Macy's
3
I'm going to review as a customer and a former employee. I worked at the brand Macy's San Tan in Gilbert, AZ. It is a prototype store, so very different than most macy's. More boutiqueish.
First with the good: As a customer, if you are dilligent, you can find some screaming bargains that are cheaper than before they sell it to Ross or Marshalls. I discovered that by working there and seeing the clearance items, etc. My daughter is now dressed in designer outfits that I bought cheaper than I could have at Wal-Mart. The return policy is amazing. 6 months from the time you buy is unheard of. If your item is damaged (much of time even if it is fault of your own) they return it. They have several different methods of finding the item purchased if you lose your receipt.
The not so good: They have several brands in departments that can be bought at Wal-Mart, such as Playtex bras. I thought this was a higher end store? As an employee, if you happen to shop at the store you work in, it is more stressful than fun. As soon as you make your purchase you better high tail it out of there and put it away for fear of LP accusing you of theft.
As an employee
First with the good. I was lucky to have an awesome manager and I really loved the people I worked with. Many of them were in the same boat I was, which is suddenly losing their job, or having trouble finding one.
Now the not so good: It has been said time and time before on this thread but here goes the confirmation that this shit really happens. My story:
I am licensed esthetician and thought working in the Cosmetics Dept. in a dept. store would be awesome. I saw an ad for Macy's hiring for the cosmetics dept. I applied and received an email inviting me to a "group" interview. Ok, never had that before, but then again I never worked retail before.
I go to the interview that was scheduled for 3. About 25 of us are there. We are all patiently waiting until 3:20 when a frazzled freshly showered HR manager comes in. Her hair is still wet. okey dokes. She starts off the "interview" by announcing that there are no cosmetic positions available, but there is one position in shoes, and jewelry. We all look at each other. After a ridiculous group rah rah session, we are taken in one by one. When my turn comes, she asks me which of these four depts would you like to work in: Men's, shoes, children's or lingirie. I was little caught off guard but said, lingerie or children's. Perfect she says and schedules an interview with the dept. manager. WTF? Didn't she just say there were only two positions? She calls to confirm interview with a different time but ok, whatever. So I show up with another applicant. She was there for the Starbucks that was going to be in the new store. She gets called in only to leave minutes later saying that she assumed she had the job when they said welcome to Macy's but was just then told that there are no positions for her. Wow, that was weird. I wait my turn. 15 minutes after my scheduled interview, a frazzled lady says she will be with me in a minute. She comes back five minutes later to say she didn't even know I was coming etc. Awkward! we sit in the dimly lit home section, she asks a few questions, I am clear with her that I want cosmetics but am willing to get my foot in the door, know I won't get rich in retail, but I willing to work my butt off. She says welcome to Macy's. Now I'm not really sure if I actually had the job based on the previous lady, but alas, I am hired! So all of that, just for the interview... the day before a bra fitting class I was invited to interview with the Benefit counter which just happened to be at the same time as the bra fitting class. I decided to not burn bridges (since I didn't know if I would get it or not) and keep my commitment. My manager was very appreciative, and vowed to help me get into Cosmetics.
then the store is brand new, so all of us newly hired employees (many of which were in my interview) put the store together. It was hard work, but actually pretty amazing to see what we did and the bonding with everyone from all departments was great.
So we are all excited to open our store. Of course credit is the MOST important thing. And twice had to watch a non-union message encouraging us that it is NOT in our best interest to sign a petition to have one. ok, whatever, I'm not pro-union anyway. No big deal. Much to my surprise, I was actually pretty good at retail. I quickly became a pro at bra fittings, did pretty well with credit without even trying hard, did really well in sales despite the fact that we were WAAAY over what our goals should have been. so I got the employee award three months in a row. Four months in, they do a major shake-up in cosmetics. I had several friends in the dept. One of them told the Store Manager Negative Nancy (I mean Mary) Too make a long story a tad shorter, Mary basically tears me apart. Doesn't know my numbers which were stellar, but knows all my habits. Yeah right. This woman introduced herself to employees who had been there from the beginning SEVERAL times and asked if they were knew. Funny at the time, but at that moment infuriating. One week later, I get the employee award again. But I'm not good enough for cosmetics. SO... After that little talking to, I lose my excitement. I was still always super nice to the customers (its not their fault!) and had people come in time and time again just to see me. Not usual when in lingerie! But mary thought I couldn't pull in clientele. Really Mary?
During this time, loyalty (my manager actually told a customer that she would give ME a brownie (the one she just offered them) if they opened a credit. I was so shocked and embarrassed, I'm pretty sure I never made eye contact with them the rest of the time), Clientele, Call from the phone book, catch a thief, work six days in a row, market while not on the job, do go backs, do the start teams job, and correct their problems, sign and circle, etc. All for 9.25. AND a hope of a raise at the year mark which is apparently around 1 percent, assuming EVERYONE meets the goals. Nice. Someone earlier said, you don't like it, leave. They aren't putting a gun to your head to work there. Well, sort of they are. Since jobs are hard to come by around here, you did feel lucky to have a job at all and we were reminded at least once a week, if we don't get results there are plenty of people out there looking for a job. My days off consisted of me getting out of bed only for necessary purposes, since I was usually exhausted and needed to recover.
A co-worker was fired for buying his mom a pair of shoes, and using his discount for them. Major paranoia when buying there. Then Macy's West turned into My Macy's and the East Coast Policies now applied.
the best way to summarize the experience is like boot camp to break you and a cult where they brainwash you. If you are a customer, know that yes, some people are just rude, whether they work there or not so you will get the bad associate, like we sometimes get the bad customer. But please try to understand that they are put under an enormous amount of stress and not just a cashier.
Whoa, I guess I had a lot more to get off my chest than I thought!