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

How much time do you guys "allocate" for pallets, and how do you explain it to those who don't get it? My ETL is boggled at the fact that I claim it takes more than an hour. Honestly, with an average of two pallets I would probably estimate the first part of my Monday (assuming that it comes over the weekend). Not because it takes a whole morning to unpack signing, but it does take time to sort and RE-Label (no one can be bothered to read the print on the boxes, i have to write it BIG for them), and take everything to its correct space. Also, it takes time to even get the pallet to my signing area. Not to mention to clear out the stacks of pallets, clearance, tubs, carts, etc. Also, make sure Plano has what they need for that day, and check emails and workbenches as well - even though not part of the pallet, they need to get done in the same time. Okay, then you sort, unpack, get out any direct to floor signs/fixtures, see if you have any backorder that came in - put that out. deliver all the store supplies that come on the pallet to their respective destinations which is usually checklanes, tsc, and of course pharmacy. i also take this time to update my packing slip binder, other paperwork, etc. Idk. roughly it would take my mornning until lunch. obviously less for smaller pallets, more for more. idk. maybe i am overthinking this. it just bothers me so much because it comes off as a questioning of my work ethic, or ability to do my job when i KNOW i am very good. if i had a better team or a better store, or more time that wasn't hoovered up by redundant things of course i could do more. they don't get why their old signing person would spend most of their time setting planograms when clearly they didn't manage their own time; they were at a SUPER small volume store. i am at a very high volume store that gets absolutely trashed on a daily basis. i feel like i reset half of the store myself just from the amount of maintenance i do on it. they just don't get it. and at the end of the day the worst part is not that they even read all this into that - they just want to be able to check off a piece of paper in five minutes and know what i am doing so they can completely bypass seeing what i do in a personable manner and just say - well i see you didn't check off this box so clearly you can't do your job. UGH. i'd say i'm ready for a new ETL cycle but they get worse every time!

Don't forget deliver supplies, order anything that was damaged or destroyed and now I'm supposed to do an email with a breakdown of the signing pallet so each department knows what has come in for them which just adds to time it takes.
 
Don't forget deliver supplies, order anything that was damaged or destroyed and now I'm supposed to do an email with a breakdown of the signing pallet so each department knows what has come in for them which just adds to time it takes.

whatttttt????? if i emailed every dept that had supplies i would be on a computer all day. can't you just send them a link to the online pack slip and say find whats yours because its here, have a nice day?
 
Don't forget deliver supplies, order anything that was damaged or destroyed and now I'm supposed to do an email with a breakdown of the signing pallet so each department knows what has come in for them which just adds to time it takes.

Had to do that too. They may be working on performance-managing somebody out. (I.E. at my store the ETL-GE wanted to performance manage the FATL out, and needed me to send the information of what was received versus what was ordered because FATL claimed that they ordered stuff but never got it. We were out of everything, or had an excess amount of stuff in the back that wasn't being replenished up front.)
 
Well, since they have started separating front end and cleaning supplies from the signing pallet, I stopped opening that pallet. I just nag the GSTL to come unpack it.

I do deliver all supplies that come on the signing pallet.

Heck, I wouldn't email everything that comes in. Tell them to look at the online packing list if they have a question. sheeesh.

I'm so mad for you guys!! grrrrrr
 
When I had my signing position I kind of went the opposite route, I made sure I handled EVERYTHING that came in. I separated and ran everything to each department, even to our SFT. It got to the point they couldn't get rid of me or they would never know where everything was any more.

/insert evil laugh
 
When I had my signing position I kind of went the opposite route, I made sure I handled EVERYTHING that came in. I separated and ran everything to each department, even to our SFT. It got to the point they couldn't get rid of me or they would never know where everything was any more.

/insert evil laugh

Shoot, no way am I delivering & putting away the floor crews chemicals or the food ave and Starbuck supplies. There is a reason they are separated and wrapped differently from the signing pallet.
 
hey, did you guys get your toy backer yet? it looks like just enough for the aisles, no endcaps. has anyone noticed if the endcaps call for backer? i don't want my aisles ugly because someone decides they need backer.

also, do any of your teams map salesplanner via best practice using the priorities on the map? just curious. i tried it on the toys, and they end up being in really stupid locations (like legos with infants, dolls with action figures, etc.). usually we just write where they're going on the front, and we're super organized with our layouts. however, due to some stupid assessment question, they want each pog number written on the map exactly where the priorities say they go. i argued the map is a guide, but the new etl is being stubborn. opinions?

also, much great satisfaction from ripping down all the xmas trees and fa-la-las throughout the store wednesday. made my entire week. :D
 
hey, did you guys get your toy backer yet? it looks like just enough for the aisles, no endcaps. has anyone noticed if the endcaps call for backer? i don't want my aisles ugly because someone decides they need backer.

also, do any of your teams map salesplanner via best practice using the priorities on the map? just curious. i tried it on the toys, and they end up being in really stupid locations (like legos with infants, dolls with action figures, etc.). usually we just write where they're going on the front, and we're super organized with our layouts. however, due to some stupid assessment question, they want each pog number written on the map exactly where the priorities say they go. i argued the map is a guide, but the new etl is being stubborn. opinions?

also, much great satisfaction from ripping down all the xmas trees and fa-la-las throughout the store wednesday. made my entire week. :D

Endcap backer paper come out of SPLN or if need be just switch over the old paper.
The map is a guide, stick to the best you can and play with the rest.
Our PTL is incredibly hardcore about doing everything just right and even he understands that.

Yes, yes and a thousand times yes ... killing those damned Xmas trees was incredibly satisfying.
 
Anyone else not receive their signing shipment for this week? I haven't received anything and the signs that would be coming in are for next week. I wanted to get a head start on next weeks work because of there being a lot to do, especially in rear seasonal, but now I can't. We started setting some things for next week without any signing and backerpaper. MySupport said there have been some delays so hopefully I get it soon.
 
I was hoping toys priorities wouldbe fixed since ours always called for bp before and never lined up. My assumption was that the toy tl never followed the pr#s and did it randomly.
 
Endcap backer paper come out of SPLN or if need be just switch over the old paper.
The map is a guide, stick to the best you can and play with the rest.
Our PTL is incredibly hardcore about doing everything just right and even he understands that.

Yes, yes and a thousand times yes ... killing those damned Xmas trees was incredibly satisfying.

I had 2 pallets delivered this week. One on Wednesday, the other on Friday. There was at least 5 very very heavy boxes of Toy backer. I didn't pay much attention to that. All our patio furniture goes up on Sunday night, so that was my focus.

I took my Christmas down over 3 days. I hate the look of a bare store, so Trees & Merry Christmas first day, Falala, deck the halls the next, then everything else on the third day. I needed the extra time to organize the fixture room and alcove so the Garden set would go smoothly.

Everything is clean, so I'm ready to tackle yet another year at Target... :)
 
I was hoping toys priorities wouldbe fixed since ours always called for bp before and never lined up. My assumption was that the toy tl never followed the pr#s and did it randomly.

well, our guys never look on the big shelves marked "salesplanner signing only" for backer. so they end up digging through our pog backer and stealing it (even if it isnt called for). especially our hltl. they just want things to look "pretty". which is fine until were 20 sheets short for our set and have to reorder. the toy signing we got for endcaps was just a m&doug topper and a couple of headers. no backer.
 
well, our guys never look on the big shelves marked "salesplanner signing only" for backer. so they end up digging through our pog backer and stealing it (even if it isnt called for). especially our hltl. they just want things to look "pretty". which is fine until were 20 sheets short for our set and have to reorder. the toy signing we got for endcaps was just a m&doug topper and a couple of headers. no backer.

Your Plano TL needs to push back on them then. "Oh, you needed OUR backer for your endcap? Fine, when the replacement comes in YOU can de-merch the the toy aisles that need the backer and fix it."
 
If anyone hasn't begun your L&G set, I would recommend prebuilding your sun if you have room. Finished, each piece (4) is over 8' long.

I was able to finish all of the L&G set in 8 hours, but the sun has a build time of 3 hours for 2 people, and if I had prebuilt it, the night would have been less stressful.
 
If anyone hasn't begun your L&G set, I would recommend prebuilding your sun if you have room. Finished, each piece (4) is over 8' long.

I was able to finish all of the L&G set in 8 hours, but the sun has a build time of 3 hours for 2 people, and if I had prebuilt it, the night would have been less stressful.

Built the sun today. I hated the cheap plastic clips they sent. I broke about 8-10 of them. You only need one to build but you definitely need two to hang at least the 2 longest pieces of the sun. Our store will hopefully finish the rest of patio tomorrow so I can finish the signing.
 
So was there any communication about the wood grain for the toys focals?

The planograms called for half and half of the old shelfliner, spine covers and the new wood grain backer and liner. I ended up just using the wood grain on the boys focal and left the girls completely pink.... I thought it looked better pink.
 
What is with all the woodgrain the last few years - first electronics of all things, then headers all over the store - and now in toys? It just screams 1970's to me, and I hated it even back then.
 
I think they mentioned a study a few years back where woodgrain was soothing to the guest and somehow made more likely to buy stuff.
 
Two months ago, I said those All is Bright trees were the worst things I've ever built in my years as Signing.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new champion: that freaking sun. It's huge, takes forever to build and is otherwise an absolute pain. Everyone do yourselves a favor and double up on the ceiling hooks for the medium and small sections. Don't even mess around, just do it to be safe. Believe it or not, the large sections are the lightest due to the way they're designed and have four hooks instead of three.

The worst part? It doesn't even look that good. It's just a big blob of yellow hanging from the ceiling. There's no color, there's nothing to catch your eye. Just a giant pile of yellow hanging there.

Clearly, whoever's in charge of ISM has lost their gorram mind recently.
 
So was there any communication about the wood grain for the toys focals?

The planograms called for half and half of the old shelfliner, spine covers and the new wood grain backer and liner. I ended up just using the wood grain on the boys focal and left the girls completely pink.... I thought it looked better pink.

Looks like both boys and girls are supposed to be wood grain. Least thats what you get when you shoot them.
 
Looks like both boys and girls are supposed to be wood grain. Least thats what you get when you shoot them.

I kinda thought so too, but the line listing on the girls was contradictory. I'll just switch it out once we complete toys.

I kinda liked how the suns looked once up. Biggest problem is with the umbrellas hitting it if the patio set gets shifted forward...

I recommend hanging the suns with 12" hooks instead of 18" on a 14' ceiling.
 
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