Great Place to Work (Not Play) - Assistant Store Manager Petco Employee Review

4.0
Apr 12, 2011
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

1. Interaction with customers (our customers are generally happier than other retail stores...people enjoy shopping for their pets). 2. Individuality of each store. I've been at 6 different stores, and all of them had different team dynamics. If you're an expert in one store, you may not be needed in that area at another. It's a great opportunity to expand your knowledge and experience. 3. Employee discount program is excellent if you own pets.

Cons

1. Inconsistent management. I hate to say it, but depending on which store you work at, your experience may significantly differ. Too many managers will hire anybody. The Right person is not just somebody that loves animals. You have to be a motivated, goal-oriented and hard-working individual to be successful with PETCO. It's not playtime at work. I expect that employees will get their job done and ask for more, just as I did when I started as a sales associate. 2. Advancement. There is an apparent ceiling to every employee's advancement. It is not clearly communicated what it takes to make it to the next step. I highly recommend shopping yourself around to other stores if you want to move up. By showing your commitment to a larger team, you open up your ability to move throughout the organization.

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5.0
May 6, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good environment and great people

Cons

There is no cons here

1.0
Jul 14, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- Wonderful people under the Sr. Director level - Dogs in the office - Brand name carries weight on your resume

Cons

- Sr. Directors and above are largely nepotism hires rather than merit-based promotions - Leadership team is toxic and disrespectful, and that tone trickles down to other senior leaders - Gender favoritism shows up repeatedly, with women being asked to pick up the work of men without additional pay. Or men being promoted over women due to favoritism and not merit. - Nearly every employee I worked with was disengaged and functioning out of fear of layoffs rather than job satisfaction (layoffs happen multiple times a year) - The company's declining position also makes it harder to land your next role, since a recent Petco title now reads as coming from a struggling brand

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