Sometimes you need to wonder about recruitment...

March 19, 2020 02:05PM

I don't know about where other merchandisers are, but around here things have ground to a halt.

Several major chains are closed, and the stores that are open feel like ghost towns. The general vibe I am getting is due to Corno-19 we're all on vacation for lack of a better term.

I was surprised when I received an e-mail from Crossmark saying they had a job for me. Been 3 years, so I figured no harm in dusting off the old profile, and sending in my CV.

Thing is when it was all said and done they had no jobs in my area.

Makes you wonder what they were thinking sending me an e-mail saying they had work for me, when in the end they had none.

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March 19, 2020 08:49PM

I've got 4 stores to do 4 salty snack/beef jerky resets in a convenience store chain scheduled for the end of the month/1st of April with a merch company. I'm glad for it. I'll be sticking to myself, and bring along my isopropyl alcohol to wipe down shelves/pegs, and bringing gloves, and all the other stuff that goes along with it.

March 20, 2020 12:32AM

I got an email from crossmark last Friday saying the same thing. I quit them 8 years ago.
For the fun of it I went in and did everything.
No work in my area.
maybe they are figuring a lot of their merchandisers are going to quit or something.

March 20, 2020 09:27AM

I am currently doing these as well. We started this week. So far, being in these stores, I am in very little contact with anyone because the salty goods around me keep people at a distance. Our nail resets have been postponed though.

@guysmom wrote:

I've got 4 stores to do 4 salty snack/beef jerky resets in a convenience store chain scheduled for the end of the month/1st of April with a merch company. I'm glad for it. I'll be sticking to myself, and bring along my isopropyl alcohol to wipe down shelves/pegs, and bringing gloves, and all the other stuff that goes along with it.

Shopping Arkansas, Louisiana, & Mississippi.

March 20, 2020 03:29PM

@ArkLaMissshopping wrote:

I am currently doing these as well. We started this week. So far, being in these stores, I am in very little contact with anyone because the salty goods around me keep people at a distance. Our nail resets have been postponed though.

Ark, have you been getting these done in the 4 hours allotted? And have each of your stores found the box with extra pegs/shelf strips? I'm doing mind starting late next week, so I won't be calling them to find out about that yet. Thanks!

March 20, 2020 11:19PM

On my board, they are showing to only allow 3.5 hours. The stores with just two sections in the salty and meat that is not on end caps, I do around 4 hours/ 4-1/2. But the stores with four sections in the salty and meat is on the end caps with a three-way, it's taking 5 hours.

Three of my stores found everything. Just one couldn't find the pegs; but, they had some in the control room that I used.

If I am over on my time, I will text my DM just to let her know. But, I am really good at resets and there is no way I can any of these within 3.5 hours.

@guysmom wrote:

@ArkLaMissshopping wrote:

I am currently doing these as well. We started this week. So far, being in these stores, I am in very little contact with anyone because the salty goods around me keep people at a distance. Our nail resets have been postponed though.
Ark, have you been getting these done in the 4 hours allotted? And have each of your stores found the box with extra pegs/shelf strips? I'm doing mind starting late next week, so I won't be calling them to find out about that yet. Thanks!

Shopping Arkansas, Louisiana, & Mississippi.

March 20, 2020 11:37PM

My company (SASR) sent me an email asking me if I want more hours over the next few weeks. I am working M-Th in grocery stores. For now it's health and beauty, but next month we are supposed to do shelf-stable grocery items. The store chain I am working in is a local grocer that does not use plan-o-grams, we use brand blocking and figure out shelf height and space needed by arranging facings of the existing product on the shelves, then we fill and tag. Impossible to do a reset with no product on the shelves, and most of the stores are sold out or are low on pasta, sauce, canned goods, toilet paper, etc.

March 20, 2020 11:54PM

I work for SASR, too. We are working the next two weekends doing a remodel and stocking. I adore this company!

Oh, my! I did brand blocking and figure out height and space twice in my life and it's tough on me because I am such a visual person. Even when I put things together such as an entertainment center for my house or a desk, all I need is a picture of the finished product. If I don't have that picture, I go crazy.

Working in grocery, like canned goods, pasta, etc. is one of my favorite section to work in. I love, love, love make up sections.

@JASFLALMT wrote:

My company (SASR) sent me an email asking me if I want more hours over the next few weeks. I am working M-Th in grocery stores. For now it's health and beauty, but next month we are supposed to do shelf-stable grocery items. The store chain I am working in is a local grocer that does not use plan-o-grams, we use brand blocking and figure out shelf height and space needed by arranging facings of the existing product on the shelves, then we fill and tag. Impossible to do a reset with no product on the shelves, and most of the stores are sold out or are low on pasta, sauce, canned goods, toilet paper, etc.

Shopping Arkansas, Louisiana, & Mississippi.

March 21, 2020 12:22AM

Thanks, Ark! Gives me an idea of what to expect.

March 21, 2020 12:29AM

I like SASR a lot, too. I have been doing shampoo for the past few weeks. I hate cosmetics but love grocery. Except laundry soap, frozen, and dairy. I won't have to do any perishables, though, thank goodness.

I love brand blocking, it's so creative and fun! I still don't see how anything can get done without items being in stock. There will be a lot of shelf cleaning, but no way for me to figure out how to place the height or guess how many facings of each I will need since I won't know the dimensions of most items.

March 21, 2020 01:15AM

Hey, at least there won't be any out-of-dates, LOL!!!!!

March 21, 2020 09:09AM

So True! LOL!

In my area, everyone is buying all the water and pasta and sauce. We have plenty of toilet paper. I go to buy my normal "Friday night spaghetti" (pasta and sauce) and there was only gluten-free noodles on the entire shelf; no sauce. I guess our area loves spaghetti. LOL I will stock it for free for them if I could only be allowed some sauce to go with my gluten-free noodles.

@JASFLALMT wrote:

Hey, at least there won't be any out-of-dates, LOL!!!!!

Shopping Arkansas, Louisiana, & Mississippi.

March 21, 2020 09:22AM

guysmom, my stores has wire displays we are putting in the salty sections. It comes with two wire displays and pegs. The display has hooks on the back like it should hang on the wall. It took me a little to figure out that the only thing we use is the wire displays (place them side-by-side). We don't hang it or use the pegs that comes with them. The wire displays just sits on the floor of the display. I hope this helps you a little. Your POGs might not have this display but, mine did. It's for Combos. I have two more stores to complete and I will be finished with mine.

Also, I had to add a shelf on each side of the end cap on the POGs that have the three-way (there is now three shelves on each side of the three-way instead of two). One of my stores did not receive the shelves so, I will have to go back after space planning sends them to the store.

@guysmom wrote:

Thanks, Ark! Gives me an idea of what to expect.

Shopping Arkansas, Louisiana, & Mississippi.

March 22, 2020 02:52PM

SASR pays $11.00 an hour at the most, truth be told finally.

March 22, 2020 03:22PM

That's not true, I make more than that. I initially got hired in at $12 but have had a few raises since then.

March 22, 2020 10:13PM

I get 12.75 an hour plus gas.

@CravingCakes wrote:

SASR pays $11.00 an hour at the most, truth be told finally.

Shopping Arkansas, Louisiana, & Mississippi.

March 23, 2020 05:43PM

Hey Ark, One more question....it doesn't seem like there's a lot of heavy lifting involved with the meat/salty snack resets. Hopefully, I'm right about that???? Did you have to do much heavy lifting other than rearranging a shelf or two?? TIA!!

March 24, 2020 12:06AM

All of my shelves were correctly positioned. All I moved around was the product and pegs. The only shelves you will need to install (if there are only two) are those on the meat, and they are plastic and small. If you did the candy resets, these are nowhere close to those. We had to tier shelves and everything on the candy. So, to answer your question, no madam. Not much lifting. Much easier.

@guysmom wrote:

Hey Ark, One more question....it doesn't seem like there's a lot of heavy lifting involved with the meat/salty snack resets. Hopefully, I'm right about that???? Did you have to do much heavy lifting other than rearranging a shelf or two?? TIA!!

Shopping Arkansas, Louisiana, & Mississippi.

March 25, 2020 04:03PM

Thanks, Ark!!

March 26, 2020 11:12AM

Two days ago, I did a small store in a little town. It only took me 3 hours. So, I guess there are some stores that can be done within the time limit.

@guysmom wrote:

Thanks, Ark!!

Shopping Arkansas, Louisiana, & Mississippi.

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