What do you think will happen when we go to $15 an hour?

[rog the dog]

Even fewer hours for TMs. When everyone is a Team Lead, no one is. How can you lead if you have no team? I guess it cuts back on how many coachings they have to do.
Further automation. More self checkouts, fewer transitions? Eliminate everything not owned-brand.

Ha. Small Format TLs are already glorified Team Members, we're ahead of the game!

 

[jackandcat]

In Washington State, the statewide minimum wage is $13.50/hr. In the City of Seattle proper, the minimum wage for large employers is $16.39/hr.
Target still doesn't have $15/hr minimum here but in Seattle they are legally required to pay at least $16.39/hr.

 

[starfishncoffee]

Unfortunately the 15 will result in hours reduced for TM's and the TL's are going to be pushed to the breaking point. Will that change anything for the ETL's? Probably not.

ASANTS, but at my store things are already changing for the ETLs. They're doing a whole lot more heavy lifting, because other than TLs and themselves, only a few of us are getting decent hours. (They even cut shifts this week.)

 

[Luck]

I had this thought that target is already downsizing target with these mini targets just to have less than 20 employees so they can have them at a rate of $12/hr

Word through the grapevine is that is exactly the plan. And many smaller and lower volume stores will begin to be retrofitted to match the small store format as well. Every DC is being given small format stores as test runs. Once all team members are familiar with the process of sorting on palet and shrink wrapping those pallets and loading trailers that way, you bet your butt many stores will follow. the FDC already does this process relatively successfully (ignoring issues caused by the nature of perishable items).
No more unload team. Just maybe one or two guys unloading and staging pallets in the BR.
I know it's what Target has been saying it is going to do for ages now but it really is coming just extremely slowly.

 

[Captain Orca]

I get crafting supplies at Hobby Lobby. Huge store with 20x as much product as a Target has. I saw very few employees on the floor. Target is different. You go to Target to shop for something. You go to Hobby Lobby to browse and shop. I wonder how long the average Karen spends in a Target on any given week day afternoon when Buffy is in pre-k.

 

[Anelmi]

You go to Target to shop for something and end up getting way, way more. It's a common refrain at the check lanes..."oh I only came in for toilet paper and now I'm out $100 on God knows what..." I'd say both Karens and non-Karens spend a good chunk of time browsing and shopping.

 

[Amanda Cantwell]

You go to Target to shop for something and end up getting way, way more. It's a common refrain at the check lanes..."oh I only came in for toilet paper and now I'm out $100 on God knows what..." I'd say both Karens and non-Karens spend a good chunk of time browsing and shopping.

Target marketing is so smart. They purposefully perpetuate that meme. It’s the smartest thing ever. All generations relate from teens to grandmas.

 

[CIHYFS]

Same probably, with less flexibility on hours to schedule. My guess is the real rub will show up with call outs, and no one is called in to replace.

We've already been on this all February because inbound and general merchandise teams overspend 100's of hours each week. And they keep doing it because they SD makes the rest of the store suffer by cutting shifts and not replacing call outs.

 

[happygoth]

Target marketing is so smart. They purposefully perpetuate that meme. It’s the smartest thing ever. All generations relate from teens to grandmas.

Before I worked here I used to say that if I got out of Target spending less than $100 it was a miracle. I recently heard a guest say the same thing, except it was $200.

 

[rog the dog]

I honestly don't think much is going to change from a payroll standpoint. Even if we end up with less, we're still going to do what we do now: Schedule a little bit over each week expecting call outs, and pray to god you get flex hours to start adding shifts.

 

[rd123]

Our ETLs and SD has already stepped up to do everything to get the work done . I see a totally different approach from them compared to last year. Feels good to see them working hard for the store . Whenever possible, TLs give their hours to TMs who are taking their work seriously. This is one side . On the other hand, we have bunch of call outs and no one to replace them and some days backroom is like a junkyard and vehicles are horribly stacked with little to no sorting . Sometimes only etls and tls are doing the unloading as TMs are out on the floor pushing previous day/s truck.
Full uboats are all over the store as there is no place to fit them in backroom. Still guests are not showing any frustration or complaining (atleast I never heard or see) and sales are going above our goals .

 

[FlowTeamChick]

You go to Target to shop for something and end up getting way, way more. It's a common refrain at the check lanes..."oh I only came in for toilet paper and now I'm out $100 on God knows what..." I'd say both Karens and non-Karens spend a good chunk of time browsing and shopping.

I see/hear this several times a week when I offer to get a cart or basket for a guest who's trying to hold too much just in their own two hands (or maybe kid's or partner's also). Sometimes, they accept the offer; others, they say they're on the way to check out. The funny thing is when it's a TM shopping after their shift - do they not know better by now?

 

[Yetive]

Haha, I might be that TM. Hope springs eternal.

 

[60SecondsRemaining]

I can tell you, with little doubt, what will happen.

1) The shareholders will demand increased profitability
2) Resources (that's people lul) will go down
3) Expectations will go up
4) Any extra money will be spent on automation efforts or customer self-help (self checkout, self serve, etc) to further reduce the need for you to be employed, as it has been since the dawn of time.

Everyone should really work to get yourself out of retail now, because Amazon has revolutionized shopping and it's only a matter of time before they're able to offer same day delivery on most items (I'd say within 5 years). Once they have that capability, I doubt target survives in its current format.

Walmart will persist by leveraging it's grocery business and it's efficient supply chain. When you stack target up against both of these, it's clear it isn't going survive the long haul. You can innovate stores but unless they figure out a way to innovate in the supply chain, Walmart and Amazon will continue to push them in the dirt and take a big fat dump in their mouth.

 

[happygoth]

Target has things you can't get at Walmart or on Amazon. We have our own brands that people like. Sure, if we disappeared tomorrow the world would carry on without Knox Rose sweaters, Universal Threads Jeans, Spritz seasonal birds and Opal House candles and pillows, but while we are here, people will come in for them and a host of other things found only at Spot.

We aren't Amazon, we aren't Walmart, 'tis true, but we are Target and we are one of the top retailers in the country. I was a huge fan before employment and I continue to love this company, can't help it lol.

 

[Amanda Cantwell]

Target has things you can't get at Walmart or on Amazon. We have our own brands that people like. Sure, if we disappeared tomorrow the world would carry on without Knox Rose sweaters, Universal Threads Jeans, Spritz seasonal birds and Opal House candles and pillows, but while we are here, people will come in for them and a host of other things found only at Spot.

We aren't Amazon, we aren't Walmart, 'tis true, but we are Target and we are one of the top retailers in the country. I was a huge fan before employment and I continue to love this company, can't help it lol.

The seasonal birds are iconic and the world would cease without them

 

[60SecondsRemaining]

Target has things you can't get at Walmart or on Amazon. We have our own brands that people like. Sure, if we disappeared tomorrow the world would carry on without Knox Rose sweaters, Universal Threads Jeans, Spritz seasonal birds and Opal House candles and pillows, but while we are here, people will come in for them and a host of other things found only at Spot.

We aren't Amazon, we aren't Walmart, 'tis true, but we are Target and we are one of the top retailers in the country. I was a huge fan before employment and I continue to love this company, can't help it lol.

Target does have good brand loyalty, evidenced by the fact that both Wal-Mart and Amazon have gross profit ranges 500% higher than Target yet Target is viewed as a competitor. But at the end of the day money talks, and amazon will figure out ways to break into those brands. It's already started with Amazon Basics.

I'm not saying Target is going to go under, just that it isn't going to survive in it's current form. Truthfully I see the target of 2030 selling affordable fashion clothing and home goods, maybe electronics as a traffic driver. It's vertically integrated almost completely in those categories and thus has massive margin there.

 

[Amanda Cantwell]

Target does have good brand loyalty, evidenced by the fact that both Wal-Mart and Amazon have gross profit ranges 500% higher than Target yet Target is viewed as a competitor. But at the end of the day money talks, and amazon will figure out ways to break into those brands. It's already started with Amazon Basics.

I'm not saying Target is going to go under, just that it isn't going to survive in it's current form. Truthfully I see the target of 2030 selling affordable fashion clothing and home goods, maybe electronics as a traffic driver. It's vertically integrated almost completely in those categories and thus has massive margin there.

Target also has one thing that amazon and Walmart don’t. The experience. For many people, target is like a social outing, I’ve even heard of target dates. It’s a fun store to walk around in. We aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

 

[60SecondsRemaining]

Target also has one thing that amazon and Walmart don’t. The experience. For many people, target is like a social outing, I’ve even heard of target dates. It’s a fun store to walk around in. We aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Unfortunately sight-seeing doesn't translate to profit. I do really hope Target ends up doing extremely well in the near term, I'm no business nostradamus, just my opinion.

 

[RedcardReba]

Target is doing fine. And all stockholders are taking a bath right now.

 

[Poofresh]

Word through the grapevine is that is exactly the plan. And many smaller and lower volume stores will begin to be retrofitted to match the small store format as well. Every DC is being given small format stores as test runs. Once all team members are familiar with the process of sorting on palet and shrink wrapping those pallets and loading trailers that way, you bet your butt many stores will follow. the FDC already does this process relatively successfully (ignoring issues caused by the nature of perishable items).
No more unload team. Just maybe one or two guys unloading and staging pallets in the BR.
I know it's what Target has been saying it is going to do for ages now but it really is coming just extremely slowly.

O
I'm okay with this. Target really doesn't need to be a big box store. I went to one of the mini target and it can still function like a regular Tgt. In fact they really don't need furniture department. It's a Dept that losses money.

 

[Tarshitsucks]

What I think might treat us same or worse. Tarshit is all about that money in the shareholders pockets not the team members. They will do anything to save a buck.

 

[happygoth]

Target also has one thing that amazon and Walmart don’t. The experience. For many people, target is like a social outing, I’ve even heard of target dates. It’s a fun store to walk around in. We aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Cougar Town did an episode set in a Target store, did anyone see it? It was presented as a mini vacation for a couple of the main characters, a father and son. The father even had a Target "romance" that ended when they left the store.

They also had an episode where a couple redecorated their place with all Target stuff. Of course, Spot was a sponsor and thus it was obvious shilling, but I loved it because I love Cougar Town and Target, lol.

 

[rd123]

Today I saw at my nearby super Walmart that they have their trucks already sorted into pallets for different areas. Is this done in any of our stores? I thought it’s a great idea as we can save time while unloading truck .

 

[Luck]

Today I saw at my nearby super Walmart that they have their trucks already sorted into pallets for different areas. Is this done in any of our stores? I thought it’s a great idea as we can save time while unloading truck .

I addressed this earlier in the thread abit.
The old answer was no. The only items that were "palletized" DC side were non-conveyable merchandise. Aka dog food pallets, and pallets of miscellaneous things that cang go through the automated sorter (too light, too heavy, too large, known to cause jams, too fragile, and so forth). But the misc. Items has no bearing on the unload and includes items from all areas.
This has changed however with the small format stores. They receive pre sorted and shrink wrapped pallets. Word is that due to the small format success, and generally increasing demands to have more frequent shipments to small stores to avoid out of stocks store side, certain smaller size/volume stores are going to be retrofitted to this process as well. With the very long term being all stores go to this.
Last I ever worked at a Walmart though the unload was 50/50. Some items were palletized like cereal. But still others were unloaded and organized store side as Target does.