Retail, The Day After..........

naughtoj

naughtoj

Cathlete
............Thanksgiving!!! Arrgghhh!!

I just got a second job at a hugely popular retail store and I am scheduled for my first shift tonight, the Day After Thankgiving. I am dreading it! Well, if I can survive tonight it will all be cake from there, right? LOL! What a time to start a second job!Wish me luck! Anyone else out there have to bear the retail industry at X-mas??????:):):) If this doesn't drive me to the edge of sanity, I don't know what will, LOL!!

Edited to add: This store opens at 5:30 AM and closes at midnight the day after turkey day. They told us people would be waiting outside at 4:30 and that atleast 150 people would rush the doors on opening.

Now, admit it. How many of you are crazy enough to do that? For me, I would rather die in a horrible fire than shop the day after Thanksgiving. I just lay around at home and watch the tube.......
 
Hi Janice,

I also stay home the day after Thanksgiving. I can't stand the chaos and it is hard to concentrate when there are 50 million people around you. I can't stand the thought of it to save a couple bucks.

Maybe I feel that way because I have small kids and my dh works on Friday. It would be even more torture if I brought them along.:)

I know people that get together and it is a tradition which is very nice but it's just not my cup of tea.

Lori
 
They would have to be giving stuff away for FREE before I would be out shopping the day after Thanksgiving. I did work retail one year during the holiday season. It is crazy but can actually be kind of fun if you keep a good attitude. You will meet all kinds of people/customers...some will make you laugh, some will be very business like, some will be grouchy and impossible to please no matter what you do. I tried to be really up and happy no matter what. It made the funny people funnier, the business like people at least gave me a smile, and the grouchy people...well it was just funny to see them be so grouchy over such minor incidents and it made them grouchier if I remained a little "too" happy...tee hee. Good luck!
Angela:7
 
They would have to pay me to do it. I'd say, if someone gave me $200, I would go out in it for 4 hrs tops. Otherwise, there is no way in hell I ever go out on Black Friday. Nowhere.

I went running in Duke Forest, but that doesn't count.
 
Nope I'm staying home!!!

Briee

(Janice the email I have for you has not worked. At some point I'll have to get it from you again!! So sorry!!)
 
No way would I shop on the day after Thanksgiving. I get all my shopping done before Thanksgiving because I hate crowds. I get really b*tchy when there's too many people around. I'm an introvert.
 
I don't usually shop that day but I did this time. I had some great coupons from The Limited that were too good to pass up. They opened at 7:00 a.m. and they had their $40 bow sweaters on sale for only $10 each until 11:00 a.m.

I also got 6 FREE Mohair sweaters and 5 pairs of corduroys for $10 each. Since The Limited is one of my favorite stores ever, I couldn't pass it up. It wasn't bad at all. I got to the mall at 7:00 and the crowds weren't too crazy yet. I was just tired. I took a good nap when I got home.

:)
 
You are insane, Dani!!

Well, I couldn't have worked a better shift! Actually, I was really suprised at how clean the place was. I mean, it WAS a mess, but not like what I had been imagining. I guess that is because they have people working the floor all the time. The last retail job I had, the cashiers "picked up" after all the mayhem was over. What a mess!! LOL!


On the down side, the actual job was mind-numbingly, incredibly, BORING. Pretty much just folding and putting back merchandise. Mostly, you work alone so time can tick-tick away. Lastnight was my first night. I THOUGHT I got off at 11:30. When I got home, hubby asked if I had quit already cuz the schedule on the fridge said midnight. HA!! We were both ROTFL!! It was an honest mistake on my part, hopefully no one will notice. It was just so ironic in that I did not want to go to work and because it was my first day! This job is just temporary so you never know what they will do or what I will end up doing as far as staying or leaving.

I work again Sunday. They said this weekend is like a normal weekend. Black Friday they do four times the sales of any given Saturday. They were saying on the news that the sales generated by stores on Black Friday is the sole determinant of whether that retail store ends up positive or negative for the YEAR. THAT is pretty amazing. I am just glad I did not work 9-5 yesterday!!


I hope those of you that went out got good bargains and I hope those of you that stayed home laughed about it all!!
 
> I THOUGHT I
>got off at 11:30. When I got home, hubby asked if I had quit
>already cuz the schedule on the fridge said midnight. HA!! We
>were both ROTFL!! It was an honest mistake on my part,
>hopefully no one will notice. It was just so ironic in that I
>did not want to go to work and because it was my first day!


That is too funny Janice! I hope no one noticed. :p
 
I was watching BBC America news last night and they had a newstory on us Americans shopping the day after Thanksgiving. We weren't potrayed in a kind light. One camera was on Walmart and when they opened the doors and it was a literal stampede. One lady fell down and people were running around her, and jumping over her. Another camera was in a mall and it showed crowds running. Then they had this American economist on who said that Americans are saving less and spending more than ever. He said Americans save at 1%. He said it was going to be a huge mess when nobody has any money saved for retirement.

I like to shop just as much as the next person. But why are we so materialistic?? I know we have to keep the economy going, etc. but it's crazy sometimes. I am guilty of getting caught up in the hype. Thankfully my dh is smart with money. He does not like to charge at all. It was painful telling him I ordered the HC series. He wants me to buy it in a store so I can pay cash, unfortunately that is not an option.

Lori
 
Lori,
It sounds like your husband is a lot like my husband. We really balance each other out a lot. The only thing we charge are things like Cathe's workouts and other items we need via the internet. We don't buy it unless we can pay that bill off. I help him have a little fun and he helps me realize when we're about to have "too much fun" as in it won't be so fun when that bill comes in honey...tee hee!
Angela:7
 
To be fair, I know alot of people that say they shopped on Black Friday because it is a "nice tradition". I think people just tend to go with the flow, kinda like how EVERYBODY has to have turkey on T-day. Now, everybody has to shop on Black Friday. Coming from a person that grew up with barely any family traditions, I just find it all sort of perplexing. Maybe I am a scrooge, dunno.:)
 
Oh, it was funny too.......this is a temporary, part time seasonal job and all I heard from all my coworkers is what they couldn't wait to buy now that they had their 15% off employee discount. The retailer bragged about how they hire people and then just get their money back when they buy things.

NO WAY, NOT ME....I VOW not to put my money back in that store, so help me you-know-who! I feel like a dieter working in a Krispy Kreme store. Why couldn't I have just gotten a receptionist job in the evening or something? I already saw about 20 outfits that I would love to get....I will be strong!!!:)
 
I was so pooped after working retail(10 hour shifts) and dealing with customers that they couldn't drag me back to the store for a huge discount. They had a special after hours shopping for employees only...once I got home, I stayed home. But I do hear what you are saying about family traditions. When my sister lived in the states we used to get out in the hustle and bustle just for the fun of it...not at 5:30 a.m. mind you but we had fun getting out the Friday after Thanksgiving. She reminded me of that when we were speaking on the phone today. It has been a while since I have ventured out on that particular day though. It just wouldn't be any fun without my sister and none of my friends are THAT crazy...tee hee.
Angela
 
I agree Angela. I think if you have the right frame of mind and are with somebody you can laugh with it would be fun. You could make a day of it, have coffee, have lunch. I guess I am getting too old. It doesn't seem appealing, although I do go shopping all the time with my mom and my kids so that is stress in itself.

Lori:)
 
Since I can remember, my mother, her sisters, and all their daughters have always went to a crafty type of thing the day after Thanksgiving. The men get to stay home with all the little ones (hey we cooked the day before!).

This year, as in the past 7 or so, we went to Historic St. Charles Missouri and walked the brick road next to the river shopping at little antique and specialty craft stores. They have carolers singing along the streets, Santas in various attire (England Santa, Old World Santa, etc.) shaking hands, horse drawn carriage rides, chestnut roasting on a street corner, etc. Little ones can get their picture taken outdoors with Santa and his live reindeer. In the evening they line the sidewalks with candles in glass jars. It's really a nice time but not overly crowded. Everyone is so pleasant and its nice being outdoors, really puts one in the Christmas spirit.

Sam
 
Normally I wouldn't ever consider going shopping on Black Friday but a department store had these really cute 5' pre-lighted Palm Christmas trees. The dog and I jumped in my SUV Friday morning at 6:00. When I went into the store it was almost empty. I got the tree and some really good deals on clothes for our grand-daughter!
Then I went to the mall cause I needed some Lancome and again...not too crowded. About 9:00 it started getting busier so we just went home. It was kind of fun!
 
Hi Sam,

Are you from MO? I live Northeast of Columbia. I don't get to St. Charles often, but did run the Lewis & Clark 1/2 marathon this fall and really enjoyed the St. Charles scenery.

I might make a point of going there next year on the day after T-giving. Sounds like a great relaxing time for the girls!

Tina
 
Hi Tina!

We live near Salem Illinois...just north of Mt. Vernon. I was thinking today of taking my girls, 3 and 12, next year. Yes, its very relaxing and puts one in the Christmas frame of mind. There were families, some with strollers. It's so neat to see their little faces light up when the Santas come by.

Sam
 
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