Solid - Sales Associate DSW Employee Review

3.0
19 Nov 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Employee discount on shoes and accessories (often generous compared to other retailers). Flexible scheduling, good for students or part-time workers. Friendly, team-oriented work environment at many locations. Light to moderate workload compared to other retail jobs. Opportunities for growth into leadership roles if you stay long-term. Exposure to fashion/footwear trends, fun for people who like shoes. Steady flow of customers but not usually overwhelming.

Cons

Retail hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays. Pay is often on the lower end for retail positions, especially for associates. High expectations for rewards enrollment and sales metrics. Repetitive tasks like stocking, scanning, and organizing the sales floor. Dealing with difficult customers, returns, and coupon issues. Limited full-time opportunities at some stores. Physical demands, like lifting boxes and being on your feet for long shifts.

Explore other reviews about DSW

5.0
7 Apr 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Discounts while working for them.

Cons

Lack of hours during the week.

4.0
30 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

This is definitely one of the better retail jobs I've worked. None of the tasking is particularly difficult. The environment of the store largely depends on your managers, and the management team at my store have been amazing.

Cons

Constant cuts to labor budget make it hard to get anything done. A lot of stores are running on barebones staffing, and the pressure to get everything done accumulates fast. Corporate isn't any better or worse than any other retail company, but I'd wish they'd take into more consideration what the stores need to succeed. Sometimes the pressure to meet KPI's (conversion, VIP, Imbox, etc) can be heavy, however it's better than working at a place that makes you pitch a credit card.

See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All