Dullsville.

There has been ice on the roads this evening, so business was slow at the store. It was so slow that I was able to completely zone "A-block" all by myself, finishing it at 7:00 with nothing else to do but make it look like I'm working 'till 10:00. Usually it takes several people in an evening to completely finish A-block. The girl at the customer service desk had me go fetch her "Sudoku" puzzle book from her locker.

One thing I've started to notice is that the shelves are starting to look a little empty behind the front facing of each item of merchandise. That's not unusual in the retail biz during January, after Christmas when inventory budgets are tight. The thing is that the emptiness is store-wide. If the emptiness lasts after about February or March, then it's not a good sign.

I'm curious just what is the case. In my frequent trips over to "big blue," I notice the shelves are quite a bit fuller still, though there may be a light spot or two. It seems to me they are getting better inventory turns and still keeping a good on-hand position. That is, of course, if they haven't borrowed to finance their purchasing during the first quarter, which some retailers do. Time will tell.

I Like Them, Really, I Do.

My last post may have been a little harsh.

Let me fill out the picture a bit more by saying that I really like the store I work at, truthfully, and I really care a lot about the store-level management team we have. They're good people who work hard. I just hate to see corporate come in and treat them the way they do.

I work for a certain "big box" retail chain, who I shall nickname "Big Red" (as opposed to that *other* place, "Big Blue.") I really enjoy working for "Big Red," because they make continuous efforts to be progressive in the business, and they are very open to feed-back (with the exception of a small handful of corporate types who take themselves too seriously.)

I previously had worked for a dollar store chain that's popular in the Southeast and the Midwest. We'll just call them "Little Red." That company and the people who run it are the most abrasive, obnoxious jerks I have ever come across in my entire life. Never again will my feet even cross the thresh-hold of their stores, unless I'm dragged into them kicking and screaming.

I mentioned some of my experiences at Little Red to the HR manager of Big Red when she was interviewing me. She told me that everyone she has come across who used to work at Little Red has little good to say about the place. (Word on the street about them is very bad. So you see, it's not just me.)

Anyhow, over time I will discuss the ups and downs of life in retailing, as well as give comments about events in current business news. More to follow.

Seagull Management Method

Earlier this week the management team in the store had the inestimable pleasure of having to be reamed out by the district management after a recent walk-through visit. This company makes a big show about fostering a "fast, fun, and friendly" work environment, but evidently all of that is complete bullshit, or at the very least corporate officers think it doesn't apply to them.

This particular stuffed suit believes in the "seagull management method." Basically it means that you swoop on in suddenly, squawk and make a lot of noise, lay out a ton of crap everywhere, then swoop back out without so much as a howdy-do.

As a result, of course, the store management team has been in a bad mood the last couple of days. You know the old saying about how stuff rolls down hill....

More to come.