No Longer the "Community Company" - Art & Design Custom Ink Employee Review

1.0
Jun 1, 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

I have made some genuine, life-long friends since working here and full-time work from home is great.

Cons

Culture - In the beginning it felt like a cool start up; game room, froyo machines, week-long catered lunches, etc. The general vibe was really chill, and you felt like you were making a positive difference with our customers. You quickly realize that the culture here is anything but chill and nobody cares about what's best for the customer. Micromanagement runs rampant and the toxic positivity is sickening after a while. The company prides itself on their pillars of the Golden Rule, Ownership, and Innovation, and asks that we live by these but won't hold themselves accountable to live the same way. Leadership - Leadership tries everything in their power to downplay any negatives that arise. Feedback goes unheard, and often times questioned and judged, despite requesting that we give honest and candid feedback. People are genuinely afraid to speak out and leave real constructive feedback. They pride themselves in being transparent but it's a selective transparency, at best. A vague illusion to make us feel better about the decisions they're making. Senior leadership is either so out of touch with reality, or they are just really good at not caring about their employees anymore. Company Direction - It's bad. Mass layoffs every 3 months, despite constant affirmations that there will be "no layoffs." Decisions being made seem to cater only to those higher in command, and all us artists are paying the price for it. Compensation/Benefits: Compensation is "meh" at best. They really do their best to keep you making as little as possible while dangling a carrot over your head to make you think you can make any more. Benefits used to be great, but they've cut so many corners that health care is a joke and my primary care doctors, dentists, etc. are now all out of network.

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Custom Ink Response
3y
Thank you for sharing your experience with us, and we appreciate your years of service. We’re sorry to hear you had a challenging experience working with us and that you don’t feel your concerns were addressed appropriately. We strive to provide Inkers with competitive compensation, a path to professional advancement, and a comfortable and supportive work environment; leaders should play an active role in creating this. We will share your feedback about management with our team. We see that you have many concerns, so we would like to hear more about your experience. Please feel free to reach out to us directly at inkerfeedback@customink.com

Explore other reviews about Custom Ink

5.0
May 24, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Friendly staff and flexible hours made for pleasant work environment

Cons

The commute was too great

1.0
May 26, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good benefits and diversity initiative at the time.

Cons

The company lied about what the job was. A "community building local representative" for their brick and mortar stores ended up just being a cold calling job and taking incoming calls for other stores. No room to move up. The management was the worst I ever worked for. Weird rules where they signed the lease, including someone having to stay in the store in inclement dangerous weather. Most of the "old school" employees I came into contact with drank the Kool Aid in a weird way that left no room for criticism. I left in 2022 and have been watching the rating here fall for all the years since. Could have been a great company but I wouldn't ever give them my energy now, as an employee or customer.

2
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Custom Ink Response
1w
Thank you for reflecting on your time with us and sharing your honest feedback. We are pleased to know that our benefits and commitment to diversity initiatives were positive elements of your experience. We are truly sorry to hear about your frustration regarding the daily responsibilities of your role, our historical store safety guidelines, and the management culture you experienced. Providing transparent expectations and ensuring a safe, respectful environment for our team members are core priorities, and we regret that your experience did not reflect this. Although you transitioned away from the company in 2022, your insights are valuable as we look back at our operational history and work to strengthen our organization moving forward. Thank you for your past contributions to the team, and we wish you continued success in your professional journey.
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