Visit to a dying store

[abhorrent scowl]

I haven't been to the store I worked at since they got the news they were closing, so I dropped by to talk to my old co-workers. As you can expect, the atmosphere was like a funeral home. The vultures... er, customers, were flocking in looking to see if the prices had dropped any more. Anyway, I noticed a few things the people on this board might find simultaneously amusing and depressing.

Theft is out of control. You know the movies they've been selling in those cheap plastic sleeves? The SL told me that when he came in that morning, he found 20 - 30 of them in the back corner (what we referred to as "Shoplifter's Alley). He said that is pretty typical, but of course despite the fact that they are seeing more traffic, they are still scheduled for single coverage most of the time.

Speaking of theft...
My old SM had brought in a mini-fridge at one point to put in the back so we had a place to keep our lunches/leftovers. Well since the store is closing, she took the fridge home. The DM goes ballistic, screaming about internal theft. He declares that nothing, nothing leaves the store without his approval.
So let me recap:
Movies being stolen hand over fist - not a cause for concern.
Employees taking their own property home - Armageddon!!!

One of the other SL's got fired for his sales (or lack thereof), despite the fact the store closes in 10 days. Those who remain are constantly threatened that if they don't hit their numbers, they will not be placed in a new store.
Strange how they fail to mention that with half the stores around here closing, your odds of being kept are lousy anyway... but hey, keep pushing those bundles!

One final note.
On the local news the other night, they ran a brief story about BB not accepting gift cards anymore. They ran the same video clip they run every time they do a story on BB, and it has to be at least 15 years old. I chuckled as I watched it. Heh, look at the VHS tapes on the wall. Look at the old blue and yellow shirts. Look at the cashier ringing up the customer....
... on the exact same POS they use now.

[Hot Head]

Originally Posted by abhorrent scowl

I haven't been to the store I worked at since they got the news they were closing, so I dropped by to talk to my old co-workers. As you can expect, the atmosphere was like a funeral home. The vultures... er, customers, were flocking in looking to see if the prices had dropped any more. Anyway, I noticed a few things the people on this board might find simultaneously amusing and depressing.

Theft is out of control. You know the movies they've been selling in those cheap plastic sleeves? The SL told me that when he came in that morning, he found 20 - 30 of them in the back corner (what we referred to as "Shoplifter's Alley). He said that is pretty typical, but of course despite the fact that they are seeing more traffic, they are still scheduled for single coverage most of the time.

Speaking of theft...
My old SM had brought in a mini-fridge at one point to put in the back so we had a place to keep our lunches/leftovers. Well since the store is closing, she took the fridge home. The DM goes ballistic, screaming about internal theft. He declares that nothing, nothing leaves the store without his approval.
So let me recap:
Movies being stolen hand over fist - not a cause for concern.
Employees taking their own property home - Armageddon!!!

One of the other SL's got fired for his sales (or lack thereof), despite the fact the store closes in 10 days. Those who remain are constantly threatened that if they don't hit their numbers, they will not be placed in a new store.
Strange how they fail to mention that with half the stores around here closing, your odds of being kept are lousy anyway... but hey, keep pushing those bundles!

One final note.
On the local news the other night, they ran a brief story about BB not accepting gift cards anymore. They ran the same video clip they run every time they do a story on BB, and it has to be at least 15 years old. I chuckled as I watched it. Heh, look at the VHS tapes on the wall. Look at the old blue and yellow shirts. Look at the cashier ringing up the customer....
... on the exact same POS they use now.

Is your refrigerator running? Yes. Well you better go catch it!

[djblade]

Originally Posted by Hot Head

Is your refrigerator running? Yes. Well you better go catch it!

Love too see their DM faces after saying that to him hahaha


The old SM isn't suppose to take the Refrigerator until the store closes on the last day. I would be pissed if I had stuff in it and couldn't bring anything for the next 10 days.

[OzMan]

Originally Posted by djblade

The old SM isn't suppose to take the Refrigerator until the store closes on the last day. I would be pissed if I had stuff in it and couldn't bring anything for the next 10 days.

She OWNS it. She could take it home at any time. And the way the DM is acting, she is probably worried about not having her job for the next 10 days.

[DeDampkring]

One of the other SL's got fired for his sales (or lack thereof), despite the fact the store closes in 10 days. Those who remain are constantly threatened that if they don't hit their numbers, they will not be placed in a new store.
Strange how they fail to mention that with half the stores around here closing, your odds of being kept are lousy anyway... but hey, keep pushing those bundles!

But, but, 482 said this is not happening and the company would have no reason to do this?

Sorry 482, what you THINK is happening and what IS happening at the store level by these DM's are two completely different things.

[Flantanella]

Nailed it yet again Kring

[Blockbusterstore482]

Originally Posted by abhorrent scowl

Speaking of theft...
My old SM had brought in a mini-fridge at one point to put in the back so we had a place to keep our lunches/leftovers. Well since the store is closing, she took the fridge home. The DM goes ballistic, screaming about internal theft. He declares that nothing, nothing leaves the store without his approval.
So let me recap:
Movies being stolen hand over fist - not a cause for concern.
Employees taking their own property home - Armageddon!!!

One of the other SL's got fired for his sales (or lack thereof), despite the fact the store closes in 10 days. Those who remain are constantly threatened that if they don't hit their numbers, they will not be placed in a new store.
Strange how they fail to mention that with half the stores around here closing, your odds of being kept are lousy anyway... but hey, keep pushing those bundles!

:

PM this store code please.

[abhorrent scowl]

Originally Posted by Blockbusterstore482

PM this store code please.

Done.

And just to add a little more perspective on the whole fridge thing, the SM in question doesn't actually work at that store anymore. It was left there as an act of generosity to those who remained. She only took it home as the final closing date approached.

[BUYMECAR]

that was good thinking on her behalf. i'd be pissed if my fridge got sold for $20.

[itirnitii]

I don't get it. How can you even begin to relocate employees to new stores when if you walked into any Blockbuster Video nationwide you probably have a 50% chance that it's so dead there is only one person on staff at any given moment?