# Holding items for guests?



## BackRoomMan (Aug 24, 2019)

A woman came into the store yesterday and asked me to hold a blender for her, as there was only one left and she didn't want to put it in her cart because she had a lot of shopping to do. I told her no problem, took it up front, and put a sticky with her name on it on the product. Thought all was well.

Well someone ended up taking it and putting it back on the shelf as a Go Back. Obviously the customer complained, and the manager told me that we do not hold items for guests like that, which is strange, because my TL told me that we do. So, what's the correct procedure?! Do we hold items or not?!


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## BoxCutter (Aug 24, 2019)

At my store, very large items (i.e., furniture, patio sets, large Christmas trees) will be rolled to the front and placed at the end register so that when the guest gets to the checkout they can let the cashier know it is waiting for them. (The TM bringing it up tells the SETL that it is there for the guest). Small items we don't hold if the guest is in the store. Karen can put it in her cart and leave it there until she is ready to checkout. We don't hold sale or clearance items at all. (Unless a spineless TL or ETL caves to Karen).


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## BackRoomMan (Aug 24, 2019)

BoxCutter said:


> At my store, very large items (i.e., furniture, patio sets, large Christmas trees) will be rolled to the front and placed at the end register so that when the guest gets to the checkout they can let the cashier know it is waiting for them. (The TM bringing it up tells the SETL that it is there for the guest). Small items we don't hold if the guest is in the store. Karen can put it in her cart and leave it there until she is ready to checkout. We don't hold sale or clearance items at all. (Unless a spineless TL or ETL caves to Karen).




That clarifies things. Thank you.


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## seasonaldude (Aug 24, 2019)

We'll put almost anything on an EOD hold at my store. Some of them are funny. Had a guest call in and ask to put Milk Bones on hold once. Yeah, sure, whatever you want.


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## allnew2 (Aug 24, 2019)

BackRoomMan said:


> A woman came into the store yesterday and asked me to hold a blender for her, as there was only one left and she didn't want to put it in her cart because she had a lot of shopping to do. I told her no problem, took it up front, and put a sticky with her name on it on the product. Thought all was well.
> 
> Well someone ended up taking it and putting it back on the shelf as a Go Back. Obviously the customer complained, and the manager told me that we do not hold items for guests like that, which is strange, because my TL told me that we do. So, what's the correct procedure?! Do we hold items or not?!


I don’t allow hold for things we have low inventory . You might wonder why , but if anyone from sfs has an order for that item I want them to fulfill it and not wonder if the guest is gonna want it or not by the time she checks out.


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## Target_serf (Aug 24, 2019)

In general, we don't do holds at my store. On the occasion that a guest insists, they are told that we can't hold past the end of the day, and if an item in the hold is needed to fulfill an online or drive-up order, it will be taken.


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## JAShands (Aug 24, 2019)

We never hold clearance. Pretty much everything else is fair game. We’ll hold till end of day if it’s someone calling and asking. If it’s a guest from another store we’ll hold till end of the next day, depending on what store calls. The one 10 minutes away? They can come today. The one an hour away? Yeah tomorrow will be just fine.


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## Ringwraith917 (Aug 25, 2019)

BoxCutter said:


> We don't hold sale or clearance items at all. (Unless a spineless TL or ETL caves to Karen).


This. I had an OPU order the other day and spent time looking all over the store for it, only to find it behind guest service with a note that it was being held for a guest UNTIL FRIDAY.  It was a Tuesday. It was also on SALE pictured in the AD. I was PO'd about that one.


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## IWishIKnew (Aug 25, 2019)

Question: For stores that don't generally allow holds, do you hold things where a guest tried to order via OPU but the system wouldn't allow it? Had a guest the other night call, wanting a cube organizer thingy. We had two in stock and on the floor and the counts matched up and everything but OPU wouldn't let him order it because of "limited stock" (which is such total BS because the website rarely lists smaller things that we're much more likely to be out of as limited stock when we only have 1 on hand, but whatever). I told him originally I couldn't guarantee a hold until tomorrow for a big item when I encouraged OPU but since the system wasn't allowing OPU I would have talked to the desk to make sure it stayed until the next morning, but they came and got it that night, so it was all good, but I'm curious as to how other stores handle those situations.


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## Hardlinesmaster (Aug 26, 2019)

IWishIKnew said:


> Question: For stores that don't generally allow holds, do you hold things where a guest tried to order via OPU but the system wouldn't allow it? Had a guest the other night call, wanting a cube organizer thingy. We had two in stock and on the floor and the counts matched up and everything but OPU wouldn't let him order it because of "limited stock" (which is such total BS because the website rarely lists smaller things that we're much more likely to be out of as limited stock when we only have 1 on hand, but whatever). I told him originally I couldn't guarantee a hold until tomorrow for a big item when I encouraged OPU but since the system wasn't allowing OPU I would have talked to the desk to make sure it stayed until the next morning, but they came and got it that night, so it was all good, but I'm curious as to how other stores handle those situations.


I would hold that for the guest, same day pickup.


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## jackandcat (Oct 18, 2019)

Excluding clearance and as-is, we can hold something for a guest at guest service, placing their name on the item along with date time. We can hold up to 24 hours.  

Now that more of our GS backroom is getting filled up with OPU and DU items, I don't know if our hold policy might change in the future due to lack of space.


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## Grable69 (Oct 18, 2019)

We hold til end of day, just no clearance or limited items.


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## Amanda Cantwell (Oct 18, 2019)

jackandcat said:


> Excluding clearance and as-is, we can hold something for a guest at guest service, placing their name on the item along with date time. We can hold up to 24 hours.


Same here.


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## dannyy315 (Oct 19, 2019)

We’re usually allowed to hold items at Guest Service with a note on it until the end of the day. Certain items are off limits.

But many times, I let the guest know about order pickup, and how that’s the safest way to guarantee the item will be waiting for you when you arrive.


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## SallyHoover (Oct 19, 2019)

jackandcat said:


> Excluding clearance and as-is, we can hold something for a guest at guest service, placing their name on the item along with date time. We can hold up to 24 hours.


Same.  Although starting mid November until the second week of January holds are pretty much stopped unless it is a call from another store.


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## Leo47 (Oct 20, 2019)

We hold until end of day. First thing I do when I open is dump the hold bin. If I close, the second the lights turn off I dump it. Holding items is dumb. If you want it why not just buy it while you’re there wtf no one ever comes back anyways


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## Tessa120 (Oct 20, 2019)

My store held until end of day, no clearance, no high demand/limited, no sale items. Most were people wanting to make sure an item was in stock and available before coming in.


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