Table of Contents iii

Gary Livingston

TECM 2700.009 November 11, 2013

AMERICAN EAGLE OUTFITTERS: A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS DAY STARTS WITH A SUCCESSFUL

OPENING

Table of Contents iii

Table of Contents

Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... iii

Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... v

Manual Overview........................................................................................................................ v

Personal Preparations ...................................................................................................................... 3

Preparing for Work ..................................................................................................................... 3

Upon Entering the Store.............................................................................................................. 3

How the Store should be Cleaned ................................................................................................... 7

The Floor ..................................................................................................................................... 7

Washing the Windows, Mirrors, and Doors ............................................................................... 7

The Cash-and-Wrap .................................................................................................................... 8

How the Store should be Recovered ............................................................................................. 13

Recovery of the Store................................................................................................................ 13

Jean-Walls and Recovery .......................................................................................................... 13

How to Replenish the Store .......................................................................................................... 17

Bringing Product to the Floor ................................................................................................... 17

Placing Product on the Floor..................................................................................................... 17

Before Unlocking the Doors ..................................................................................................... 21

Glossary ........................................................................................................................................ 23

Index ............................................................................................................................................. 25

Introduction v

Introduction

When opening for the day, every business hopes to be successful. At American Eagle Outfitters

we are no different. Every store’s focus is to make money. Every employee’s goal is to make a

sale. In doing so, sometimes the smallest details can be lost. As a current American Eagle

Outfitters employee, I have found that the easiest way to open for a successful business day is to

know exactly what needs to be done. American Eagle Outfitters provides each store with a single

page check list. However, I believe a manual on how to open for a successful day is necessary to

allow for our company to succeed even further.

Manual Overview Upon concluding this manual every employee should understand the process on how to

successfully open the store for the business day. As well as complete the tasks that have been

asked of you within this manual at the beginning of each business day. These tasks are:

• Personal preparations for the day

• How to clean the store

• How to recover the store

• How to begin the replenishment process

• Preparing for the first customer (opening of the store)

Each employee should already be knowledgeable in basic store functions such as how to clock-

in, as well as understand what “recovered” means, what “cash-and-wrap” means, what

“replenished” means and how to fold American Eagle clothing. Preparations that management

deals with will not be explained including the daily bank run.

Red-orange and bolded words will appear in the glossary on page 21.

PERSONAL PREPARATIONS

Personal Preparations 3

Personal Preparations Preparing for Work As an American Eagle employee you’ve been given the opening shift. Before you report to work

you should:

1. Dress appropriate for the busy day ahead.

Looking presentable and like you know about the latest styles is important at American Eagle,

because our employees make or break the sales.

2. Once you have arrived at work wait patiently for your manager to let you into the store.

Upon Entering the Store After your manager has let you into the store:

1. Lock the door behind you so no customers arrive before business hours.

2. Before following your manager to the stock-room, each employee must clock in behind

the cash-and-wrap.

4 American Eagle Outfitters: A Successful

Business Day Starts With A Successful Opening

3. After clocking in each employee should proceed to the stock-room to put away all

personal items.

4. Each employee should obtain a walkie-talkie.

5. Every employee must put on their name tag before returning to the front of the store.

6. Communicate with the manager on anything extra that your individual store needs to

complete before opening that morning

HOW THE STORE SHOULD BE CLEANED

How the Store should be Cleaned 7

How the Store should be Cleaned The Floor

After personally preparing for the business day, the opening employee should begin cleaning the

store.

1. Sweep the floor using the broom in the stock-room

2. Swiffer® the floor after sweeping, the Swiffer® and pads are located in the back stock-

room

3. Prepare a mop bucket in the stock-room using warm water and soap allowed by the

company. The store should be mopped on all wood flooring within customers’ view,

including fitting rooms

4. Dump the water out in the bathroom of the stock-room when finished mopping.

5. Begin vacuuming any carpeted areas such as the front mat of the store as well as inside

the fitting rooms while the floors are drying.

The floors are now complete.

Washing the Windows, Mirrors, and Doors

After completing the floors and putting away the broom and vacuum, begin washing the windows, mirrors, and doors.

1. Obtain the window cleaner from the stock-room

8 American Eagle Outfitters: A Successful

Business Day Starts With A Successful Opening

2. Begin washing the front doors of the store using the cleaner and towels provided in the

stock-room. Do not allow anyone into the store while washing the outside of the glass

door

3. Wash both front windows with the window cleaner and the towels

4. Clean the mirror located on the floor

5. Proceed to the fitting rooms

6. Wash each mirror within each individual fitting room with the window cleaner and

towels

The Cash-and-Wrap It is important to make sure that the cash-and-wrap is just as clean as the rest of the store. This

area is the final stop that customers make, and their last impression of the store.

1. Sweep the floor inside the cash-and-wrap

2. Mop the inside of the cash-and-wrap

3. Clear off the counter tops

4. Take the trash to the dumpster

5. Separate the sensors. These should be taken back to the

How the Store should be Cleaned 9

stock-room

HOW THE STORE SHOULD BE RECOVERED

How the Store should be Recovered 13

How the Store should be Recovered Recovery of the Store

The store should be ready to open thanks to the closer from the night before. However some

areas may need to be recovered further.

1. Start by evaluating each part of the store

2. Refold any items that look out of place

3. Organize all hanging clothes to ensure that they are hung level

4. Size all items of clothing from largest to smallest

5. Focus on the jean-wall recovery once the store looks acceptable

Jean-Walls and Recovery

At American Eagle Outfitters we pride ourselves on our biggest seller our Jeans. Jeans are our

biggest seller and the feature of every store. Jeans must be recovered every day and thoroughly

taken care of.

1. Evaluate each jean-wall

2. Pull out all jeans that do not look folded correctly

3. Fold each pulled pair of jeans

14 American Eagle Outfitters: A Successful

Business Day Starts With A Successful Opening

4. Restack each pair of jeans in the proper size order. Washes should be separated

5. Stack the jeans in stacks of seven

6. Edge each jean-wall properly

Each jean-wall should look similar to the one pictured. Stacks should be even and aligned

properly, as taught when trained by your American Eagle Outfitter supervisor.

HOW TO REPLENISH THE STORE

Final Preparations before Opening 17

How to Replenish the Store Bringing Product to the Floor Once the store has been cleaned and recovered the replenishment process should begin.

1. Examine which clothing items need to be refilled or replenished

2. Gather the needed items from the stock-room

3. Bring the new product to the front of the store

4. Use the scan gun to scan in the new merchandise

5. Mark whether each item has been filled or partially filled

Placing Product on the Floor Once all merchandise has been scanned in begin filling the floor

1. Organize where each stack of new product needs to be placed

2. Restack the new merchandise with the items already on the floor in the correct size order

3. Correctly organize the products where they belong on the floor

Final Preparations before Opening 19

FINAL PREPARATIONS BEFORE OPENING

Final Preparations before Opening 21

Final Preparations before Opening

Before Unlocking the Doors Now that the store has been cleaned, recovered and replenished the store is almost ready to be

opened. Before opening the store:

1. Look over the entire store

2. Collect any trash that may still be on the floor

3. Confirm that the floor is no longer wet from mopping earlier in the morning

4. Communicate with your manager that it is time to open for the day

5. Unlock the doors

6. Prop open the front doors to show customers that we are ready for their business

Glossary 23

Glossary

Cash-and-wrap- The cash register where customers purchase the products that they have been

looking for

Clock-in- Computer each employee uses to verify when they arrived for their shift

Edge- Aligning merchandise to the edge of the wall or table on which it rests

Fitting rooms- Changing room where customers can try on American Eagle clothing

Jean-wall- Location where American Eagle jeans are shelved within the store

Merchandise- Items for sale, specifically in the front of the store. New product is brought from

the stock-room and once scanned into the store it becomes merchandise

Opening- Preparation time between when employees arrive and the front doors to the store are

unlocked

Product- Overstocked new merchandise from the stock-room. Once brought to the front and

scanned into the store it becomes merchandise

Recovered- Refolding or hanging of merchandise in preparation for the store to look appealing

to customers

Replenished- Bringing new product from the stock-room to the front of the store to ensure that

each item is available to customers in various sizes they may need

Scan gun- Handheld device used to scan in product from the stock-room in order to determine

which merchandise needs to be reordered

Sensors- Electronic devices attached to clothing items to help prevent shoplifting

Stock-room- Area where only employees can enter to gather new product, check for different

sizes and access needed materials throughout the day

Washes- Different shades or styles that American Eagle jeans come in

Index 25

Index cash-and-wrap, v, 3, 8, 23

clock-in, v, 23

customers, 3, 7, 8, 21, 23

Edge, 14, 23

employee, v, 3, 4, 7, 23

employees, 3, 23

fitting rooms, 7, 8, 23

jean-wall, 13, 14, 23

merchandise, 17, 23

opening, v, 3, 4, 7, 21, 23

product, 17, 23

recovered, v, 13, 17, 21, 23

replenished, v, 17, 21, 23

scan gun, 17, 23

sensors, 9, 23

stock-room, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 17, 23

Washes, 14, 23