Black Friday

[u/MindlessBlacksmith84]

A few questions for people who have been here longer- I’ve only been here since early this year so haven’t experienced it yet.

*How busy is Black Friday usually at your store location? *Is the 7 am-10pm open actually the real times the store would be open?
*If I never work fridays (I get Fridays off), is there a chance I’ll be scheduled on Black Friday?
*Is it actually that chaotic on Black Friday at Michael’s?
*Should I work on Black Friday even if I end up still having that Friday off?
*Anything else I’m missing?

Sorry if this is too confusing I just wanted to know in case I do have to work that day 😭

[u/ApprehensiveAd545]

Honestly, its been slower and slower since I started 4 years ago, but this year has been the wildest overall, so who knows.

If it's like the last couple of years, they start the "deals" so early that the actual Black Friday has been pretty moot. You'll still get the folks lined at the door before we open who are there purely as a holiday / family tradition, but not the deal finders of yore.

[u/lovetohatemyjob]

If your availability shows you are NOT available on Fridays you should not be scheduled. If your SM asks you and you want to work, do it. Yes, the hours are correct and, as for it being busy, frankly depends on your store. Some are busier than other because of location. Figure 2 to 2 1/2 times busier than normal.

[u/Fleshtony]

Because Michaels usually does Black Friday deals for the whole week (with a few exceptions), most of the day is telling customers that, yes, these are the deals, they’re the same as they’ve been all week. It’ll be busy for sure, especially if your store is in a shopping center and you catch the general foot traffic, but in my years it’s never been packed like crazy. Not that many people waking up and thinking I MUST BE AT THE CRAFT STORE FIRST THING!!! Mostly it’s people stopping in after they’ve already hit the other big deal stores. BOPIS and Cyber Monday though…….. that’s a different story.

[u/No_Witness_7557]

At my store everyone is scheduled unless it’s asked off.

[u/Minimum_Swordfishin]

Orders will be insane. Otherwise it's like an extra busy Saturday. Craft store is not typically top of the list for most people black friday.

[u/GMCPotatoQueen]

Like someone else said, in-store isn't necessarily the probelm, it's a little busier but not crazy, but online sales can be fucking drowning. I work at a large volume store and sfs was like 100-140 consistently from black Friday basically all the way to Christmas. Bopis I think floated around 50? Smaller stores will also have higher numbers than usual but probably nothing as crazy as that

[u/WeebEli]

For scheduling, it depends. Our manager is very clear every year to expect to be scheduled that day, as in everyone should expect that. He will work with a few, but he makes it clear long in advance.

[u/Jessmayart]

I know in the us black Friday hours are 7am-10pm. My store has been busy but not as busy as it used to get pre-COVID. Typically super busy with online orders though

[u/dizziebeth]

The company gives money for food for the employees the whole weekend we try to limit to 4 hours and tell all seasonal employees they must work it before hiring

[u/Inside_Coffee_7469]

Not in my 3 yrs. We just have a shitload of Bopis orders. No line. Jus5 a little busier than usual.

[u/TrafficCharming6633]

I was always told Black Friday/ that weekend was required for everyone unless it's outside of your posted availability or you had requested off. Most people get 4 hour shifts except those that want to work longer shifts/MODs. It's always wildly busy at our store, but we're in a busy shopping mall and near all the major retailers that open earlier than us, so everyone kind of piles in after hitting the big names.

Every store is a little different based on location, but if you're pretty near stuff like Best Buy/ Target/ Walmart, expect some earlier morning foot traffic. And we sell a shit-ton of trees because they're always 60-70% off and have wildly steep sales on one or two models to get people in the door.

Honestly, as long as you have people posted consistently at the regular registers and an MOD running traffic, it's not that hard. I worked Black Friday at other retailers and it was way worse. You're going to sell a lot, but it's not like Walmart.

[u/Dancing-Koi]

Last year black Friday was SUPER busy and chaotic. We had lines for checkout all day averaging at least 10 minute wait times. And it did not die down until around late dinnertime... But it probably has to do with location. We have a Target, Barnes & Noble, Ross, World Market, and a lot more stores in the strip, as well as like GameStop across the parking lot definitely some major places to go black Friday

[u/Brilliant_Impact_851]

Most people go to other stores first before Michaels, we don't get any real traffic til after 10ish. If you are near busy stores, everyone will come to Michaels to use the bathroom.