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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think Next are horrible to their staff?

139 replies

BonnieF · 26/12/2017 11:40

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?

OP posts:
meredintofpandiculation · 26/12/2017 12:00

*I worked it a couple of times as a teenager.

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.
*
My DS left Christmas festivities early as he had to be up at 3.30 today for work. No choice about it - he'd asked for Boxing Day off, but ended up working both Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. And standard pay only. The world of work, at least at the bottom end, is getting steadily more unpleasant.

doleritedinosaur · 26/12/2017 12:01

To the poster who asked, work up until 6pm Christmas Eve getting the sake ready, but close down parts of the store so it can be set up.

Tags have the price written on them so sale tags are stuck on.
Stockroom & sale tags are done beforehand.

There’s usually three different sets of shifts Boxing Day so people can choose.

I didn’t need to be there as I was pregnant one year but had to be there as stupid contract.
Had to walk there too so it was not fun.

But managers & people try to make it fun & there was loads of treats.

If people want sale items that badly though, they should just work the sale. You get first dibs.

sarahjconnor · 26/12/2017 12:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

IAmNotAWhale · 26/12/2017 12:01

I worked there one year as a student... we were expected to work, but could give a preference for which early/middle/late shift we were most able to do, and just about everyone got what they wanted. Nobody who wanted an early start got given a late shift, and vice versa.
We only worked 4 hours each , and getting work over and done with for the day, and home again by 10:30am was quite good really!

It is hard work when it gets so busy, but there are definitely worse places to work over Christmas!

Sparklingbrook · 26/12/2017 12:02

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

Yes, I can go along with that. Day on the sofa for me watching films and snacking. Wine

Ellisandra · 26/12/2017 12:02

So you feel sorry for people staring at 06:00 one morning.

You know that the people working in the warehouse delivering to Next (etc) are working all year round on shifts that are far more unsociable? Confused

I remember all the "Keep Sunday Special" bollocks when nobody gave a rat's arse about the lorry driver out at 11pm on Sunday night stocking the shops for them on Monday morning, it's all very selective, isn't it?

Vote with your feet.

juliesaway · 26/12/2017 12:03

Why 6am though? What’s wrong with 9am?

Sparklingbrook · 26/12/2017 12:05

Not sure why 6am just for Next. It's very odd. Looks like our nearest is open 6-6. Confused

BarbaraOcumbungles · 26/12/2017 12:06

I don’t shop on Boxing Day because I don’t think retail workers should have to work.

DollyPartonsBeard · 26/12/2017 12:06

My son got a temp job there for the sale a few years ago. On his first shift on Christmas Eve he was given a broken tagging gun and then was shouted at when he hadn't tagged 300+ items (shite from the warehouse no doubt) in half an hour. When he explained the tagging gun was broken he was told a bad workman blames his tools.

I'm not one for advocating not sticking something out, but I'm actually very proud that he went to the manager, explained politely the job wasn't going to work for him, and came home.

lalliella · 26/12/2017 12:07

The Next sale is hell on earth, jumbled up stock, getting rid of old crap, grabby people, massive queues. Why would anyone put themselves through that to go to it? The poor staff.

Hauntedlobster · 26/12/2017 12:08

I kind of get it from the retailers perspective though - it’s not just people stopping going on Boxing Day that needs to happen. Wed all have to stop shopping online on Christmas Day etc because is that not the biggest competition now?

pictish · 26/12/2017 12:10

Who the hell, other than e-bay sellers, gets up at 5am to buy the shit in the Next sale? It's all the ugly-assed design calamities that Next is famous for which no one wanted the first time round and that's all. It's a poor sale.

JonnaSilvie · 26/12/2017 12:11

... Who the fuck is online shopping on Christmas Day and can't bear to stop?

Mummaofboys · 26/12/2017 12:12

I’d rather pay full price the week before and not have to get up and queue the day after Christmas Day.

Sparklingbrook · 26/12/2017 12:12

I have just looked at the Next Sale online. Put two things in my basket. Got to checkout, one is Sold Out and the other can be delivered in 5-6 weeks. Grin

CakeNinja · 26/12/2017 12:12

Jonna, people that don’t celebrate Christmas? People that are home alone for Christmas? People that are in hospital with no visitors for Christmas?
Plenty of people will have bought something online yesterday.
With this emerging demand for everything being 24/7, it’s sort of how it works.

JonnaSilvie · 26/12/2017 12:15

I'm sure some of the people shopping online are those groups of people. But nope, I'm willing to bet that a large amount are people who are at home and supposedly celebrating Christmas.

We are developing a ridiculous consumerist culture where we supposedly can't bear to not shop for 1-2 days a year. FFS, can't we all have a word with ourselves.

juliesaway · 26/12/2017 12:15

All these sales show is punters are prepared to buy any old crap at any old time if they’re told there’s a bargain on . Dumb sales for dumb brains.

Hauntedlobster · 26/12/2017 12:17

In fairness I got a load of stuff in the m and s sale on Sunday morning (that useless sparks card finally came in handy for something!). The sales are getting earlier and earlier

brizzledrizzle · 26/12/2017 12:19

A colleague of mine once camped out overnight at Next to get the best bargains, consequently I think she's unhinged.

Bluelonerose · 26/12/2017 12:19

I wouldn't go into next anyway.
All kids stuff has next written across the front and I have to go a size bigger so no thanks.

Think all retail staff should all do a protest and just not go in boxing day.
Nobody needs to shop the day after getting a pile of stuff

Sparklingbrook · 26/12/2017 12:20

Camping outside Next. Grin What on earth was she hoping to buy?

Wineasaurous · 26/12/2017 12:22

Hardly!
It's supply and demand.
You know this before taking a job in next.
What about the hotels that are open 24-7? All their night staff and Early morning staff? Are they hard done to by as well? They're on minimum wage too. They also don't get a choice in the matter. But no one starting a thread about them. Do they not matter as much or do you just forget about them?
Restaurant, pubs, petrol stations, there are loads of places that have to open over the festive season (excluding the emergency services, NHS etc)

ChardonnaysPrettySister · 26/12/2017 12:25

It's very much the chicken and egg question.

Do people go and shop there in the BD sale because it's open or is it open because people want to go and shop?

As they say though, if you build it they will come.