Archived Back To College Event

[Deli Ninja]

Thought I'd start up a thread for this year. I've already heard that the group that used to help organize it and rev up the crowd won't be present this year. Essentially it's "DIY" and with how few people left at my store who've worked the BTC event, I have the distinct feeling that it's going to be a disaster.
If the volunteers aren't going to be there, are we going to get (enough) extra hours to organize and work the event? Probably not.

Has anyone else heard this? Anyone have any more information?

Here's what we know:

• Nothing yet.

Here's what might be true:

• No volunteer group to help run the event?

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For those who haven't heard of the Back To College event, here's a summary of what it is (which may be updated at a later date):
The Back to College event is an after-hours shopping event with freebies (mostly coupons the past couple years), a DJ, and a whole lotta hype. College students are bussed to the store where they are loosely lined up. DJ plays music, SmartWater is handed out, and AP tries not to collectively crap their pants. After they are unleashed upon the store, TMs try to help the guests as best as they can and do so in a way that will hopefully bring those trust-fund babies back in to SPEND SPEND SPEND (oh please spend money at Target, we need more hours... please...). *AHEM* In any case, it's extremely hectic but pretty fun. Usually there's tons pizza and soda in the break room and you get to take home some of the freebies, if there are any extra.
If you work it, expect to be cleaning up until 2am. Your store may or may not ask for volunteers... but people will be volun-told, regardless.

Disclaimer: All Stores Are Not The Same. Not all stores have the BTC event and even those stores will differ. You might get a catered meal, for example, or nothing at all, or you may be told that you are not allowed to take home any of the freebies. Here's to a halfway decent BTS season!

 

[PullMonkey]

Eh, sorry, wasn't around last year. What is this whole event?

 

[daninnj]

It's for ultra super freaky BTC stores where basically colleges send busloads of kids to shop. There's more going on than usual stores. Usually in college towns.

I think my store's somewhere between affected and freaky which is odd because we serve a huge college population.

 

[Deli Ninja]

The BTC event happens only in college towns and it usually occurs on the Saturday night before classes begin. The school and greek letter people bus in students for big sales and free stuff (used to be good stuff, last two years have been mostly coupons with a couple samples). There's a DJ and pretty decent sales on BTC items... and it happens "after hours" usually, with the store staying open until at least midnight.
I'll add bullet points to the original post after I finish my midnight snack.

 

[PullMonkey]

Well, fuck. I'm definitely in a college down.

 

[mrknownothing]

I heard talk of a BTC event at my store. I've done my best to avoid previous BTC events (not really, I just didn't get scheduled because payroll), let's see if I'm lucky this year.

 

[sher]

Whaaat? I feel like I missed out lol. Back in the day my dorm did a bus trip to target, but I thought they were just... Shopping. A DJ and freebies? That sounds cool.

I don't work in a college town though so no btc event for me.

 

[semantics]

It's for ultra super freaky BTC stores where basically colleges send busloads of kids to shop. There's more going on than usual stores. Usually in college towns.

I think my store's somewhere between affected and freaky which is odd because we serve a huge college population.

Ionno why it's always described as "freaky". Either way easy hours booster for college town targets.

 

[indigo25]

Another store in our town does it. It was a madhouse when I went so I'm glad it doesn't happen at ours. >_>

 

[ExhaustedCashier]

Back to college is bigger than black Friday/grey Thursday in my store. We make two to three times what we make every day of the weekend of freshman and international student move in weekends. It's one of the few times we get catered food in my store. We've never done this because the university buses the kids regardless. Granted, it helps the next closest big box store is another Target to the 15 minutes north or a very ghetto Wal-Mart 15 minutes west.

 

[Loki]

I'm a college kid attending the only university in the city and it's a pretty major one in the state. I am all too familiar with the BTC event. It can be fun though not gonna lie especially since I will more than likely see people I know and it's gonna be a party I promise you!

 

[Bosch]

Never heard of it.. We have a major university within 5 miles of my store but we have never done this.

 

[PassinTime]

Never heard of it either. We have the state's 2nd largest university, a private university with over 8,000 students and a few private colleges with a thousand or so students. Maybe we're too big of a city??

 

[dannyy315]

I'm guessing places like Syracuse and West Virginia have it.