The Clock Is Ticking

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I work for a large department store. As far as I know its the only store of its kind in that the employees have to make a daily sales goal. My department is commissioned and we too have to make a certain amount per day to offset what we have been paid. With the economy doing so poorly, customers are spending less and it rolls downhill. Since starting at the store a year ago I have seen one of their locations turn into a clearance outlet and the layoffs of many people. Yesterday they layed off three people in my department because their sales put them in the deficit. It really upsets me because we have little control over the economy, the spending habits of the consumers or how many people we have to contend with on the sales floor to make our numbers. On a typical weekend we have at least 18 people selling in our department. It doesn't matter how long you have employed by this company, how well you may have performed in the past, your family dynamics or your ability to find employment from that point on, business is business. For me personally I have to make at least $1100 a day to stay above being in the deficit. Needless to say over the last few months thats been next to impossible. Particularly when we have had a 70% off sale on which we only make 3% commission. Sometimes I feel like I can hear the clock ticking and it is very stressful. I think most of the employees feel the same. Have you ever been layed off from a job? Do you feel safe in your current work environment from being layed off? Do you have a safety net in the event that your financial situation suddenly changes?