Avoid at all costs. - Assistant Store Manager Merchandising DSW Employee Review

1.0
Oct 30, 2015
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

30% discount Dress code There really isn't much

Cons

Upper management very micro managing. No support from DM or management past store. No creative flexibility for merchandising. Excessive workloads and high expectations with low payroll. Impossible sales plans with no chance to bonus. If you bonus for 3-4 months straight and the company sees your increased sales...they alter your sales plans and up your sales by more than you'll ever be able to do. Bye bye bonus compensation! Upper management past store does not appreciate store management staff. If you are looking for part time employment then this is the place for you! Home Office and upper management seem to think the world of its part timers but fail to realize how much management works to help the store succeed. Coupon policy. There isn't one and customers abuse their perks & mistreat associates. High turnover for part time employees. Pay is not worth what they expect of you. Communication is VERY weak from corporate. One dept will say something then another something else. VERY unorganized corporate and home office. Too many memos daily with too many changes in "workload calendar." Customer complaints..corporate will never back you up even if there is proof you did nothing wrong. Hope you don't like breaks because in management you hardly get any but if you don't punch out for lunch even if you're the only MOD you're in the wrong. Hope you like stress because that's pretty much all you'll ever get.

Explore other reviews about DSW

5.0
Jun 14, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The job it self is easy and not very fast pass.

Cons

Not always easy to get time off.

2.0
Jul 4, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

30% Employee Discount, sometimes around the holidays they'll have an additional for employees. Sometimes you'll get along with other associates.

Cons

- Poor hours, which goes both ways, you could either get not enough or too many hours. I was pulling around 30hrs a week for the first few months when I first got hired. - No appreciation or acknowledgment if you're actually doing the work and not just focusing on looking good for the customers. - Poor management. No communication in between the superiors, none of the updates they get (as far as procedures and what not) get passed down to the employees that actually need to use that information. - You won't be able to do anything about thieves, other than make them known to managers, and attempt to watch them while juggling a thousand other things. - No room for growth unless you've gotten hired through nepotism or you're willing to lose your soul for that job. - No adequate raises. I started at 15.50$ and ended at 17.70$ and I worked there for nearly 4 years (2 months shy) putting in a ton of effort.

See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All