Great place to learn A LOT! - Anonymous employee Buffalo Exchange Employee Review

3.0
Jul 25, 2014
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great place to be fully trained on the ins and outs of how an entire store runs. Its an open-book company so all employees learn way more about inventory, admin duties, customer service, financial information and leading the team than in any other place I've worked and its so valuable when applying for higher positions with other companies. You learn SO MUCH about fashion and brands and style and trends that can also help you get jobs at other places like Nordstroms/anthro/high end places because you're so familiar with their brands already. You work with some really great people, and coming to work can be so much fun. The company also offers amazing benefits, paid time off, 401k and profit sharing that I have only seen offered at big companies like Nordstroms, which is a huge plus.

Cons

The entire job is one huge challenge. You deal with rude people trying to sell the clothes off their backs for $20. Not a lot of people really understand what Buffalo Exchange does, so they will bring in 50 bags of clothes they have had for the last ten years and expect to make a lot of money, and then we find nothing to buy. No matter how great you are at your job or communicating you cannot fix these situations every time and it can be extremely stressful, uncomfortable and upsetting. And that just explains the normal people, not the crazy homeless junkies that come in by the 100's to sell stolen and dirty stuff every day. We call 911 multiple times a week. The good customers do out weigh the bad but you're just not paid enough money to deal with these situations. The turnover rate is extremely high because of this so most days you're looking at getting out really late and being really understaffed. Work life balance? Whats that?

Explore other reviews about Buffalo Exchange

5.0
Jan 19, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

awesome training, amazing staff! lots of opportunities to grow and learn from helpful and informative staff

Cons

no cons! highly recommend this location to work at!

1.0
Jun 5, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

you learn a lot about clothes

Cons

literally the worst job i can possibly imagine. you’re expected to be on top of register, buying in clothes, customers stealing, dressing room, talking to the customers on the floor, counting in and out the money, etc 100% all of the time. they expect you to overextend yourself the entire shift. i have never had to be on top of so many things in my life. i have more responsibilities than the MANAGERS at my last job do for far less pay. and we are in downtown portland so we get a lot of theft and have to deescalate mental health crises constantly. every employee i’ve talked to has agreed with me that they’ve never felt like a bad employee before working here. i pride myself on being smart and helpful and quickly learning the rules of any environment im in but i’ve never felt more stupid in my life. there is literally no time to take a breath in the entire 8hr shift

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