Holidays
Holiday shoppers hit stores early, consumers confidence up, gas prices down
Other mall retailers are also adding a large number of seasonal workers to their staff.
Williams-Sonoma increased its staff from 30 to 50, Widrick says. Hiring between 15 and 20 seasonal workers each holiday season is typical, he adds. However, last year Widrick hired 25 seasonal workers because staff levels were lower at the start of the holiday season.
Widrick hired 20 part-time sales associates, gift wrappers, and runners this year. They typically work between 15 and 20 hours per week, he says. A majority of the staff is recruited from the store’s customer base, Widrick explains. Employees range from a retired schoolteacher to a culinary instructor, who teaches Williams-Sonoma’s cooking classes.
Williams-Sonoma’s seasonal employees work from Nov. 1 through Jan. 31. It is unlikely that Widrick will retain the store’s seasonal employees this year because business slows after the holidays. But that is not always the case. He was able to retain 20 of the store’s 25 seasonal workers last year because staff levels were lower at the start of the 2005 holiday season.
While most Carousel Center retailers are rushing to build their staff levels for the holiday season, Williams of All-Star Sports Cards says he simply calls a family member or friend to help with the extra customer load. All Star added one part-time employee to its staff of seven to help with the holiday rush.
“For a small business like us, especially someone like me who has lived and breathed … the business, everyone is an important part of the puzzle,” Williams explains, noting the importance of having employees he can rely on and trust. “Hab i tat,” a high-end boutique that sells everything from stemware to children’s toys, isn’t hiring any seasonal workers, because sales are not high enough, says Randiijo Townsend, store manager.
The boutique, located at 258 W. Jefferson St., caters to professionals working downtown, explains Townsend. From noon to 2 p.m., the boutique typically generates $200 in sales, Townsend says. Those sales jump to $600 during the holiday season, she adds.
Preparing for Black Friday
Black Friday is typically the biggest shopping day of the year, or close to it. Despite the mayhem, many shoppers love the tradition of flocking to retailers the day after Thanksgiving. Others avoid the malls like the plague. But retailers have no choice. So how do they prepare for the mass hysteria?
Widrick of Williams-Sonoma looks forward to working Black Friday. He holds a pre-holiday staff meeting to boost morale. Staffing the store with as many employees as possible is most retailers’ game plan to attack Black Friday. J.Crew planned to schedule 80 percent of its staff, All-Star Sports Cards expected to schedule 70 percent of its staff, and Williams-Sonoma was set to bring in every worker it could Black Friday.
