Trivial Grumblings

[peypea]

As a retail worker, I'd like to put in my two cents Being open longer on Sundays (in my shop at least) would be retarded. Sundays are the slowest day, often we're lucky if we take two grand, as opposed to taking eight+ on a Saturday. Being open later wouldn't make much difference as well, we're open till eight one day a week and sometimes we're lucky if we have ten customers in those extra two hours. The only time it makes sense having longer opening hours is around Christmas, that's really the only time that people feel the need to go shopping during the week after work.
And yeah, I wouldn't want to have to work longer hours. I've quite often had 10 hour days where I've gotten a five minute lunch break and nothing else, no other time that I could sit down and breathe for even a minute. Make that day even longer and I'd probably quit if the circumstances remained the same (which when you're running a day, they would.) From a management perspective as well having it open longer wouldn't make as much sense fiscally, you'd have to employ another assistant manager to cover the extra hours because the current managers are working over their maximum contract hours (and not getting paid for those extra hours) and I extremely doubt that the money taken would be enough to cover an assistant managers salary.
Also I like finishing work at 5 on a Sunday. It means I actually get to have dinner with my family and spend a bit of time with them. Another reason I wouldn't want to work longer hours, I barely see my friends as it is, seeing them once every three months if I'm lucky. Working more would take that time down even more.
So yes, you can all say that it'd be nice if shops were open later, but from what I know you're in the minority. Everyone I know likes to go home and have dinner after work.
And obviously this all from the perspective of working in my shop in my town, granted it may work better to stay open later in different places, but in towns like mine it generally wouldn't.
Now feel free to pick apart what I've said and tell me how very wrong I am, but this is all just from my experience the past year

Also out of curiosity, how many of you have worked full time in a shop as more than just a shelf stacker?

[Applecore]

Totally agree, Ania. Admittedly I only did shelf stacking and tills when I was at Somerfield, but the 10-4 we were open on a Sunday was even sometimes too long.
No extra pay, missing out on Sunday dinner, often bugger all to do.
As for opening late in general, the same store recently started opening until 10pm (as opposed to the usual 8pm). They had 1 person on tills for the extra 2 hours, and he kept a tally of how many people had come in since 8. Never even got to 5.

It's not a case of complaining about the opportunity to earn more money, because when you're being paid minimum wage, the money doesn't really come into the equation when it's a case of constantly missing out on time with your friends and family.

[metalsam]

Hmmm... how does Sunday trade compare to a weekday? I'm wondering if the slow Sunday trade is a habit, would it change if people had the option to shop more on a Sunday?

I think I've done nearly every shit job imaginable now. Surely when you're on minimum wage you're only leverage is to put in more hours? :S

[Moonburp]

The internet is 24/7 so I don't really mind

[Applecore]

Hmmm... how does Sunday trade compare to a weekday? I'm wondering if the slow Sunday trade is a habit, would it change if people had the option to shop more on a Sunday?

I think I've done nearly every shit job imaginable now. Surely when you're on minimum wage you're only leverage is to put in more hours? :S

You could have a point about the slow trade being a habit. Same thing used to happen for us on bank holidays - we'd be dead after 4pm as everyone assumed we'd be doing Sunday hours (in fact, all day would be quiet as others just thought we'd be closed outright).
But to be honest, when I was on minimum wage, I had zero incentive to work more hours. Plus when you're working 12-8 on a Saturday and 10-4 on Sunday for hardly any money, you can't be blamed for not wanting to give up more of your weekend, especially if that's the only time you really get to see your friends and/or family.

[someone else]

In Europe, shops tend to shut at about 7pm - why an earth can't they do that in the UK? I got into town at about half 5 after work and most places were closed. It seems daft for most people not to be able to go to a shop after work.

Yep - our towns still seem to be based on the housewife being free to shop during the day. Its no wonder the supermarkets took over, as they're more convenient for working people than the local butcher/grocer who shuts at 5.30.

Sundays in the town centres seem to be dead round here, so probably not economical to open full hours - but it is odd to be able to browse in shop but not have the tills open?? Our Sunday laws have been odder in the past - before you could sell items that needed no further preparation: so a tin of peaches was legal, but teabags weren't because you added water??

[Jim]

Also out of curiosity, how many of you have worked full time in a shop as more than just a shelf stacker?

Team Lead of Fresh at an ASDA branch for 4 years. So I looked after Bakery, Deli, Counters, Fresh Fish & Meat and Fresh Produce (fruit & veg).

Sundays are busy in Scotland.

And in my experience supermarkets are VERY busy on Sunday in England (Tesco and Morrisons in two different towns). I try to avoid shopping on a Sunday because of the business.

[Jim]

Sundays in the town centres seem to be dead round here

It's a catch-22, town centres are dead because nowhere is open. Nowhere is open because people avoid it, because nowhere is open.

[Jim]

.
But to be honest, when I was on minimum wage, I had zero incentive to work more hours. Plus when you're working 12-8 on a Saturday and 10-4 on Sunday for hardly any money, you can't be blamed for not wanting to give up more of your weekend, especially if that's the only time you really get to see your friends and/or family.

Thing is, for every person that doesn't want to work more hours (and spend more time with friends at the weekend), there'll be 10 who'll be more than happy to take your place.

[Moonburp]

The hospitality industry envies your Sunday hours.

[mikeftw]

I would be on nearly £10 an hour if I worked a Sunday at Sainsburys, I choose not to because Sunday customers are hands down the biggest pricks going

[Applecore]

The hospitality industry envies your Sunday hours.

Oh dude you know I know that feel.
If it helps, I'm about to start a job where I'll be working 14 days straight, then 14 off.

That said, it pays more than double what my last job did for Mon-Fri 9-5, so I shan't complain

[someone else]

Sundays in the town centres seem to be dead round here

It's a catch-22, town centres are dead because nowhere is open. Nowhere is open because people avoid it, because nowhere is open.

No, most of the shops are open, just the smaller ones on the periphery are shut. I think its more a consumer choice and people chose to do other things, maybe more family orientated, on Sundays other than shopping - the councils have done things like reduce car parking charges etc, but unless its a nice day there's a fraction of the people there than on a Saturday.

[someone else]

Does anyone really work strictly 9 til 5 nowdays? I know very few people that work those sort of hours anymore. Most offices are either flexitime, open earlier or later until about 8. Civil Service, Local Government and bank ones do anyway.
:

I think it is a 'big city' thing due to traffic - getting in and out of Warrington or Chester is easy compared to Liverpool or Manchester. We have flexi time, but most are in a 8.30ish and leave at 5. If anyone does the in-early-leave-early thing, its usually down to kids.

[metalsam]

Does anyone really work strictly 9 til 5 nowdays? I know very few people that work those sort of hours anymore. Most offices are either flexitime, open earlier or later until about 8. Civil Service, Local Government and bank ones do anyway.

I try to make sure I do 9-11 most days