Thread regarding Sears layoffs

I once worked for Sears, 1986 thru 2002. I worked my way up from stock boy in the tool department, to commission sales, to receiving manager, and display manager before my layoff in 2002.

I've recently been reading about Sears troubles and decided to see for myself.

I applied for a part time job, nights and some weekends.

My interview was with the store manager, who looked like he hadn't slept for sometime.

I started a day later with the on boarding, what a joke. No one could tell me what the training pay was,

And the management didn't sound like they knew what was going on. I met the hardliners manager some snot nosed kid, who took no time in belittling his employees and the store manager.

Then we were shown around the store by an employee. I didn't see any customers in the store.

The store looked bear, couldn't beleave my eyes the open spaces.

Then to the stock room, what a disapointment.

I was truly in shock.

Back in my day the shelves on the floor and iles we're loaded with goods, the stock rooms were busy with

Employees hustling about with their business.

What I saw was disheartening, very little to insure this company was going to survive!

The news and the Internet are correct in saying this boat is sinking.

I came, I saw, I quit. This is not in my character to do something like this, but I needed to see it for myself.

I feel bad for the 3 remaining long term employees that I know, and will ride out the slow decent.

They have seen the writing on the wall for quit sometime but cannot start over somewhere else.

Needless to say I'm very disappointed in what I've experienced. Very sad!

We were open last Thanksgiving, all day and over night. We had sales of just over $4000 for the whole day. We had 10 employees working a 10 hour shift at time and a half and then a night crew coming in at 6 pm to 12am and then another crew coming in at 12 am to 8am black friday. Our store is in a rural area with very little happening after 8pm on most nights much less Thanksgiving. Corporate is totally disconnected from most of the employees and stores

All I can say is what I posted in another thread. The deals on tires in Auto are as competitive as anyone's out there and with your discount and potential points, you can't find a better deal.

I agree that we do not need to be open on Thanksgiving day. I received emails from corporate saying that we were not going to be open. People made plans. You can't just go back and change that. If you don't show up I don't see how they can fire you for it.

I received the email saying that we were going to be open at 6 PM Thanksgiving day. I am a manager and we are not going be open on Thanksgiving day at my store. No way. The manager makes the call on that and unless you as a manager want a mutiny on your hands you had best lay off the "all hands on deck BS. A manager will have to be there but that manager should ask for volunteers first from the rank and file. If you say, no, I made plans, then so be it.

That is the way I see it.

You are going to find out that not just the Jewelry department but stores should not be open on Thanksgiving. There is no appeal for Sears merchandise that would make a customer go to Sears instead of Walmart, Best Buy, Target, and such where they could do actually and real shopping for merchandise people actually want

The points are great, but who does the marketing for Sears? Because the jewelry dept is terrible this year in the BLACK FRIDAY AD. No extra off clearance price and watches. We do not need to be open on THANKSGIVING DAY.