All fluff no substance - Associate Pottery Barn Employee Review

1.0
2 Aug 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Staff discount of 40% is about as good as it gets. Shops look good but it's all bells and whistles for the customers that's where it end.

Cons

Work life balance is terrible. Head office are great at barking orders but never practise what they preach. Senior management have now idea of what is going on in their stores. One person has full control, which finds them disconnected from the business. Arrogant and hitler like management flows through to the store managers, who leave in droves due to the stress. 1 in 4 deliveries has an issue and the company expect 15-20% of all orders will never be filled. Dealing the the Customer Service team in the US is painful at best and don't seem to care about the customers. Have seen people charged several times for the one item and had to fight for 6 months to get their money back. No product has a stated warranty, they warrant items as they deem will save them money. Have had customer crying instore due to the service they got from the US team, but the managers hands are tied to help as final say is made by one person in Aust and the US team. Most people throw their hands in the air and walk away - customers and staff, due to the stress of it all. Most staff wait for the stab in the back, and it's ripe in all the bands.

Explore other reviews about Pottery Barn

5.0
19 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great team- great experience. It offered flexibility to try multiple roles.

Cons

As a seasonal hire it is mandatory to work holidays. As usually with most retail jobs. You must have weekend availability.

1.0
3 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Absolutely nothing. Don't waste your time

Cons

THE WORST COMPANY TO WORK FOR!!! AVOID. AVOID. AVOID. This place seems great on paper but is truly one of the worst companies I've ever worked for. If you are not ready to play the corporate game do not even bother. You will do great here if you love to suck up to leadership, want to be overworked with zero compensation or recognition, and are okay with ZERO work life balance. Words truly will never be enough to express how horrible this place is so I'm not even sure where to begin. Leadership is a joke and will only help you in your career if you're one of their favorites. The pay is laughable in general, let alone for the amount of work that is required of you. The systems and tools this company uses are ancient and so by the book, no amount of complaints will ever change the way they do things. The turnover is embarrassing, I saw a new face almost every single week. The office environment is so cliquey and catty. And the in person office requirements offer ZERO flexibility. If you need to be out of office for an hour doctor appointment, you have to use PTO. But the best part is, other departments in the company will be allowed to WFH, while Merch is held to such an extreme standard. One of my personal favorites was not being allowed to make eye contact or be seen by the CEO when she came to the office. That should tell you everything you need to know about this company. Overall, I beg everyone to think twice about working here. All of these things were a known thing around the office and I feel bad for those that stay and continue to subject themselves to such an environment. I mean it when I say 80% of people were miserable working here. Do yourself a favor and look elsewhere, you'll thank me later.

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