Working at Pier 1 Imports — Reviews by Employees

I have such mixed feelings about this store. I started as a part time employee and 3 weeks later was made Asst Manager of a new store due to open shortly. This caused a few people to immediately dislike me. But whatever, we opened the new store after I was trained by some amazing people at the old location. I rarely saw the manager that I was to be working for at the new spot. We worked really hard to open and set up the new store during the a very busy season. I was paid a ridiculously low wage as as Asst manager. I figured it would get better but after a year still no raise. I enjoyed the people I worked with for the most part but there was a clique of people who had known each other for years and if you were not part of that you were pretty much nobody. My store manager was the ring leader of this and her and the head asst manager would sit in the back office for hours and go on extended lunch breaks. Me and the other Asst Manager never really knew what the hell was going on and were never correctly trained. After I left for a better paying job I realized just how under trained I was. But even with all that crap and the gossip and backstabbing I did enjoy my job. The customers, co workers(some) and the fun I had setting up displays was worth the hassle. I wish i had gone to the regional manager with my issues instead of leaving.

I didn't find this place at my location too bad. My manager worked hard and gave out the hours said he would, and the pay wasnt great but better than most part time work. If you can't lift heavy things you wont like it. My biggest problem was people wanting me to decorate there home I have never seen there home I wouldn't know how. Also interior decorators would always ask me what I should put with what and I thought no way am I helping you when that is your good paying job.

This job is the biggest joke. It ranks as one of the worst jobs I have ever had. 1. My management is cold and rigid. The assistant managers will not ring up customers even if there is a long line and you are the only person in the store until the next associate comes in. I have heard customers call my manager a b_ _ _ h, I think it's because she has an attitude and does not smile. 2. The duties that we are responsible for are to be a salesperson, cashier, a stock person and a "designer" in one. You are expected to multi-task beyond what any normal person is capable of. You are expected to greet and assist customers, while processing stock items in the middle of customers' path, then run to the register anytime someone has a purchase. (which by the way, it's impossible to have eyes in the back of your head, or impossible to see over the displays!) then help carry a console table for a 6'3" 200 lb. man to his vehicle. Yep, I really did have a pathetic grown man ask a 110 lb woman to carry furniture to his vehicle and not even get a thank you in return. These customers here have a sense of entitlement and are ungrateful. You have to sometimes climb 6 ft ladders to bring down heavy merchandise. The stockroom is a hazard, you have to maneuver around boxes just to "try" to find what you are looking for.

You are expected to wrap every item a customer purchases, even when it's not breakable. These persnickety customers will still insist on it. Don't even get me started with Pier One's ridiculous vague sale signs, which confuse customers all the time. The sign says it's 20% off. No, the sign says a bowl is 20% off not a picture frame moron. It's really getting hard for me to maintain my calm composure when my time is being wasted like this daily.

These registers are also the worst registers I have ever used. The scanner has charged a customer twice for every item on this woman's receipt. Wonderful. Thank god I am keen enough to catch it, but it does it regularly. You can't go back and enter more sale items after you enter gift recipts or discounts on a transaction. And trust me this gets annoying when a customer suddenly needs another candle or a gift box after the transaction is done. Now I have no choice but to void everything out and re-ring the transaction all the while the line got longer! What else... oh yeah the punch in clock is off by 3 minutes according to satelite time, which is the most accurate time to keep. You also have to punch out in front of customers on the register so there is that awkward, do I help this next person in line, but I really need to leave b/c my shift is over, but she is glaring at me and I don't want to be rude, routine. I don't like being put in that position. Luckily it has only happened twice to me, but it really gets to me.

Let's see the most important gem of all-- a bomb was dropped in our store about how we need to be obtaining e-mail and phone numbers from every customer as well as asking every customer 3 times--yes I said three times during their visit-- if they want to open a Pier One credit card. (because Pier One is too damn friggin cheap to really spend money on marketing!) Even if a customer refuses to give out their private information, we will now have to be written up. So yes, Texas is RIGHT, you will be written up for something you have no control over! AND YES, I was told by management just to only say "e-mail" when soliciting customers for their e-mail address. Not, "May I please have your e-mail?" I am not going to dupe someone into giving out their private information just so this company can spam people with useless e-mails! They don't even send out coupons in their e-mails.

The only reason I took this job and still hang on to it is because they give me good hours and it is very close to my home. I have a college degree and I am currently in college so I don't think this job will last because it's b.s.

Pay: meh the pay is minimum wage for sales associates, which i think is pretty regular at any retail establishment that you go to.

Respect: I think that I am respected, both by other store managers/staff, as well as my own!

Benefits: I don't see very many benefits when it comes to income, but i have had MANY other benefits, like Pier 1 bucks, free stuff from incentives etc, and have been given coupon books upon coupon books. I have NEVER received so many deals and free stuff from a job in my life! They have incentives quite often though for the associates, and have just started one for the Sales Leadership team, which I'm pretty excited about!

Job Security: This job is tough, and if you're not willing to do the work, then you're probably going to lose your job. The management team, and other associates will only pick up the slack for so long. I can't tell you how many lazy people have come in thinking this was going to be an easy job, where they could do the bare minimum and call in sick all the time (when they're not), that are fired shortly after. I have been with the company for a little over a year, and I feel completely secure with my status. I have moved my way up to a Sales Leadership position, and enjoy helping everyone grow with the company. Of course every store is going to be different, but in our store, EVERYONE is there to put in the effort even on the some what "stupid" jobs. Someone's has to do them, and we've ALL been there, so quit complaining.

Work/Life Balance: At times i find it hard to balance 15 credit hours on top of 30 hours at Pier 1, yet if you are open and honest with your management team, most teams will work with you to find the schedule that is right for you. As for the "flex" shift, yes they stink, and do make it hard to plan a life around them, but a good percentage of jobs have those, they are just referred to as "on-call" shifts. It's no different. Flex shifts have nothing to do with the "incompetence" of the management staff.

Career Potential/Growth: I started with the company last Aug, and was moved up to a Sales Lead position at the end of May, I think it is possible to move up, if you do what you are told, and do it well. If you are excited to come into work, and do exceptional work, I personally think it is easy to move up, if you have the right attitude, and the right personality. I know personally in our store, we use the planner only as a tool, rather than a full on guide, because let's be honest the planner has some HORRIBLE set ups. My store is full of interior design students, and those with a decorating sense, and I think it's so much fun to set up statements, and then get the Approval from the Divisional and Regional managers.

Location: Our store is located in a nice size city, it's a smaller store, but we do VERY well for our area. I love that our pier 1 is set on it's own outside of the mall. We're not in a strip mall, and we're not technically part of the mall, so the people that come in to see us are there for Pier 1 and Pier 1 alone!

Co-woker Competence: someone made the comment that you will enjoy the job if you are friendly with the management staff, or that the management staff doesn't need any prior training, and i would just like to make the comment, maybe down in the south they run things a little differently than here in the Mid West, because that kind of attitude and work ethic would NOT fly here in the midwest. All of our associates are treated equally and are given jobs that they can succeed at. Those that are good at stock, and that enjoy it do stock, and those that are great at setting up statements do a lot of that. That's not to say those that are good at statements won't do stock, but people are placed where it is beneficial to the store, and the management staff is always open to hearing what their associates have to say!

Work Environment: I think Pier 1 has a great Environment, the customers are WONDERFUL, I rarely have issues with people. If you come in with a smile on your face, and you're excited about what you're selling, the consumer will feel the same. It's a tough job, but it's one of the best that I've had!

I worked at Pier 1 for over 3 years as an assistant manager. Many comments were made about management standing around gossiping, but I and the other 3 managers worked our tails off. I think it depends on the store you were in and the management team you had, just like any other job anywhere. Some folks work hard, some people slack off. That's life.

Pay was decent for retail. Hours were irregular, which was really the only reason I left. Benefits were fine, but I was full time--I know part timers didn't get any benefits. Again...that is the case in a lot of places.

Here are my negative remarks...
Our store was small, and we had to cram a LOT of inventory onto the sales floor. As a result, aisles were too narrow, and we were constantly on ladders getting furniture off of the perimeter shelving. (If you fear ladders, never work at a Pier 1). Our store had dusty air vents and I was always sneezing. Unloading trucks was hard work and my back was always hurting. (Did you ever see 2 110-pound girls try to get a 200 pound dining table off the back of a semi truck with no loading dock?) It is workers comp waiting to happen.

My store closed this year due to the economy. We were the smallest store in the region, so I'm not surprised. The store manager got severance pay since there were no stores available for him to transfer to. I miss Pier 1. Even with the negative things, I had a lot of fun working there and met a lot of nice people, both customers and employees.

Work Environment: I will have to say that the store that I work with has a GREAT team that works like a 'well tuned' machine. The manager we work for is one of the best that I've work for in my life. We keep it fun - especially when we are unloading new items from truck.

Co-Worker Competence: It all depends which coworker you talk about. Yeah, the managers are great, its just the new hires that need to know the 'ins and outs'. They arent given the finer details or advised of certain things within the store.

Pay: Not the best, but its only a PT job for me.

Job security: Well, we all know the answer to that one given where the economy is this time of year.

Location: Yeah, there are alot of Pier 1 stores in the area, but the one I work at is a 15 minute drive from my house. I cant complain!

Work/Life balance: At first I wasnt too crazy about these 'flex' shifts, but you have to adjust your schedule that day and allow if you have/dont have to work. It gives me flexibility, but the balance between the two for me is good.

Respect: There's respect there, but like anything else, you have to earn it from your fellow coworkers.

Career Potential/Growth: This is a little touchy and if you plan to make P1 your career, thats great. Most people that work at our store are PT'ers and some have a second job as well.

I really like my job. The hours are very long for management, but the people and the sense of accomplishment make it worthwhile. I see opportunities for growth. At times those opportunities are limited within a specific geographical are. However, if you are relocatable your opportunities are many. I'm grateful to work with some tenured people who really know the products and care to see the company come back. My only complaint about the environment would be the music. It's not that it is awful, but the same songs all day every day for weeks on end it cruel and unusual punishemnt. As for job security. I don't feel concerned about being fired unfairly. I do have valid concerns about the company's financial stability and that directly impacts my job. I can worry about this or I can give my best to make sure the company does well. It's as simple as that.

I want to know who the other snob from my store is that complained about the poor quality of co-workers! What do you expect for a retail job? We not preforming neurosurgery here. I would say that most of my co-workers do their job well enough, with maybe one or two exceptions. Jobs like these, for most people, are just how they earn extra cash. Many of my co-workers have families, go to school, or have a second job. It's not a passion or a career for most, and so obviously I would not expect the women (and a few men) that I work with to be completely driven and focused when they come in for their four hour shift. That being said, one problem I do have with my particular store is the daily drama that goes on. It's just constant gossip and, at times, downright pettiness that sometimes I feel like I'm working in a junior high. It's bad enough when some of my co-workers engage in it, it's worse when our supposedly "professional" manager does too.

Now, about the other ratings.
Pay- It's pretty standard for a retail job. That start you off at about the same rate as anywhere else would here on Merritt Island. I'm told that managers get paid according to where they're located, which I think is fair. It's not great, but it's not awful either.

Respect- If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. As I said above, the gossip and pettiness really get to me sometimes. This is something everyone is guilty of from time to time, but it's really excessive in our store. Also the current manager has a problem giving out reprimands and constructive criticism without making it personal. Respect from corporation as a whole is pretty decent. I don't appreciate the four hour shifts associates have, but other than that... I've worked for worse.

Benefits- Apparently you only get them if your full time. With companies such as Starbucks giving benefits to even part-time workers, this is something that Pier 1 falls short on. I don't know what the benefits are like for full time workers. I've heard they're okay though.

Job Security- I've yet to hear of anyone who was let go unfairly. There may be incidences of that, but I don't know of any, so I would say job security is pretty good.

Work/Life Balance- It's retail. Again, what do you expect? It's not a nine to five job. The schedule is mostly unpredictable and we all have to work some weekends. It's fine if you have nothing else going on I suppose.

Career Potential/Growth- There are people I work with who have been there for years and still haven't made it to assistant manager. Climbing up the Pier 1 job ladder seems to be a much slower task than with other companies. Also, the heads of the company seem to be of the "good ol' boys" club. Although there are a lot of women, gay males, and minorities working for the company at store level, and even up through regional manager level, those at the top do not seem to represent their clientele or the vast majority of their workers.

Location- Pier 1 seems to always be located near major shopping areas. Nothing to complain about here. It's not in the middle of nowhere, and it's not in a dangerous area either.

Co-worker Competence- You get what you get with these sorts of jobs. As I said above, it's not like we're preforming neurosurgery. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to do this job. Most of my co-workers come in and do their job, and they do it well enough. Do they give it a 110% effort? No. Neither do I really, but I'm not going to bust my butt for a job that pays just a few dollars more than minimum wage. I don't expect anyone too. However, the store is still in business, and no one has accidentally burned the place down yet or anything.

Work Environment- It's okay. The most dangerous part of my day is probably climbing up and down a ladder. Provided your not completely stupid, there isn't a whole lot that would hurt you. The store is always pretty clean. All of the candles and reed diffusers might cause a problem if you have asthma or severe allergies. It can be a fun place to work because there's always new neat stuff coming in. One thing though, Pier 1 seems to attract a special breed of customers. Never before have I had to deal with so many uptight snobby people. I suppose people think Pier 1 is some kind of boutique upper class personalized shopping experience, which is completely wrong. We sell the same third world sweatshop dust collectors that you'd find at World Market or Target (except we mark up the price more). If your a Pier 1 customer, please stop acting like your high society just because you bought our overpriced particle board furniture.

I worked for them for 5 years through school and I have to admit that they were one of the best companies I had worked for. Sure the sale-incentives were cheesy, but when I was in college I thought the stuff was pretty cool. I wasn't too keen on coming home smelling of ginger-peach candles and patchouli, but I figured it was a lot better than some other jobs. I had a great manager and he was very accommodating to my schedule--especially around school. The people I worked with were fun too. We all had a lot of fun doing some otherwise boring tasks. It was fun on the truck days to unpack mountains of crap (seriously, I wondered what the people in developing countries thought of people in the US when they were told to make thousands of little trinkets). The pay was standard for a no-frills retail position and the health-care benefits were fine too. I really wish that they would give a little more of a discount to their employees. 20% is fine, but living in Chicago where almost half of that is sales-tax is just plain criminal.