Joined: 06 Jul 2003
Posts: 8380
Location: Central CA
| Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 9:59 pm Post subject: General retail downturn, eh? Bullcrap! | |||||||||||||||||
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HHGregg FY3Q Net Up 39%;Same-Store Sales Rise 3%
Someone posted about this company not too long ago so here's a little follow-up. Kind of makes you wonder about Eddie's statement that SHC is only suffering through what the REST of the retail industry is suffering through and his obsession with rebuilding the retail industry in his own image.
Get this now:
The COMMISSIONED SALES FORCE, Eddie. You know, that portion of your own work force that you and your minions (including Lacy before the actual takeover) chose to start dismembering the day you found you could push the Sears BOD around. Remember the "conversion" and the portion that involved flooding the commissioned sales floors Eddie? That's the teeth you feel nibbling on your ass right now.
The same Balter who danced on the graves of 7500 fired full time KMart employees? The same Gary Balter who has recently quit buying all the hype over Eddie Lampert? How about the ones that DID follow your example, Eddie?
Imagine that? The greedmongers are having their asses handed to them while the company that still treats it's associates like they belong there is eating TWO lunches every day.
And who do you think they gained a bunch of that share increase FROM?
And the ONLY person who is going to be able to convey that information to the consumer and help him/her understand this is an experienced and knowledgeable SALES ASSOCIATE, right? Was that Eddie I just heard saying, "Oops!"?
Now let's get the inevitable out of the way. Someone is bound to pop up and start pointing out the differences between the two companies in relation to size and the increased logistics problems a larger company faces and blah, blah, flipping blah. I'm going to end this with the most important difference of all as far as I'm concerned. HHGregg knows the importance of hiring people who know how to sell their merchandise and has made selling that merchandise their primary business. When the dog gets done gnawing all the meat off, that's the bone you're left with. Go for it cheerleaders. |
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Joined: 08 Mar 2005
Posts: 54
Location: somewhere in the southwest
| Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 12:56 am Post subject: | |||
Nofs, you old grump bunny! I have it on good authority that idea is incorrect. One day my OPS manager told me that "We can get ANYONE in here to sell merchandise, YOU'RE here to sell Credit and PAs." Are you suggesting my OPS manager was mistaken? This is the same guy by the way who - when I pointed out that the "NUMBER ONE credit person in the store" was running every hispanic customer he could find thru the credit application process multiple times - said "maybe they wanted to apply for both a Sears credit card and a Sears Mastercard at the same time." Oh, and don't forget that Mr. #1 was also running the customer thru for the SearsCharge PLUS - even though he was working at the menswear cashwrap. When I pointed that out as well Mr OPS said that the policy that it took a $400 purchase to open a SearsCharge Plus had been modified. None of which has anything to do with your thread - just wanted to establish the credability of his statement that knowledgeable salespeople were not really important. last I heard he had been promoted to Store Manager. Probably a VP by now. Guy Last edited by 700-7guy on Fri Feb 15, 2008 6:23 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Joined: 10 Jul 2003
Posts: 125
| Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 3:14 pm Post subject: | |
| I am with 700 guy on this one. Who do you think you are Nofsad? Spreading lies like this!!! The almighty PA and credit aps is what is going to save Sears. NOT your frigging veteran salepeople. I know this because I have been told that ANYONE can sell. If you are over 18, can breath and pass a pee test you are in. Why just last week we hired a new guy and his only sale was a 271 dryer with a 109 PA. I sold 10 grand with 270 in PA that week. He is Sears and my hero now. You should see how highly they talk about him at the early morning pep rallys. I am asked why I can't sell like the new guy? Just look at HIS PAs. I just tell them I am a loser and I need more PA "coaching"; at least another 80 hours a week. They seemed pretty happy with my answer. | |
Joined: 06 Jul 2003
Posts: 8380
Location: Central CA
| Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 4:15 pm Post subject: | |
I'm sorry guys. 
I'll try to remember just how useless and unimportant you are from now on, promise. 
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Joined: 08 Mar 2005
Posts: 54
Location: somewhere in the southwest
| Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 6:30 pm Post subject: | |||
That's OK Nofs, we can't all be infallible like Eddie is. Thank goodness he is working to undue our false perceptions. 
Eddie's management skills are as bold and bright as the colors of a Daguerreotype 
Guy |
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Joined: 08 Jul 2003
Posts: 6309
| Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 8:21 pm Post subject: experienced explanation | |
Nice Pull  -extremely relevant and great example!
customers won't buy appliances or electronics unless "...they understand those benefits..." -which can be explained by an experienced commissioned work force. But if you SELL/explain those very technical PAs and Credit by noting such things as APRs,fees,PENALTIES,EXCLUSIONS like expendable parts or abuse,or one free check-up per year,or no charge IF,or can be canceled IF etc you're accussed of telling the customer too much-you should have NOT explained it in that much detail or taken that much time. 700-if you SELL things like credit properly/ethically you might want to note that an extra 2-3 hits on the ol credit score isn't that great or you're supposed ask the 'may I' question to EVERYONE to avoid possible discrimination suits.Does that Ops guy(actually should be number two) ask all the obviously aware educated yuppie scum types to apply for all 3 cards.Or are new citizens the only ones that get the triple treatment? |
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Joined: 26 Aug 2005
Posts: 1707
| Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 9:51 pm Post subject: | |
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I have to admit I don't know much about HHGregg.
Any clue how much they depend on PA income? |
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Joined: 06 Jul 2003
Posts: 8380
Location: Central CA
| Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 10:15 pm Post subject: | |
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I don't know anything about them except what I read in the papers but I'm sure going to do some looking. This has happened every time we've found a store or company that threats it's employees like valued members of the organization. It seems they almost invariably do better than SHC which treats its employees like crap.
Yet the manager/shareholder/cheerleader types all spout the same drivel about how "necessary" the changes have been and how SHC simply can't afford NOT to rob it's work force blind in order to make those almighty margins. Too bad the press is so disinterested in this end of the "Why Eddie Lampert has developed pimples on his butt" saga. They could learn a hell of a lot just by talking to people who work or have worked for him. |
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Joined: 03 Mar 2005
Posts: 1646
Location: Michigan
| Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2008 12:14 am Post subject: | |||
Eddie's got his buddy Cramer to spread the Clearasil on 'em. Cramer's down there enough. (Maybe Jimbo should check his tongue for any flare-ups.)
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Joined: 08 Jul 2003
Posts: 6309
| Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2008 8:42 pm Post subject: number one runny | |
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700 your description of what 'number one' does as far as credit brings up a common scnerio.
This is one transaction,scnerio,dynamic or what ever you want to call it that I have seen played out far too often.When low APO many SGMs will let there number 1s in credit roam the store with a clip board of disclosures actually walking upto to people ask them to apply for a Sears card.Unfortunetly it usually involves obviously ethnic customers. Several problems with this,for about 3 years our number 1 in credit was a female CAC from softlines.She was allowed to roam the entire store including the hardline commission depts which made those depts and commissioned associates stats look bad.Do you think the SGM will remember sending the leading CACs out on the floor for apps during evaluation time??? 
More troubling was that this female loved and WOULD target new citizen type males,do the samething:ask for all three.Problem is that even her daily rountine applicants would come back into the store demanding to see a manager about things like un-wanted account care,APRs,fees,penalties etc.This person supposedly quit,came back around a year later and 'the company' REFUSED to rehire her.hmmm... NOT trying to be discriminatory in any way but for some reason it seems much easier for a female to sell a new citizen male a credit app or pa,I've seen this combination play out too many times and the females in question know this and capitalize on it;with no remorse.Side note-I've seen other male-female transactions play out in other areas as well,for some reason the males seem to sell more PAs and credit to the females in BC appliances.And when at PA meeting they always seem to tell you always sell to the female when you see a couple. Wether it is discriminatory,exploitive or coincidence is another question. |
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Joined: 08 Jul 2003
Posts: 6309
| Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 3:37 am Post subject: Still in the running | |
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http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/09_41/b4150066777857.htm?chan=magazine+channel_what%27s+next
From BusinessWeek October 12,2009 This article is 18 months later and look who's star is STILL rising. Great article. It admits they got some of CCs old customers but the most interesting thing is that their level of service and pay has enabled to sell more 3500$ Plasma TVs than the competition. It also notes associates can get upwards of 200 hours training a year. |
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Joined: 03 Mar 2005
Posts: 1646
Location: Michigan
| Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 10:39 am Post subject: Re: Still in the running | |||
Isn't that what SHC does too? Whoops, my mistake. That's the hours you're forced to sign-off on. Not the actual training itself.
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Joined: 17 Mar 2007
Posts: 43
| Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 1:18 pm Post subject: been a while | |
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Hey guys i used to post on here occasionally when i worked for sears in d57. I now work for hhgregg and the difference is tremendous. you are treated really well, our pay is very good, and we pretty much can and will do anything to earn the customers business.
in regards to pa pressure there is some but not a lot. I actually discovered that with much better commission rates on warranties and way less pressure i now sell the hell out of warranties. If you have an hhgregg in your area go work there. They love sears sales people. At my store nearly every employee from sales staff to managers are former sears sales associates. HHgregg also advances from within. When you work there you are told from the start that if your sales, attitude and work area are in good shape you have a good chance of getting managment. sorry for the long post just wanted to fill in any information gaps. sp |
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Joined: 17 Mar 2007
Posts: 43
| Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 1:23 pm Post subject: | |
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another interesting tidbit. on every piece of hhgregg advertising and marketing (even financial statements) hhgregg highlights the importance of their employees. When you walk through the front door the first thing you see is a big poster of hhgregg employess and the a message saying they are rated the best employees in the industry. all i remember about sears is posters informing customers that they can buy online and not in the store.
sp |
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Joined: 02 Jan 2004
Posts: 227
| Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 1:53 am Post subject: | |
| There's 7 new HHGreggs opening in my market tommorrow. Managment locally is running scared as HHGreggs are known to specifically target Sears for market share, and are very successful at doing this. According to management strategy meetings at my store, Sears stores lose approximately 50-60% of their volume once a HHGregg opens in their market. Time for some popcorn. | |