Posted by David on October 08, 2002 at 10:30:05:
#1 Walmart, the nation's largest retailer, recenty announced they lowered their holiday sales projections, due to the economy. Yet B&N, like last year is expecting high #'s ($$$) this season. In his letter to share holders in the spring, Steve Riggio said the economic situation was no excuse for slow sales. What is his drug of choice?! Last November and December, due to national and local economy (lay-offs were all over our town), we could not meet sales plan. We were very busy, but customers just not spending much. Thus payroll went down the drain, and booksellers sent home on Fridays and Saturdays, through the end of the season. On the weekend before Christmas, we had no more than 15 booksellers in the store at one time - including books, cafe, music, and managers. At one point, there was 1 person on the floor to do customer service calls and answer phones, as everyone else was at a register or at customer service with lines of people.
#2 In anticipation for another bad sales/payroll season, our store manager was allowed, by the DM, to "bank" hours, so that we will be able to have extra payroll during the holidays (in case we can't meet sales). Well, upon learning how many hours we banked, the DM decided it would make the other stores look bad, and so took away those hours and spread them out among all the stores in the district! Our booksellers have been forced to sacrifice hours for months, in hopes of having enough help on the floor during the holidays, and for WHAT?! No wonder morale is so low.