Smyths I hate you or love you?

Acacia · 24-10-2008 02:52PM

anto-t wrote: »

ive to work all christmas week 12 hour shifts during the night :( and i dont think i get paid any more :mad::mad::(

Aw ya poor divil!

This is what I'm talking about- pure greediness on behalf of shops and businesses . It's all hunky dory for people who leave their shopping until the last minute on Christmas Eve and shop owners/businesses making lots of extra cash, but not for the poor unfortunates who get to spend fcek all time with their families because they're working crappy hours...:mad:

citytillidie · 24-10-2008 03:08PM

anto-t wrote: »

ive to work all christmas week 12 hour shifts during the night :( and i dont think i get paid any more :mad::mad::(

Night packing is good however no joe public to mess things up

tantipie · 24-10-2008 03:22PM

Femmy wrote: »

I went into Smyths (in Cork) yesterday and got my daughter her *santa* present, i didnt want a repeat of last year, where i spent the 2nd half of November frantically trying to get a bloody nintendo DS. finally got it online, but i dont want to go through that again.

where did you get it from,,,im looking for a pink one:)

ironictoaster · 24-10-2008 03:31PM

tantipie wrote: »

where did you get it from,,,im looking for a pink one:)

You can get it from this Irish game store,gamesnash.ie. I ordered from them a couple of times, very good service.

http://gamesnash.ie/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=67&products_id=848

Overheal · 24-10-2008 03:36PM

rusalka wrote: »

I was so excited by your post, I was seriously going to ask you where Home Depot is - I love, love, love Christmas so much that I would have driven across town to hear some Christmas music!!!

Then I copped that Home Depot is in the U.S. So disappointed now.

I'm really excited - I just can't wait for the first time this season that I walk in to a store and hear "It's CHRIST-MAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSS!"

I mean this in the nicest, merriest possible way: I hope something terrible happens to you :pac:

May your candy canes be crumbly and Gooey! Mwahaha

tantipie · 25-10-2008 06:59PM

thanks all,,i got one in zavvi/virgin €135 for pink one with brain tease game or €160 for one with the game she wanted (sims pets 2) and an accesserory pack,,yey me:D

Mossy Monk · 25-10-2008 07:34PM

More power to them. All shops should be 24 hours to suit my always changing lifestyle.

Acacia wrote: »

but not for the poor unfortunates who get to spend fcek all time with their families because they're working crappy hours...:mad:

From what I can see people spend all Christmas Eve either shopping or in the pub. Time with their families

ha.

jill_valentine · 25-10-2008 07:40PM

kaiser soza wrote: »

It will last untill the last week of November, then that store is packed from open till close some of the staff I new last year didn't get out untill 12am in December

It's common practice for Smyths Toys staff to work from 9am to 12 midnight from November on. It is not unknown for them to be there until 2am, and they can work seven days in a row. Good ol' Smyths.

For the record, the toy shop Christmas season is inflexible - they start opening late now, but the actual Christmas stock isn't put out until Halloween night. There's a frantic hour-and-a-half of swapping the orange-and-black for the red-and-white on the night of the 31st.

Acacia · 25-10-2008 10:19PM

Mossy Monk wrote: »

More power to them. All shops should be 24 hours to suit my always changing lifestyle.

From what I can see people spend all Christmas Eve either shopping or in the pub. Time with their families ha.

They could be in the pub with their families and friends though!;)

partyatmygaff · 26-10-2008 12:47AM

just found out im working (Restaurant) on christmas eve, st.stephens day, new years eve and new years day AND my birthday next week (:()

All 12pm-12am shifts

:mad:

Oh well atleast i can sleep easy knowing the poor fools at smyths dont have it any better

Elessar · 27-10-2008 06:19PM

Er...I just applied to work there part time. Getting second thoughts now...can someone who works there PM me please!

Alter-Ego · 27-10-2008 07:18PM

heymcflyx wrote: »

I was passing by a house in Finglas and it had christmas lights in the window and decorations up!! Its not even halloween ffs!?
(bring on the Finglas bashing)

On the plus side I noticed a lot less bangers this month.

Finglas is a kip:pac:

aliqueenb · 27-10-2008 08:50PM

was in kildare village on saturday in the lashing rain and it was craaaaazy the amount of people there, i was like recession, what recession LOL

kirving · 27-10-2008 09:27PM

Oh deary me....

Im supposed to be satrting in Smyths Jervis Street on thursday! I have a 30 hour college week aswell! I applied for the software zone so I hope to go I get put there most of the time.

I'm gonna try get as little hours as possible, and theres no way I'm working more than I should unless serious money is on the table.....

FOGOFUNK · 27-10-2008 10:25PM

Kevin Irving wrote: »

Oh deary me....

Im supposed to be satrting in Smyths Jervis Street on thursday! I have a 30 hour college week aswell! I applied for the software zone so I hope to go I get put there most of the time.

I'm gonna try get as little hours as possible, and theres no way I'm working more than I should unless serious money is on the table.....

Its not. I was in bolton St and worked in the blanch branch. Serious serious serious hours. If you can handle it its ok but I was exhausted all the time, and the software zone is a crap place to work.

27-10-2008 11:06PM

If someone is willing to work the hours involved, then fair play to them. Night staff get more dosh than the day guys.

Won't be long now until Dunnes (of all places :rolleyes: ) go into 24/7 mode.

jill_valentine · 28-10-2008 02:06AM

Deleted User wrote: »

If someone is willing to work the hours involved, then fair play to them. Night staff get more dosh than the day guys.

No, they don't. Smyths no longer employ dedicated nightworkers, they just make everybody work longer hours. Part of the reason they stay open that late is that they can get the night packing work done during what is considered a staff member's regular working hours.

They don't get paid any extra, just regular hourly wages, and if Smyths can underpay you your overtime, they will. Always, always check your payslip against the hours you've actually worked. I would strongly recommend sneakily photocopying or photographing your clock card, and comparing it against what you've been paid.

The Software section are generally understaffed. Because of all the stuff you need to know to work there, like warrantees etc, you can't really swap any random staffer in and out of it, like you can with the other sections. Software work longer hours than the rest of the shop, particularly on a Thursday and Sunday night.

Lads, I won't lie. Smyths are one of the worst employers I have ever had. They run a sweatshop, and their attitude to both their employees and customers stinks. They don't care about either, so long as stuff is getting sold, and they would rather hire somebody else than give you a raise. They have the staff turnover of a Chinese coal mine, which is why everybody you see there is always still being trained in, but they never have any shortage of CV's coming in, which they'll frequently remind you.

However, I'm still friends with the people I worked with, and if it hadn't been for a particular "creative difference" with a member of management, I'd probably still be there. If you're working with a good crowd, it makes all the difference, and nothing brings people closer together than spending fourteen hours a day with them. Character building, I'd even say; if you can handle working there, you'll handle working anywhere. It suits some people, I mean, there's a lot of variety in your working day, and you deal with a lot of characters.

Don't be under any illusions about it, but what I'd say is, give it a shot and figure out whether it's for you or not. Despite management's best efforts, I do have some fond memories of my time there.

gandhi123 · 28-10-2008 03:59AM

i currently work there and i have to (partly) agree with jill_valentine about the whole screwing you out of money business and the hours at Christmas can be ridiculous but the craic with the other part timers is great (in Tallaght branch anyway) and the social life is good laugh too(anyone who's been in the Tallght branch at the weekend will know the staff are usually hungover to bits :pac::pac:.... anywyas wuoldnt wont to work there for more then i'd have to thou... just till i've got my degree

jill_valentine · 28-10-2008 04:07AM

That's one thing I will grant - the miserable working conditions are inversely proportionate to the nights out. Work is so frustrating that when you do all get out for a few drinks, you go nuts. The Christmas night out in March is legendary.

phasers · 28-10-2008 10:31AM

I put my tree up last night

citytillidie · 28-10-2008 11:13AM

jill_valentine wrote: »

No, they don't. Smyths no longer employ dedicated nightworkers, they just make everybody work longer hours. Part of the reason they stay open that late is that they can get the night packing work done during what is considered a staff member's regular working hours.

They don't get paid any extra, just regular hourly wages, and if Smyths can underpay you your overtime, they will. Always, always check your payslip against the hours you've actually worked. I would strongly recommend sneakily photocopying or photographing your clock card, and comparing it against what you've been paid.

The Software section are generally understaffed. Because of all the stuff you need to know to work there, like warrantees etc, you can't really swap any random staffer in and out of it, like you can with the other sections. Software work longer hours than the rest of the shop, particularly on a Thursday and Sunday night.

Lads, I won't lie. Smyths are one of the worst employers I have ever had. They run a sweatshop, and their attitude to both their employees and customers stinks. They don't care about either, so long as stuff is getting sold, and they would rather hire somebody else than give you a raise. They have the staff turnover of a Chinese coal mine, which is why everybody you see there is always still being trained in, but they never have any shortage of CV's coming in, which they'll frequently remind you.

However, I'm still friends with the people I worked with, and if it hadn't been for a particular "creative difference" with a member of management, I'd probably still be there. If you're working with a good crowd, it makes all the difference, and nothing brings people closer together than spending fourteen hours a day with them. Character building, I'd even say; if you can handle working there, you'll handle working anywhere. It suits some people, I mean, there's a lot of variety in your working day, and you deal with a lot of characters.

Don't be under any illusions about it, but what I'd say is, give it a shot and figure out whether it's for you or not. Despite management's best efforts, I do have some fond memories of my time there.

I think it depends where your working Jill.

I worked in the on here and it was good but the Christmas rush was hard going working 6 days a week. Shift was not too bad 12 to 9 Monday to Friday then either a Saturday or Sunday.

No staying behind to do any extra work just count the money and away i went.

Smyths I hate you or love you?

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