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

[Barnacle Clip]

the "head honcho" of fixtures (who got to visit during target canada opening up) says that the bullnose shelves are all obsolete, everyone was supposed to swap to regular shelves with the plastic bullnoses. we never got that message. i asked why im still getting the bullnoses sent for my prototype when we add shelves if its obsolete. he doesn't know, but swears you can't order them and i must have been mistaken about getting them (we got in 10 shelves during our last reset). i find a little construction adhesive goes a long way in a non-remodel store that looks like an 80s kmart is trying to take over.

When they expanded one planogram this year they sure as heck sent more bullnose shelves.
In fact, they brought them into.....(calm down, BC....) they brought them into Hair Appliances....with those horrible hard plastic holders that need a mallet....and then shorted us them. Still waiting on the vendor to make good when first batch was bad.

Now I'm a reasonable person. I do love my job despite by no means thinking I'd become a billionaire working for a company like this. Some of the designs on the ISM are fun to look at once completed. Job is certainly not boring.
However, would sorely love to have a two-sided meeting with the ISM people and the state of communications. I mean it's not just in this...look at SAP. Has anyone been able to get to their old TIPP orders? I still have a lot of outstanding vendor orders that now I can't even view because I was too busy (payroll cuts) to go in and print them all out like a mad lunatic before SAP hit.

Why was this information about the shelves not put on Workbench Signing Bulletins?

For that matter, why is Signing (ISM) lumped in with Signing (Promotional...which is confusing enough, btw, considering that promotional used to mean holiday signs and the like) rather than with Presentation/Fixtures? As it is we (me and the PTL) have to look at two different forums, one of which is filled with ad information we really don't deal with.
Not something to make one quit the job...just...this side of aggravating.

I must apologize. I came here to get info and to give info the likes of which have not been able to share since when they used to have a legitimate company 'chat' internet site for signing people. Sure it was closed down because idiots were flooding it with inane commentary, but it was better than Mysupport most of the time. Anyway, I'll try to stay relevant in the future.

 

[dyskrasia]

MySupport ..... *shudder*

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

the "head honcho" of fixtures (who got to visit during target canada opening up) says that the bullnose shelves are all obsolete, everyone was supposed to swap to regular shelves with the plastic bullnoses. we never got that message. i asked why im still getting the bullnoses sent for my prototype when we add shelves if its obsolete. he doesn't know, but swears you can't order them and i must have been mistaken about getting them (we got in 10 shelves during our last reset). i find a little construction adhesive goes a long way in a non-remodel store that looks like an 80s kmart is trying to take over.

When they expanded one planogram this year they sure as heck sent more bullnose shelves.
In fact, they brought them into.....(calm down, BC....) they brought them into Hair Appliances....with those horrible hard plastic holders that need a mallet....and then shorted us them. Still waiting on the vendor to make good when first batch was bad.

Now I'm a reasonable person. I do love my job despite by no means thinking I'd become a billionaire working for a company like this. Some of the designs on the ISM are fun to look at once completed. Job is certainly not boring.
However, would sorely love to have a two-sided meeting with the ISM people and the state of communications. I mean it's not just in this...look at SAP. Has anyone been able to get to their old TIPP orders? I still have a lot of outstanding vendor orders that now I can't even view because I was too busy (payroll cuts) to go in and print them all out like a mad lunatic before SAP hit.

Why was this information about the shelves not put on Workbench Signing Bulletins?

For that matter, why is Signing (ISM) lumped in with Signing (Promotional...which is confusing enough, btw, considering that promotional used to mean holiday signs and the like) rather than with Presentation/Fixtures? As it is we (me and the PTL) have to look at two different forums, one of which is filled with ad information we really don't deal with.
Not something to make one quit the job...just...this side of aggravating.

I must apologize. I came here to get info and to give info the likes of which have not been able to share since when they used to have a legitimate company 'chat' internet site for signing people. Sure it was closed down because idiots were flooding it with inane commentary, but it was better than Mysupport most of the time. Anyway, I'll try to stay relevant in the future.

Does anyone here have the numbers to order the clear signs that go over the 3x5 signs for the displays in small appliances? We are missing a ton of them...

Plastic lip cover. Part #1015372

Here is that part number. Here is the link for reference from our Plano thread:
http://www.thebreakroom.org/showthr...ndy-Plano-thread!/page12?highlight=Appliances

 

[Barnacle Clip]

Plastic lip cover. Part #1015372

Here is that part number. Here is the link for reference from our Plano thread:
http://www.thebreakroom.org/showthr...ndy-Plano-thread!/page12?highlight=Appliances

I practically know that number by heart. We have all the fixtures on hand to redo our appliances...just not the okay (or hours) to do so.

Me sending inquiries to MySupport: :gamer2:
Me a few days later receiving a response from NoSupport: :gamer3:

The worst is when they respond asking for a part # "in order to help you" which is the very reason you contacted them for...the part number. Then there are the times they let the time limit run out without giving any kind of useful answer. Then the times you can't seem to find the right form to use because the right form simply does not exist. Or demands a planogram number which the the sign or fixture is not a part of (like CSE wall signs) because they think that every sign is either part of a planogram or an Entrance overhead. I hate that.
Though every now and then I do get someone who goes out of their way to help. Then I give them kudos with that survey. Not sure what good that does them. Maybe it's like those Great Team card things that help fill our garbage dumps.

SAP: huge disappointment. I honestly hoped that since they slew TIPP that it would be replaced with an ordering catalog arranged like merchandise in a store. Like if you needed those plastic covers you could search SAP>Housewares>Signing> (Pegged) or (Shelf) or (Other) and it would make sense and be easy to find.

God, I was such the optimist.
Or just going brain dead. :fool:

I wish they would have an Idea Box. Even if we didn't get credit, if a good idea got used it would benefit everyone in the brick & mortar side of the company.

 

[commiecorvus]

I practically know that number by heart. We have all the fixtures on hand to redo our appliances...just not the okay (or hours) to do so.

One of my favorite parts of the job.
Finding out that something had gone horribly wrong with a set, ordering the parts needed to fix it all the while knowing that they were going to sit on the shelf in the fixture room because the hours wouldn't be there to do the work.

 

[Barnacle Clip]

I practically know that number by heart. We have all the fixtures on hand to redo our appliances...just not the okay (or hours) to do so.

One of my favorite parts of the job.
Finding out that something had gone horribly wrong with a set, ordering the parts needed to fix it all the while knowing that they were going to sit on the shelf in the fixture room because the hours wouldn't be there to do the work.

The cousins to that:
1.ordering a part for someone else who begged you for it only to have it sit for months because they don't have time for it.

2. H.Q. sending a part after the Transition was set and it is a part that necessitates tearing down part of the planogram....which guess who gets to do with no extra hours because Presentation is busy and doesn't have any hours to spare. (Which is doubly horrible because I love getting hands on with displays and fixtures because..curiosity and all, but don't like the choice of doing it all on the little Signing time or having the transition storage area rapidly fill up and overflow?

3. ordering a part from a vendor and then wondering if you'll get it ten days from then or ten years from then. I've yet to figure out the twisted minds who invented SAP so can't find the info on how to contact a vendor to see if it is on backorder. (Would be wonderful if the vendor would contact us when things go on backorder, you know? I've often wondered if the rest of the vendor/manufacturing business world is this lazy/inconsiderate about backorder info. When I order something online, dang well expect to be notified if there is going to be a delay without my having to go and email or phone them.)

4. Team members asking every day if the dingadalookie has come in yet when I'd explained about #3 and told them I'd give them a heads up when it came in....like I'd want their stuff sitting on my transition space a minute longer than necessary with weekly trucks and late arrivals coming in. :dash2:

 

[TargetOldTimer]

What I wouldn't give for a place to click that would list & combine all the items (whether I ordered it or not) my store has on order and on backorder!

Seems like such a simple thing in this day and age.

 

[dek067]

question about sl bars.... we have the curved shoulder hang bars, then the flat bars. then we have funky bars that come out a few inches from the wall but arent curved shoulder hangs. they're more like the flat bars on steroids that stick out 4-6 inches. i dont have a part #, but does anyone know what they're for? i'm thinking we may have used them on the belt pogs to 2 tier them out in accessories. for some reason, we've got a million of them, and they're just sitting there, annoying me. i chunked another 5 vehicles out of the fixture room thursday.
also, jewelry fixtures... do you guys store them in the boat (if frosted)? i tried setting some jewelry pogs and about screamed because of the shape of our jewelry boat. took me 20 minutes just to find the right fixtures. they're everywhere.
yes, i'm declaring war on softlines this year. their etl is so stubborn she doesn't let anyone into their processes and does everything herself. she still has xmas signing from 2 years ago sitting around. this week, every time i get done early, i'm gonna thrown something away from softlines.

 

[ISM Master]

Sounds like the bars used for belts and also for scarves to make them two tiered. Softlines are always the worst. They like to leave their fixtures eveywhere. Every week it seems like there is another tub of softline shelves.

 

[greydot]

man, i could really quote every post here since my last one. i will try to be more succinct.

bullnose shelves: hate them. they should be obsolete but we all know they are not. they still send them, you can still order them, and everytime i tried to order the old hard plastic lip they just sent rolls of the acetate covers instead. they are terrible, heavy, and just need to go.

the hard plastic lip bullnose - i remember the last time we went around about these on here. im envious of TGT still having hers. my store had them but they were all such a putrid shade of yellow they had to go. i worked my then HLETL to try and get some more even calling other stores, mysupporting, and consulting with corp ISM who was in the building for a remodel. all to no avail. we ordered from the part number right on them and we got the rolls of acetate. moving onto the shelves with the plastic bullnoses has been a million times better. got metal wingnuts and bolts to put them in (i tried to make sure they were rounded on the bolt side - no phillips X to draw attention to idle hands), and they looks really good. here's hoping that they don't discontinue the plastic bullnose now, since they've removed them from domestics and toys for us, so who knows.

i think corp ISM is so disjointed because i think they kind of like arms of an octopus without a head to sort it all out. i get this usually out of MySupports or emails that have been sent from India back to Minnesota for clarification. everyone identifies themselves by what division of ISM they are in; buyer, seasonal, domestics, etc. not to mention in the photo packets you can see in the pictures that some are coming from their 'dummy store' where you see multiple ISM sets set over each other, or if they might be directly from a vendor. they don't have an ISM implementation division. which would help. i know they sometimes try and gather info from things that are highly mysupported, or from the surveys they send out, but what they have doesn't quite cut it. i know we used to have a BP or someone from electronics alone and this person would come every so often and they would know literally everything from signing to product to part numbers, displays, fixtures, you name it. we need that for ISM. i won't hold my breath since that person and their position were eliminated a few years back.

mysupport. i fill out the survey every single time. i find that i get a better response that way. especially if i give genuine feedback in the comment (they HAVE to respond to a No You Did Not Answer My Question response) to get to the right answer, or thank them for a good one, and always score them well for helpful and timely answers. it's going to sound stupid but i always write please and thank you and write very politely and i feel like i get a much better response than most in my store who just send one word questions or poorly worded or spelled supports. i get that mysupport isn't the most helpful, but i do see that i have the same people tending to answer my questions and even if it is just a figment of my imagination it seems like it has helped.

One of my favorite parts of the job.
Finding out that something had gone horribly wrong with a set, ordering the parts needed to fix it all the while knowing that they were going to sit on the shelf in the fixture room because the hours wouldn't be there to do the work.

2. H.Q. sending a part after the Transition was set and it is a part that necessitates tearing down part of the planogram....which guess who gets to do with no extra hours because Presentation is busy and doesn't have any hours to spare. (Which is doubly horrible because I love getting hands on with displays and fixtures because..curiosity and all, but don't like the choice of doing it all on the little Signing time or having the transition storage area rapidly fill up and overflow?

ugh, this! this is the main reason for disorder in the fixture room or my signing area. they want it all ordered RIGHT NOW, but they won't put it up until it resets so i get stuck holding the bag almost literally time and again. i have yet to have an ETL understand this. either plan to get them put out, or hold off. i certainly can't reset all these sets by myself even though i know you think i can.

 

[TargetOldTimer]

Sounds like the young mens wall bars. I got tons extra and no one could tell me where else they would be used, so after a year of putting up with them, they went on a sweep trailer.................

 

[TargetOldTimer]

question about sl bars.... we have the curved shoulder hang bars, then the flat bars. then we have funky bars that come out a few inches from the wall but arent curved shoulder hangs. they're more like the flat bars on steroids that stick out 4-6 inches. i dont have a part #, but does anyone know what they're for? i'm thinking we may have used them on the belt pogs to 2 tier them out in accessories. for some reason, we've got a million of them, and they're just sitting there, annoying me.

Sounds like the young mens wall bars? I got tons extra and no one could tell me where else they would be used, so after a year of putting up with them, they went on a sweep trailer.................

 

[greydot]

question about sl bars.... we have the curved shoulder hang bars, then the flat bars. then we have funky bars that come out a few inches from the wall but arent curved shoulder hangs. they're more like the flat bars on steroids that stick out 4-6 inches. i dont have a part #, but does anyone know what they're for? i'm thinking we may have used them on the belt pogs to 2 tier them out in accessories. for some reason, we've got a million of them, and they're just sitting there, annoying me. i chunked another 5 vehicles out of the fixture room thursday.
also, jewelry fixtures... do you guys store them in the boat (if frosted)? i tried setting some jewelry pogs and about screamed because of the shape of our jewelry boat. took me 20 minutes just to find the right fixtures. they're everywhere.
yes, i'm declaring war on softlines this year. their etl is so stubborn she doesn't let anyone into their processes and does everything herself. she still has xmas signing from 2 years ago sitting around. this week, every time i get done early, i'm gonna thrown something away from softlines.

yes - belts and accessories. also - if you have a lot of them and they are 4ft they might be from the Men's Active reinvention. they sent them AFTER the set and go inside the boutique valances that got built around them.

our jewelry fixtures all lived at the boat. quite happily i might add. i never had to worry about them. THEN all of a sudden we get a new SLETL who thinks there should be NOTHING at the jewelry boat. not jewelry fixtures, no stock, no nothing. so that all just got dumped into the fixture room. curiously though i know if i went through the drawers and cabinets over there i am sure it would all be filled with SOMETHING as they can't keep anything clean. i will put money right now on finding literally trash in it. old signs, receipts, etc.

i tried to kick softlines out of our fixture room before because they so egregiously destroy it on a regular basis. we got them into another stockroom which they also destroyed. they are not destroying that room, are back into destroying the fixture room, and now also part of the backroom. it is clear where the problem is and they just don't care.

oh and also no softlines specific fixtures in the fitting room either. so that is a room full of trash as well. they actually tried to make shoeboxes and rewrap be in the fixture room. you have got to be kidding me. no shame over there.

 

[Barnacle Clip]

Wow...reads like we are all pretty much in the same position facing the same opportunities. (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

I am thankful for one huge blessing.

When I started Signing they wanted all work areas to be organized per what guidelines H.Q. were dug up at the time so I entered the room... with absolutely no space designated for Salesplan headers or Department signs or sign holders. If it wasn't AD related or a merchandise fixture, they said it was not to be stored at all, I was just to order new pieces as I needed them.

Being familiar with salesfloor I near laughed myself silly in the restroom before seeking out the PTL and explaining to him just why that was idiotic. Fortunately, he agreed and backed me up with the ETL and STL.

Yes, definitely agree that they Signing is rather an afterthought. They can come up with planogram fixtures that do not allow for a sale sign. Is that not evidence enough?

Also add to wish list a real, live, Fixture Parts catalog for when the computers are slower than a dead tortoise.

 

[Barnacle Clip]

On those hard plastics. It may not be there anymore, but if you can still go back to the last Hair Appliance set time one of the Workbench Bulletin boards had a message with the part number....the message that said they shorted some stores and that we had to order our own.

But like I said....still waiting for my order to magically appear from back then.

 

[TargetOldTimer]

Last time we set hair appliances, ISM sent a box of that darn clear overlay. Every single piece disappeared over the very next weekend.

 

[Barnacle Clip]

Last time we set hair appliances, ISM sent a box of that darn clear overlay. Every single piece disappeared over the very next weekend.

(sorry about that...child crisis in progress) Check Workbench Fixtures Bulletin. Do a search (ctrl F-key) for EARLY NOTES. Should be Beauty around end of February or very early March. I believe the part number was mentioned in there. They did send out the soft plastic covers as a mistake. Think that was also noted in a bulletin.

There's another gripe. Too many places to have to search in for notices. Why can't it all be in one place?

 

[Barnacle Clip]

On the off chance that someone with power is actually reading this:

Supply Ordering for Planograms/Salesplanner areas.

Tie in all current and upcoming planograms, revisions, salesplans, and so forth to the catalog. The computer should automatically create and delete fixtures, signing, and displays that exist based on the planogram. So if planogram A123TGT comes into being and calls for display PX3210, then PX3210 should come into being on the catalog. If later on a revision deletes PX3210 then it should be deleted from the catalog as well--as long as it doesn't also belong to another current salesplan or other planogram. Surely that can be done?
This type of computer software should already be in existence I'd conjecture based on other PDA programs that track merchandise. Just tweak it.

For things not listed on planograms: List them by department, various departments, place. Gondola? Divide by subs of Lozier and Streater and then clearly list all the different parts than can be ordered. Preferably with pictures or diagrams.

Also a program that lists where PX3012 can be found. I hate trying to find something marked with a DPCI of 4900401xxxx, but at least it has a scan code. Some things don't have scan codes. You don't know how many times I looked at a stray part that someone left in the Fixture Room and scratched my head wondering what it was and what part of the store I would find it at or would have found it at once upon a time.

 

[commiecorvus]

I also love the fixtures that come in two parts with descriptions that don't give you a clue and packing slips with no name on them.
You get the first part a couple of weeks before the second and it makes absolutely no sense until the other piece shows up but by then first piece has vanished.

 

[TargetOldTimer]

The parts are coming from soo many places and gathered together who knows where before being sent to us, its no wonder we have so many problems keeping track of them.

Barnacle, do you remember "Skunk Hollow"?

 

[Barnacle Clip]

The parts are coming from soo many places and gathered together who knows where before being sent to us, its no wonder we have so many problems keeping track of them.

Barnacle, do you remember "Skunk Hollow"?

I'm trying not to. :lazy: BC is trying to save sanity here. Have also happily forgotten how to operate an old-style phone operator board.

 

[dyskrasia]

The worst is when they respond asking for a part # "in order to help you" which is the very reason you contacted them for...the part number. Then there are the times they let the time limit run out without giving any kind of useful answer. Then the times you can't seem to find the right form to use because the right form simply does not exist. Or demands a planogram number which the the sign or fixture is not a part of (like CSE wall signs) because they think that every sign is either part of a planogram or an Entrance overhead. I hate that.
Though every now and then I do get someone who goes out of their way to help. Then I give them kudos with that survey. Not sure what good that does them. Maybe it's like those Great Team card things that help fill our garbage dumps.

SAP: huge disappointment. I honestly hoped that since they slew TIPP that it would be replaced with an ordering catalog arranged like merchandise in a store. Like if you needed those plastic covers you could search SAP>Housewares>Signing> (Pegged) or (Shelf) or (Other) and it would make sense and be easy to find.

God, I was such the optimist.
Or just going brain dead. :fool:

I wish they would have an Idea Box. Even if we didn't get credit, if a good idea got used it would benefit everyone in the brick & mortar side of the company.

I get so frustrated when MySupport responds back with a question you've already answered with the initial ticket. If they would just read, less time would be wasted!

Don't get me started on SAP. The fact that I have to click 4 links before I can even order is bad enough.

 

[commiecorvus]

our jewelry fixtures all lived at the boat. quite happily i might add. i never had to worry about them. THEN all of a sudden we get a new SLETL who thinks there should be NOTHING at the jewelry boat. not jewelry fixtures, no stock, no nothing. so that all just got dumped into the fixture room. curiously though i know if i went through the drawers and cabinets over there i am sure it would all be filled with SOMETHING as they can't keep anything clean. i will put money right now on finding literally trash in it. old signs, receipts, etc.

i tried to kick softlines out of our fixture room before because they so egregiously destroy it on a regular basis. we got them into another stockroom which they also destroyed. they are not destroying that room, are back into destroying the fixture room, and now also part of the backroom. it is clear where the problem is and they just don't care.

oh and also no softlines specific fixtures in the fitting room either. so that is a room full of trash as well. they actually tried to make shoeboxes and rewrap be in the fixture room. you have got to be kidding me. no shame over there.

Sounds a lot like our store.
Having the jewelry fixtures dumped with no warning or a suggestion of where to put them.
Softlines cleaning out the little fixture/signing closet they have by the fitting rooms and dumping everything in the fixture room.
Again with softlines dropping off racks and shelves with no regard for where they go.
I broke a 4-way in half with the crown one time trying to put a pallet for an electronics set away, whoops.
And they never put things in the right bins.
Seriously how hard is it to look at a picture or notice that you are dropping your stuff in a bin of stuff that looks nothing like what's in your hands.
But really really softlines a pikers compared to ETLs for making a mess out of the fixture room.
Nobody else is more likely to do a dump and run as they are.

 

[TargetOldTimer]

Has anyone figured out how to look at past orders on SAP? I'm clueless.

Only thing I like so far about SAP is the search engine, and how I can check off several items in a group and then order all at once.



i dunno Barnacle...I think the old switchboard is an improvement over what we have now....which is nothing. We keep the phones on Overnight (BONG! BONG! all dam day long) and a tm somewhere on the floor has the handset to answer the phone.....

 

[dyskrasia]

Has anyone figured out how to look at past orders on SAP? I'm clueless.

Yes, actually.
Select the Home tab.
In the table below select tracking.

There will be the list of all your orders by cart number.
Select and copy the cart number. (#1000xxxxxx)

Select the Shop tab.
Click the Advanced Search link.
Paste your number into the number box, make sure the search for is selected for Shopping Cart and search.

Completely complicated for no reason. Haha