Build-A-Bear reviews

3.8

59% would recommend to a friend

(1,769 total reviews)

Sharon John

60% approve of CEO

51% positive business outlook

Build-A-Bear has an employee rating of 3.8 out of 5 stars, based on 1,769 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Build-A-Bear employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Retail & Wholesale industry (3.5 stars).

Reviews by job title

2K reviews
2.0
Dec 5, 2018
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good Discount My coworkers were amazing Working with children and making some great experiences

Cons

Inconsistency between stores. I transferred from a store in Alabama where I worked for almost an entire year and it was an amazing job. Then after I transfer to a different store it all went downhill. I had a terrible store manager who was not a people person. She makes the employees feel uncomfortable and belittles you in front of not only the employees but guests inside the store as well. They also had a company wide Budget Cut with the new CEO and took away the Part Time Associate Manager position I held. It included health insurance, Paid Time Off, Holiday Pay, and High Bonuses. They replaced the position with a “Sales Lead” which is the same job just without the PTO, Health Insurance, and Lowered Bonuses. I had to fight to get a raise and even after hitting my 1 year mark I still didn’t get a raise. You also have to push sales on people like a used car salesman not everyone has $50 to drop on a Bear but you pretty much have to force sounds, scents, and beating hearts inside of each bear along with a full outfit and shoes. Let’s not forget the “seasonal gift card promotion” where if you don’t upsell a gift card on top of their purchase you get your hours cut. You’re a Bear Store not a used car lot.

2.0
Mar 9, 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Fun products and customers, usually respectful of hours for those paid hourly.

Cons

Nightmare environment from "BQ" executive group disconnected from customers, culture, and reality. Flavor of,the week leadership style ensures no one knows what direction they are going. Unrealistic goals and metrics in categories like conversion and parties drive teams and customers crazy. They have turned what was a fun place to shop into a used car type pressure packed environment. Look at the turnover in executive group and you get an accurate picture of a business that grades retention but doesn't mean it. Measuring 20 different metrics ensures everyone can get a falls short review at their leaders whim.

1.0
Jun 16, 2014

Fun Job, Terrible Management

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

If you like being around kids, this is a good job because there are swarms of kids here all day long. Pretty easy going job.

Cons

Management is unorganized and inconsiderate. Often schedules you the next day without telling you, makes you stay late w/o asking. Demands that you push people to buy more expensive things. After letting them know I was quitting, they told me I "couldn't quit" because I wasn't at my new job as long and they had me first, and that they would take it out on other employees if I quit. I lived far away and they knew this, yet would constantly send me home after only two hours of work because we were slow.

Viewing 16 - 18 of 1,769 Reviews

Glassdoor has 1,850 Build-A-Bear reviews submitted anonymously by Build-A-Bear employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Build-A-Bear is right for you.