Cost Plus Reviews

Pros

I have to preface my review with this: the team that I worked with while at Cost Plus has changed in the key positions that made my experience what it was. I do feel that if I went to work for this company now I would have a more positive review.

- Most of my immediate team was an absolute pleasure to work with
- Could not complain about the benefits
- Loved the casual dress code
- The only company I've worked at where people had been there for around a decade or so

Cons

- Overall the company lacks an efficient approval process. Too many approvals were needed. For example; buyers and merchants were given creative approval power–which if you are familiar with the product range, you can imagine how all over the place that would be. It's almost as if the mentality is that they are a mom and pop store, but the scope and size of the company is way beyond that.
- There's a lack in communication between the executive, management and designer level.
- The company also lacked a desire to consistently brand through all media, print, web and in-store graphics.
- On the executive level there was a lack in understanding of the current technologies that, more often than not, would make the workload and deadlines unrealistic.

Advice to Senior Management

The higher ups need to be educated on the current technologies to structure the teams and workload accordingly. There also needs to be a more open organization to get feedback on creative. I can honestly say that the door was closed to all meetings that actually reviewed my work. I always had to get my feedback second or even third hand. Honestly felt like I was kept in the dark.

Pros

The number one mission of Cost Plus is respect toward all employees. Even the accountability culture is based on respecting the contributions of everyone, and not allowing someone to require their team mates to have to carry their load. There is a great deal of cross-training, from team members to leadership, so one's potential for growth is unlimited. It is a promote from with-in culture whenever possible.

On a personal level, I have experienced the concern and support of Cost Plus first hand as well as viewed it in action toward others. It is a level of committment to the team that is seldom found in business.

Cons

Any cons are things that are always going to be present as long as it is "work". Some days are incredibly busy and stressful. We don't always have the staffing we would like to have. But there is no overwhelming negative feature to working here.

Advice to Senior Management

Remember to individually acknowlege the 80%. We tend to see the 10% at the top and the 10% at the bottom and sometimes neglect the 80% in between.

Pros

Really none...
They offer a 30% discount of the products they sell, but at minimum wage, you can't afford to buy anything there..
At least the customers that shop there are middle to upper middle income and you are not working at walmart or any other hellish retail establishment.

Cons

salaries are not a living wage.

Advice to Senior Management

Learn from CostCo, where employees and management have a salary range that is not so far apart...
American Greed at its best.

Pros

They do manage to hire a few great people somehow. Discount is ok, 30%, and they were relatively flexible with scheduling.

Cons

Everything else. The managers I had during my tenure were incompetent at best. They would often place blame on the staff for things they were solely responsible for. A climate of blame and passing the buck was basically encouraged. They did not provide sufficient opportunities or resources to really do your job well. Upper management was kept at more than arms length, and it was almost encouraged to not speak directly to them regarding anything. The pay is low considering the amount of physical labor involved. The facilities were poorly maintained, and it was often dangerous to have to work in the stock room. And that is barely an overview of the problems...

Advice to Senior Management

I have never worked for an organization who offered so little training, and extremely unstructuredat that. Give employees the tools to succeed. And it would be advisable to commumicate better with employees other than management. The workhorses of the store who truly know the ins and outs offer insights that a manager cannot provide. You'd be amazed at how talented your staff could be if you allowed them to really contribute.

Pros

-Corporate company with all the benefits and none of the uptight feel
-Jeans permitted at work
-Company mixers and parties often
-room for growth
-innovative management
-receptive management

Cons

-corporate politics
-departments but heads sometimes (ex ecommerce vs. marketing etc)

Pros

The company culture promotes individuals to come up with creative solutions when problem solving. There is an entrepreneurial spirit throughout most departments encouraging individuals to take responsibility for their decisions and “make a difference”.

Cons

Currently there are not many "perks" associated with working at Cost Plus World Market. There is a generous discount program for employees but few off-site events for corporate employees. Training is somewhat limited. The IT department is stretched rather thin making new communication solutions and upgrades to existing systems rather difficult.

Advice to Senior Management

Communication channels need to be streamlined. More frequent messages from the senior leadership would be helpful. This would keep the larger population informed and also offer words of encouragement. Upgrading the company events just a little bit would increase enthusiasm a great deal.

Pros

30% discount on everything except gourmet food which is 10% and finally the co-workers who make each and every day enjoyable..they could have a bad day and at the end, it's really not that serious.....nothing really good to say.

Cons

No bonus program for part or full time associates. General Manager get's a salary for not working an entire 40 hours. The Hotline that's there for associates is actually a tool the company uses to back track and try to correct hings before it hits the fan.

Advice to Senior Management

Photocopy all the documents you sign and make sure your time punches are correct. If you suspect another manager is taking advantage of the system, call the hotline.

Pros

The discount, the employees,the customers

Cons

No organization from management, pay is poor

Pros

-The uniqueness of the merchandise is incomparable
-Able to be creative in store displays
-Empowered to truly own the business instead of being a puppet, directed to do everything
-Employee discount

Cons

-Pressure to do more with less people--the displays in the store are constantly being changed and even though the direction is to do it "off-hours", sometimes there isn't enough staff to do this
-Pressure on email signups
-Backroom safety

Advice to Senior Management

They do a really good job keeping the stores informed by having the quarterly conference calls with the stores; to really be able to offer the customer service expected, we need more employees in the store to balance the workload.

Pros

Reason for working here, great employees.

Cons

Getting paid for 1 position while working as 4.