Archived Electronics crash course for a CA/Cashier?

[victoryordeath]

I was talking to one of the Sr TLs during closing and he mentioned that several people under his team are not being retained (seasonal). He likes me a lot and wants me to train on his team so I can get more hours. I am likely going to be working Sunday alone in Electronics. He also offered me several other electronics shifts, but they are all long closing shifts. I don't have any real PDA experience (I don't think less than 1 hr of scanning strays counts) or any sales floor experience. I know a bit about video games, computers, tvs, and guitars, but not much about cameras, tablets, phones etc. Can you give me an example of a typical day in electronics? What kinds of problems they face? Also possibly a rundown of closing and other sales floor type stuff? They said they might move me to Hardlines on Sunday instead if it is busy because there is another HL TM working that is trained in Electronics.

I worked 41 this week (call ins for seasonal cashiers, staying late to close). Scheduled for less than 20 this coming week, but I doubt I work less than 30 with all the seasonal people leaving.

Any and all help/tips is appreciated. Thank you TMs 😀

 

[Barcode]

In Electronics make sure that every guest is being helped if they need it -- don't be afraid to call for backup. Find out what people want/need and find the right product to sell them. If you aren't very knowledgeable about a certain item, most displays have a cheat sheet that you can go off. Be sure to push ESP and Attachments.

Blue/Yellow ESP = 3/2 years coverage normal wear n tear (accidental NOT covered)

gaming/camera/tablet ESP = Covers everything including accidental damage. Buying a wii console for kids? Push the gaming plan since it covers Accessories and Games as well (kids break things!)

Cameras don't come with SD Cards, so always point out that they should buy one (they almost always do). Also the Camera ESP is well priced so a lot of guests bite on that one. Honestly cameras are a real easy way to rack up 3-4 attachments on one item.

TVs -- push HDMI Cables and ESP. Blu ray players also count as an attachment IIRC as well as movies (confirm?)

Anyways I could write a book on it, so just find out what good attachments are and SELL! 😉

EDIT: As far as phones (and maybe even Tablets) go, don't worry. Target Mobile can help you out.

EDIT2: The PDA is your friend. Especially for MMB... If a guest is looking for a Title, just ITEM SEARCH IT!! It works wonders. POGs read like so:

F40(0) 2-3-2

F=section 40=aisle number
(0)=physical location [0 endcap 99 sidecap, 1-98 aisle sections]
2 = Shelves over
3 = shelves up (from bottom)
2 = Position on individual shelf

 

[eleuthreophile]

In my experience, the PDAs suck at finding titles. They'll give you 1000 results, all throughout the store, even though you typed in the title perfectly. We have an iPad at the boat to help guests, and I use that thing SO MUCH. If someone's asking me to find any title in entertainment, I don't even reach for the PDA anymore, I go straight for the iPad. It's also great for looking up release dates or for answering questions when you're not familiar with the item.

In addition to what's already been said, closers are usually responsible for zoning. Depending on the store, this could range from just a small part of electronics to the entire section that electronics/entertainment is in and maybe the second across the main aisle too. At my store, you usually also have to push the CAFs as they come out (openers will help with the autos and usually help with the truck too). If you don't know the answer to something, just read the box! If needed, I'll always open the box to figure it out, if the box doesn't say.

Above all, good luck!

 

[Barcode]

Ipad is good also. I don't know, I find 90% of movies with PDA though 😱

 

[eleuthreophile]

I can find a lot of them but I had a guest looking for the movie "42" once. You know what you get when you search for "42" in the PDA? Nothing useful, lol. Or sometimes I'll put in a movie that I KNOW I've seen in the store recently, and I get zero results. It's even worse, in my experience, looking for CDs? You want a CD by Pink? Here, let me show you all of the pink shirts we carry.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Under item search on PDA, you used the actor name too. Also, try the name of the movie, then space, dept number. Here is an example using your title: enter this way "42 movie 058". If you are not sure of dept number, just stand in front on the movie section & look at any label for the first 3 digits of the dpci.
This option does work on everything in the store, pretty much.
Here is a 2nd example for music: "pink 012", I used my my spot mobile found it the same way. Also, on the mobile app, you type in the dpci & tell where it is in the store with details on the product.
Here is a guide for electronics(slightly dated):http://www.thebreakroom.org/showthread.php/89-Electronics

 

[TiedAndDropped]

Under item search on PDA, you used the actor name too. Also, try the name of the movie, then space, dept number. Here is an example using your title: enter this way "42 movie 058". If you are not sure of dept number, just stand in front on the movie section & look at any label for the first 3 digits of the dpci.
This option does work on everything in the store, pretty much.
Here is a 2nd example for music: "pink 012", I used my my spot mobile found it the same way. Also, on the mobile app, you type in the dpci & tell where it is in the store with details on the product.
Here is a guide for electronics(slightly dated):http://www.thebreakroom.org/showthread.php/89-Electronics

Thanks for the tip on using the department number. This is going to make my life a lot easier. Last week I Item Searched for the movie "Krank" and got a list of all the items in the store with "Frank" in the description, and yes, I checked and I did spell "Krank" correctly.

 

[mrknownothing]

Under item search on PDA, you used the actor name too. Also, try the name of the movie, then space, dept number. Here is an example using your title: enter this way "42 movie 058". If you are not sure of dept number, just stand in front on the movie section & look at any label for the first 3 digits of the dpci.
This option does work on everything in the store, pretty much.
Here is a 2nd example for music: "pink 012", I used my my spot mobile found it the same way. Also, on the mobile app, you type in the dpci & tell where it is in the store with details on the product.
Here is a guide for electronics(slightly dated):http://www.thebreakroom.org/showthread.php/89-Electronics

Thanks for the tip on using the department number. This is going to make my life a lot easier. Last week I Item Searched for the movie "Krank" and got a list of all the items in the store with "Frank" in the description, and yes, I checked and I did spell "Krank" correctly.

Another thing that might help is typing DVD or BD2 depending on what format you're looking for.

 

[victoryordeath]

Update:

Talked to my ETL HR and another ETL and picked up 2 more shifts (the one I was originally taking tomorrow was filled).

I got one HL shift and one Electronics closing shift. They said they will train me how to use the PDA and about HL stuff (I know how to zone and how to do strays from front end so I am not worried about that part).

One of them said I was one of the few good hires they got this year from seasonal. Pretty cool to hear. I will update with more questions if any come up after my HL shift this week.

 

[victoryordeath]

So, HL shift is over. It was literally easier than cashiering somehow. I was just putting back strays the whole day. Seems everyone else was focused on changing endcaps so I just did strays for all the full carts (3 for E/F, 1 for A/B, 1 overflowing one for C/D in 5 hrs). Pretty easy, helped guests, had to get a bench from backstock and do a carry out. I was a beastly backup cashier too because I want my GSTL/cashiers to have no lines.

No real questions about the PDA (I only used the price scan thing and thats it). I did backstock one thing with sto, but I had a BR TM help out with it because it was large.

TL said I might work electronics or they might shift me over to another area. Will see how thursday goes, til then back to cashier.

 

[GlobalJ]

So, HL shift is over. It was literally easier than cashiering somehow. I was just putting back strays the whole day. Seems everyone else was focused on changing endcaps so I just did strays for all the full carts (3 for E/F, 1 for A/B, 1 overflowing one for C/D in 5 hrs). Pretty easy, helped guests, had to get a bench from backstock and do a carry out. I was a beastly backup cashier too because I want my GSTL/cashiers to have no lines.

No real questions about the PDA (I only used the price scan thing and thats it). I did backstock one thing with sto, but I had a BR TM help out with it because it was large.

TL said I might work electronics or they might shift me over to another area. Will see how thursday goes, til then back to cashier.

Glad all went well! Setting the endcaps (called salesplanners) can be really fun if you ever get to set a few. You get a sense of accomplishment.

 

[mrknownothing]

Glad all went well! Setting the endcaps (called salesplanners) can be really fun if you ever get to set a few. You get a sense of accomplishment.

It's even better when you have enough product to fill it to capacity.

 

[Retail Girl]

Yeah, I work salesfloor at times, so my heart is still with the front end when they call for back up, need help with carts, etc. But when your LOD is breathing down your neck to get the pulls done or get the zone done as of ten minutes ago and you realize that no one else has been coming for back up, you realize that you can't always be the hero. It's a tough balance.

 

[victoryordeath]

Electronics shift done! It was harder than I thought at first, but I got the hang of it. I apparently am too neat freak with the zone and keep making things look too nice. Toys was impossible to zone, but I did it with the help of one ETL and 2 SF TMs.

Did end the night with all the strays and everything put back though. I suck with PDAs still. I wasn't even sure how to log out and my PDA died near the end of my shift anyways. My store actually got some ps4s in too. Right after 5 people asked about them. I even sold one of them and an Ouya (sp?). Also learned Disney Infinity is a thing. Disney sure knows how to get money out of little kids.

On the plus side I have a much better idea of what kind of stuff we sell back there now. Back to cashier now for me. Hopefully it stays that way. The lack of ability to answer the 8/9 backup cashier calls we had tonight was terrible.