Archived VML from a leadership perspective

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trgt5plus

I'm the one who reads the handbook
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I know there has been a lot of talk about VML and man do I have a lot of thought on the subject.

Ok so here goes , first I think there are a lot of misconceptions as to what the job is.
First yes it pay grade 17 but no your not a SrTL. The reason they made the position a pg17 was so they could attract more external candidates, yes target wants externals with degrees for this position. Plain and simple pg17 so they can pay be more enticing.
And from there I'll go into hiring externals. Yes, I know that a lot of people are pissed about this, but I honestly don't think it is that bad of an idea. I have read a lot of post saying that brand TM could do the job and basically anyone can but really that's not true. I have some great brand tm's in my store but I could never see them being a VML. VML will be doing a lot of remerching and flexing and it must be done properly so that it is visually appealing and creating that moment. Are there current TM and TL that are qualified absolutely and they should be given a chance but also there are a lot that are not.
And then that brings me to really the biggest problem with VML , the etl's. My etl's don't exactly have a sense of style or merchandising, so when they see something full they think hey that looks good. Not always the case. I have even seen pictures tweeted of full endcaps that aren't styled correctly . They have a VML tool for the STL to follow up with but still it not enough. I think there should one day maybe be a VMETL . Yes I know that right now there is a VMml but there needs to be a position in between. How do you do an interview for a style position when you know nothing about style. Granted the flip chart does tell them what the answer should be.

I think that maybe target just did a shit job at rolling this new position out. I do think It's a great step in the right direction and I myself would have gone for the position had I not already been interviewing for etl.
Obviously these are just my thought and opinions and I know some won't agree. I do have degrees in design and art so I like to think I know what good style is.
 
Hiring externals isn't a bad idea at all. Not interviewing internals just because you think only an external would be qualified enough is what's wrong. Spot is alienating the talent they have in the building by doing that. Plain and simple the best person should get the job, internal or external.

My store hired an internal but we were also a pilot for this position.
 
Visual merchandising is a field I am interested in. It's more than appearance. It should be a balance between aesthetics and logistics. Otherwise, the appearance is difficult to maintain if achieving consistent execution is in question.

Also, take into consideration how things look from the guest perspective. The message should be conveyed at one glance. If guest has to think more than 3 seconds on how things are arranged, that's not effective VM.
 
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I'm curious to know if the VML will have a team that reports to them or are they a leader without a team?
 
So, in your opinion, how close to "Visual Merchandising" do you think a Computer Graphics degree is?
 
So, in your opinion, how close to "Visual Merchandising" do you think a Computer Graphics degree is?
They want Macy's, Filenes or Ethan Allen. Not target, not other merchandising. No matter how easy it is to apply to any object with some market research.

The fact that they are being snobby, avoiding internals and any interviewee they think isn't perfect is horse crap. This person doesn't exist for this low of a salary. Or if they do it will be for a short time. Better to internal and earn some loyalty and gratitude.

We are hiring the vml one sl and one hl team member. Low volume pfresh, but we sell tons of decorative home.
 
They want Macy's, Filenes or Ethan Allen. Not target, not other merchandising. No matter how easy it is to apply to any object with some market research.

The fact that they are being snobby, avoiding internals and any interviewee they think isn't perfect is horse crap. This person doesn't exist for this low of a salary. Or if they do it will be for a short time. Better to internal and earn some loyalty and gratitude.

We are hiring the vml one sl and one hl team member. Low volume pfresh, but we sell tons of decorative home.

I don't think Ethan Allen is going to apply for this position.
 
I know, but some guy named Ethan Allen would have to have started it right? :eek:
Maybe? Can't say I've ever been in one. Ex boyfriend's mom was a furniture consultant though...exactly the kind of person they think will fit this mold.
 
We actually hired internal for the VML position at out store. My concern with the concept that has yet to be addressed is where the payroll will come from to staff it. If the answer is from our current budget as it most likely will be then congratulations on failing spectacularly at rolling this out as every low volume store will be unable to utilize them as intended. My store only gets 100 hours a week for softlines TMs and we are hard shopped so stray is always an issue, so guess what that will mean for my newly promoted VML...
 
I know there has been a lot of talk about VML and man do I have a lot of thought on the subject.

Ok so here goes , first I think there are a lot of misconceptions as to what the job is.
First yes it pay grade 17 but no your not a SrTL. The reason they made the position a pg17 was so they could attract more external candidates, yes target wants externals with degrees for this position. Plain and simple pg17 so they can pay be more enticing.
And from there I'll go into hiring externals. Yes, I know that a lot of people are pissed about this, but I honestly don't think it is that bad of an idea. I have read a lot of post saying that brand TM could do the job and basically anyone can but really that's not true. I have some great brand tm's in my store but I could never see them being a VML. VML will be doing a lot of remerching and flexing and it must be done properly so that it is visually appealing and creating that moment. Are there current TM and TL that are qualified absolutely and they should be given a chance but also there are a lot that are not.
And then that brings me to really the biggest problem with VML , the etl's. My etl's don't exactly have a sense of style or merchandising, so when they see something full they think hey that looks good. Not always the case. I have even seen pictures tweeted of full endcaps that aren't styled correctly . They have a VML tool for the STL to follow up with but still it not enough. I think there should one day maybe be a VMETL . Yes I know that right now there is a VMml but there needs to be a position in between. How do you do an interview for a style position when you know nothing about style. Granted the flip chart does tell them what the answer should be.

I think that maybe target just did a shit job at rolling this new position out. I do think It's a great step in the right direction and I myself would have gone for the position had I not already been interviewing for etl.
Obviously these are just my thought and opinions and I know some won't agree. I do have degrees in design and art so I like to think I know what good style is.

...The definition of a brand team member is someone who does this on a daily basis. So, yes, we are better at it than someone who comes in with no experience at Target. And they are also not redesigning ANYTHING. As my dad put it, "Corporate is designing a color-by-numbers handout, and the VM-TL just needs to pick up the right crayons." Could it be nice to have a competent person who can help us brand team members with our daily tasks? Sure. But competency doesn't necessarily mean a fancy degree and a fresh look. New eyes can look at a sales planner all they want, but at the end of the day, it says the same thing and looks the same way.

This is actually a really touchy subject right now for those of us brand TMs who know intimately how much better it would be to have someone familiar with both the store and Target's way of life.
 
If your TMs are bad at remerching and flexing so it looks nice, that's kind of a problem. I'm not even brand, but I have to do it often, because sometimes I come in and the zone is so bad there's no way for me to know which things go where... And I don't get a copy of the VA. So I make it make sense. I also put the ugly stuff in back whether they like it or not lol. No ones gonna look through that rack if they see something awful up front. No ones gonna think to look for their beloved paw pal tee shirt if Thomas the tank engine/train/whatever they changed his name to is in front. Thomas isn't hot right now. And neither are all these fricking tucked in shirts on the mannequins lol.
Sorry I got sidetracked, but if it's a disaster every time your brand people take matters into their own hands, they need some training... Or a new workcenter. Aesthetics are really important to "being brand."

I don't have anything against external hires, in general, but when people in your company don't have a glimmer of hope for the possibility of ever moving up, it breaks their spirits. Over the course of 3 years, I have lost count of how many jobs tl and above have been replaced with newbs when there were people willing to move up who've been with the company for eons.
 
...The definition of a brand team member is someone who does this on a daily basis. So, yes, we are better at it than someone who comes in with no experience at Target. And they are also not redesigning ANYTHING. As my dad put it, "Corporate is designing a color-by-numbers handout, and the VM-TL just needs to pick up the right crayons." Could it be nice to have a competent person who can help us brand team members with our daily tasks? Sure. But competency doesn't necessarily mean a fancy degree and a fresh look. New eyes can look at a sales planner all they want, but at the end of the day, it says the same thing and looks the same way.

This is actually a really touchy subject right now for those of us brand TMs who know intimately how much better it would be to have someone familiar with both the store and Target's way of life.
I know right. Its sad to see its come to this. All so target can go oh look at all these "fashion experts" we acquired. Love us know rich people and buy our cheap clothing that now looks so much more "fashionable".
 
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I don't have a sense of style myself. However, I think that Visual Merchandising would have a lot more to do with RETAIL ANALYTICS, than your own subjective idea of presentation or design. The focus should be on ORGANIZATION based on DATA on past consumer behavior.

What does historical sales tells you?

If I were hired for this position, do I have access to data that breakdown current and historical sales per department?

This is all about looking at what data you have, and looking at patterns.

How should items be placed? What does the rows and columns per section tells us about our sales priorities and trends of human behavior when looking at item location? Are those at eye level result to greater sales? Should we have our best seller's at eye level?

Should we use the ENDCAPs to introduce new products?

To answer these questions, we need tools, we need data , we need a program to summarize information to us.

If I work at Corporate, I would use VML positions to establish an in-house analytics in-stores. Allow some degree of AUTONOMY in stores. Don't make all the analytics decided by the headquarter and enforce a uniform process. Give individual stores some control on how they can strategize to achieve their sales goal.
 
11863259_296477867189200_4811761213082782160_n.jpg


I don't have a sense of style myself. However, I think that Visual Merchandising would have a lot more to do with RETAIL ANALYTICS, than your own subjective idea of presentation or design. The focus should be on ORGANIZATION based on DATA on past consumer behavior.

What does historical sales tells you?

If I were hired for this position, do I have access to data that breakdown current and historical sales per department?

This is all about looking at what data you have, and looking at patterns.

How should items be placed? What does the rows and columns per section tells us about our sales priorities and trends of human behavior when looking at item location? Are those at eye level result to greater sales? Should we have our best seller's at eye level?

Should we use the ENDCAPs to introduce new products?

To answer these questions, we need tools, we need data , we need a program to summarize information to us.

If I work at Corporate, I would use VML positions to establish an in-house analytics in-stores. Allow some degree of AUTONOMY in stores. Don't make all the analytics decided by the headquarter and enforce a uniform process. Give individual stores some control on how they can strategize to achieve their sales goal.

There is all kinds of sales numbers but to look at it in the minuscule detail you would have to be given more depth compared to what is already available. You can look at each department number for example: you could see that sales for girls pants/shorts 205 is up x% and you made $xxx.xxxxxxxxx amount for the week/month/year compared to last year. But to further break it down you'd have to know what sells for Target well and that's what these know it alls they are bringing in from outside won't know as these number only give you a generic idea what sells.

Endcaps are handled corporate side so unless you are figuring out numbers to see what would make the most sense for your specific store for a blown endcap then yes that would make sense otherwise the VML is a glorified overpaid team leader with a slightly more visual approach.
 
@Captainzim - thanks for explaining that.

Can you elaborate on what kind of data an authorized personnel can access?

So, let's say in women shoes.. Will I be able to see the sales report breakdown by brand?

Like for example, if I filter the search to 2015.

Will I see these results:
A2 by Aerosoles - 23
Betseyville - 18
C9 Champion - 99
Joules - 12
LifeStride - 23
Mad Love - 23
Merona - 90
Mossimo - 88
Revel - 31
Sam & Libby - 78
S-Sport designed by Skechers - 22
Tretorn - 31

I think that since Target is in an APP-FRENZY and tech-frenzy in general. They should start investing in better VISUALIZATIONS or business analytics.
 
@Captainzim - thanks for explaining that.

Can you elaborate on what kind of data an authorized personnel can access?

So, let's say in women shoes.. Will I be able to see the sales report breakdown by brand?

Like for example, if I filter the search to 2015.

Will I see these results:
A2 by Aerosoles - 23
Betseyville - 18
C9 Champion - 99
Joules - 12
LifeStride - 23
Mad Love - 23
Merona - 90
Mossimo - 88
Revel - 31
Sam & Libby - 78
S-Sport designed by Skechers - 22
Tretorn - 31

I think that since Target is in an APP-FRENZY and tech-frenzy in general. They should start investing in better VISUALIZATIONS or business analytics.

much more generic and recently they locked down that data to team leads and above whereas before most folks had access.
its like dept 93 for athletic
98 for womens etc. No breakdown unless you look at the classes underneath but its only going to give you so much details for it. It won't give you a full breakdown of hey this style does really well here atleast not at the store level.
 
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@Captainzim - thank you for further explaining that.

In my opinion, in order for VM to successfully work, access to comprehensive data is important.

For example, I would like to see the sales trend by year (table 1), by month (table 2), and even sales data on locations of these items - the sections (table 3), and shelf (table 4).

So, I could look at the historical trend on october (table 2), and see that Mossimo and Betseyville are historically my top sellers.

If section 1 and shelf 3 are my top locations which tend to get the most sales - that's where I would strategically place these items.

Numbers by the way are random.
 
12088062_313194185517568_4374778300024865150_n.jpg


@Captainzim - thank you for further explaining that.

In my opinion, in order for VM to successfully work, access to comprehensive data is important.

For example, I would like to see the sales trend by year (table 1), by month (table 2), and even sales data on locations of these items - the sections (table 3), and shelf (table 4).

So, I could look at the historical trend on october (table 2), and see that Mossimo and Betseyville are historically my top sellers.

If section 1 and shelf 3 are my top locations which tend to get the most sales - that's where I would strategically place these items.

Numbers by the way are random.

Problem is that information is only available corporate side as the selection and what we can sell are controlled higher up all the VML can do is help persuade hey we should carry more of x and z next year or during the next season.
 
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