The North Face Reviews

Pros

The easiest part of the job is actually selling the product, because it is of good quality. Once you know you're selling the best it gets easier. Environment is friendly and management appreciates their workers.

Cons

Not much room for mobility. It takes a lot of time working there to get a promotion and sometimes the management lacks competence. The inventory system is off, and communications with outlets is poor at the best.

Pros

Some of the best products on the market for a great price as an employee, a great sense of family, community and teamwork

Cons

Some of the managers can be less than great but 99% of them were terrific. unpredictable schedule at times and as with any retail shop, holidays...

Advice to Senior Management

Relax. if you hire good people they will do their jobs. you dont need to stay on top of them and follow every rule to a "t" every time

Pros

Fun place to work because its an awesome company and you learn a lot. The discount makes it worth it.

Cons

Communication between all levels of the company, from corporate, to the entry level positions seems in dissarray. Company seems somewhat disorganized at times.

Advice to Senior Management

The product training is excellent, but when it comes to OV's the training/teaching is non-existent. Teach employees how to compare TNF with the major outdoor brands.

Pros

Profitable fast growing company, high quality product, talented employees, good work-life balance, no mean people. Competent management dedicated to moving the company in the right direction.

Cons

IT systems are outdated and slow down productivity, Lotus notes for an email program. Location too far away from civilization. No cafeteria. Salaries below market rate, making it hard to attract talent.

Advice to Senior Management

Modernize systems and pay market rate.

Pros

High quality product, international customer, strong brand, most associates friendly, on week days easy going environment, if u love the outdoors it is a fun brand to sell

Cons

The Chicago store itself is falling apart at the seams, there is no strong infrastructure of staff so no one really knows what they are doing, the current staff come in at all hours (24/7)just to try to keep up.and seem very frazzled. Some of the managers that have worked there did not have any clue about the business, product, anything, don't understand how or why they were hired, meanwhile there seemed to be some very talented people in part-time positions.

Advice to Senior Management

What once was a crown jewel in the TNF retail network, is a disaster now and it is very sad. Management really needs to examine operations and infrastructure, and they need to establish a better feedback channel for employees to give input, there are talented people in part-time positions whose assets are just going to waste because of politics, their ideas get muzzled.

Pros

Great company featuring great products with a lifetime gaurantee. Any outdoor enthusiast should as least come check the gear out.

Cons

Not much opportunity to advance into management or corporate. Some of the brightest employees stay at an associate level due to politics.

Advice to Senior Management

Focus on hiring more outdoor oriented employees since this is your customer base. There were employees in my store who had never been on a hike...not ok for an outdoor retailer.

Pros

friendly people, nice location, easy work attire.

Cons

not near enough hours. Hypecritical how they say business is doing and how many hours they schedule.

Advice to Senior Management

distribute hours evenly. Quite hiring new people when there is not enough hours for staff you already have.

Pros

Great outdoor industry discounts and in-store discounts.

Cons

Low pay; management doesn't hold the same standards for everyone

Pros

Great discount and the product is superior to most outdoor products. There are also opportunities to get sales bonuses since the job is non-commission

Cons

Pay is low and a lot of customers treat you like dirt. But then again it is retail. Everyone should work it once!

Pros

Fast paced atmosphere, other employees are knowledgable and fun, excellent product, dedication to sustainability

Cons

Pay is lower than other high end retailers, no upward mobility for sales associates (career advancement), management is unfriendly and is unresponsive to the needs of unsalaried workers

Advice to Senior Management

Upper level management should be screened better. There is no system in place to evaluate managers and supervisors.