There is a Family Dollar merchandising assignment with a big bonus that I'm thinking about. It's putting out stickers and re-doing a display of shelved products. I haven't done any, it says the level of difficulty is moderate and the pay is capped at one hour. I'm curious if these are that difficult and if the store managers are generally cooperative. It's more than an hour away and I can pick up one of the famous shipping shops that is bonused as well, but I'm concerned about timing. The F.D. shop says I need to contact the store manager about when to come in and the shipping shop has a narrow window, too. I hate the thought of grabbing them both, then having a timing issue and having to make two trips, which I just won't do for only one shop and there's nothing else between my location and this small town. Should I just go for them both and hope for the best?

I've done those kinds of merchandising shops and it can take more than an hour to complete the task. It depends on how much merchandise the store has that needs to be dealt with. I've done merchandising assignments that have taken a lot less time and assignments that have taken a lot longer. Again, it depends on the situation at the individual store.

I know it doesn't really answer your question, but I agree with avitoots. It is really hard to narrow down time with merchandising. Two weeks ago I had a reset that was scheduled for 90 minutes. The store didn't have done what they were supposed to have completed by the time I arrived and I ended up being in the store over four hours.

I haven't done the Family Dollar ones, but I've done many merchandising assignments for that particular msc and they are always wrong about the length of time. One time they told me it would take one hour to blow up deflated balloons. What they failed to mention is that there were literally no balloons already out. No one had been at that store for months. There were 200 balloons to blow up! No way could that be done in an hour. I was there for almost 3 hours and the (*&^^! msc only paid me $16.

If there's a big bonus, there's usually a good reason why

Phoebe, I think that the cap for the balloons was probably an hour. I've seen that assignment with two merchandising companies and done it for another. They never let me go over the hour cap. I just did it as quickly as I could to make a good effect and tried again next time. It was a really enjoyable assignment.

As to Family Dollar and similar assignments, most of those are fun to do. The length is a little unpredictable and the pay isn't great. Some managers don't care when you come in as long as it isn't truck day. You get to know the store and the employees. The shipments usually come in in plenty of time. In many ways, merchandising is easier that mystery shopping. You almost never get refused pay because of some silly interpretation of requirements and you never have to buy anything.

The Family Dollar shops aren't usually too bad, because often they don't have much product in-stock! But there is another discount store in my parts that has similar jobs that no earthly human could do under the time cap.

What happens if you go by the time limit and don't finish the task? I've never done that but have wondered after taking way too much time.

Some assignments will be classified with extra to do "if you have time". If you do several of these in the same store chain, sometimes you run overtime and most of the time you don't. (It always seemed that I would finish soon if I was paid by the hour but finish on time when I was paid a set amount! I really wished it didn't work that way. It appears to be the norm to just charge the same amount of time at every store so that when the merchandiser takes a little longer or a little less, it works out. I know that many think that is dishonest. I haven't had to make the decision myself. I don't know how the headquarters of the merchandising company feels about it. It would be an interesting topic of discussion in merchandising. If in some way the headquarters people charge or apportion the statistical analysis to the time each store takes, then the merchandiser can mix that up by fooling around with the time.

As to the balloons, I did them in only one location. Sometimes I worked longer (maybe 20 minutes or so extra) just to get a good display. I kept track of the time and took it off the next time or two so that I was there nearly the same amount of time (the hour) each time I went. I could have used two hours every time I went, though, but I just always did my best. It was a nice display and when it was full, customers got the balloons they were looking for.

depends... usually you dont get paid if you dont finish, and if you finish up way beyond the time aloted you get paid the agreed upon amount... i think both the time and pay is capped...

"i think both the time and pay is capped..."

Yup, there is little beat of deception here. That MSC is hiding the actual number of pieces. They would be more honest if they say pay is capped at $8, time is capped at 1 hr, AND number of balloons or stickers is capped at 50 or whatever.

..

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/04/2013 09:19PM by lucky7s.

What I like about dealing with the managers -
If you are truly friendly and warm up to them, they are you buddy. That is what I like about this work. The people are great out there. The more you work, the more money you make.

Anyone doing a balloon assignment for less than $25 has got rocks in their head.

If you're talking about the, "purple portal", they're always a mess to do. My first dollar store took 3 1/2 hours. The mangaer told me that no one had been their to do the Sony restock in months. The balloon shops are shorter, but $8. It's just not worth my time. I don't not do, "Purple" anymore.

with this merchandiser its pretty much trial and error... if you know the job you will know the time frame... my experience is that the planograms usually take much longer than the time given... as you need to get it right...

also the management can be a pain as they are rarely trained right....honestly for the less than 10 bucks its not worth it

for this company there is only one job that is worth having... its the one where you sit in a chair... and watch

I'm new here and hope you don't mind me jumping into this post.
I worked at a Family Dollar for 2 years,I can tell you this,make sure you do not go on truck day or the day after.
Call ahead to find out when would be a good day,as truck days do change from time to time.

The store manager will love you if you get your work done as they are so over worked at these
stores any thing someone else can do, the better.

Spy Girl what is the name of the company that does merchandising for the Family Dollar?. I am trying to get away from mystery shopping and more into merchandising. What I have done so far I really enjoy and the reports are a snap. After mysery shopping I most likley give too much info on the call sheet.I am trying to limit my mystery shopping assignments to well bonused shops and food shops.

I think Driveline works a lot in Family Dollar.