I have not written about Produce (A)Isle in a while - not because it has gone away, but simply because there has not been a lot to write about.
Part of the complication has simply been the holidays in general. Travel to The Ranch cuts me out a week. Additionally, when there are paid holidays like Christmas and New Year's, the regular employees need to have their guaranteed minimum hours -which means part-timers like myself lose hours.
The week before Christmas I only worked 12 hours, the week of Christmas 17 hours, then the week after Christmas 4.5 hours. I then went to Old Home of course, which cuts all my hours. Last week was another 17 hour week; this week is again 4.5 hours as I will be away starting Friday.
Additionally, we have just seen a drop in overall business. It is a known cause: the store is undergoing renovations which have taken significantly longer than anticipated; started in August of 2023 they were anticipated to complete by the end of October. Here it is almost the end of January 2024 and they are not complete. Predictably, people get tired of the confusion and the fact that items seem to be constantly moving to another place and choose another location.
In terms of the department itself (our remodels being long done now), we have effectively returned to the original configuration that was present when I started last May. Apples and citrus fruits have been switched in their rows. Apples continue to be featured along with mandarins. No particular shortages, although the tomatoes this time of year are all hothouse grown and thus the palest shade of red I have seen.
In terms of longer term impact due to Hammerfall 3.0, I am not sure. Obviously if I find a job outside of New Home that is not remote, it ends. If I find a job in New Home but farther away, likely my hours will drop to 8 (Saturday close) as getting across town at quitting time is a nightmare. If I get something that is remote, the current schedule could likely stay in place (although remote work seems more and more a remote possibility....thank you, thank you very much).
So a lot of uncertainty about the more distant future. However, right up to that point I will keep working away, piling up the fruits and vegetables beneath waving palm trees on the sandy beaches.
As the saying goes, it is not much but it is honest work.
There's much to be commended for honest work! What a blessing to have something so flexible. Every little bit helps.
ReplyDeleteReading this reminded me of the walmart where we lived when the kids were growing up. The store was constantly moving things around so that it was quite time consuming to get through one's shopping list. One time, when the cashier asked if I'd found what I was looking for, I mentioned it to her. She smiled brightly and said it was a marketing technique. The idea was that as shoppers were looking for what they wanted, they'd see more and buy more.
I have no idea if this technique worked for them. Personally, I found it frustrating and if I just needed a few quick items, I'd go to Winn Dixie instead, even though the prices were higher.
Leigh, it does - as it turns out, I got offered some hours last night and so took them (and was told, if I wanted to work more Sunday evenings, the hours were there).
DeleteI think - at least at our chain - the movement is all on the "endcaps" (those shelves at the end of the rows) and the stand alone things like coolers (interestingly, called "coffin coolers", although I do not know that bodies were ever stored in them). Most of the items generally "live" in the same place, unless we are doing something like now (a remodel). On the bright side compared to the old days, we have a fancy phone app that will allow us to tell customers where the items are - as long, of course as it has been updated.
Moving items round might cause shoppers to spend more time in the store but that practice looks to have slowed down considerably during the past four years. Perhaps fewer workers able to stock. Lengthy remodel time = supply chain disruptions?
ReplyDeleteNylon12 - There are always the "marketing" portion of the business, mostly in endcaps and displays where things are seasonal and/or move, but generally most things stay in one place anymore.
DeleteIt makes me think: Even on Produce (A)Isle, we have standard locations for 90% of the items and "tables" (literally large, flat displays) where particular items are featured and moved around. I am not sure of the logic there, whether it is seasonality, purchasing too much, or simply trying to liquidate standing stock (probably all three).
The remodel time may very well be due to supply chain disruptions. Also, of course, the age of the store and working around that - they have had to do at least two entries into the slab to re-routing plumbing and then re-do the floor, which is never fast.
Honest work and store discounts are often a blessing.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that I know the job reliably is helpful and that surprises are few, if any. And the lack of stress is welcome.
DeletePerhaps one aspect of the slowdown is that after the first of the year, I'm content to eat simpler foods and let the cupboards empty out a bit. At the end of the year, it is full of stocking up on holiday supplies and lots of more elaborate foods. Now a bowl of garden tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich from freshly made sourdough bread is all I need.
ReplyDeleteGrocery stores tend to have a captive audience. I know when mine would shuffle things around, I would grumble about it and eventually learn where to look, but the alternative to leave and drive to the next nearest store, across town, was too much to contemplate. However my store closed after Thanksgiving and I now have to make that drive across town. I don't go nearly as often now which is a plus. I am slowly learning the layout and as a bonus, their meat counter is to die for so I'm not grumbling much over the loss of my local store.
It could be, Ed. We are also prone to weather related slowdowns, and we have had some not great weather of late.
DeleteGrocery stores, probably as much as any industry, rely on the practice of habits and distance to keep customers there.
I just want to say I appreciate your writing of "tales from the (A)Isle.
ReplyDeleteMy last day in the work force is next Sunday night... Retirement (!)
Scary and exciting. I have worked since age 12 and (mostly)supported myself for 50 years....
That expectation of schedule and being needed going away has caused some anxiety. Perhaps I should look into my closest grocery...
Annie - Thank you very much! It actually has been a really great job - and certainly given me insight into a career I never thought of.
DeleteCongratulations on your retirement! I cannot speak for every grocery store, but mine has certainly been a very enjoyable experience.
Middle son works part time in a grocery and his hours have dropped also.
ReplyDeleteI had not heard the term "coffin coolers" from him; but his time is spent mostly in the dairy cooler or the freezer cases.
You all be safe and God bless.
Linda, I have no idea how much is directly due to the decrease in customer traffic, but I do know there is now a daily count on a white board for number of hours saved, so they are paying attention to it.
DeleteThe term "coffin coolers" was new to me as well. It does make me wonder - was that the original purpose?
I always enjoy hearing from the Produce [A]Isle. I am reminded I enjoyed a deep discount on pomegranates in early December and bought 5 giant ones at one time. I think I bought one too many, as I still have about half of the last pomegranate's seeds in the fridge. I need to check and see if they're still good. I feel bad about those last seeds languishing because, generally, pomegranates are so expensive and I rarely buy them. Somehow that makes this last inexpensive one I bought feel kind of precious.
ReplyDeleteBecki, I have to aware of when I purchase "good deals" - because having them go bad makes it all the worse for money savings.
DeleteFor that matter, until recently I had no idea that pomegranates went bad. It does not surprise me; I just sort of thought of them as the endlessly surviving fruit.