Different Types of Jobs
Here is a description of the types of jobs we need done during the course of the sale. Please read through these before you work your shift. This list could also help you find your calling. Try choosing the one that sounds like the best fit for you skill set and personality.
Job: Runner
Skills: Walking! Likes to get steps in while working, possibly doesn't like people, that's OK!
When: Drop Off shifts Saturday, Sunday, Monday
We call this position a Runner because you end up doing a LOT of running! Or at least you’ll do a lot of walking. The idea is to take the items that the Inspectors deem acceptable and put them on the sales floor next to other similar items. We have racks for clothes and shoes, tables for toys, and a lot of floor space for larger items. When you check in, first get to know the layout of the building. Your Team Lead will do a group tour.
- Learn the layout of the sales floor and become familiar with all signs and areas
- We have clothing racks on wheels, flat carts, and laundry bins to move things around
- Some will work only with clothing so get to know how sizes go up and down the racks
- Be careful to hang clothes in the right area, it’s harder to correct this later and a bad section could cause a whole batch of clothes to not get shopped or sold
- Some will work only with non-clothes, which are kept in boxes, marked by category
- Grab a box or yellow bin that is full, take it to where it goes, sort the items by category
- Work with the other Runners to keep the inspection area organized
- If there is any time where we seem to have too many workers, you may be asked to do a different type of job, please be flexible
Job: Merchandising
Skills: Talking! Likes people, knows how to use most baby equipment, enjoys organizing, OCD a huge plus!
When: Sale Days Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday
The most important part of working on the floor is interacting with customers. Be helpful. Be friendly. Smile a lot and ask everyone how they’re doing or if they need help finding anything. Familiarize yourself with the sales floor layout first thing so you can direct people where to go when they are looking for something. The more you talk to people and they know you are watching them, the less likely they are to attempt to switch tags or pull a tag off or hide an item in their bag or under their child in a stroller. Working the floor requires a lot of walking and helping customers. If you are pregnant or prefer a sitting job, please let us know upon checking in for your shift.
During the sale we would like to assign you to one particular area or category, so speak up if you have a preference. You would most likely work in one area during your whole shift and help the customers who come into that area.
The 5 main areas are:
- Clothes (includes Accessories and Shoes)
- Toys
- Books, Movies, Games, Puzzles, Crafts, Home Goods (floating)
- Baby (Feeding, Bathing, Diapering, Safety, Baby Wearing, Maternity)
- Large Items
Here’s what Merchandisers do:
- Manage the products (on tables/racks, combine products as they thin out, etc.) to stay organized because shoppers rearrange, things fall on floor, kids open packages, etc.
- Try to keep like items with like items, keep your area neat and tidy, think presentation
- If you see a kid trying to open a bag of toys, ask them where their parent is, then tell the parent to please keep an eye on their child
- Pick up clothes that have fallen and put them back on the rack. Keep some empty hangers handy.
- If you find an item that has lost its tag, search where you found it for a loose tag
- If you can't find a tag, go to the Hold Area and see if they have the lost tag in their box
- Constantly monitor clothes to make sure correct size and gender are in right spot
- Spread clothing out if packed tight, push together if loose, it’s OK to move size markers!
- Smile, be friendly, help customers find things, figure out how things work, or try things out, advise them on what product works best (if you know)
- Help people carry larger items or full bags to the checkout or to put on hold
- Keep an eye on suspicious looking customers (asking if they need anything is the best way to deter them from doing anything sneaky, they won’t try anything if they know someone is watching!)
- Report immediately to a Team Lead or Sale Owner about anyone trying to steal anything or swap tags and try to keep an eye on the culprits
- Work together to get things done, Team Leads will give directions
- Update Team Lead or Volunteer Coordinator on what has been done, what’s in progress
The person assigned to Large Items needs to know our process. We use security tags so the purchasing shopper takes the bottom half of the claim ticket with them and the item remains on the floor until they have paid. They need to show the claim ticket and sales receipt in order to take that item home.
- Floor workers should wear an apron and carry many pens, tape, stapler, zip ties, and spare tags
- Have shopper remove the bottom half of the security tag (the part with the bar code) and write their name and phone # on the upper half, plus the day/time they put it on hold
- If you have time and know for sure a shopper is in line ready to buy an item you helped them with, you can drag that item into the Hold Area and put it along the pick up wall
- Items not paid for within a few hours need to have their tags reprinted so it can be sold
- Last person on at the end of the day needs to make a list of tags to print
- Floor workers should wear an apron and carry many pens, tape, stapler, zip ties, and spare tags
- Help customers put items on hold, answer questions if they have any and sell that stuff!
- Make sure you write the date and time they put it on hold, so if they don’t pick it up by the end of the day (preferably within 2 hours), you can make a new tag so someone else can buy it
- When shoppers return with their receipt, match it up to their item and help them put it in their car (they may drive up to the rolling door)
Hold Area Monitor
Skills: OK with people, OK with quiet time, highly efficient, brain works in mysterious ways
When: Sale Days Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday
There are 2 ways shoppers may put items on hold! There is an actual area where they can bring bags and larger things they don’t want to carry around, and then really large items stay on the sales floor. We use security tags so the purchasing shopper just takes the bottom half of the claim ticket with them and the item remains on the floor. They need to show the claim ticket and sales receipt in order to take that item home.
- Those managing the Hold Area for smaller items and full bags will take the bag, put it on a shelf, remove the Lanyard Tag from that shelf, and give the Lanyard with a # on it to the customer, this is how they can claim their bag or items later
- In the notebook, write Lanyard/Shelf #, customer’s name, cell phone #, and the time they put it on hold
- We hold things for about 1 hour and then put items back on the floor, so check the notebook periodically to see how long things have been on hold
- If it’s been more than 1 hour, call the shopper and remind them you still have their stuff
- If the shopper wants to keep shopping, add another hour to the notebook time
- Make sure things get put back on floor, some items are hot sellers in demand and buyers would lose the chance to buy if an item sits in hold too long and they don't know about it
- Hold Area people also manage lost tags and items that have lost their tags
- Try to pair them up as the Merchandisers bring you things
- Reattach tags for items being returned to sales floor
- If you match a lost tag to an item, get it back to the sales floor
- This is also the place shoppers come to pick up the large items they have purchased. They must produce a receipt. Match the consignor number, item number, and price on the receipt to what is on the top portion of the claim ticket. Do not let any item leave without verifying the receipt. If you have questions, ASK for help.
- If this area is not busy, you can bundle hangers
- One person needs to stay in this area at all times. With no one there, it would be too easy for large items to walk out the door! If you are the only one assigned to Hold Area during your shift and you need to leave or take a quick break, make sure a Team Lead steps in to cover while you are gone.
Job: Greeter
Skills: LOVES people! Loves helping people, giving directions, is fine with saying the same thing over and over, is welcoming and friendly, and just might wear a baby while doing it!
When: Sale Days Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday
You are the first contact many people have with Pass It On in person! Be friendly and smile a lot! Familiarize yourself with the sales floor so you can answer any questions people will have about where things are, how to put items on hold, or how to checkout.
- Stand by the front door and greet the shoppers with a smile as they arrive
- OK to do with a baby attached in a sling or other carrier
- Do not leave door unattended if you need to take a break
- Learn where everything is so you can direct shoppers to what they want or to another person
- Know types of payment we accept, what time we close, etc.
- Tag strollers and other items as they enter, basically if it’s an item we might sell, it needs a colored wristband
- Pass out IKEA shopping bags
- Shoppers should exit in the checkout area, so if anyone is trying to exit at the front door, ask to see their receipt and if they are carrying any large item, find that item on the receipt before letting them leave the building
- Report immediately if you see anyone trying to steal anything or do something sneaky
- If it's not busy, check on the Nursing Mothers' Room and keep it tidy
Thank you for helping us run an amazing sale! We appreciate each and every one of you who step up and pitch in. This sale is such an asset to the community. When you work, you'll get to hear shoppers gush about how much they love the sale! Take pride in our sale because it's your sale too!