A while back I up and freaked about Black Friday.
And (true to form) I didn't say a dang thing about it on here.
Shame on me.
So, Black Friday?
Black Friday was good. Great, even.
I arrived at my mall at 3 am - I wasn't scheduled until 4, so I was pretty early - but I had to unload a cooler of soda out of my car and get ready... so it was good. But I was freaking exhausted.
Anyway, unfortunately for me, 4 or 5 stores in my mall opened at midnight. Old Navy, American Eagle, and Aeropostale, I think.
Therefore, as soon as I walked in my door, people were banging on my front door. On my windows. Demanding when I was going to let them in.
Umm, in two hours when I open like the damn sign says I do. Back the eff off, thanks. I'm crabby.
I got all ready and one of my more seasoned associates happened to be unable to sleep so she joined me around 3:45.
So we got ready and around 4 different associates showed up to shop. We basically have to shop before open or shortly thereafter because the line gets so out of control that you really can't move in the store. So shop we did.
I was ringing up girls left and right and soon enough it was 5 am... but where were the rest of my associates? They were instructed to arrive no later than 15 minutes before their shifts began. Which was 15 minutes ago.
I opened my gate (to an actual stampede of people! ok, so it was more like a small rush.. but wow, for the kind of store I run... wow.) and in the people came.
I got my late-comers into position at the cash register and such... and we were off to the races!
It ended up that about 3 or 4 girls didn't show up - I guess that was their 2 weeks notice? Not. Bye bye!
I stayed until around 3 pm, even though I officially clocked out at noon. It was just exciting and high-energy so I was having a blast.
My store did really well, considering that most of my staff is new and had really no idea what to expect. We only had 2 meltdowns - and it was two girls working their first shift. Neither of them has quit so far, though.
So this was the most boring post ever... but I thought some of you'd appreciate the update.
So: Black Friday. Superbowl Day of Retail. Honest review: not so bad. Would I want to do it again next year? The jury's still out.
Happy Thursday!
And (true to form) I didn't say a dang thing about it on here.
Shame on me.
So, Black Friday?
Black Friday was good. Great, even.
I arrived at my mall at 3 am - I wasn't scheduled until 4, so I was pretty early - but I had to unload a cooler of soda out of my car and get ready... so it was good. But I was freaking exhausted.
Anyway, unfortunately for me, 4 or 5 stores in my mall opened at midnight. Old Navy, American Eagle, and Aeropostale, I think.
Therefore, as soon as I walked in my door, people were banging on my front door. On my windows. Demanding when I was going to let them in.
Umm, in two hours when I open like the damn sign says I do. Back the eff off, thanks. I'm crabby.
I got all ready and one of my more seasoned associates happened to be unable to sleep so she joined me around 3:45.
So we got ready and around 4 different associates showed up to shop. We basically have to shop before open or shortly thereafter because the line gets so out of control that you really can't move in the store. So shop we did.
I was ringing up girls left and right and soon enough it was 5 am... but where were the rest of my associates? They were instructed to arrive no later than 15 minutes before their shifts began. Which was 15 minutes ago.
I opened my gate (to an actual stampede of people! ok, so it was more like a small rush.. but wow, for the kind of store I run... wow.) and in the people came.
I got my late-comers into position at the cash register and such... and we were off to the races!
It ended up that about 3 or 4 girls didn't show up - I guess that was their 2 weeks notice? Not. Bye bye!
I stayed until around 3 pm, even though I officially clocked out at noon. It was just exciting and high-energy so I was having a blast.
My store did really well, considering that most of my staff is new and had really no idea what to expect. We only had 2 meltdowns - and it was two girls working their first shift. Neither of them has quit so far, though.
So this was the most boring post ever... but I thought some of you'd appreciate the update.
So: Black Friday. Superbowl Day of Retail. Honest review: not so bad. Would I want to do it again next year? The jury's still out.
Happy Thursday!
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12 Classy Comments:
interesting to hear it from the inside looking out
One of my good friends works retail too, and I do not know how she does it. Y'all are champs for working that early (and with those crowds)!
Glad to hear it wasn't a bad experience! Seems like besides being stressful it might be kind of exciting in an adrenaline-pumping kind of way!
I worked retail for years starting in college (associate, SM, GM, and District Manager) for 3 different sores, and reading this totally made me relive it. I used to LOVE Black Friday (except the 3am thing) because of the energy and everything going on. And I know what you mean about people slamming on the windows, that was a frickin nightmare.
The energy of Black Friday is def. different. I usually enjoy it for the first couple of hours (unless someone gets angry with me because we are out of something) but at some point I hit a wall and get tired and cranky. There's no way I would be up that early on Black Friday if I didn't have to work.
oh LORD. i was black friday working at my retail job, too. we had to open at 5 a.m., and had not a single customer until 5:45m, which in retail world is a LONG TIME!
i'm glad to hear you held your ground against the neanderthals outside your window!
My Black Friday shifts were always really exciting! Glad that it was better than you expected, and sounds like you did very well -- despite the chicks who bailed on their shifts. On Black Friday? Really?
My store opened at midnight... it's the 4th year in a row our mall opened at midnight for Black Friday and it was even crazier than ever. 37,000 people were in the mall. NUTS! This is my last holiday for retail though, I'm hanging up my keys. ;)
I do not envy you! I could not work retail on black Friday, heck, I don't even shop on black Friday, because no deal is worth getting up that early and fighting people.. I would rather pay full price! :)
Oh I can imagine that was frustrating with the no shows. I'm glad it went well though.
You're a total champ for working Black Friday!
Wahoo!!!! Good for you for surviving Black Friday. Sometimes days that are that busy are the best because time just flies. Hope you aren't TOO swamped this season, though.
Whitney
a toast.
www.whittheheck.blogspot.com
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