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

[NCweatherguy]

Did they send you enough for every front and back endcap? I’m concerned there isn’t enough EMPL to replace all in one sweep.

I know they are to be used for SPP and DPP only. However some existing endcaps in the store are not SPP or DPP. Are we supposed to skip these endcaps until they get replaced with a new POG?

It was mentioned that “Must Have” will be directed by POG and that there should currently be none used and it will be used in the coming months.

“Low Price” also will be directed by POG and be under $20 SPP. There may only currently be a few of these in store but I feel like if it’s not directed by POG then EMPL is currently the better default option.

How are you guys approaching this?

EMPL becomes the default replacing Priced Right Daily. If you have an existing endcap that is flex or over $20, it gets EMPL.

 

[Dysprosed]

I've got a few pogs that are scanning low price and must have. A few grocery SPs were low price and a tech pog, I believe pop sockets, was a Must Have.

 

[FlowTeamChick]

newer style 7x11 holders

Which ones are these? We have 3 different kinds at my store, one of which I know is pretty old. The two I've seen more recently are a hard plastic sleeve part with white clips (instead of the old clear ones) and a soft plastic sleeve, also with white clips but they're different. It's the soft plastic ones that keeps losing the clips. Although I like those soft ones because they're so much easier to attach to the shelves in Cosmetics.

 

[FlowTeamChick]

Sure won't miss the "Free Gift Card" ones - setting ad in Essentials, I was constantly having to change the headers.

But my store still has the old end cap tops in most the store. Makes it a little tricky setting an end cap shipper that's just the teeniest bit too tall to easily fit under.

 

[SigningLady]

Which ones are these? We have 3 different kinds at my store, one of which I know is pretty old. The two I've seen more recently are a hard plastic sleeve part with white clips (instead of the old clear ones) and a soft plastic sleeve, also with white clips but they're different. It's the soft plastic ones that keeps losing the clips. Although I like those soft ones because they're so much easier to attach to the shelves in Cosmetics.

The newest 7x11 holders are the one with the harder plastic sleeve. I like them so far, have yet to see how much damage they can take.

 

[gsa4lyfe]

Interesting, I never saw a single person buy one. Every display we built sat completely full. I sent the following info to HQ:
View attachment 15414

This was a snapshot from December 13th demonstrating just how overstocked we were. And of course still are.

Don't get me wrong. sales were fine. In the week leading up to Xmas, we sold 200, which was around 1.5 times the total amount sold between Thanksgiving and Xmas. But the idea is that we should be as close to zero going into the 26th as possible, right? And yet, we are nowhere close. And it just kept getting pushed. Xmas wrap on the other hand, was spot on. Almost a complete sell thru, but never ran out and still had a good variety to choose from for those last minute shoppers

What card number is this?

 

[TargetMcFly]

Why are socks endcaps part of presentation workload now wtf...

 

[happygoth]

Why are socks endcaps part of presentation workload now wtf...

I think all pogs fall under presentation now.

 

[NCweatherguy]

Why are socks endcaps part of presentation workload now wtf...

Somehow any non VMG style POG is now under the GM presentation team. I'll probably try to work with the style ETL/TL and see who from style we can schedule under GM payroll for most of those. It just creates weeks where we need almost 300 hours of labor for POG but we don't need that many people for 90% of the year.

Yes the toys DBO isn't officially a thing anymore, but we can probably schedule that person to help out with all of those toy revisions in a few weeks while the actual POG team can focus on beauty/skin care/hba. Hopefully that's where that weekly workload meeting will help out. The TL over POG just needs to be prepared to tell the ETLs exactly who they need and when.

 

[SigningLady]

Why are socks endcaps part of presentation workload now wtf...

Hate to break it you but all of the basics POGs fall to Presentation now. And it's actually not a new thing, that's the workload Plano had before Modernization. In addition, I'd be willing to bet come March, they will also own setting the new traditional bra/panty POGs too like they used to. Maybe even the Mens denim POGs coming up in Feb.

What's old is new again.

 

[Sushi2Go]

Hate to break it you but all of the basics POGs fall to Presentation now. And it's actually not a new thing, that's the workload Plano had before Modernization. In addition, I'd be willing to bet come March, they will also own setting the new traditional bra/panty POGs too like they used to. Maybe even the Mens denim POGs coming up in Feb.

What's old is new again.

So does this mean we should be getting more team members in presentation? Something has to give. Back then we had 4-5 team members.

 

[SigningLady]

So does this mean we should be getting more team members in presentation? Something has to give. Back then we had 4-5 team members.

Kind of. But all those TMs will also be responsible for RFID, price change, and system-led audits. So it's not going to be the 4-5 you used to have on Plano plus the 2-3 that were Price Change plus the 2-3 that were Instocks. Smaller team but also, the workload for some of those areas has changed and become more streamlined (I'd say efficient but that doesn't feel right 😆).

The Plano part hasn't changed much though so it's going to be a real challenge on those heavier workload weeks.

 

[Dysprosed]

There's that one random Women's sock POG, SP01, or something like that. Not really basics... More of a seasonal sock sales plan or something. Most of the time, the product is flexed out by Style the moment it comes in. I just tie it and move on. Otherwise, Basics is not too crazy, I don't feel.

 

[TargetMcFly]

Hate to break it you but all of the basics POGs fall to Presentation now. And it's actually not a new thing, that's the workload Plano had before Modernization. In addition, I'd be willing to bet come March, they will also own setting the new traditional bra/panty POGs too like they used to. Maybe even the Mens denim POGs coming up in Feb.

What's old is new again.

Oh hell nah, not the bra/panties 😩

 

[SigningLady]

Oh hell nah, not the bra/panties 😩

Yeah, it's coming. I think it will help a lot with INFs in that area as since they switched to flex & hybrid POGs in bras it's just a mess all the time. It's definitely helped with kids denim- every time I've had to pick a pair of boys jeans, for fulfillment, it's been exactly where the location said it would be.

 

[Dead and Khaki]

I, for one, loved setting Basics, and I'm glad to have it back.

 

[jenna]

I, for one, loved setting Basics, and I'm glad to have it back.

I like setting a zoned Basics.

Unzoned Basics is a nightmare.

 

[Dysprosed]

Yeah, it's coming. I think it will help a lot with INFs in that area as since they switched to flex & hybrid POGs in bras it's just a mess all the time. It's definitely helped with kids denim- every time I've had to pick a pair of boys jeans, for fulfillment, it's been exactly where the location said it would be.

I'm not sure how owning this will go for me. The style team doesn't generally backstock transition, they just flex it out. I could take the extra time to set it to POG, only to see it messed up again end of week. The style team plays by different rules than the rest of the store...

EDIT: Case in point would be the SP01 sales plan, which is like seasonal socks, or some such. There's no dedicated statement for this (even though there should be). The product just gets pushed out. I'm sure the moment I redo, they'll be complaining about it. I'm not sure I have the energy to fight that battle.

 

[oath2order]

Hate to break it you but all of the basics POGs fall to Presentation now. And it's actually not a new thing, that's the workload Plano had before Modernization. In addition, I'd be willing to bet come March, they will also own setting the new traditional bra/panty POGs too like they used to. Maybe even the Mens denim POGs coming up in Feb.

What's old is new again.

If my current job prospect doesn't pan out, never a better time to return than with POG coming back I guess?

 

[SigningLady]

I'm not sure how owning this will go for me. The style team doesn't generally backstock transition, they just flex it out. I could take the extra time to set it to POG, only to see it messed up again end of week. The style team plays by different rules than the rest of the store...

EDIT: Case in point would be the SP01 sales plan, which is like seasonal socks, or some such. There's no dedicated statement for this (even though there should be). The product just gets pushed out. I'm sure the moment I redo, they'll be complaining about it. I'm not sure I have the energy to fight that battle.

I think there can be a balance between when to flex out transition and when not to. And it won't be easy for everyone to grasp. I'm not even sure I can really explain how to do it in a way that makes sense......

Generally, I would say there should absolutely not be any flexing going on with traditional POGs. The intent with these is to make items more findable so flexing defeats the purpose. But there are exceptions for some reason- shoe traditional POGs get set to POG (but without labels) but then can be flexed after the fact. 🤔🤷🏻‍♀️ I guess HQ is working this anomaly.

If a traditional POG is one that has items that never go clearance and ones that do (think basic tees), removing the clearance items to clearance areas leaves space for the new items to get flexed in until the POG resets.

For your example of SP01, setting it to POG first allows the items to be easily findable. As it sells down and gets closer to to next POG, it also makes sense to condense up on the fixture and if you have the new items flex them onto the bottom (unless it's one of those season changes where you aren't "allowed" to mix, think Halloween vs. Christmas). If the new items are flexed this way, there is less to pull to set the POG because it's all right there and just need to rearrange it.

Think of the time to flex the POG as the POG going PTM like in the old days.

 

[happygoth]

There's that one random Women's sock POG, SP01, or something like that. Not really basics... More of a seasonal sock sales plan or something. Most of the time, the product is flexed out by Style the moment it comes in. I just tie it and move on. Otherwise, Basics is not too crazy, I don't feel.

LMAO oh lordy y'all don't KNOW. Our Basics pogs are trash, as in they are in the dumpster out back because they sure aren't set in the store. We haven't had a decent pog reset in Basics for a good two years.

I like setting a zoned Basics.

Unzoned Basics is a nightmare.

Yep, that's my store. Instead of getting pissed about it, I decided about a year ago to make like Elsa and let it go, because really it makes pushing reshop so much easier. You can put stuff anywhere when there are no bin tickets, or they are in the wrong locations. I just make sure that I don't put the reshop in a spot with a lower price and move on.

 

[gsa4lyfe]

I think there can be a balance between when to flex out transition and when not to. And it won't be easy for everyone to grasp. I'm not even sure I can really explain how to do it in a way that makes sense......

Generally, I would say there should absolutely not be any flexing going on with traditional POGs. The intent with these is to make items more findable so flexing defeats the purpose. But there are exceptions for some reason- shoe traditional POGs get set to POG (but without labels) but then can be flexed after the fact. 🤔🤷🏻‍♀️ I guess HQ is working this anomaly.

If a traditional POG is one that has items that never go clearance and ones that do (think basic tees), removing the clearance items to clearance areas leaves space for the new items to get flexed in until the POG resets.

For your example of SP01, setting it to POG first allows the items to be easily findable. As it sells down and gets closer to to next POG, it also makes sense to condense up on the fixture and if you have the new items flex them onto the bottom (unless it's one of those season changes where you aren't "allowed" to mix, think Halloween vs. Christmas). If the new items are flexed this way, there is less to pull to set the POG because it's all right there and just need to rearrange it.

Think of the time to flex the POG as the POG going PTM like in the old days.

PTM technically never went away we just stopped doing it. The term and best practice is still listed on workbench and is also talked about when you use the liability viability tool.

 

[NXT]

PTM technically never went away we just stopped doing it. The term and best practice is still listed on workbench and is also talked about when you use the liability viability tool.

I miss when it used to be called MPG. I still use that term.

 

[gsa4lyfe]

I miss when it used to be called MPG. I still use that term.

Don’t forgot to print your red header labels

 

[Dysprosed]

Don’t forgot to print your red header labels

I actually really liked those. A trained TM knew immediately that they could flex over disco & clearance outs.