Archived Zoning?

[wikiwkik]

Pretty new to target, a tm told me that one of the TL's asked them to retrain me on zoning, which makes me wonder what was wrong with my zone. I was in charge of zoning pets and papers, and I thought I did a decent job, but I guess not?

What is the general rule for zoning large items and those small food cans/food packets for pets? Do you stack them as high as possible? Do you pull each individual kleenex box up even though theres like hundreds of kleenex boxes? What about when items just dont want to stand up on their own like the packs of disposable plates that seem to fall down no matter what you do.

I've literally only gotten complaints about my zoning at pets and papers, so I'm guessing it's just that I'm not understanding the "guidelines" for a proper "zone" in this area. I've gotten praise on my zoning in seasonal/back to school though so...

Also, in other areas like toys or back-to-school, is it normal to "hide items" behind other items as long as things look neat? That's sort of what I've been learning as I see other people zone. I like to make sure things belong in the right location, but more often than not I just notice when other people zone they just throw things in places as long as they have the same dimensions, so boxes with boxes, backpacks with backpacks, soccerballs with basketballs and volleyballs, etc etc..

 

[glo]

You're probably taking too long to zone. Paper/Pets is a pretty small area, and if it took you an entire shift to get through just those, I'd have you retrained as well.

You don't need to pull each individual item on each facing forward. Just a few, so that if a guest grabs that front facing, there's still one or two to keep it looking decent. The goal, on top of making the area look good, is to get it straightened up for flow to come in and fill those items to capacity. If they don't need to second guess where an item goes, or fix it so that it's in the correct space, they operate much faster.

Typically, I ask my TMs to zone an entire block or two depending on how difficult (how many individual items) there are. One person in Chem/Pets/HBA/Cosmetics, another in Stationary/Party/Appliances/Kitchenware, another in Domestics/Decor, and one or two (depending on staffing) in Toys/Electronics/Sporting Goods/Seasonal/Infant Hardlines.

 

[HRZone]

Where you need to focus on in paper is lunch bags/garbage bags. Doesnt take long for them to become trashed

 

[StockerAce]

I just notice when other people zone they just throw things in places as long as they have the same dimensions, so boxes with boxes, backpacks with backpacks, soccerballs with basketballs and volleyballs, etc etc..

Please don't do that. It takes us on flow longer to fill shelves when we have to spend time moving product back to where it belongs. The absolute worst is putting a product in an empty shelf space when it doesn't belong there (not flex filling or PMT) just to fill an empty space. Then when I have to fill that spot with the actual product and don't have a pick label (because it's from a repack) it takes me longer to locate where it goes. Then when I do find where it goes, I have to move the product that doesn't belong there, to it's proper location.

 

[buliSBI]

Reshop as you zone.
Bring forward all or as much as you can to the front diamonds.
Make sure locations are to planogram.
If an item is out of place, find the location for it.
Never overfill.

Check with your TL about large paper products. Some like all items brought forward. Others like a staggered wall.

 

[wikiwkik]

You're probably taking too long to zone. Paper/Pets is a pretty small area, and if it took you an entire shift to get through just those, I'd have you retrained as well.

You don't need to pull each individual item on each facing forward. Just a few, so that if a guest grabs that front facing, there's still one or two to keep it looking decent. The goal, on top of making the area look good, is to get it straightened up for flow to come in and fill those items to capacity. If they don't need to second guess where an item goes, or fix it so that it's in the correct space, they operate much faster.

Typically, I ask my TMs to zone an entire block or two depending on how difficult (how many individual items) there are. One person in Chem/Pets/HBA/Cosmetics, another in Stationary/Party/Appliances/Kitchenware, another in Domestics/Decor, and one or two (depending on staffing) in Toys/Electronics/Sporting Goods/Seasonal/Infant Hardlines.

Well, no.. I only took like an hour and a half to zone it.

 

[sito]

you should ask the TM or even the TL on how you can improve your zone in pets and sports.

generally you pull one or two rows up and face everything forward so brands and stuff should always be facing out.

 

[Planosss]

Pretty new to target, a tm told me that one of the TL's asked them to retrain me on zoning, which makes me wonder what was wrong with my zone. I was in charge of zoning pets and papers, and I thought I did a decent job, but I guess not?

What is the general rule for zoning large items and those small food cans/food packets for pets? Do you stack them as high as possible? Do you pull each individual kleenex box up even though theres like hundreds of kleenex boxes? What about when items just dont want to stand up on their own like the packs of disposable plates that seem to fall down no matter what you do.

I've literally only gotten complaints about my zoning at pets and papers, so I'm guessing it's just that I'm not understanding the "guidelines" for a proper "zone" in this area. I've gotten praise on my zoning in seasonal/back to school though so...

Also, in other areas like toys or back-to-school, is it normal to "hide items" behind other items as long as things look neat? That's sort of what I've been learning as I see other people zone. I like to make sure things belong in the right location, but more often than not I just notice when other people zone they just throw things in places as long as they have the same dimensions, so boxes with boxes, backpacks with backpacks, soccerballs with basketballs and volleyballs, etc etc..

Zoning:- you put things in a neat fashion ,straight, merchandise orientated,covering diamonds on the shelf, moving product on pegs to the front, making sure that if an item calls for 2 facings ,has 2 facing not 3 ,4 or 1.generally trying to put things back where they belong in that aisle, decontaminating the aisle removing "other worlds "( items that do not belong in that aisle )that are left behind either by guests or people who seem to be training you. Grab a shopping cart , you will need it to put in it items that don't belong in the aisle you are zoning.
If zoning is done correctly, consistently,it shouldn't take you that long, but that's never the case.
You will see "over push" the flow team fucking up AS ALWAYS and putting out more merchandise than what fits on your the shelf/pegs. They do this so they don't have to back stock. If I see over push I take it off the shelve and leave in the back room with a sign "BACK STOCK". Hopefully with end to end we don't have to deal with flow assholes.
Now all stores are not the same (ASANTS) . Depending on the culture in your store , just making things look "ok "might be enough. Just make em look straight doesn't matter if an item belongs there . In that case an aisle should take you 10 minutes to zone.
Most TLs/ETLs don't even bother going in to the aisles. They care about the end caps ONLY.
In short try to do the right thing. When you do the right thing you can point to it and be proud of it. Ask for feedback on your zoning from your trainer.
Best of luck.

 

[jenna]

Also, keep an eye on double, triple (etc) exposed product. That means one item can have numerous locations.... all locations should contain some product (no empty spots.) ie Mouthwash is often on 2-3 shelves, Laundry soap can be on two different shelves and/or endcaps, Toys can have multiple pegs of the same product, even in 2 different 4' sections.

Zoning is putting things where they belong. aka Don't hide stuff behind other items just to make the aisle look "neat."

 

[StockerAce]

Well, no.. I only took like an hour and a half to zone it.

If you were working overnights, that would be wayyyy to long. Depends on the size of your store, but I work in a Super and that is still far too long for just pets and paper.

 

[jenna]

uh. at my store, the zone is usually terrible in just the Kleenex aisle. it takes me awhile to zone Paper and Pets.... all the teeny cans of cat food...

 

[wikiwkik]

uh. at my store, the zone is usually terrible in just the Kleenex aisle. it takes me awhile to zone Paper and Pets.... all the teeny cans of cat food...

This. Theres hundreds of kleenex boxes and little tin foil packs, and since it's close to the registers I'm high priority for backup. I work mid-day / closing shifts.

Question about empty spots, I thought I'm supposed to just leave them empty for flow to come restock or for next day CAFs?

 

[glo]

This. Theres hundreds of kleenex boxes and little tin foil packs, and since it's close to the registers I'm high priority for backup. I work mid-day / closing shifts.

Question about empty spots, I thought I'm supposed to just leave them empty for flow to come restock or for next day CAFs?

Yes. Flexing should only be happening when an aisle is MPG. Let the Team Lead for the department flex if it needs to happen.

 

[wikiwkik]

Yes. Flexing should only be happening when an aisle is MPG. Let the Team Lead for the department flex if it needs to happen.

Sorry if it's a stupid question, do I backstock discontinued items that have a price? What do I do with $0.00 clearance items an discontinued items with no location? Backstock?

 

[jenna]

$0.00 goes to Guest Service to be sorted via the register. GS scans the product to be sorted, and it " should" print out a missed salvage sticker. Or you can give the product to a pricing team member, if someone is working during your shift. My store donates Missed Salvage pet food.

Items go clearance for a period of time, and then go "Salvage" if the item doesn't sell. Your price accuracy team scans each department 1x a week. When pricing goes through the area and scan product with a PDA or MyDevice or Zebra, prices are changed. The price goes to 0.00 when the item is salvaged.... at which point the product is removed from the floor, taken from Inventory and usually placed in a box in receiving to be distributed to the correct place...

The item must be scanned out...

 

[jenna]

Ideally discontinued items stay zoned on the sales floor near something similar or as close as possible to it's home location on the floor. i.e. Dcode cat food should not be in the dog food aisle.

You want to try to keep Dcode (discontinued) product on the sales floor. Dcode product usually means it is going clearance soon (but that is not true 100% of the time.)

 

[jenna]

PTM = Pre Transition Merchandising.... means the department is in transition, and Discontinued product is pulled from the stockroom to be worked into the aisle, near similar product. The idea is to get the product out of the back room before it goes clearance.

Pets is probably PTM at this point = products are being clearanced out to make room for new items. At some point, the aisles will be reset with new items, and the clearance will be pulled out of the aisles to make room for new product.