Does anyone know why they are doing these massive layoffs? Especially in the cosmetics department? How do the expect to run a cosmetics department when there is no one really staffed? 7 people were cut from our cosmetics department. Several where top performers. SO far 25 people have been laid off in the whole store. A lot were top performers. Why is Macy's doing this? What is their reasoning?
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The online shopping and returns in the store are killing the store numbers and making the performance look much worse that it is. The other day in luggage I took a return of 3 business cases out of 4 they had purchased online. There is no chance in cases like that to turn the return into an exchange/sale.
They’ve slashed cosmetic staffs, but I’d bet they’ll still put the unrealistic expectations on those who are left : sit everyone down in the chair, plan event after event, etc.
Not possible.
In cosmetics, the vendors have drastically reduced the a amount they covered our (Macy’s) associate salaries. Cosmetics vendors had a major stake in funding the staffing levels. As their businesses have eroded, they don’t see the need to continue financing the staffing for Macy’s. As such, Cosmetics will soon be staffed like other areas of the store (read: minimum coverage). Gone are the days of a line-trained associate for every counter during operating hours. We’ll be like Ulta where an associate can provide you knowledge on all lines. Last year we already combined many staffing zones and we had the joint Lauder - Clinique business manager, instead of separate CMs.
If you are offered your job back and you refuse, you will NOT get the severance. Severance is because they eliminate a position and have nothing comparable to off you. If there is something else for you but you refuse, then no severance. So make sure you ask that question if they offer you your job back!
In response to the prior post regarding less foot traffic because of online shopping, 90% of the returns that I processed tonight were online LOL. I bet I did about $1,000 of returns. Everything one customer ordered were all the wrong sizes. Guess there's not enough people to check quality control on the online side either LOL. If there are no stores to go to, customers are going to get tired of sending things back via post office because of mistakes like that. And if there is a store, there won't be anybody there to return it for them.
I am taking it as a blessing in disguise. Thank goodness I have a couple different options to fall back on. But now if they offer my job back I will not get my severance package which would be bull sh--. I am not going to take my job back if they offered it, not worth it.
This is my opinion, and in talking with other associates, maybe it's because the top performers are getting paid quite a bit. And if they are also long-time employees, they cost the company more in terms of not only pay, but other benefits as well like vacation, 401K etc. I foresee them opening up jobs again at a lower pay scale in the same areas. I lost my part-time position in jewelry. It makes absolutely no sense to me whatsoever that they would do this other than what I stated above. A massive restructuring of the entire company. There is no way that stores are going to be able to function with hardly anyone working!
I don't understand how all these cuts better serve our customers. There will be no one left to help them!! Actually, I work in cosmetics and my position got cut and had to do with seniority. On paper my sales are much better than my co worker that gets to keep her job. and the other 2 of my co workers that cut are top performers as well. and there now will be 3 counters with no one running them! And now there are rumors that macys have realized that they have done too many cuts and might save some of the cosmetics jobs. Just insanity!!!!
Apparently the cuts are to better serve our customers. More Internet shopping; less foot traffic in the stores. .... In noncomm areas, the cuts are based strictly on seniority. Doesn't matter how they performed.... I understand how the Internet business is growing but these cuts are too much.