm not the one who wastes company dollars on hundreds of thousands of gingerbread houses that will go salvage...
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We couldn't keep the gingerbread houses on the shelf at all. We still have a decent amount of both though definitely a mess all around for us.
 
Dysprosed said:
we got Gameday set before Valentine's because we basically had no seasonal left, but a crap ton of mini. Seems like the transition timing should have been flipped, no? That is, set rear the week of 24th and valentine's the 31st?

But what do I know, I'm not the one who wastes company dollars on hundreds of thousands of gingerbread houses that will go salvage...
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Making a gingerbread house used to be a special fun. Now it's every holiday. Nothing to look forward to.
 
Interesting, I never saw a single person buy one. Every display we built sat completely full. I sent the following info to HQ:
1703724642937.png

This was a snapshot from December 13th demonstrating just how overstocked we were. And of course still are.

Don't get me wrong. sales were fine. In the week leading up to Xmas, we sold 200, which was around 1.5 times the total amount sold between Thanksgiving and Xmas. But the idea is that we should be as close to zero going into the 26th as possible, right? And yet, we are nowhere close. And it just kept getting pushed. Xmas wrap on the other hand, was spot on. Almost a complete sell thru, but never ran out and still had a good variety to choose from for those last minute shoppers
 
Dysprosed said:
we got Gameday set before Valentine's because we basically had no seasonal left, but a crap ton of mini. Seems like the transition timing should have been flipped, no? That is, set rear the week of 24th and valentine's the 31st?

But what do I know, I'm not the one who wastes company dollars on hundreds of thousands of gingerbread houses that will go salvage...
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Mini is more important tbh. There's not a ton of time to sell Valentines. Game day (in the north) is basically holding for random crap and ODL (in the south) is still early.
 
NCweatherguy said:
Mini is more important tbh. There's not a ton of time to sell Valentines. Game day (in the north) is basically holding for random crap and ODL (in the south) is still early.
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Definitely agree with you, but the amount of Xmas mini was so much that we could either box it all up and take a complete loss on it, or wait for it sell down enough that we could move it to the backwall of where ODL was going to go. Gameday was a cinch because the gondolas were already empty, and we have planned out the gondola moves in advance.
 

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