MEGATHREAD Signing Tips, Tricks and Quips (along with howls of despair)

dek07< I can't tell you how frustrated I am with people who "think" I'm not doing my job when the parts they want don't magically appear when they want them to. I wish the ptl/etls would order their own dang fixtures and see what I mean. They come when they come and asking me every day to find out when they are coming isn't going to get them here any sooner. Suggestion, how about the ptl walk their own fixture room every week and see what is getting low since they know what they are setting 4 weeks out and order it BEFORE it runs out. The minute I suggest they order it themselves, so they can do their own monitoring of shipping time, they back off....

<end rant Lol>

I have to do what greydot does and hide commonly used parts so I have some leeway when a fixture runs out and THEN I'm told I need to order, but I'm not physic.....
 
TargetOldTimer said:
dek07< I can't tell you how frustrated I am with people who "think" I'm not doing my job when the parts they want don't magically appear when they want them to. I wish the ptl/etls would order their own dang fixtures and see what I mean. They come when they come and asking me every day to find out when they are coming isn't going to get them here any sooner. Suggestion, how about the ptl walk their own fixture room every week and see what is getting low since they know what they are setting 4 weeks out and order it BEFORE it runs out. The minute I suggest they order it themselves, so they can do their own monitoring of shipping time, they back off....

<end rant Lol>

I have to do what greydot does and hide commonly used parts so I have some leeway when a fixture runs out and THEN I'm told I need to order, but I'm not psychic.....
Click to expand...

AGREE AGREE AGREE AGREE! Especially when you can tell that they are taking their frustrations out on you! Sorry - I have nothing to do with most things running out - and you know what? I have no benefit to just NOT ordering things that I am being told to order! Or holding onto things. People are always super anxious about things and its like - believe me as soon as I have it - you will have it, because it does me NO benefit to keep stuff taking up room that doesn't have to!

Example. Our new STL seems to think that street signs are like the most important thing in the world -of all things! So anytime there is one missing, or one that is blank they call me and are like "are you aware of this problem? there are three blank street signs in the sterilite aisle". Umm of COURSE THERE ARE since they overload that bulk endcap on a NIGHTLY basis and unless i change the endcap dressing that they inevitably break from overloading it, myself - everything from the street signs to the aisle number are never to be seen again. Does anyone else come in in the morning and find all the street signs "pulled forward" on the endcaps, or is this just my store?

Anyway. They always come out like this is some EMERGENCY, and its like, if your TLs actually addressed these things on their "brand" walks they could just be like, hey I'm missing "these" and I could throw it on an order, no need to even walk out to the salesfloor, and it would probably be in within 2 weeks. But no, you have to call me to the floor like a dog that ate the turkey off the kitchen table and show it to me, as if it is some horrible horrible find. Seriously. And no, I'm sorry, it is NEVER worth my time to "Audit" the store for street signs! OMG. I audit every section we transition with planogram. That gives every department TWO times that I have my hands on it every year - MINIMUM! That is more than enough. If you are still missing signs after that then you have a problem that probably needs to be fixed elsewhere. I am so glad we are completely refreshing street signs with the new ENDURANCE paper or whatever. I am throwing out every old sign, and just ordering the new full store set. Plus you physically SEE the new ones since they're so white. Too bad the last time I tried to order the full store set they sent me the bilingual set. Anyone have the correct number for the english-only full set?

One of our TLs has a little sign that says "A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine" and I've wanted to shout this at them for multiple reasons oh-so-many times.
 
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greydot said:
AGREE AGREE AGREE AGREE! Especially when you can tell that they are taking their frustrations out on you! Sorry - I have nothing to do with most things running out - and you know what? I have no benefit to just NOT ordering things that I am being told to order! Or holding onto things. People are always super anxious about things and its like - believe me as soon as I have it - you will have it, because it does me NO benefit to keep stuff taking up room that doesn't have to!

Example. Our new STL seems to think that street signs are like the most important thing in the world -of all things! So anytime there is one missing, or one that is blank they call me and are like "are you aware of this problem? there are three blank street signs in the sterilite aisle". Umm of COURSE THERE ARE since they overload that bulk endcap on a NIGHTLY basis and unless i change the endcap dressing that they inevitably break from overloading it, myself - everything from the street signs to the aisle number are never to be seen again. Does anyone else come in in the morning and find all the street signs "pulled forward" on the endcaps, or is this just my store?

Anyway. They always come out like this is some EMERGENCY, and its like, if your TLs actually addressed these things on their "brand" walks they could just be like, hey I'm missing "these" and I could throw it on an order, no need to even walk out to the salesfloor, and it would probably be in within 2 weeks. But no, you have to call me to the floor like a dog that ate the turkey off the kitchen table and show it to me, as if it is some horrible horrible find. Seriously. And no, I'm sorry, it is NEVER worth my time to "Audit" the store for street signs! OMG. I audit every section we transition with planogram. That gives every department TWO times that I have my hands on it every year - MINIMUM! That is more than enough. If you are still missing signs after that then you have a problem that probably needs to be fixed elsewhere. I am so glad we are completely refreshing street signs with the new ENDURANCE paper or whatever. I am throwing out every old sign, and just ordering the new full store set. Plus you physically SEE the new ones since they're so white. Too bad the last time I tried to order the full store set they sent me the bilingual set. Anyone have the correct number for the english-only full set?

One of our TLs has a little sign that says "A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine" and I've wanted to shout this at them for multiple reasons oh-so-many times.
Click to expand...


The "when I get them, you'll get them" answer is something I seem to repeat so often I suspect I do it in my sleep.
I wish I was psychic and would know that a set would require 5,000 railings before they send us the plans for it so I can order them.

As to the bilingual street signs, I got those too and have been putting them up with joy in my heart.
One because we do have a growing Hispanic population (including our staff, about half of them speak Spanish) and two it really seems to annoy the old folks.
What can I say, I'm easily amused.
 
commiecorvus said:
The "when I get them, you'll get them" answer is something I seem to repeat so often I suspect I do it in my sleep.
I wish I was psychic and would know that a set would require 5,000 railings before they send us the plans for it so I can order them.

As to the bilingual street signs, I got those too and have been putting them up with joy in my heart.
One because we do have a growing Hispanic population (including our staff, about half of them speak Spanish) and two it really seems to annoy the old folks.
What can I say, I'm easily amused.
Click to expand...

The best is when they tell me to order a sign and assume it will be shipped the next day. I try to tell them that it takes about two weeks but everyone assumes they come in immediately. The best is when I tell them that the sign is backordered.

Our store has the bilingual street signs. We were a test store so about 2 years ago I had to change out all the signs to bilingual. Now they are reprinting them on better sheets that are not supposed to yellow, so as they come in I have to change them out.
 
The plastic bullnose covers in small apliances ... can anyone tell me what they are called? I need to order them cause the employees who do signing takedown and setup keep throwing them away.

I loathe doing orders. People will walk up and say, "I need you to order (insert anything)." "Do you have a number?" says me. "No." "Well," says me, "when you have the part number or exact name, I will order it." I guess that seems mean, but I just don't care enough to do it for them.
 
TargetOldTimer said:
dek07< I can't tell you how frustrated I am with people who "think" I'm not doing my job when the parts they want don't magically appear when they want them to. I wish the ptl/etls would order their own dang fixtures and see what I mean. They come when they come and asking me every day to find out when they are coming isn't going to get them here any sooner. Suggestion, how about the ptl walk their own fixture room every week and see what is getting low since they know what they are setting 4 weeks out and order it BEFORE it runs out. The minute I suggest they order it themselves, so they can do their own monitoring of shipping time, they back off....

<end rant Lol>

I have to do what greydot does and hide commonly used parts so I have some leeway when a fixture runs out and THEN I'm told I need to order, but I'm not physic.....
Click to expand...

i can understand your frustration. i know it gets old. but if i have to walk my fixture room and do all the ordering, then i don't need a signing tm. that is the only function that he does that the rest of my team does not. not saying he isn't awesome, because he is... but he's never had the investment in his process we're putting in, so i want to do my best to make sure he is successful and has great organization. the frustrating thing for me right now is that there is no way to plan 4 weeks out, because you never know whether or not they're actually gonna send the new fixtures you need. like, i don't hold on to extra browser parts. and i didn't receive a new one for our expansion. same with tv wall. same with the liquor expansion. i did go ahead and place the orders for the parts, but there's no way they're gonna come in before we set. so i keep thinking there's some part of the process we're missing or not following through on.
 
dek067 said:
i can understand your frustration. i know it gets old. but if i have to walk my fixture room and do all the ordering, then i don't need a signing tm. that is the only function that he does that the rest of my team does not. not saying he isn't awesome, because he is... but he's never had the investment in his process we're putting in, so i want to do my best to make sure he is successful and has great organization. the frustrating thing for me right now is that there is no way to plan 4 weeks out, because you never know whether or not they're actually gonna send the new fixtures you need. like, i don't hold on to extra browser parts. and i didn't receive a new one for our expansion. same with tv wall. same with the liquor expansion. i did go ahead and place the orders for the parts, but there's no way they're gonna come in before we set. so i keep thinking there's some part of the process we're missing or not following through on.
Click to expand...

I hate to tell you this but what you're dealing with is SOP or should I say SNAFU for Target.
How often have we received fixtures for sets that we already have hundreds of and not gotten ones that we desperately needed?
For me it's at least every other major set.
I review the info as soon as I can with the PTL and we do an educated guess as to what we'll need but it rarely comes out perfect.
 
dek067 said:
i can understand your frustration. i know it gets old. but if i have to walk my fixture room and do all the ordering, then i don't need a signing tm. that is the only function that he does that the rest of my team does not. not saying he isn't awesome, because he is... but he's never had the investment in his process we're putting in, so i want to do my best to make sure he is successful and has great organization. the frustrating thing for me right now is that there is no way to plan 4 weeks out, because you never know whether or not they're actually gonna send the new fixtures you need. like, i don't hold on to extra browser parts. and i didn't receive a new one for our expansion. same with tv wall. same with the liquor expansion. i did go ahead and place the orders for the parts, but there's no way they're gonna come in before we set. so i keep thinking there's some part of the process we're missing or not following through on.
Click to expand...

Your signing tm isn't doing anything wrong. TIPP isn't like ordering on Amazon. There is a estimate time to get things, but it depends on the supply available at the warehouse or if the part is drop shipped from another source. Ordering a umbrella fixture will take 6 months or more since it is a custom piece. So if you see it was ordered on TIPP, then the ONLY thing you can do is wait. Nothing anyone can do will get it any faster.

Well.......not completely true. I happen to have the Lozier phone number and I have called and Begged them to throw my order to the top of the pile when we were desperate for shelves and gondola pieces, but I don't abuse that.
 
dek067 said:
i can understand your frustration. i know it gets old. but if i have to walk my fixture room and do all the ordering, then i don't need a signing tm. that is the only function that he does that the rest of my team does not. not saying he isn't awesome, because he is... but he's never had the investment in his process we're putting in, so i want to do my best to make sure he is successful and has great organization. the frustrating thing for me right now is that there is no way to plan 4 weeks out, because you never know whether or not they're actually gonna send the new fixtures you need. like, i don't hold on to extra browser parts. and i didn't receive a new one for our expansion. same with tv wall. same with the liquor expansion. i did go ahead and place the orders for the parts, but there's no way they're gonna come in before we set. so i keep thinking there's some part of the process we're missing or not following through on.
Click to expand...

I would have to agree with TargetOldTimer on this one. From your posts it seems like they do a good job, set, and go so far as putting all TIPP orders into a file or binder for follow-up purposes. Literally the only thing they could do after that is to go into their Approved Order History, and check on the statuses of each part sent out. And even then, it sometimes isn't clear if you have a large order what is or is not sent, since I think it groups it by supplier, and not by part. Since TIPP saves an eternal history (i've gone back to 2010 this year) I really don't print/file any of mine, unless it is specific for a transition, or a trouble area and someone (aka TL or ETL) wants the physical copy to "prove" the order was made.

Does your signing TM have a routine that includes "walking" the fixture room? I know you've mentioned that they set since the rest of the POG team puts up their own signing and displays. Is it a routine like, 'okay, you set first, then do other things" or "complete signing tasks, then do a 5hr POG" or "signing M-W, and then POG Th-F"? I don't know. Just trying to get a feel since I don't know how its really done at your store. Then on top of that every single store does it differently. Some stores the signing TM is like a junior TL. Some of them, they are more like a lackey POG member. Others are completely separate. Some have their workload spelled out by their TL. Some are completely independent. So, THAT makes it even harder to really see what differences there are, or insight we can offer. I think throughout this thread though, we all have enough in common though, that it seems like everyone has a pretty good handle on all the same things. It really depends on if your problems are with "timely ordering" or doing the age old "hurry up and wait" on all your parts that are ordered and are s l o w l y making their way to your store. Plus, it also depends on if the things you are waiting on are common parts (peghooks) or uncommon (say, hula hoop fixtures, or bow bag bins).
 
commiecorvus said:
I hate to tell you this but what you're dealing with is SOP or should I say SNAFU for Target.
How often have we received fixtures for sets that we already have hundreds of and not gotten ones that we desperately needed?
For me it's at least every other major set.
I review the info as soon as I can with the PTL and we do an educated guess as to what we'll need but it rarely comes out perfect.
Click to expand...

yes. this.
 
Not to roll off my own post but speaking of them sending drek we don't need and not sending things we do.
This time (for the very first time) they sent us more shelves on the entertainment set then we needed and didn't send us extra backer paper that we did need.
 
Is anyone else missing a lot of entertainment signing? They sent a lot for books but almost nothing for movies. I have a long list of signs from almost every movie POG that I need to order.
 
Luckily I saved the extra ENT backer paper that originally came with the reinvention. Otherwise we would have had 1/2 our walls empty. My ETLs actually almost brainwashed me into throwing away all the old entertainment paper since it is semi-permanent. They SHOULD just have sent new with the set, but we got a handful of headers (no young adult though). We will see about the rest of the department tomorrow. I know i will end up with extra entertainment shelves. Always do.
 
TargetOldTimer said:
Did everyone get the accessory endcap signing? Gloves, scarves, etc. ???
Click to expand...

Those skinny toppers/headers, or like, a Hot Shop? Or the big PVC signs (like the 'billboard' equivalent for accessories). We may have gotten the skinny toppers in, but since our softlines team repeatedly and consistently removes all the signholders, I just give the Jewelry/Accessories signing to the jewelry spec and call it a day. No hot shop, but I think the backers were mentioned to stay in a workbench message. I haven't received the large accessories (pvc) signing, but the last one I put up (scarves) is still on the endcap with the corresponding product.
 
Skinny toppers. I could Swear I put some in their accessory bin a couple weeks ago......

But again, it could be like last year when the Christmas sl signing was late...
 
I want to know why they only posted the Entertainment early set notes on the Hardlines message board. I had to do a search sorted by date to find them.
 
Ajax11 said:
I want to know why they only posted the Entertainment early set notes on the Hardlines message board. I had to do a search sorted by date to find them.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the update. I never read the hardlines message boards so I didn't know they were there either. Looks like all the signs that I was missing and put an order in for are backordered. Wish they would have put that in the signing message board so I didn't have to waste my time looking up all the sign numbers.
 
Random question, is nate berkus street dated? I haven't seen that it is, butall the ads mention the 21st specifically.
 
greydot said:
Random question, is nate berkus street dated? I haven't seen that it is, butall the ads mention the 21st specifically.
Click to expand...

Pretty sure he is.


I got to spend the day being in two places at once, my frelling favorite.
They're still doing entertainment and started on small appliances so I was being called back and forth all day.
Plus walking guests to whatever they're looking for.
I'm never getting this all done.
 
Heck, I wasn't missing that many signs, so after ppa, I just ordered the missing signs as Not Sent. If I get double, oh well. It was free.

I'm getting that feeling also Commie. Just one of those gift wrap kits have a 7 hour build time... I did it quicker than that, but there were so many of the same kit. I just wanna get off the salesfloor and start the prebuilding...
 

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