To think Next are horrible to their staff?

[BonnieF]

Next stores opened at 0600 this morning for the first day of their sale, which means their staff had to get up in the middle of the night on Boxing Day. I doubt they were given any choice about this.

Other retailers, e.g. M&S, Tesco & Sainsbury's opened at 0900. John Lewis /Waitrose doesn't open at all on Boxing Day.

I understand that this is the busiest time of year for retailers, and that retail staff know what they are signing up for, but surely Next's decision to open at such a ridiculous hour is both unnecessary and unreasonable?

It's not great is it? No idea why 6am either. I went to the Next Sale once (not at 6am) it was horrible. Never again.

It does seem unnecessary, and I'm certain the person who made that decision won't be on shift at 6am that morning (or more realistically 5am, as staff will have to be there before the shop opens). I hope they're providing taxis for members of staff that don't drive, because there won't be any public transport at that time of night.

Somehow I doubt any customers were actually there at 6am to buy their tat either.

I think it's one of the conditions for working there isn't it? It's compulsory so it's not like they spring it on you .

Lots of people have to work Xmas day too. Probably best stick to an office job if you don't like working bank holidays

I'm not a next fan at all

However the next sale is famous for opening early on Boxing Day - any staff surely know this before they apply for the job

The day I went one man had a bin liner and he was literally gragging everything, without looking at it and shovelling it in. Ebay seller presumably.

Also everyone seemed to take a pram with them. Not helpful.

But there was nothing of any note to buy, lots of it was on the floor or a bit grubby.

*grabbing even.

I thought they had staff in especially for the sale, then got rid of them after?

My dd works for them at sale time...she knew the terms before she started.
And yes the customers were queuing .

I worked it a couple of times as a teenager.
If people don’t go, the shops won’t open. It’s a very simple supply and demand system.
We were asked, I think they needed 12/14 of us to work, (small store) some people didn’t want to, I think I remember getting paid double time.
It was many moons ago now.
My local corner shop has also been open since 6. Staff (my ndn teen son) is on triple time and they all wanted to do the early shift.
Meh.
I don’t visit shops on Boxing Day, some people do. Can’t get my knickers in a knot about people doing a fairly ordinary activity on a day that’s not significant to many. Not everyone celebrates or gives a toss about Christmas, I really can’t find it within myself to feel sad about it.

How many people who feel sorry for the staff also just "pop out" to the shops on boxing day? You're part of the problem.

I can't understand queueing at 6 for the Next sale. Their stuff is so ugly and frumpy.

So many much nicer things to do today than go for a scrap over a bargain.
Hasn't the Next sale been online prior to 6am anyway?

The Next sale is surely the biggest swizz of all time. No way do they reduce all the stock that was in the store during December. It all gets taken away and replaced with 2015 or older tat which is all pre labelled etc.

Load of shite.

I don't think any shops should be open today at all. Surely to God we can all manage without buying stuff for 2 days.

Waitrose is closed today, they must think we can all cope. I think we can.

They get paid to work. It's just another day.
My DP had to be in work for 7 this morning.
Other people have to work right through xmas.

It's also supply and demand. If the daft sods who get up and queue outside Next stores at daft o clock stayed in bed, the shops wouldn't bother opening so early.

Ugh. I used to work at Next. 4am getting up for the Boxing Day sale! Horrible.

They used to leave m&s sandwiched and snacks etc in the staff room but if you were on the second rota of breaks (15 min only) you could forget it as itd all be gone!

On another thread people think it's a rarity to not have the whole of Christmas off work. It was very odd. They think everyone finished on 22/1 and go back in on 2/1.

*22/12

@napqueen. They do reduce the stock thats instore. A lot of it is done in the back before chistmas eve. Then on Christmas eve they shut st three and bring all the sale stuff out and ticket any sale stuff that is out already. You don't get to leave until its done, one year i worked until midnight on christmas eve and was back at 6am boxing day.

Didn't the Next Sale used to start earlier than 6am?

Let's all chose NOT to shop on Boxing Day?

I worked at next when I was 17 over Xmas. It was hideous. I had a university interview at oxford and the manager said if I went I would have to give up my temporary position because it would involve missing a shift. One on of my shifts I had to stand with a "please queue here" sign at the end of the queue that snaked around the shop. They brought in shitloads of crap stock for the sale, it wasn't the actual pre sale stock being reduced. They treated the staff with total contempt, and we used to get accused of shoplifting all the time . I hate even going in now......I'm 34!

The Next online sale is shit unless you get an early invite slot. That stuff comes from the warehouse.
The stock in each store is not available online so people go to stores to get stuff that is sold out online.

YANBU. Next is shit and I can't understand the mentaility of people who stand outside there from about 3am on Boxing Day. Get a life!