Free Gift Cards

Sometimes, we’ll have a sale that includes a free gift card. In the circular, it might say something like, “Paper towels, 2 for $15, free $5 gift card!” (I just made that up, by the way.) You would have to buy the specific brand and size, of course. And each pack would cost $7.50 whether you bought two or not. But if you buy two, and only if you buy two, you get the gift card.

A prompt will come up on my computer asking me to scan one. I’ll ask you which one you want – it doesn’t matter which one you pick. They are all worth $0 until I activate them. No, you can’t say you don’t want one; you don’t get a choice.

I’ll scan the card, and the cost of the card will not be added to your purchase. However, the card will not be active until your purchase has been completed. In other words, no, you cannot use your free gift card in the same purchase in which you receive it.

Let me repeat that: no, you cannot use your free gift card in the same purchase in which you receive it.

You can break your purchase into two purchases, so that you receive your card in the first and use it in the second. That’s annoying, but acceptable.

Look at it like a rebate. It’s not a coupon; it’s money you get back after purchasing the item.

Oh, and if you get multiple free gift cards, I can’t put all of them on the same card; I had one Guest end up with something like eight $5 gift cards at the end of one purchase. What you can do (though I don’t recommend holding up the line to do it) is use your small-denomination gift cards to buy one larger one; that’s what this woman did.

And you can do this at any time, so if there’s six people in line, I’d suggest waiting until next time.

Red Cards

You will be offered a Red Card.

Now, this should come as no surprise. Most stores these days have cards of one sort or another.

No, this is not a club card. It is not a freebie that you swipe for extra sales. All our sales are for everybody.

It is a credit card. Actually, it is two credit cards.

The first is just the Red Card. You can only use it at Target. It’s easier to get, but has higher rates.

The second is the Target Visa. You can use it anywhere, and has lower rates and a higher credit limit. Obviously, you need better credit for this one.

But worry not! If you apply for the Target Visa and are not approved, we’ll see if you’re approved for the Red Card, and you’ll get that one.

(Rates vary by state and by how good your credit is, by the way.)

For every dollar you spend at Target using the card (and every $2 you spend elsewhere, if you have the Target Visa), you’ll get a point. When you’ve accumulated 1000 points, you get a coupon in the mail for 10% off your purchase.

Also, you have the option of signing up for Take Charge of Education, which donates 1% of your purchases at Target (and ½% of your purchases elsewhere) to the school of your choice, K-12.

So, how do you apply? You tell me you want to. I scan a credit agreement and your driver’s license (state ID, military ID, and passport are ok too, but that’s it). The card reader asks you some questions, and then the computer scans the big scary database to see if you qualify. You’ll probably get approved right away, in which case you’ll be given a temporary card and a coupon for 10% off one purchase; you’ll probably use that right away, since that’s usually why people sign up in the first place. Your permanent card will come in the mail in a week or two. When it does, you'll also get a code so you can save 10% off a purchase at Target.com.

If you’re not approved right away, you’ll be told that you’ll have to wait. That means we have to do more checking. Sometimes you’ll get approved, and your card and 10% coupon will come in the mail. Sometimes you won’t, and you’ll get an explanation of why.

Card Reader

Ok. Every store has a different type of credit card reader. I wouldn’t be surprised if they varied from one Target to another. And it *certainly* wouldn’t surprise me if they changed them again after you read this.

That said: the card readers are not new. Yes, you have seen them before – last week, when you were in my line. Seriously, they’ve been there a few years. I’ve fought with that piece of hardware through several shifts in software.

But, that said, let me explain to you how to use it.

You can put your credit or debit card in at any point during the transaction. In fact, I’m supposed to encourage you to do so as soon as I start scanning your purchases (although there are certain situations where that’s not the best idea).

If your card is only a credit card, the machine will take you right to the form where you sign. Use the attached pen – not a real pen. Yes, I know someone used a real pen recently, and their signature is still there. I’m trying to get it cleaned up.

When I hit “Total,” the purchase goes through and you get your card back.

No, it doesn’t eat the card. It does not destroy the card. If the card is rejected, the machine will just spit it out at you.

Now, if the card can be used as either a credit card or a debit card, then the default is the debit card screen. If you want to use the card as a credit card, hit “Cancel.” It’ll give you the option to use it as a credit card, or to cancel altogether. You should be able to figure out which one you want.

If you want to use it as debit card, use the attached pen to poke in your PIN. You don’t have to use the pen, but it makes things much easier.

Do you want cash back? If so, how much? It looks confusing, I know, but all you have to do here is read the screen. It’s all written out pretty clearly. Simply follow the on-screen directions.

A major difference between the credit and debit options is that in debit, you can cancel at any point. In credit, once the card is approved, you are stuck; your entire purchase will go on the credit card. So if you choose “Credit,” be sure that’s what you want. Otherwise, tell me how you want to do this; I can take care of any other options on my end of the register.

Gift Cards Part II

If you have to give gift cards, these are the kind you want (not these). True, you can only use them at Target stores. But I would assume that if you’re giving them to someone, that someone lives near a Target.

Gift cards are easy. There are displays of them all over the store, with a decent selection right by the register. You know where the magazines, candy, and/or impulse items are? The gift card display is right above that, on both sides of the lane. Just grab one you like and hand it to the cashier.

You can put any amount you want on the card, from pennies to thousands of dollars (be warned, though: if you put more than a few on, I’ll have to check with Assets Protection). It doesn’t even have to be a round number. You want to give someone, say, $17.76 for the Fourth of July? Go for it.

Now, interestingly, new cashiers aren’t always told how to process these, so I’ll walk you through it.

We can ring up the gift card at any point before we total up your purchase. We scan the bar code on the back of the card (usually with the scan gun; it’s easier), then type in the amount the card is worth. No sales tax; no discounts. In fact, if you use the 10% that goes with your Target Red Card, it won’t apply to any gift cards you purchase.

When your purchase is complete, your gift card will be activated. You can use it immediately, if you like. Or, you can hold onto it; they don’t depreciate, which is nice.

When you use your gift card to buy things, you need to be a bit more mindful. You cannot, for instance, feed the gift card into the card reader. It probably won’t fit; if it fits, it’ll probably get stuck; if it doesn’t get stuck, it still won’t work.

Also, if you are using a gift card and a credit or debit card, do not feed the other card into the reader. If you do, then when I hit the “Total” button, the amount will automatically go onto your card, and I cannot apply the gift card.

Instead, as soon as I total things, give me any gift cards you are using (you can use as many as you want). I’ll scan them, and the amount will automatically come off the card and go toward your purchase. Anything left over will be evident on your receipt. Once we’re done with the gift cards, you can go on with whatever payment method you like.

Yes, we can check your card to see how much is left on it. But not during a transaction; that’s a separate function that we cannot access on the registers in the middle of ringing things up.

You may be asked if you want the card back, even if it is empty. Please don’t look at us like we’re crazy; we’re supposed to offer (though we often don’t). If you don’t want it back, it’s fine. We’ll take care of it. If you do, say so, even if we don’t ask. Plenty of people keep them for scrapbooks, or for their kids to play with. In fact, once my GSTL bought two gift cards for, like, a dollar each, because one had a toy card attached and the other had a picture of Elmo on it; his son just wanted to play with them. And if you want to do that, you’re welcome to it.

Rain Checks

Target offers rain checks on certain items. However, there are rules and restrictions.

For one thing, rain checks are only available for items on sale. Other discounts do not qualify for rain checks.

Seasonal items also do not apply. Since they are seasonal, once they are gone, they’re gone. Check the sale circular; it usually will say in small print if the item is not eligible for a rain check.

On that note, the item must be listed in the sale circular. Otherwise, rain checks are not available.

Ok. Now, you need the item number (DPCI) to get the rain check. The easiest way to do this is to take the Rain Check tab off the shelf. These actually aren’t always there, but the way it’s supposed to work is: when we run out of an item, we program a tablet of papers and place it where the item would go. You take one, and when I’m ringing up your purchase, I just scan the little paper and the register will print up your rain check.

Note that one rain check is good for any “reasonable” number of the item, so if you want three, you still only have to take one paper.

If there aren’t any rain check papers on the shelf, you can go to Guest Service. They can look up the DPCI and print a rain check there.

To redeem your rain check, just hand it to the cashier with the item it’s for, just like you would with a coupon. The price adjustment will happen automatically.

Small Talk

As a cashier, I tend to make inane small talk – brief, cheerful things that remind you that I’m a human being and assure you that I remember you are one, too. If you have a little kid helping you out, I’ll say hello to him or her (and not take offense if he or she won’t respond. It’s cool; I’m a stranger, after all). If you’re buying dog food, I’ll ask you what kind you have (I’ve tried that with cat food, too, but people tend to look at me funny and say, “Just a cat”). If there was rain earlier, or if I have a sinus headache due to changing fronts, I’ll ask about the weather. If I only have a half hour left in my shift, I may mention that in a conspiratory tone.

Guests tend to either engage or tune out. I’m fine either way. Some start conversations with me; this is usually fine, too.

Except once, when a man asked me if I was a student. “Yes,” I said, because I am.

Where do you go?

And I told him. No harm there.

What year, what are you studying?

I mentioned my grad program.

Oh, where did you go to undergrad?

No harm in that. It’s a local school and it’s not unusual for me to know people in common with the Guests.

Then he asked me about high school. And grade school. And my last name. And my parents' names. And my neighborhood. And what time I was done work.

So, in case he’s reading, or in case any of you, my few and faithful readers, don’t see the problem with this line of inquiry, let me explain:

This is creepy. Even disturbing. How do I know you won’t stalk me, kidnap me after work, or hack into my credit card? Maybe you’re completely innocent. Maybe you really meant well and wanted to make conversation, and as soon as you walked outside, you realized how inappropriate it was.

Fortunately, no harm is done in these situations, other than a mild case of the willies.

See, when questions get too personal… I lie.

Let this be a heads-up to any who ask too many personal questions of their cashiers, and a word of advice to any cashier who gets asked.

Gift Cards

Sometimes, Guests pay with gift cards. Not just Target gift cards (which are a post for another time), but gift cards provided by Visa, Mastercard, or American Express.

This is not a good thing.

First of all, when you buy one of these gift cards, the bank actually charges you on top of the amount on the card. So that’s a point to the “con” side of the tally sheet.

Then, there’s the usage. When you get, say, a $25 card, you know it has $25 on it. But when you use part of it, will you remember that you have, say, $4.82?

Well, I hope you do, because if the amount of your card is less than the total cost of your purchase and I don’t know that ahead of time, we’ll have a problem.

Some of these cards want to work as debit cards. I don’t have a problem with that, as long as you have a PIN. But 9 times out of 10, you don’t, and my register doesn’t accept debit cards without PINs.

So we use it as a credit card. Except when the card has less money on it than your total, the register will reject it, just as if you were using a normal credit card and went over your credit limit.

The way around this requires you to know exactly how much you have left on the card. You tell me that amount, and instead of having you insert your card for automatic payment fun, I tell the register that you’re using a card – and how much you’re putting on it. I essentially treat it as if I were going to run the card on my end rather than through the reader.

Which I’ll explain another time. Just trust me on this one.

Ok, so you’ve put your $4.82 toward your purchase, and now it’s time to pay the balance. But wait! You can’t use a credit card, because the register will only accept one credit card and one debit card per purchase.

Complicated, isn’t it?

So what’s the lesson of this story? If you want to give a gift, but you won’t/can’t give an actual gift, and you don’t want to limit your loved ones by giving them store-specific gift cards, but you find cash tacky…

Write them checks. Everyone wins.

Sales

It’s Saturday. You got the sale circular in your newspaper, or in the mail. Since you got it today, the sale must start today, right?

Not exactly. Sales run Sunday to Saturday. If it’s in the ad, it won’t go on sale until Sunday. The dates of the sale are on the back of the circular, if you’re not sure.

But to be fair, what you call a “sale” actually encompasses several things. There are actual sales; they are usually what are in the ad. Sometimes there are a few things that don’t make it into the ad; sometimes, a few things in the ad fall into other categories. But generally, “in the ad” equals “on sale.”

Something else that shows up in the ad is the “Low Price.” That tends to be our normal price; we’re just bragging that we sell it for less than the other guys. Often, that’s not even the case – our “Low Price” is the same as Wal-Mart’s or Best Buy’s, at least within a few dollars. Hold out for a sale if you can.

“Price Cuts” are like sales, but they last longer. The item might be marked down for as much as a month, but it’s going back up at the end of that period. If there’s a sign on the shelf bragging about a “Price Cut,” check the date – sometimes, someone forgets to take them down, and then I get yelled at. I don’t know why; I’ve never set a sale price in my life.

Then, there’s “Clearance.” Clearance items have those little reddish tags on them. Clearance items are priced as marked; if the item is 25% off and the tag reads “$9,” it costs $9 and originally cost $12. See how that works? Clearance stickers usually have the original price, the percent discount, the current price, and the DPCI (item number) on them – so we know when a sticker has been scraped off one item and stuck to another.

Sometimes, two similar-looking items will be different prices. Sometimes, the wood-stained furniture is on sale, but the white-painted furniture isn’t. I can’t mark down the white furniture for you, because it’s not an error; the ad specifically says “wood-stained,” and that’s all there is to it. Sometimes, the black shoes are clearanced out but the brown ones are not. This means that the brown shoes still sell well, but no one is buying the brown ones. I can’t give you the brown shoes at the clearance price. Sometimes, an item is on clearance at one store but not another. That means that one store sells it well and the other doesn’t. That’s just how it is.

We only give rain checks for sale items. If it is in the sale circular, and it is not a seasonal, Low Price, or clearance item, we give rain checks. Otherwise, we don’t.

But the story of rain checks will have to wait until some other time.

Price Check

“Wow,” I said, sounding concerned. “Are the price scanners still broken?”

Now, full disclosure: the price scanners were broke recently – if, by “recently,” you mean “June.” And I am legitimately concerned about them being broken, because I use them when I’m shopping.

But that quote? I say that when I’m asked to do a price check while ringing your purchases up. Roughly translated, it means, “Why haven’t you already taken care of this?”

What am I talking about?

Throughout the store, there are red posts. These have a call button you can push if you need help, a phone Team Members can use to communicate with Guests or cashiers, and a price scanner. If you run the bar code under the scanner, it will tell you the current price.

So if you’re not sure if a particular item is on sale, or if you can’t find the price tag on the shelf (if it’s been put away properly, you should be able to, but that doesn’t always happen), or if you don’t know which of two items is a better deal, you can use these scanners to find out.

The scanners are on the same system as the registers and the Team Members’ scan guns, so you can be assured that the price that comes up on the scanner is current – and that if it’s wrong on the scanner, it’s wrong in the register, too, so you can be prepared to deal with that (or, better yet, inform a Team Member in the department, so that he or she can fix it right away).

The scanners are there for your convenience, so that you don’t have to lug around items that you’re not sure you want. In the end, though, that works out into our convenience, as well. So, ultimately, it helps everyone if you use the price scanners instead of waiting until you get to the register.

The Belt Part II

Your clothing will not drag on the conveyor belt if you just set it there.

Conveyor belts are a lot like escalators. The belt moves around and around, but you – or your purchases – stay still. When you go up or down on the escalator, your feet do not drag, or pick up the dirt from the stair you are standing on.

Likewise the conveyor belt. If you put your shirt – even your white shirt – on the conveyor belt, it’s no different than, say, setting it on the counter. Sure, it might not be the cleanest surface in the store, but it’s not like you’re dragging it on the floor.

Now, if you’re really worried about it, feel free to set your clothing on top of one of your other purchases (just make sure I can reach everything). I should warn you, though – my belt is probably cleaner than some of your boxes.

On that note, let me mention the cleanliness of the belt. Sometimes, there are wet spots on the conveyor belt. There are generally two reasons for this:

First, I just cleaned the belt, and it hasn’t had time to dry completely.

Second, someone placed a cold item on the belt, and the condensation dripped off.

Now, in the first case, clearly the belt is clean, or at least cleaner than it was before I wiped it down. Still, many Guests would prefer to set their nice, new clothing on the dry, dirty belt than the newly cleaned, slightly damp one. Fine.

In the second case, though, think about it. Condensation is re-liquefied water vapor. When something really cold is exposed to hot, damp air (as the air tends to be in Philadelphia in the summer), the coldness actually causes the moisture in the air to get cold enough to turn from a gas to a liquid. This water sticks to the cold items, usually sodas or frozen dinners.

The water, in other words, came directly from the air. Assuming your food products are clean, the water that is on the belt is probably cleaner than the stuff coming out of the water fountain (which, if you’re curious, is located right next to the rest room).

So either way, if there’s a damp spot on the belt, it’s likely to be the cleanest spot there. Now, you might have items you don’t want getting wet, no matter how clean it is. But if it’s dirt, not water, you fear, you’re in good shape on my slightly damp conveyor belt.

Signs

Sorry about missing last week. The move to New York was hectic, and the process of getting internet access continues to be hectic. But to make it up to you, I'll be posting not just one entry for today, not just two entries for this and last week, but three entries today. So enjoy.

Where’s the bathroom?

You’re almost done with your shopping, and thanks to that soda you’ve been carrying around (and yes, I can throw out the bottle for you once it’s paid for), you have to go. So you ask me where the restroom is.

Turns out, it’s right behind you. And you actually could have found that out on your own. How?

Look up.

There’s a large sign hanging from the ceiling that reads “Rest Rooms.” That would be where the restroom is. Often, you are standing directly under it when the need presents itself.

There’s also a large sign hanging from the ceiling that reads “Fitting Room.” That would be where the fitting room is. Trying things on is a great way to avoid having to return them (although I’ll give the men a break; the fitting room is tucked neatly between little girls’ clothing and maternity wear. Awkward).

Do you see where I’m going with this?

Not all of the signs are hanging from the ceiling. Some are attached to the walls. Scrawled across the wall in neon lights are the phrases “Guest Service,” “Electronics,” and “Grocery,” to name a few.

Some of the signs are less obvious. The ATM has a small “ATM” sign hanging over it, but since the machine is in a corner next to Guest Service, you’re unlikely to see the sign from across the store. Fair enough.

Generally, though, you can find any department in the store by looking up. You can find out which registers are open by looking up. You can find the Taco Bell by looking up.

Supposedly, the last place anyone looks for anything is up. That’s why I thought it would be a good idea to give you…

A heads-up.

The Belt

Do you know how the conveyor belt moves forward? It may seem like magic, but I know you’re too smart to fall for that explanation. You may think I control it with a little switch you can’t see. Some have guessed that there’s a scale that detects the weight and stops it when it does.

Actually, there is a little switch, but I’m not supposed to touch it. I’m not sure why, actually, but never mind. Let’s just say that, when I’m ringing up your purchases, that isn’t the mechanism in question.

It’s actually a laser, sort of. See, on one side of the front of the belt is a light, and on the other side is a sensor. When the sensor no longer detects the light, the belt stops. When it does, the belt restarts.

That means that if you place very thin, flat items, or clear items, on the belt, the light might go right over or through it. So the belt doesn’t stop and stuff piles up and gets messy. Solution? Place these things on top of or next to more solid items.

That also means that if you move stuff away from the front of the belt, the belt will just keep pulling it forward. Your options there are: wait for the belt to time out and stop on its own, or let it go up to the front so I can reach it.

But speaking of stacking, I have a request. See, I’m not a tall person. My arms are not long. Now if you buy, for example, a bookshelf, the box could easily take up the entire length of the belt. That’s fine. And you might stack your other purchases on top of the long box. That’s fine, too.

But I can’t reach the things at the very back of the belt because my arms are short. They won’t move up, because the sensor light is blocked. And I can’t move the box forward without disrupting – and perhaps breaking – your other items. In other words, without help, I cannot scan your items. So if you’re going to stack things on top of long boxes, please keep them stacked near the front of the belt, within my arm span. And if you can’t do that, please be watchful so you can push the stuff on the back up. You want to be out of the store quickly, and I want to help you (and keep my productivity rating high). Let’s make this easy for both of us.

Trash

I don’t mind tossing out your (paid-for) wrappers, bottles, or cups. Sometimes, though, it’s easier to point out the wastebasket behind you. If the register next to mine is not in use, you have an unobstructed shot at a trash can.

Be wary, though. Underneath the register are two bins. One is red, the other blue. The red one is a built-in bin lined with a clear bag. The blue one is a Rubbermaid container, probably not unlike the one you’re buying today.

The red one is for trash, and the blue one is for hangers.

If the red one is empty, or has only papers in it, it’s a reasonable mistake. If the red one is full of litter and garbage, well, people overlook things. It’s an easy mistake to make, but still an unpleasant one.

See, we reuse hangers. You’re allowed to keep them, if you like; just ask and they’re yours. But the ones you don’t take home end up back on the racks.

Now, when you throw out that last half-inch of Pepsi, or the used tissue, or the wad of gum, imagine that applied directly to the pretty sweater you’re buying. Yeah.

Of course, I have slightly more selfish motives. After all, Target employees – often cashiers – have to empty the hanger bins, which generally means dumping them from one bin to the other, and digging the strays by hand. Now, this shouldn’t be a big deal, and usually isn’t. But where there’s half a soda in there, it could end up on the floor and our clothes – and maybe yours, if you’re standing too close. And if it’s a dirty tissue or gum… We get to wear gloves when we deal with trash. Hanger bins aren’t supposed to have trash in them, so no gloves.

Disgusted? Me too. Red is trash. Blue is hangers.

Lights

Above every register at Target is that register’s number. Each cashier has two light switches. The “Bottom Light” controls the register number. The “Top Light” controls the beacon above it.

The Bottom Light is easy. If it is on, the number is lit up and the register is open. If it is off, the register is closed. It doesn’t matter where the cashier is, how many people are in line, or how many items you have (Express Lanes are a topic for another day).

So, let’s say there are two registers. One has its Bottom Light on, there is no line, and the cashier is standing in the lane straightening things up. The other has its light off, there are two people in line, and the cashier is ringing up purchases.

The first lane is the one you want. Open and no line, versus waiting in line to be told you have to move. This might seem obvious, but day after day, guest after guest makes the opposite choice. Now you know.

But wait, you might say. That register is clearly open, because the cashier is serving guests.

What happens with that is: when we close our lanes, we cannot simply kick out anyone who is already in the line. On the other hand, if we do not turn off out light until the lane is clear, we will be there forever. So, we shut off our lights, serve the people currently in our line, and do not allow anyone to join the line. People sneak in, of course, but they are not welcome, so please do not do that.

Now, the Top Light. The Top Light is a signal to the GSTL (Guest Service Team Leader) that the cashier needs help. If the Top Light is on, there’s a problem. It could be anything. The Top Light goes on if the register needs pennies, if an item needs a price check, if there’s a dispute with a Guest, if the cashier is about to take a break… pretty much anything. Because of this, if two lines are the same length and one has the Top Light on, go with the other. There might be a problem that could hold up the line – especially since the GSTLs are very busy and can take several minutes to even notice the Top Light.

To summarize: a register with the Bottom Light on and the Top Light off is open. A register with both lights on is open but potentially troubled. A register with both lights off is closed (regardless of its activity). A register with the Bottom Light off but the Top Light on is weird, but not unheard of (for instance, a cashier about to go on break might need a price check).

Hopefully, this will make your shopping experience a bit smoother.

Doors

I work at a Target Greatland, which basically means we sell groceries and frozen food but don’t have the all-out stuff like a deli or a butcher. There are a limited number of layouts for Target Greatland, and the layout of my store is a fairly common one.

If you face Target with your back to the parking lot (not something I recommend on a busy day), you will see three doors: Blue to your left, Employees-Only in the middle, and Green to your right. You can’t get enter through the middle door without being buzzed in.

You can go in through either the Blue or the Green door. The easiest route is to go in through the door closest to where you parked. However, if you do this, be sure to remember which door you are using; it will make finding your car so much easier.

If you go in through the Blue door, you will find Food Avenue (the Taco Bell and Pizza Hut) on your right and HBA (health and beauty – I’m not sure what the “A” stands for) on your left. Right in front of you will be shopping carts, and right behind them is “See Spot Save,” or what used to be known as the Dollar Spot. They had to change the name because some of the items are now 2 for $5.

If you look at the wall to your left, you’ll notice a blue squiggle of neon light on the wall. This is Blue World.

Now, if you go in through the Green door, electronics will be on your right, and Guest Service will be on your left. Directly in front of you will be more shopping carts, and behind that is what we call “the other cartwell.” Here you’ll find semi-seasonal stuff; right now they’re pushing picnic food. Greeting cards are beyond this. If you look at the wall to your right, there is a Green neon light squiggle. This is Green World.

When you get in line, it can’t hurt to try to find a lane near the door through which you entered. It’s not necessary, of course, but if you’re buying huge things, it makes it a little easier on the cart attendants who will be putting your purchase into your car.

Now, at the beginning of the day, there are more cashiers on the lanes near Blue World; by the end of the day, the cashiers have been moved down to Green World. This is only important right around closing: after the store closes, but before all the shoppers have been pushed out, the Blue door is locked, and Guests have to leave through the Green door. So if you’re planning to shop right before closing, it’s smart to park by the Green door.

Now, just as you may enter through either door, you may leave through either door. There is no rule or device that mandates you enter through one and leave through the other. In fact, it’s easier on everyone involved that you leave through the door through which you entered.

These hints may seem obvious, but I’m asked about them every day. Hopefully, you'll find them useful next time you go shopping.

Team Members

Laura Grow is a graduate student at NYU, working on her Masters in Journalism. She has worked at Target every summer and some winters since 2001, and has racked up a long list of lessons she looks forward to imparting upon her guests. In addition to running Attention, Shoppers!, she writes at Reviewing Whatever.
Laura's posts:
Doors
Lights
Trash
The Belt

Welcome

If you're reading this, you probably got here from Reviewing Whatever, and I welcome you.

This blog is a place where consumers can pick up a few tips from people in service and retail jobs. There may be snark, but it will be good-natured -- after all, no one wants to get fired!

I will be opening this blog up for submissions, but the requirements are both strict and arbitrary; first of all, I have to actually know you in real life. There are others, of course, but if you don't meet that one, we don't even need to get into the others. Sorry.

My next post will be updated as necessary. This will be the biographies of the people who submit. After all, it may just be another blog, but a writing credit is a writing credit.

Enjoy!