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Sunday, March 10, 2013

What's Wrong with Working from Home? Would You if You Could?

Now Best Buy has joined Yahoo! in banning employees from working from home.

Here at Patch, there is no "here." We all work from home. Or from coffee shops, public libraries, patios, porches and dining rooms—anywhere we can get a wi-fi signal. It keeps us nimble, keeps costs down and let's us work out in the world with the people in the communities we cover. It's a great gig. And not to gloat...but I was in the warmth of my home office working while some of you were fighting traffic during the recent snowstorms. But it's obviously not for everyone. Some people prefer the office environment, the regular interaction face-to-face with coworkers. And in the case of Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo!, she wasn't having it anymore. She insisted several weeks ago that the company employees could no longer work from home. But …

Cheryl Hammond

10:57 am on Monday, March 11, 2013

Unless Yahoo has sworn off hiring Indian developers, then Yahoo still does not have all its workers together in the office. Maybe this is an argument against off-shoring and for hiring all American workers who can all be in the office together.   more ›

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Black Friday Countdown in Hazelwood

There’s a game plan, an emergency plan, and lots of coffee. It’s Black Friday!

It’s the Super Bowl of shopping, the Oscars for retailers. It’s a time when below-the-radar soccer moms and soft-spoken grandpas take to the shopping cart raceways, weaving in and out of the throngs in search of the Holy Grail, that larger-than-life bargain. There’s a game plan, an emergency plan, and lots of coffee. It’s Black Friday! Black Friday hype increases every year, and this year, retailers are upping their game by opening earlier than ever. While Black Friday has traditionally begun the day after Thanksgiving, Wal-Mart was the first to announce they would be opening at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving to accommodate those shoppers looking for both great deals and a social experience. Now Target and Kmart have followed suit, opening Black …

Friday, November 25, 2011

Black Friday News and Updates

Find the latest on Black Friday lines, deals and news as it happens. If you see something we should know about, send us a tip at Lindsay.Toler@patch.com or tweet @StLouisLindsay.

Brandon Fry - Local Volunteer

9:38 am on Friday, November 25, 2011

We got in and out with all of our video games in about 1 hour. We got some great deals and little hassle with long lines this year. Of course we avoided the big box stores. Once we left the mall and went to McDonald's it was a different story.   more ›

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Black Friday: A Shopping Guide for Getting the Most Bang for your Buck

The stores, sales and strategies you need to optimize your all-night shopping blow-out.

Here’s a new holiday tradition to try: Say grace, eat turkey, head to the mall. Black Friday sales start at midnight this year at some of the regions biggest stores, including Walmart, Target, Kohl’s and Best Buy. We’ve read through the ads and compiled everything you need for the best all-night holiday shopping blow-out possible. And for each sale, we've highlighted the items we think would make the best gifts (at the best prices!) Check back on the morning of Black Friday for updates and tips. Hour-By-Hour Openings 10 p.m. Thanksgiving Day: Walmart (toys, home, apparel) Midnight: Walmart (electronics), Target, Kohl's, Best Buy, Macy's, Old Navy, Chesterfield Mall, Mid Rivers Mall, St. Clair Square, South County Center, West County Center…

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Survey: Most Retailers Not Offering Holiday Season Jobs

Most retailers surveyed said they planned to offer more overtime instead of hiring additional workers this holiday season.

Things are looking up for retailers as solid sales in recent months could mean that shoppers are ready to spend more this holiday season, according to an L.A. Times business report. Despite the expected sales growth, 67 percent of retailers surveyed by the Hay Group planned to keep their seasonal hiring at the same levels as last year, and 24 percent plan to hire even fewer workers. Charlotte Russe, along with Designer Shoe Warehouse (DSW) are two companies that participated in the survey. DSW reported exceptional sales growth this year, but is one of the retailers that plans to offer more hours to its normal sales staff rather than hire additional workers, the Wall Street Journal stated. Best Buy, is another retailer that will hire fewer …

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