Schedule

Schedule

n. A weekly timetable showing what days and hours an EMPLOYEE is expected to WORK. Compare NOT SCHEDULED. —v. To follow, prepare, provide input to or modify such timetables: “Please don't schedule me next Wednesday.” See also CLOCK.

NOTE: Schedules are posted weekly by DEPARTMENT, and are supposed to be up no later than noon on Friday for the week following.

Shark-Cut

Shark-Cut

v. To open a CASE or BOX by closely cutting three sides of the top using an upward diagonally-angled blade so that just the corner triangular bead of CARDBOARD joining the lid to the sides is separated or removed, and the interior of the CASE or BOX is just barely penetrated without touching any of the contents inside. So called because the tip of the BOX CUTTER BLADE is seen to move along the BOX'S upper edge just above or slightly below the surface, akin to a shark's fin cutting through water. —n. Any CUT so made. See also BASE-CUT, BOX CUTTER, H-CUT, LIFT-CUT, PEEK-CUT, STACK-CUT, TAPE-CUT, TOP-CUT, TRAY-CUT, WINDOW-CUT, X-CUT.

NOTE: A Shark-Cut is an angled variation of a regular TOP-CUT. Don't attempt one with a dull blade; it has to be new and sharp. Not the fastest (See X-CUT), but perhaps the best way to open difficult CASES that would otherwise not provide a nicely STACKABLE remnant if you followed the so-called “Easy Opening” method suggested on the packaging by the manufacturer.

Candidates? CASES of pudding and gelatin cups come to mind. Likewise some cake and brownie mixes, where the CASE is supposedly a DISPLAY unit. Yet, if you open the sides where they're glued, either the CASE falls apart, or stuff falls out the next time your CART goes over a bump. Or maybe, if you open that Zip tab on top, you have an awkward hole to deal with, and a not-so-great floppy lid.

Forget it. When you think there's going to be some leftover to go back into the BACK ROOM, cut your own lid and there's much less muss and fuss in the long run. The little bit of extra trouble can be well worth it.

Exceptions? For one, those small cases of Gerber® baby food in plastic twin-packs of plastic cups. The unglued sides fall open if you Shark-Cut the case. Problematic.

Shelf

Shelf

n. 1. By shortening, representative of any and all shelving in the public areas of the STORE which is used to support and DISPLAY ITEMS for sale: “Is that on the shelf?” 2. The specific SPOT or HOLE where an ITEM belongs: “Be sure that goes to the shelf.” 3. The long, narrow, silver-colored metal, angled shelf that fits between the slats of a BACKDROP, as on an END-CAP: “You'll need a shelf.” See BACKDROP. —v. To put an ITEM into it's proper SPOT on the SHELF: “Shelf this.” See WORK. See also SHELF OUT.

NOTE: By implication, the expectation when you're told to Shelf something is that it should all GO. However, if not, the remainder goes to the BACK ROOM as either SPECIALS or BACK-STOCK, as appropriate.

Skyline

Skyline

n. The top or uppermost profile of a DISPLAY (typically not including SHADOWBOX, if any). —v. To STACK ITEMS on the top SHELF in the AISLE higher than usual, sometimes by using scrap CARDBOARD to create additional layers: “Don't skyline aisle 4.”

NOTE:

TIP: Top Shelf Terrace? If you're desperate to make all of a top SHELF ITEM GO, consider SKYLINING the extra by laying down a solid scrap of CARDBOARD on top of what's already there and building upwards.

CAUTION: The extra top layer must be set well back, so at least two FACE ranks underneath it can be taken out without risk of toppling PRODUCT onto anyone's head.

Piling PRODUCT on the top shelf above a first or second layer is sometimes viewed as Not A Good Thing. Thus, seek case-by-case guidance from the GROCERY MANAGER if you think you need to do this. And of course, having any PRODUCT topple on to a CUSTOMER would be A Very Bad Thing!

UPDATE: Recent policy changes do not permit the Skyline to extend above the back of the topmost shelf.

Stack

Stack

n. A vertical pile of PRODUCT or CASES of PRODUCT. —v. To make such a Stack. See also AISLE STACK, STACK OFF.

TIP: Cross-Tie Tall Stacks. Taking a cue from bricklayers, you can lay in a strip of CARDBOARD as a cross-tie part of the way up between pairs of tall STACKS and they'll be a lot more stable.

TIP: Bottom Bags are a Better Base. Speaking of stable, are you stuck STACKING slippery bags, like extra-wide pasta or powdered sugar? You'll find that those from the bottom of the CASE often have more of that annoying, air-bag puffiness squeezed out of them. So, use those flatter ones to form a kind of “sandbag dike” at the FRONT of the SHELF, and toss the top layers of puffiest, slipperiest bags to the back.

Stack-Cut

Stack-Cut

v. To make multiple BASE-CUTS all at once on a STACK of plastic-wrapped CASES containing CARDBOARD TRAYS, in order to save time. —n. Any such multiple cuts. See also BASE-CUT, BOX CUTTER, H-CUT, LIFT-CUT, PEEK-CUT, SHARK-CUT, TAPE-CUT, TOP-CUT, TRAY-CUT, WINDOW-CUT, X-CUT.

NOTE: Candidates? Stack-Cuts are most often used when THROWING LOAD, because, except for SPECIALS, the presumption is it will all GO. So, multiple, non-identical CASES containing jars of spaghetti sauce, jars of baby food, cans of cat or dog food, and so on are a pretty safe bet.

On the other hand, multiple identical CASES of any ITEM should be investigated before you cut! They are likely to be a SPECIAL, ON-SALE ITEM, where the extra CASES are to be held in reserve on the SPECIALS RUNNERS or STACKED OFF on the SALES WALL in the BACK ROOM in order to periodically replenish DISPLAYS and/or the SHELF.

So, your goal is to save time, yes, but it's also to keep all unused and partial CASES as intact as possible in order to minimize STORE DAMAGE while PRODUCT gets moved around. See also H-CUT.

Stock

Stock

n. The available supply of a particular ITEM, or of all ITEMS in general. —v. To place ITEMS on the SHELF, so CUSTOMERS will be able to purchase them.

Supply

Supply

n. Consumable ITEMS required by various DEPARTMENTS that are typically received mixed in with the regular LOAD. E.g., bags of flour and tubs of frosting for the Bakery, stacks of large circular pizza CARDBOARD for the Deli, and so on. —v. See STORE SUPPLY.