Retail Slowdown

Predicting the demise of Sears & Kmart since 2017!
mbz321
Assistant Store Manager
Assistant Store Manager
Posts: 747
Joined: March 11th, 2010, 7:52 pm
Has thanked: 96 times
Been thanked: 54 times
Status: Offline

Re: Retail Slowdown

Post by mbz321 »

At my Costco, we have still been busy every single day, and I don't work in a particularly 'busy' store. Inflation definitely seems to be helping us, although I'd say prices on most items have increased at least $1, and several dollars on some items. Unfortunately, payroll hours are based on last years sales figures which weren't as high, so the entire building is pretty much short-staffed, more-so than usual, all the time. (And management goofed by offering too many employees 'Winter Leave', a 'perk' which lets employees take as much unpaid time off during the usual slow months of January-March, without interruption to health and other benefits.)
Alpha8472
Posts: 3929
Joined: February 24th, 2009, 8:55 pm
Been thanked: 79 times
Status: Offline

Re: Retail Slowdown

Post by Alpha8472 »

I think that there is a migration of customers to Costco. Safeway was not busy, but Costco seemed busy. Customers are seeking out the lowest prices and end up at Costco. Even Walmart seems to be losing customers to Costco.
SamSpade
Store Manager
Store Manager
Posts: 1568
Joined: September 13th, 2015, 4:39 pm
Has thanked: 374 times
Been thanked: 57 times
Status: Offline

Re: Retail Slowdown

Post by SamSpade »

mbz321 wrote: February 3rd, 2022, 7:06 pm (And management goofed by offering too many employees 'Winter Leave', a 'perk' which lets employees take as much unpaid time off during the usual slow months of January-March, without interruption to health and other benefits.)
Off Topic
Wow, if a family could budget properly, what a nice perk, unpaid sabbatical in Q1. Costco really is different from other retail employers.
storewanderer
Posts: 14379
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 3:54 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 298 times
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Retail Slowdown

Post by storewanderer »

SamSpade wrote: February 4th, 2022, 9:10 am
mbz321 wrote: February 3rd, 2022, 7:06 pm (And management goofed by offering too many employees 'Winter Leave', a 'perk' which lets employees take as much unpaid time off during the usual slow months of January-March, without interruption to health and other benefits.)
Off Topic
Wow, if a family could budget properly, what a nice perk, unpaid sabbatical in Q1. Costco really is different from other retail employers.
That is a great benefit. Does that allow anyone to take off or does it require certain seniority?
mbz321
Assistant Store Manager
Assistant Store Manager
Posts: 747
Joined: March 11th, 2010, 7:52 pm
Has thanked: 96 times
Been thanked: 54 times
Status: Offline

Re: Retail Slowdown

Post by mbz321 »

storewanderer wrote: February 5th, 2022, 12:22 am
SamSpade wrote: February 4th, 2022, 9:10 am
mbz321 wrote: February 3rd, 2022, 7:06 pm (And management goofed by offering too many employees 'Winter Leave', a 'perk' which lets employees take as much unpaid time off during the usual slow months of January-March, without interruption to health and other benefits.)
Off Topic
Wow, if a family could budget properly, what a nice perk, unpaid sabbatical in Q1. Costco really is different from other retail employers.
That is a great benefit. Does that allow anyone to take off or does it require certain seniority?
Anybody who has been with the company more than a year, I believe. It's first come first serve pretty much, and they do have the right to reject your requests for really any reason. It is also the General Manager's discretion to offer it or not, it isn't necessarily a set-in-stone perk. I've heard in states like Florida, they offer 'Summer Leave' when stores are generally a bit quieter.
storewanderer
Posts: 14379
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 3:54 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 298 times
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Retail Slowdown

Post by storewanderer »

mbz321 wrote: February 5th, 2022, 8:26 pm

Anybody who has been with the company more than a year, I believe. It's first come first serve pretty much, and they do have the right to reject your requests for really any reason. It is also the General Manager's discretion to offer it or not, it isn't necessarily a set-in-stone perk. I've heard in states like Florida, they offer 'Summer Leave' when stores are generally a bit quieter.
Do they put the employees who go on leave onto a call in list or something and try to call them in to fill empty shifts from time to time? Or is it literally like a furlough where you leave and you won't hear from them?
mbz321
Assistant Store Manager
Assistant Store Manager
Posts: 747
Joined: March 11th, 2010, 7:52 pm
Has thanked: 96 times
Been thanked: 54 times
Status: Offline

Re: Retail Slowdown

Post by mbz321 »

storewanderer wrote: February 5th, 2022, 10:58 pm
Do they put the employees who go on leave onto a call in list or something and try to call them in to fill empty shifts from time to time? Or is it literally like a furlough where you leave and you won't hear from them?
No, it's no different than an employee taking a vacation...they don't (normally) call employees to come in. Most employees, at least those that I know of, take a week or two, or scattered days off here and there through the period (after all, unlike using vacation or personal pay, it is unpaid).
Post Reply