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Nordstrom Complaint - Shameful Place To Be Hired To, A Work Scam - Employment
Employment - Complaint
HOUSTON, TEXAS -- Nordstrom being considered one of the best companies to work for has to be a paid for advertisement, unless they are referring ONLY to employees involved in new store openings and new-hire orientation. Nordstrom does a lot of new store openings and spectacle new-hire orientations, so those people have secure jobs, but for those who apply to work in these new stores, your job is NOT secure. The public is being fooled into thinking Nordstrom is creating jobs. They do these bid production new store openings but what you don't know is after the big circus employees are cut and back into the unemployment pool. Nordstrom company is all smoke and mirrors and those that report it as being a good place to work do not have the facts. This company is definitely not a job to base your future on, or even base your week on because you can be easily fired with only 2 seconds notice, if that. It’s like project runway-one day you’re in and the next day you’re out and they don’t bat an eye about it. Working hard and giving your all because you believe in the rumors that they are a good people business will only cause you great disappointment in the end, because humble and considerate they are not. You are a work horse who could be put down at any given moment.
This is not a job you take if you are needing a job for survival. This is a job you take ONLY if you can afford to be unsuspectingly let go. This is 100% one of those jobs you take only for the discount or as a supplement. Regardless of your great worth ethic and years invested in the company, you are disposable. Even if you reach the 2 year mark and make Allstar, you should still have a back-up security plan because a slip in sales could mean an instant layoff for even those who feel they have seniority. I have silently witnessed new hires come in grateful to find a job in this bad economy only to be unsuspectingly fired 1 month later and sometimes even shorter than that. Do Not take this job serious because they do not take you serious. If you accept an offer never stop looking for something else, and do not feel obligated to give a 2 weeks notice. After 2+ years of service I wasn't given any notice, just a quick sob story about their failing sales goals and how sad they were to have to fire people. As if cutting my small salary instantly without notice was going to solve their financial woes. This is a HORRIBLE, SELFISH company to be mistreated by. There’s a lot of mistreatment in the world of retail, but this company’s is just low-down and devious. Their excuses for layoffs are heartless. Never accept a job with this company, unless it's in new store openings and new-hire orientation, any other position is a scam.
This is not a job you take if you are needing a job for survival. This is a job you take ONLY if you can afford to be unsuspectingly let go. This is 100% one of those jobs you take only for the discount or as a supplement. Regardless of your great worth ethic and years invested in the company, you are disposable. Even if you reach the 2 year mark and make Allstar, you should still have a back-up security plan because a slip in sales could mean an instant layoff for even those who feel they have seniority. I have silently witnessed new hires come in grateful to find a job in this bad economy only to be unsuspectingly fired 1 month later and sometimes even shorter than that. Do Not take this job serious because they do not take you serious. If you accept an offer never stop looking for something else, and do not feel obligated to give a 2 weeks notice. After 2+ years of service I wasn't given any notice, just a quick sob story about their failing sales goals and how sad they were to have to fire people. As if cutting my small salary instantly without notice was going to solve their financial woes. This is a HORRIBLE, SELFISH company to be mistreated by. There’s a lot of mistreatment in the world of retail, but this company’s is just low-down and devious. Their excuses for layoffs are heartless. Never accept a job with this company, unless it's in new store openings and new-hire orientation, any other position is a scam.
Comments:
Posted by lexophiliac on 2011-10-14:
It takes more employees to get a new store up and on its feet than it takes to run it once it is up. I know Blake Nordstrom personally, (He's the oldest Nordstrom brother) and he is a wonderful, warm, compassionate man who, with his brothers, happens to have hit upon a very successful business model that many others in the biz try to emulate.
Posted by Lily12321e on 2011-10-14:
"It takes more employees to get a new store up and on its feet than it takes to run it once it is up."
Does this comment not confirm that job security is only for those setting up the new stores and hosting the new-hire orientations?
Does this comment not confirm that new-hires are being deceived into thinking they have a chance at open-door career opportunities?
Why not just honestly advertise the job as temporary? Why deceive applicants into accepting a position that may not last more than 3 weeks. Is that not cruel, especially during these difficult times. You may not be aware of the new-hire orientation presentation, but it GREATLY FAILS to inform applicants of how temporary their job may be, but what it eagerly presents "repeatedly" is how great the opportunities are for career growth. It is intentional deception, and it seems as though you may have confirmed that is the whole point, to get people to set-up the store with zero intentions of keeping them. Again, why not be honest and let the applicant know it's a set-up only job.
Blake may be a wonderful human-being and the Nordstrom model may be considered great by other companies, but Blake and the store model don't erase the fact that former employees are posting that it is not a good place to work for, and it does not erase the fact that customers are posting complaints about poor customer service to no customer service at all.
The Nordstrom model and Brand may be brilliant to those with materialistic minds and fake Hollywood personalities, but real-working people who are being mistreated and fired without notice are not impressed with the model.
Again, this may be a very successful business model that others in the biz try to emulate, but they can easily outshine this company's reputation as far as career honesty is concerned. I doubt other company's are emulating intentionally deceitful new-hire orientations with intentionally false promises.
Does this comment not confirm that job security is only for those setting up the new stores and hosting the new-hire orientations?
Does this comment not confirm that new-hires are being deceived into thinking they have a chance at open-door career opportunities?
Why not just honestly advertise the job as temporary? Why deceive applicants into accepting a position that may not last more than 3 weeks. Is that not cruel, especially during these difficult times. You may not be aware of the new-hire orientation presentation, but it GREATLY FAILS to inform applicants of how temporary their job may be, but what it eagerly presents "repeatedly" is how great the opportunities are for career growth. It is intentional deception, and it seems as though you may have confirmed that is the whole point, to get people to set-up the store with zero intentions of keeping them. Again, why not be honest and let the applicant know it's a set-up only job.
Blake may be a wonderful human-being and the Nordstrom model may be considered great by other companies, but Blake and the store model don't erase the fact that former employees are posting that it is not a good place to work for, and it does not erase the fact that customers are posting complaints about poor customer service to no customer service at all.
The Nordstrom model and Brand may be brilliant to those with materialistic minds and fake Hollywood personalities, but real-working people who are being mistreated and fired without notice are not impressed with the model.
Again, this may be a very successful business model that others in the biz try to emulate, but they can easily outshine this company's reputation as far as career honesty is concerned. I doubt other company's are emulating intentionally deceitful new-hire orientations with intentionally false promises.
Posted by lexophiliac on 2011-10-15:
I can't imagine anyone who is fired from a company for whatever reason having anything good to say about said company. When one is hired, there is no guarantee of the longevity of the position they have been hired for. There is a big difference in being fired and laid off, fired being let go with cause and prejudice, while laid off implies no prejudice and an opportunity for rehire in the future. Many people in this economy are being let go, it is not personal, it is business. My mechanic, who owns his own shop, had to let a great mechanic who has a family to support go. It was a tough decision, but one that had to be made as overhead was up and profits down. He is hoping to bring him back if and when business picks up. The mechanic who was let go understands it is business, tough for him, but not unfair.
Posted by Lily12321e on 2011-10-15:
"Many people in this economy are being let go, it is not personal, it is business."
As I have been reading other stories of being "LET GO" it seems that the business of Nordstrom is "LETTING GO" and it has little to do with the economy.
How many NEW STORES are they continuously opening in this ECONOMY, and how many do they plan to open each year following. Have those involved in the many new store openings set-up been let go?
Like you wrote before "It takes more employees to get a new store up and on its feet than it takes to run it once it is up". If that's there business than that's their right, but don't misrepresent what it really is, allow applicants to decide if they want to be miss out on a better job to do this temporary job. Isn't honesty the best policy?
New-Hire orientation spoke enthusiastically about the currently good standing of Nordstrom and how all these new stores are going to need new workers and new employees. New-Hire orientation never spoke of troubling times within the business and NEVER spoke of how temporary the job would be and how much it is based on store sales goals. You're right, no one likes being LET GO, but what truly disgust a person is being hired under deception. A person can go to a temp-agency if that is what they are looking for. A person can NOT APPLY and NOT ACCEPT a job if Nordstroms was less deceptive about the applicants future with the business. Again, new-hire orientation does not share any of the dark stories of economy layoffs, in fact they proudly lied about how Nordstrom was one of the big company's to not layoff. It's the deception that is more disappointing than the layoff. Company's who hire for seasonal positions say upfront how long the job will last. Company's with slow business say upfront how little the pay and hours will be, and many companies honestly list the job as a supplement. I've applied for a job where I was told during the initial phone call that it was a supplemental job where sometimes I might not be called in for weeks or I might work only 2 days in the month. I was able to make an informed job decision off their honesty. How many people "let go" from Nordstrom's can say they were even slightly informed and how many can say they were "let go" in a manner that would make them want to be rehired, not many I suspect from the stories I've discovered online. Your mechanic and The Nordstrom Brothers probably let employees go in a considerate manner, but the managers running the stores are not their clones.
How difficult is it to not over exaggerate the applicants good future with the business and their great open-door policy, how difficult is it to just inform the applicant of the real situation and let them decide. Many people prefer a temporary or supplemented job, why deceive those who do not want that into accepting the offer. There was a college student at my location who was heart-broken and said they needed that job. Had they known how limited it was do you think they would have even bothered applying for a 2 month job they were "let go" from without any notice, do you think they would have stopped applying to other jobs or even bothered registering for college courses if they had been honestly informed of the Nordstrom job situation? They don't even allow you to finish out your week, it's just "sorry our sales are down goodbye". I read on another post that an employee turned down an offer to join the GREAT NORDSTROM, had that applicant been informed that a job there was extremely short-term do you think they would have turned down the other offer just to be apart of Nordstrom. I doubt being part of building a new Nordstrom store for a short period of time is more valuable than applying for a job that intends to keep them longer than a few months. The economy may be brutal, but nothings more brutal than giving those suffering false hope of income. Again, it's not that difficult to be honest and NOT lead applicants to believe they have found a job with a future. Just don't say those things and people won't apply only to be disgusted.
As I have been reading other stories of being "LET GO" it seems that the business of Nordstrom is "LETTING GO" and it has little to do with the economy.
How many NEW STORES are they continuously opening in this ECONOMY, and how many do they plan to open each year following. Have those involved in the many new store openings set-up been let go?
Like you wrote before "It takes more employees to get a new store up and on its feet than it takes to run it once it is up". If that's there business than that's their right, but don't misrepresent what it really is, allow applicants to decide if they want to be miss out on a better job to do this temporary job. Isn't honesty the best policy?
New-Hire orientation spoke enthusiastically about the currently good standing of Nordstrom and how all these new stores are going to need new workers and new employees. New-Hire orientation never spoke of troubling times within the business and NEVER spoke of how temporary the job would be and how much it is based on store sales goals. You're right, no one likes being LET GO, but what truly disgust a person is being hired under deception. A person can go to a temp-agency if that is what they are looking for. A person can NOT APPLY and NOT ACCEPT a job if Nordstroms was less deceptive about the applicants future with the business. Again, new-hire orientation does not share any of the dark stories of economy layoffs, in fact they proudly lied about how Nordstrom was one of the big company's to not layoff. It's the deception that is more disappointing than the layoff. Company's who hire for seasonal positions say upfront how long the job will last. Company's with slow business say upfront how little the pay and hours will be, and many companies honestly list the job as a supplement. I've applied for a job where I was told during the initial phone call that it was a supplemental job where sometimes I might not be called in for weeks or I might work only 2 days in the month. I was able to make an informed job decision off their honesty. How many people "let go" from Nordstrom's can say they were even slightly informed and how many can say they were "let go" in a manner that would make them want to be rehired, not many I suspect from the stories I've discovered online. Your mechanic and The Nordstrom Brothers probably let employees go in a considerate manner, but the managers running the stores are not their clones.
How difficult is it to not over exaggerate the applicants good future with the business and their great open-door policy, how difficult is it to just inform the applicant of the real situation and let them decide. Many people prefer a temporary or supplemented job, why deceive those who do not want that into accepting the offer. There was a college student at my location who was heart-broken and said they needed that job. Had they known how limited it was do you think they would have even bothered applying for a 2 month job they were "let go" from without any notice, do you think they would have stopped applying to other jobs or even bothered registering for college courses if they had been honestly informed of the Nordstrom job situation? They don't even allow you to finish out your week, it's just "sorry our sales are down goodbye". I read on another post that an employee turned down an offer to join the GREAT NORDSTROM, had that applicant been informed that a job there was extremely short-term do you think they would have turned down the other offer just to be apart of Nordstrom. I doubt being part of building a new Nordstrom store for a short period of time is more valuable than applying for a job that intends to keep them longer than a few months. The economy may be brutal, but nothings more brutal than giving those suffering false hope of income. Again, it's not that difficult to be honest and NOT lead applicants to believe they have found a job with a future. Just don't say those things and people won't apply only to be disgusted.
Posted by shannon on 2011-12-16:
I work there now as a seasonal employee. They told me how long the job was going to be AND if I did well in sales then they would keep me permanently. Of course they're going to fire you if you're sales are down. There are plenty of people out there willing to work harder to keep their job
Posted by UpeopleRinDenial on 2011-12-24:
Nordstrom is by far the worst company to work for. I've worked for other retailers such as Neimans and have never been treated in the way that Nordstrom treats their employees. I currently still work there and I can honestly say Lily is 100% right in what she is stating.
It does not matter if you have been working for this company for 14 years, as pacesetter, you will get layed off... I have worker for this company for several years now and saw it change so much. It was not like this before, what the consumer sees on the outside is being totally fooled!!
They don't have good customer service one bit. Each department has their own rules and structure no cohesion what so ever... Yes they promote from with-in but that means they are making young inexperienced people put in management to work on a low income salary as they hype it up in their minds like your "management" now. These young managers possess no skill, have no education, pretty much no clue how to run a team, and extremely unprofessional. Basically they will pay a young 21 year old department manager 18 dollars an hour as appose to getting an experienced manager and pay them a $50,000 salary, cutting costs this way is only a recipe for disaster. As, I mentioned before I work there currently and finally got a job elsewhere, can't wait to leave.
I worked in cosmetics as a counter manager, I got paid an hourly of $16 and 3% commision. one would think great but it was the most disgusting experience I've ever had to encounter. You have several goals, a counter sales goal, your sales per hour, and the cosmetic line goal.. The cosmetic line I worked for was wonderful, they understand the economy and understand the line that they are producing, their goal was reasonable and doable
It does not matter if you have been working for this company for 14 years, as pacesetter, you will get layed off... I have worker for this company for several years now and saw it change so much. It was not like this before, what the consumer sees on the outside is being totally fooled!!
They don't have good customer service one bit. Each department has their own rules and structure no cohesion what so ever... Yes they promote from with-in but that means they are making young inexperienced people put in management to work on a low income salary as they hype it up in their minds like your "management" now. These young managers possess no skill, have no education, pretty much no clue how to run a team, and extremely unprofessional. Basically they will pay a young 21 year old department manager 18 dollars an hour as appose to getting an experienced manager and pay them a $50,000 salary, cutting costs this way is only a recipe for disaster. As, I mentioned before I work there currently and finally got a job elsewhere, can't wait to leave.
I worked in cosmetics as a counter manager, I got paid an hourly of $16 and 3% commision. one would think great but it was the most disgusting experience I've ever had to encounter. You have several goals, a counter sales goal, your sales per hour, and the cosmetic line goal.. The cosmetic line I worked for was wonderful, they understand the economy and understand the line that they are producing, their goal was reasonable and doable
Posted by tweet on 2013-03-13:
I completely agree...what customers see on the out-side face of Nordstrom is not what is happening behind the scene at Nordstrom.
They want low pay for hard labor, I make less here then I did collecting unemployment(for the one month I was on it) on some weeks..sure you can do ok in commissions during the busy season's but watch out for the returns they are a killer!!! Maybe Nordstrom should rethink their return policy then maybe they wouldn't have to cut there losses and possibly make some profit. The worst part as a commissioned employee the return's come back on you and are taken out of your already earned commission regardless if the garment is worn and/or damaged. Really why should the employee have to pay for used and damaged item's. It is appalling how they mistreat the employees as we do our best at working hard, give excellent customer service and then have to take the hit for the Nordstrom overly lenient return policy that consumers take complete advantage of!!! So...for all you consumers out there that Loves Nordstrom it is true you can return absolutley anything even if you have worn those shoes to the ground you can come back and say these shoes fell apart..seriously??? well maybe it is because you wore them for a year! Thismis no joke. In addtion now they have a new policy that they say has always been in place and just now brought to my attention(of course not the time of hire). We are on what is called a list so no more than 2 people on the sales floor at one time with that being said we have to sit in the stock room until our turn is up...although during this non-sale time for a straight commissioned employee's we are not getting paid our hourley rate for non-sell hours. I can be back in the stock room up to 2 hours during a shift. Not sure how Nordstrom is getting away with not paying there employees according to there sales agreement but they are. Hands down the worst place I have ever worked and sadly not the Nordstrom I have always believed in but then again I was the consumer but not anymore and that decision is bassed on prinipal alone!!!
They want low pay for hard labor, I make less here then I did collecting unemployment(for the one month I was on it) on some weeks..sure you can do ok in commissions during the busy season's but watch out for the returns they are a killer!!! Maybe Nordstrom should rethink their return policy then maybe they wouldn't have to cut there losses and possibly make some profit. The worst part as a commissioned employee the return's come back on you and are taken out of your already earned commission regardless if the garment is worn and/or damaged. Really why should the employee have to pay for used and damaged item's. It is appalling how they mistreat the employees as we do our best at working hard, give excellent customer service and then have to take the hit for the Nordstrom overly lenient return policy that consumers take complete advantage of!!! So...for all you consumers out there that Loves Nordstrom it is true you can return absolutley anything even if you have worn those shoes to the ground you can come back and say these shoes fell apart..seriously??? well maybe it is because you wore them for a year! Thismis no joke. In addtion now they have a new policy that they say has always been in place and just now brought to my attention(of course not the time of hire). We are on what is called a list so no more than 2 people on the sales floor at one time with that being said we have to sit in the stock room until our turn is up...although during this non-sale time for a straight commissioned employee's we are not getting paid our hourley rate for non-sell hours. I can be back in the stock room up to 2 hours during a shift. Not sure how Nordstrom is getting away with not paying there employees according to there sales agreement but they are. Hands down the worst place I have ever worked and sadly not the Nordstrom I have always believed in but then again I was the consumer but not anymore and that decision is bassed on prinipal alone!!!
Posted by Nordscum on 2013-03-16:
So much of this rings true from my experience this far. I am still working with Nordstrom and really sad that I had at one time bought the false philosophy and lies they dangled about advancement. Sure you can advance... if you are an attractive and inept 20-something with no management experience and an excellent wardrobe.
If what you are saying is true about a list though I haven't seen that put into play in my store. If you are being taken off the floor and told not to sell you should be paid non-sell. Sounds like a potential lawsuit if it's true.
If what you are saying is true about a list though I haven't seen that put into play in my store. If you are being taken off the floor and told not to sell you should be paid non-sell. Sounds like a potential lawsuit if it's true.
Posted by Real World on 2013-03-23:
I was hired as a seasonal worker as well. My sales were as good as the other workers however the dept. manager gave me higher goals than the other workers therefore I was set up to fail. I saw the numbers and goals each day and tried to talk to the manager about it but she said it didn't matter. (?) She also marked me late a few times on the for upper management to see and I was in fact early. I approached the manager and then she changed her story and said I should never be early? I believe what comes around goes around. I now have a great job making more money in one week than I did at Nordstrom in one month during their busy season.
Posted by Helen Hunt on 2013-03-27:
A friend of mine worked at Nordstrom. Nordstom never provides information to employees regarding who/what was returned but this affects their income so why don't they provide that info? I will tell you why: managers are re-ringing on their clerks. Her manager was re-ringing her sales (returning on her and ringing the sale for herself) and got caught. This is commission fraud plain and simple. Nordstrom did NOTHING to the manager and my friend was stuck with crappy shifts despite the "no retaliation" policy at Nordstrom. My friend left but that manager is still working at Nordstrom and probably still stealing commissions from her clerks. Nordstrom has a zero tolerance for theft...as long as you are not stealing from the company! Shameful.
Posted by Gwen Freeman on 2013-05-06:
This company is completely beholden to its shareholders and will use any dirty tactic to get rid of you if you don't show them blind allegiance or if you have the audacity to ask them to honor the terms of your hire... Never a shortage of cut throat pricks both male and female to carry out their dictates... I quit after only 7 months.. My manager was a manipulative sociopath... No doubt she will be a complete success in a company that rewards the ability to be evil. Worst job I've ever had...makes me truly appreciate where I work now so I guess everything happens for a reason
Posted by Stonebriar Mall on 2013-05-11:
Nordstrom is a terriable place to work for. They have alot of age discrimnation, its ridiculous. They don' t care about loyal customer and building relationship with them at all. I don' t understand why they are in the top jobs there is always so much turn over. They will find any excuse to get rid of you. This had happen at my store a girl was a number 1 and was not making her number was on a chopping block. Next thing you know she was our assustant manager bc she was beautiful. I think that is total uncall for and mess up. In order to be in a higher postion you have to be beautiful.
Posted by cosmetic emp on 2013-05-14:
Worked for 8 years for them and just got fired cause I fell to a ptr 1 for 2 pay periods, as dillards and macys were in gwp for the line I was working at the time of 2 pay periods I was a ptr 1. Every customer was going to dillards and macys to get the gift with purchase. In the 8 years this is the only moment they had to fire me so they did. They told me on exit interview to reapply right after the termination. They wouldn't transfer me to different department because my benefits level was too hi after 8 years and they wanted me gone. Never plan a career with them as their tactics are scandalous!
Posted by What? on 2013-05-21:
This sounds EXTREMELY biased. Your job security is based on your productivity. Your job is to be always improving your sales, building relationships with your customers, and living the Nordstrom culture. A salesperson is hired to SELL. If it turns out you're not a great fit, then it'll work out best for both parties to let you go. Isn't this common sense? I've worked for Nordstrom for just over a year, moving into corporate within that time. I've never worked for a company that I feel so passionately about. People have bad experiences in any job, that's understandable, but there's no need to slam the company as a whole because you had a bad experience at one single location.
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