Just because you say you are an "Employee First" culture, doesn't make it so. - Part Time Sales Associate The Container Store Employee Review

2.0
19 Mar 2015
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The company does an amazing job (for the most part) of bringing wonderful, diverse, educated part-time people to work with. The 40% discount is very generous. Starting salary is better than most retail. Customers are great to work with.

Cons

It becomes evident the reason for amazing part-time employees is to compensate for questionable full-time employees and poor managers. It's astonishing that full-time positions are readily given to outsiders and then their "non-TCS" behavior is overlooked and accepted; yet there is very little promotion within the ranks. Sadly, they will dangle full-time positions in front of part-time employees; having them jump through hoop after hoop and 6, 8, 10 months later still have no decision. Many a good employee has left due to this lack of decision making. As an employee you are told you empowered with regards to customer issues, prioritizing, etc. yet every time you make a call, it is questioned by multiple managers and full-time staff that spend the majority of their time in the back offices, often watching through the security cameras. There is a total disconnect between what is actually happening on the sales floor and what they have perceived/assumed from their snapshot. There is a lot of talk regarding TCS culture and "this is what separates us from other retailers," yet depending on the sales floor leader that may or may not be true. One of the basic rules of organization is consistency and yet . . . I could go on and on, but it falls on deaf ears.

Explore other reviews about The Container Store

5.0
27 Apr 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".

1
3.0
28 Jan 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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