retail merchandiser

marchandiseur

merchandiser

Counter Intelligence Merchandising Inc.

First of all another review said good discounts? Never in 5 years did I receive anything other than the pay -no products or discounts - do not expect that!

For years I was satisfied with the few stores I had. I did P/T hours which were flexible around my other job. I would have stayed had I been allowed to continue as I had, however they changed their business model and expected me to travel around an "area" though that always changed and more was always expected as they are constantly understaffed. In the end I quit, it was no longer as flexible as I needed, much much more was expected than when I started - it was a very stressful environment. Even when you do more to make up for lack of staff, supervisory role, store issues, traffic problems, and the many other issues that may delay the completion of a job they will still blame staff for not doing enough - they take no responsibility and show no appreciation.

Everything is very disorganized as the supervisor left a few years ago and they never replaced her - now you have to go through someone in Quebec who has no understanding of the area challenges and is grossly overworked. New people are expected to train with the experience staff on the job whether you like it or not.

No vacation unless you can find someone to replace you - I took no time off in 5 years. I was told there were no pay increases even when the work changed and was offered no reimbursement for added travel while others were.

Poor training, poor systems, no feedback...
Unorganized and poorly run organization. They hire contractors (e.g. don't take deductions, no benefits, no job security) but they treat you like you are on retainer. They expect instant responses to their needs but are unresponsive to yours. They never ask for feedback. They are paid by the suppliers, so treat the retailers terribly, leaving the merchandisers to deal with it.
They are the WORST communicators I have ever experienced. I receive at least one email every second day - oftentimes ones that don't pertain to me because they are too lazy to create accurate mailing lists. Other times the same info two or three times. They bombard you with unnecessary paperwork.  I could go on and on and on.... the WORST!
For there info,  ALL BOLD CAPS in an email means you are screaming at people! And if you include ALL CAPS, red text, red bold text, all CAPS bold, bold underline, and yellow highlight all in the same email, what exactly is the important point you want people to focus on???

CRIS is a great company to work for if you're looking for a part time job as a student or just looking for extra cash. Although, the problem with this company is some of the expectations and pay can be stressful and not worth your time.

Management was great and kept up to date with their staff regularly.

Onboarding was a challenge to say the least as it was raido silence from CRIS for 3 months until I finally reached out. 

Equipment and apps are outdated unfortunately. The app used is very buggy and unprofessional.

Most jobs are reasonable, and doable however some may take significantly longer than time allowed, so be ready be efficient and fast after training.

A vehicle is practically a requirement if this is your side hustle. A bike or public transit might do smaller areas.

Overall CRIS is good as a part time job and upward movement is possible. I'd steer clear if your full time job or school has inconsistent hours however.

I have worked with a diverse list of brands, which has allowed me to see all facets of the merchandising industry. I have become a highly skilled and strong merchandiser with various products, such as, fashion, accessories, housewares, luggage, and many more.
I absolutely love merchandising which shows through my work and allows others to see my passion, which is very strong. I have developed great rapport and strong relationships with all of my retail establishments and continue to set my self apart as a dynamic merchandiser.
I have had the opportunity to be team lead on numerous cosmetic and Joe Fresh relines over the past two years.

Loved this job ....at first. I feel I was a good employee (on time dependable hard worker etc)However some of the other employees u work with must report back to head office if they don't like you or you don't fit in their cliques.Of course when u first start you are not as fast as other long term employees .Sometimes it felt like they were annoyed with me if I wasnt quite as fast as them .This was after only a few shifts under my belt.I think they need better people skills when training others.Supervisor of coquitlam not responsive and feel you only get hours if other employees like you or not .

Hired based on having 2 or 3 full days a week of availability. But never got any actual hours for reset season because they want you available for 5 days a week and want you at their beckon call for only Min. Wage job.  Was a waste of time to get set up on payroll and never got any hours.  Have over 12 years of merchandising experience with planograms etc and never got any hours.  Have been working for 2 other merchandising companies and getting more than enough hours now.

I work pt for fun, to stay in the loop, however, the rate of pay and zero benefits is not good, it’s actually embarrassing, no one could survive for long on the minimum wages for hard work and fairly tight deadlines and no gas money or travel time paid.
You pay your own cpp and taxes.
Management is like family, supportive, helpful and appreciative.
I only stay because I enjoy the work and complete freedom and nice people to work for.

I never felt mentally under any kind of stress while working with other team members. They have a very friendly working environment. On job training is provided by role-plays, handling live situations. This has been precarious times and I can’t thank Counter Intelligence management for their support and overall concern for our safety. They truly have placed our best interests before theirs and made my decision to get back to work a lot easier and more comfortable. I have been with Counter Intelligence for 10 years and will most likely be working for them for another 10 years. 

A typical day at work felt repetitive with little room for growth. I learned basic tasks but nothing that added long-term value to my skills. Management was often disorganized and showed little concern for employees’ input. The workplace culture was stressful and lacked teamwork, making it hard to stay motivated. The hardest part of the job was dealing with unrealistic expectations and poor communication from supervisors. The only enjoyable part was occasionally working with a few supportive coworkers, but overall the environment felt draining.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Interesting and demanding work giving a sense of pride. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Lack of company empathy. They do not understand that you cannot choose when you get sick. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Field work is great. Company culture is terrible. I didn’t like having to apologize for being sick. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Interesting and challenging in a good way. Meeting and dealing with new people all the time was nice as well.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Retail merchandiser 186 salaries reported	$18.93 per hour
Marchandiseur 84 salaries reported	$17.95 per hour
Merchandiser 7 salaries reported	$19.00 per hour

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