When running a shop, it is very useful to have staff. More staff means a broader range of specialities (even if you only sell one thing, this is still very evident). It also means that orders can be done quickly as you cover more activity time.

Today, you will be learning why and where having a wide range of staff is beneficial and where it is less so.

Here are three reasons why a shop might need staff:

1. Because the owner is not sufficiently active and leaves customers waiting

2. Because the owner specialises in a small field and some things they are not comfortable with supplying even though it goes with their character (they couldn't say "I only supply walking scripts)

3. Because the shop gets lots of orders and it gets on top of the members

Here are three reasons why a shop might not need staff (although it is always useful):

1. Because the owner is a specialist who users don't just come to for art but for art by the other user

2. Because the owner is not good at handling staff and setting rules

3. Because there is no orders so users get bored - there may be fights over people taking orders

Without staff, it is almost impossible for your shop to grow. Have you ever seen an everything shop without staff? Sometimes you may not be confident with staff, though, and that's ok too. Our other lessons in the course will teach you to deal with them if you ever want them though.

Assignment

Please look in the requests forum or at studio shops. Find 3 that would need staff and three that wouldn't (doesn't matter if they do/don't have staff already) and explain why.

Example

Need Staff:

ABC Shop - scratch.mit.edu/discuss/abc - I think this needs staff because it needs staff

DEF Shop - scratch.mit.edu/discuss/def - I think this needs staff because it needs staff

GHI Shop - scratch.mit.edu/discuss/ghi - I think this needs staff because it needs staff

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Not Need Staff:

JKL Shop - scratch.mit.edu/discuss/jkl - I think this doesn't need staff because it doesn't need staff

PQR Shop - scratch.mit.edu/discuss/pqr - I think this doesn't need staff because it doesn't need staff