Pros
1. If you work in a dept where the managers like you, life can be good. 2. Most of the co-workers are great. 3. If you sell well, there is opportunity for promotions. 4. The company has a great reputation with the public. 5. You can make lots of money from commission if you work in a high ticket dept. 6. Managers are flexible with giving you requested time off.
Cons
1. Treatment is supposed to be based on meritocracy, but instead it's based on seniority, politics, and favoritism. There are veteran employees who are very hostile for no good reason and constantly conniving to get people they don't like fired by making it their second job to report every petty infraction to management(even if they are guilty of the same things themselves). Sadly, they are tolerated by management because they've been there for a long time. This makes for an extremely unpleasant work environment and breeds an atmosphere of insecurity. 2. There is absolutely nothing set in place to prevent others from stealing your sales. 3. Returns are brutal. Most customers treat Nordstrom like a Rent-A-Center. 4. "Use your best judgment" "Treat this like your own business" What a sham! There is virtually no wiggle room to decide anything on your own. 5. If you are constantly made to open or close shifts, it hurts your sales ranking and pay. Since you are on 100% commission, you are basically working for free in the time before and after the store closes. This time is counted toward your average "sales per hour" and makes you look like you sell less than you actually do. Frankly, I'm shocked they haven't been sued over this. 6. A lot of employees who were excellent with customers left because they were constantly barraged for not selling enough. It didn't matter to management that these employees were building quality long-term relationships with customers that would pay off over time, just not instantaneously. As a result, they lost some priceless people. 7. Telemarketing campaigns.