Archived Former ETL- ask me anything.

[ISIS639]

Sixth, Target pushes REDcards (which is a concept that is good and makes sense).....Gift cards are a great way to get people to "spend" money at Target....so why don't they have a greater focus, more card design choices, better visibility in the store so that these cards CAN be sold at a much higher rate? It seems to me that selling Gift cards ought to have some priority and not be so much of a secondary product sales item.....you know, located on some half side cap shelves....or only at a few registers?

I know I'm not the OP, but I wanted to say something about this. A couple of years ago, Target had more gift card choices than any other retailer. I'm not sure if they still do, but I wouldn't be surprised. We have about 20 different gift cards at any give time. Some are collectible, some double as toys, they cover just about every occasion possible. . .I'm not really sure how a company would go about promoting gift cards much more. They're mentioned on gift registries, I've seen commercials in the past, the gift card signing is bright and eye catching. I'm not sure what else you want. Gift card promotions are more popular now than they ever were in the past. I guess I would maybe agree with you about them being at more registers. I don't know about the rest of the stores, but we have alternating target gift cards and amex/visa gift cards at the registers. I think they could relocate visa/amex to the peg hooks below them and add more target gift cards. They only alternate for registers 5-12, I think, then the registers are just empty of any type of gift card.

I don't know, I guess I just think people either come in looking to buy gift cards, or they don't. I just don't think the extra money spent on promoting them would translate in a huge increase in sales.

 

[insiteful1]

Sixth, Target pushes REDcards (which is a concept that is good and makes sense).....Gift cards are a great way to get people to "spend" money at Target....so why don't they have a greater focus, more card design choices, better visibility in the store so that these cards CAN be sold at a much higher rate? It seems to me that selling Gift cards ought to have some priority and not be so much of a secondary product sales item.....you know, located on some half side cap shelves....or only at a few registers?

I've always thought that Target should have a gift card board near the check lanes. Reinvent the gift card concept. 8' wide and much taller than a gondola. It needs to stand out!!! "Gift Card Central" header. Guests can NEVER find the gift cards. Make all the gift cards centralized and then have secondary locations all over the store. The possibilities are endless. Don't trash it up with other stuff. Gift cards only. I assure you that concept would drive at least a 25% comp in gift cards. Just sayin.....

 

[redeye58]

Secondary locations are already in use at stores. When I did resets, there was one in domestics (w/several wedding-themed designs); infants (baby themes); seasonal (holiday themes); toys (kid themes); electronics (remember the Wii blu-glo card?); stationary (birthday, etc).
What I liked most about our gift cards is their uniqueness. Nobody - and I mean NOBODY - had a gift card that was a hand-crank flashlight, a digital camera, a model airplane, an RC shopcart, a flickering lightshow, a slide puzzle, a storybook, a working transformer, a downloadable USB function, a VOX distorter, contained wildflower seeds, more soundchips than you could shake a stick at & many more features than I can recall.

 

[redandkhaki]

you guys don't have giftcards at every register? The amex and visa alternate at my store but there's target giftcards at every single register. The visa and amex are above the gum and the target are always above the candy.

I do think have a central giftcard display would drive sales. Even though we have them at every lane people can never find them!

 

[insiteful1]

Secondary locations are already in use at stores. When I did resets, there was one in domestics (w/several wedding-themed designs); infants (baby themes); seasonal (holiday themes); toys (kid themes); electronics (remember the Wii blu-glo card?); stationary (birthday, etc).
What I liked most about our gift cards is their uniqueness. Nobody - and I mean NOBODY - had a gift card that was a hand-crank flashlight, a digital camera, a model airplane, an RC shopcart, a flickering lightshow, a slide puzzle, a storybook, a working transformer, a downloadable USB function, a VOX distorter, contained wildflower seeds, more soundchips than you could shake a stick at & many more features than I can recall.

I'm very aware of the secondary, tertiary, and quaternary gift card locations. My main point is ALLLLLLLLLLL types, colors, and shapes of gift cards in ONE spot. If there is a VOX distorter on the F25 sidecap, it's home location needs to be Gift Card Central. If the AMEX cards have 12 locations across the store, the home location needs to be Gift Card Central. Gift Card Central needs to be the home for EVERY gift card in the store. That is currently not the case. For instance, the only place you can find the paddle ball gift card in on the side cap in Market. Who looks for that there? Right now, Target treats certain gift cards as an impulse purchase. Why not make it THE reason that you are walking into the store.

 

[tellmeaboutatime]

I cannot tell you how many times a guest AT the register will ask if we have giftcards. If they are right there and the guest is not seeing them, the presentation needs to be changed. I think the current designs are "meh"at best. I loved the light saber, the naughty or nice, the barking dogs,and most of all Elmo! Dedicate a full page in the ad to gift cards around major gift times. In the middle of May, have a page focusing on Graduations and Weddings. During mid August there should be a full page dedicated to back to college themed gift cards. Plant the seed that their kids are going to need "things" and what better way than a Target giftcard. There are so many guests that would much rather buy a gift card than search for a gift.
I honestly believe that no matter what company you work for, your boss is getting the same demands that they are passing down to you. They are also struggling for time to get their stuff done. Unless you have a CEO nameplate on your office door, someone wants you to do more.

 

[redandkhaki]

you guys both have such great ideas! i love them!

 

[insiteful1]

I cannot tell you how many times a guest AT the register will ask if we have giftcards. If they are right there and the guest is not seeing them, the presentation needs to be changed. I think the current designs are "meh"at best. I loved the light saber, the naughty or nice, the barking dogs,and most of all Elmo! Dedicate a full page in the ad to gift cards around major gift times. In the middle of May, have a page focusing on Graduations and Weddings. During mid August there should be a full page dedicated to back to college themed gift cards. Plant the seed that their kids are going to need "things" and what better way than a Target giftcard. There are so many guests that would much rather buy a gift card than search for a gift.
I honestly believe that no matter what company you work for, your boss is getting the same demands that they are passing down to you. They are also struggling for time to get their stuff done. Unless you have a CEO nameplate on your office door, someone wants you to do more.

If Target wants to drive some sales, gift cards are easy money. Corp., you payin attention? You can find a great idea right here. Maybe you could even earn yourself an 'atta boy' at the think tank meeting. Forget Lean and Six Sigma, just come to TBR.

 

[Softlines Owns My Soul]

Out of college, I'd take high 50s in a heartbeat. I don't care how much crap you have to put up with...high 50s if you graduated with a BA in some liberal arts category is terrific to start

 

[pfreshdude]

Out of college, I'd take high 50s in a heartbeat. I don't care how much crap you have to put up with...high 50s if you graduated with a BA in some liberal arts category is terrific to start

Ya for sure. 1 ETLs pay prob equals 4-5 TMS easily I would imagine.

 

[RednTacky]

I was curious if you could disclose a little about the promotion process.

What did you guys look for when it came to seeking out potential promotions to TL/GSA/etc? High work ethic is obviously important, but I feel like that many people at my store with that quality often get passed over (for whatever reason) for TMs who are newer and know less about the store but demonstrate the ability to be outgoing? Did you ever notice any favoritism getting in the way of promotions, or was there something more that you looked for in a candidate?

 

[pfreshdude]

I was curious if you could disclose a little about the promotion process.

What did you guys look for when it came to seeking out potential promotions to TL/GSA/etc? High work ethic is obviously important, but I feel like that many people at my store with that quality often get passed over (for whatever reason) for TMs who are newer and know less about the store but demonstrate the ability to be outgoing? Did you ever notice any favoritism getting in the way of promotions, or was there something more that you looked for in a candidate?

Id love to know this too since I have a 4 year degree, 2 years at target, and exp on the salesfloor, backroom, pfresh, Leading C+S push, and Leading Holiday Ad team

 

[pellinore]

I'm very aware of the secondary, tertiary, and quaternary gift card locations. My main point is ALLLLLLLLLLL types, colors, and shapes of gift cards in ONE spot. If there is a VOX distorter on the F25 sidecap, it's home location needs to be Gift Card Central. If the AMEX cards have 12 locations across the store, the home location needs to be Gift Card Central. Gift Card Central needs to be the home for EVERY gift card in the store. That is currently not the case. For instance, the only place you can find the paddle ball gift card in on the side cap in Market. Who looks for that there? Right now, Target treats certain gift cards as an impulse purchase. Why not make it THE reason that you are walking into the store.[/QUOTE]


Yes!!!

 

[redandkhaki]

in our store we look at attendance, work ethic, knowledge, trainability, (is that a word?) willing to take ownership, and personality. I know for the front end we won't promote someone to a GSA if they are not outgoing, have a green conversion score, and a GREAT attitude. We need someone who is going to encourage cashiers and drive red card sales.

We discuss talent at every single TL meeting and the ETL's do it during their meetings. We try and have 5-10 team members in the pipeline at any given moment. Our store is the "talent" store of the district though so i'm not sure if we have more than normal? We currently have 4 team members going through TL interviews in march, two doing ETL interviews, and 1 TL doing interviews for SrTL.

I see a lot of people on here talking about being passed up for promotions, etc and i don't think that happens at my store. If you tell us your want to be promoted we automatically set you up with a mentor and start the process. I have never been there when someone wanted to be promoted and it would never happen. Sometimes it takes more training and prepping but usually we can get a person there.

 

[Barcode]

Your store must be an outlier. My store did nothing but exterminate talent, and give promotions to the TL/ETL's clique buddies.

I guess that goes with having an insecure GSTL -- They don't want their TMs to shine in comparison to them.

 

[redandkhaki]

Your store must be an outlier. My store did nothing but exterminate talent, and give promotions to the TL/ETL's clique buddies.

I guess that goes with having an insecure GSTL -- They don't want their TMs to shine in comparison to them.

that's just stupid. I would love if if my gsa's were better than me! Our front end would be kick ass then!

 

[RednTacky]

in our store we look at attendance, work ethic, knowledge, trainability, (is that a word?) willing to take ownership, and personality. I know for the front end we won't promote someone to a GSA if they are not outgoing, have a green conversion score, and a GREAT attitude. We need someone who is going to encourage cashiers and drive red card sales.

We discuss talent at every single TL meeting and the ETL's do it during their meetings. We try and have 5-10 team members in the pipeline at any given moment. Our store is the "talent" store of the district though so i'm not sure if we have more than normal? We currently have 4 team members going through TL interviews in march, two doing ETL interviews, and 1 TL doing interviews for SrTL.

I see a lot of people on here talking about being passed up for promotions, etc and i don't think that happens at my store. If you tell us your want to be promoted we automatically set you up with a mentor and start the process. I have never been there when someone wanted to be promoted and it would never happen. Sometimes it takes more training and prepping but usually we can get a person there.

Perhaps it just varies by store then. I have no real interest in getting promoted to TL, but I have several peers that have been "stuck" for the past 4-5 years. They'd like to promote, ETLs know they'd like to promote, but they continually get looked over by recent hires that my peers have suggested that "the ETLs aren't tired of yet".

I just feel bad for them, and I was just curious if maybe we just have a unique set of leadership at my store that operates differently from other stores, or if it's standard procedure to promote early if at all.

 

[lololo]

bump

 

[talan123]

in our store we look at attendance, work ethic, knowledge, trainability, (is that a word?) willing to take ownership, and personality. I know for the front end we won't promote someone to a GSA if they are not outgoing, have a green conversion score, and a GREAT attitude. We need someone who is going to encourage cashiers and drive red card sales.

We discuss talent at every single TL meeting and the ETL's do it during their meetings. We try and have 5-10 team members in the pipeline at any given moment. Our store is the "talent" store of the district though so i'm not sure if we have more than normal? We currently have 4 team members going through TL interviews in march, two doing ETL interviews, and 1 TL doing interviews for SrTL.

I see a lot of people on here talking about being passed up for promotions, etc and i don't think that happens at my store. If you tell us your want to be promoted we automatically set you up with a mentor and start the process. I have never been there when someone wanted to be promoted and it would never happen. Sometimes it takes more training and prepping but usually we can get a person there.

Perhaps it just varies by store then. I have no real interest in getting promoted to TL, but I have several peers that have been "stuck" for the past 4-5 years. They'd like to promote, ETLs know they'd like to promote, but they continually get looked over by recent hires that my peers have suggested that "the ETLs aren't tired of yet".

I just feel bad for them, and I was just curious if maybe we just have a unique set of leadership at my store that operates differently from other stores, or if it's standard procedure to promote early if at all.

Actual reason to turn somebody down: you are more than qualified but you just aren't showing enough "Target Attitude and Skills". It wasn't me but nobody in the store knows what the hell that includes

 

[pfreshdude]

in our store we look at attendance, work ethic, knowledge, trainability, (is that a word?) willing to take ownership, and personality. I know for the front end we won't promote someone to a GSA if they are not outgoing, have a green conversion score, and a GREAT attitude. We need someone who is going to encourage cashiers and drive red card sales.

We discuss talent at every single TL meeting and the ETL's do it during their meetings. We try and have 5-10 team members in the pipeline at any given moment. Our store is the "talent" store of the district though so i'm not sure if we have more than normal? We currently have 4 team members going through TL interviews in march, two doing ETL interviews, and 1 TL doing interviews for SrTL.

I see a lot of people on here talking about being passed up for promotions, etc and i don't think that happens at my store. If you tell us your want to be promoted we automatically set you up with a mentor and start the process. I have never been there when someone wanted to be promoted and it would never happen. Sometimes it takes more training and prepping but usually we can get a person there.

Perhaps it just varies by store then. I have no real interest in getting promoted to TL, but I have several peers that have been "stuck" for the past 4-5 years. They'd like to promote, ETLs know they'd like to promote, but they continually get looked over by recent hires that my peers have suggested that "the ETLs aren't tired of yet".

I just feel bad for them, and I was just curious if maybe we just have a unique set of leadership at my store that operates differently from other stores, or if it's standard procedure to promote early if at all.

Actual reason to turn somebody down: you are more than qualified but you just aren't showing enough "Target Attitude and Skills". It wasn't me but nobody in the store knows what the hell that includes

lol so true. My fellow PA had a DTL interview I think or whatever one of the last interviews before getting signed off and they didnt like their answer of where do you see yourself in 5 years, and because of that they didnt get signed off. I guess they werent as "target focused" as they would like...pshhh

 

[pellinore]

First, txocurt1, Thank-you so much for your honest answers and being willing to take on our questions!

Second, you said that the upper level people are concerned about TMs well-being....but the way that hours are set (i.e. Black Friday is now Black Thursday) it doesn't appear to me that they are concerned about my well-being. How do they define "well-being?" Do they mean TMs working, do they mean making money for the shareholders?

Third, as a TM it often feels like the corporate world of Target doesn't really seem to "get it." I often wonder if these people have any idea what it is like to be WORKING in a store on a daily basis. Are they really that much out of touch?

Fourth, is communication as bad at the ETL level with DTLs as the communication between ETLs, TLs and TMs?

Fifth, Corporate used to seem like they encouraged TMs of any level to pass along ideas....but it doesn't seem that way now. Is this a correct observation?

Sixth, Target pushes REDcards (which is a concept that is good and makes sense).....Gift cards are a great way to get people to "spend" money at Target....so why don't they have a greater focus, more card design choices, better visibility in the store so that these cards CAN be sold at a much higher rate? It seems to me that selling Gift cards ought to have some priority and not be so much of a secondary product sales item.....you know, located on some half side cap shelves....or only at a few registers?

Seventh, actually, there is no seventh....not at the moment! In advance, thanks for taking the time to address these questions!

Hey Former ETL....what happened to you and these answers?

The Gift Card issue has been talked about....and has had some great answers and suggestions. Wish we had corporate people to see these wonderful gift card ideas....and use them!