The holiday shopping season is in full swing and businesses are faced with record-low unemployment and rising wages in competitive industries, leading to U.S. retailers scrambling to find enough workers to staff their stores and distribution centers in this tight labor market. In order to support the holiday rush, Market Force is partnering with retail brands to provide merchandising field workers. These workers will be responsible for ensuring that products are displayed in an appealing and effective manner, as well as for replenishing inventory and keeping floors looking presentable, allowing existing staff to focus more on sales-generating activities.
Holiday sales for 2021 are expected to increase by 8.5 – 10.5% over 2020. This is the largest year-over-year increase since the pandemic and reflects both pent-up demand and retailers’ efforts to attract shoppers with deep discounts. In order to take advantage of this growth, and retain customers retailers need to ensure that their stores are well-stocked and properly merchandised. This requires a large number of workers and a consistent labor supply, which is difficult to find in the current market.
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The annual rush by retailers to recruit and pay holiday staff began early, with some organizations raising salaries and offering benefits such as profit-sharing and paid time off for part-time employees. While these tactics are helpful the primary challenge remains to find workers who are available to work during the holiday season. With a lack of local part-time employment opportunities to serve as a backup, retailers have been forced to find creative solutions.
Large retail brands are now turning to third-party companies like Market Force to provide temporary merchandising field workers. Market Force has a proven track record in providing quality merchandising labor for multiple national brands. With a large, nationwide pool of workers to draw from, Market Force ensures that clients always have the staff they need to support their holiday rush.
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With Market Force, the recruiting process and program setup are quick and simple. Within their Eyes:On mobile platform, field workers can immediately find and respond to last-minute retail needs, ensuring that retailers can focus more on what they do best – providing great products and customer service. In addition to providing labor, Market Force also offers retailers expertise and support in merchandising and inventory management. This can be extremely helpful during this holiday season where supply chain disruptions and product shortages are likely.
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