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The Container Store

Engaged Employer

Shamefully Poor Store Management - Full Time Visual Sales The Container Store Employee Review

4.0
Jul 23, 2009
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The company is strong and profitable. Your co-workers are almost all very capable and motivated, many may even seem "under-employed". The company culture is positive and their customers find the goods and services quite valuable. The company pays well, generally speaking, and though dwindling, the benefits are decent.

Cons

Full timers no longer have weekends or set schedules since "computerized-schedule-optimization" took over. Schedules are promised to be completed three weeks ahead of time and rarely are done on time. Floor coverage (customer service) has suffered due to "optimization". Part-timers are being given shorter and shorter shifts and the fabled "hundreds of training hours" is a joke. Store trainers are being asked to squeeze blood from a stone in that the training hours are the first hours cut. Our store is hiring more part timers and training them less and less. Our f-time staff is dwindling and we are not being replaced as we quit (pay-freeze, benefit cuts, schedule hassles, inept/revolving store management) or are transferred we are not replaced. P-timers are not being promoted. Meanwhile, under-performing employees are coddled by weak management that seems more interested in making things look good rather than making things run well. Nearly all of the full timers are interviewing for other companies. Also, the mandatory "Union Training" meeting was a shameless pack of lies and I was ashamed, offended and disappointed. Our company does not need a union. However, we may if employees keep getting squeezed the way we have been this last year... Times are tough. No question. It's a good job; but this particular store seems content to piss down its own leg and pat itself on the back... as a long-time retail manager, I can't believe the same people are still in charge of this location. It could be so much better.

Explore other reviews about The Container Store

5.0
Apr 27, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Their business, benefits and products are all incredible.

Cons

My position did not allow for a healthy work/life balance. I was never "off".

3.0
Jan 28, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The Container Store has the most thorough training process of any company I've worked for. The environment was nice, and my coworkers and managers were all great. The employee discount is significant.

Cons

I applied because I was not getting the hours I was promised by my other part-time retail job. During the hiring process, they said I could work as many hours as I wanted, up to 29 hours per week. They did not mention until I was hired and asking for my hours that hours are dependent on how many customers you get to sign up for the rewards program. As a cashier, everyone I checked out who was not a part of the rewards program and did not want to be counted against me. Customers who are already a part of it don't factor in. I could check out 40 people in a shift, only have 5 who weren't part of the program, and only get 2 of them to sign up, and I would be penalized for that with my hours. If you work floor shifts and sign people up on the floor, it's able to boost your score since you don't interact with non-rewards members who don't want to join the system at all, but I was never offered floor shifts. They expected a 60-70% conversion rate, which is not realistic. Most people who want to be part of the program already are, and those who aren't typically aren't willing to even hear your 20-second pitch about it.

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