associé aux ventes

sales associate

commis d'entrepôt

cashier

préposé à l'expédition

Browns Shoes

I had to do an assignment in class about what company I would like to work for once I have completed school. This assignment has come in perfect timing as I have just begun my post graduation job search. It has helped me to think about how my past experiences can help me to pursue a future career. There is one company that I have become to value over the last year and have wanted to work within ever since I left the company. I know that sounds strange, but earlier this year I decided to get a part-time job during my studies at Blanche Macdonald. Seeing as I was studying fashion I decided to go after work within a retail establishment. I started my job hunt at Metrotown with a stack of resume’s and went to stores where I felt like I could fit in. I went to about ten different stores where most happily accepted my resumes and said they would keep it on file.

To make a long story short I realized I had put the wrong phone number on my resumes. I probably got a few callbacks, but no one was able to reach me because of my stupidity. I decided to go back to a few of the stores and tell them what had happened. I went back to Browns Shoes to tell them about my mishap and the Manager laughed and told me that he had been trying to reach me. He then gave me an interview and I ended up getting a call back saying that I got the job. I was only a part-time cashier and sales associate, but I felt like my job was important and that the work I was doing was valuable to the company.

I worked at Browns for four months before leaving to pursue an internship. It was not because I didn’t enjoy my job, it was because my workload at school got heavy and I wanted to try out something other than retail. On my last day working at Browns our district manager and the president of the company visited our store. This was a very rare occasion as the head office is based out of Montreal. I’ve never met someone so high up in a company that appreciates their employees as much as Mr. Brownstien. He took the time out of his busy day to talk to me about my future plans and myself. I then told him that it was my last day on the job, he gave me a hug and thanked me for working at his company and said I was welcome back anytime.

My experience at Browns has made me consider going back there once I am finished school. I do not want to go back to being a sales associate, but I am considering applying in their visual merchandising department and work my way up to become an assistant buyer. I enjoy working for a company that acknowledges all of their employees no matter what level there at and compensates them for their hard work. I also like that they donate 10% of their pre-tax profits to charities. More than this I want to work for a company where employees have the opportunity to make their way up in the company and where hard workers are rewarded. Browns exceeds these career requirements for me and I hope they will welcome me back with open arms.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The best part of working at Browns was the coworkers. Many team members were supportive, kind, and genuinely tried to help one another in a difficult environment. When management was not present, the team worked well together and the job felt far more manageable. The coworkers were the only reason the workplace ever felt positive.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The most stressful part of working at Browns was the management. Communication was often aggressive and unpredictable, which created constant anxiety during shifts. The lack of professionalism, combined with intimidation and inconsistent expectations, made the environment extremely stressful and emotionally draining on a daily basis.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
The work environment was inconsistent and heavily dependent on who was present. Coworkers were supportive and worked well together, but the culture shifted significantly when the manager or a specific staff member was on shift. During those times, the environment felt tense, intimidating, and psychologically unsafe, which negatively impacted morale and confidence.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
A typical day involved completing standard retail and customer service duties in a high-pressure environment. Training from the manager was inconsistent, and when I did not know something, frustration was expressed instead of guidance. Requests for clarification were often dismissed, and communication frequently involved raised voices. This created fear around asking questions and made daily work stressful.

If you work in Browns, it means you also work in B2 shoes sometimes. The management is toxic, impatient & unwelcoming. They are very strict on the rules but overwork you for minimum wage and 1% of commissions. Even if you hit your sale goals and try your best as a Sales associate, you have to people please and be fake with management in order to get shifts. There is a no gossip rule, but honestly that is all management did in B2. The job can be emotionally draining even though you are only selling shoes. Since, it is commission based… they go above and beyond for customers but not their associates. Alot of full time employees did not even enjoy their jobs; they complained alot and were looking for another workplace. I liked connecting with customers but the team itself was the worst. The management are very strict about clothing you wear and the employee discount. You literally do not get paid enough to tolerate your managers’ attitude. It’s crazy how the main manager was so strict about the employee discount when the employees would buy shoes for their friends and family behind the management’s back. There is so much favouritism in the Square One B2 Shoes Location, I suggest not working in the environment. Don’t stress over a part time retail job that do not care about your growth in the company. I learned so much about shoe care for the manager in B2 Square One to just ignore me when I spoke to her. She did that with alot of employees and expected them to be overworked for minimum wage and a little commission. I highly suggest not working in Browns and especially the B2 Square One location. 

It seems like a great place when you start. promises of commission and helping people and a fun "family" vibe. 

but like any job, it's all pressure. you are there to make the company money. there are are several different sales targets you have to meet to even get any commission. 

sold thousands of dollars of shoes but not enough sneaker cleaner? too bad. no commission for you (and the commission isnt that great to begin with) so you better become a pushy salesman that rushes through as many customers as possible!

you sell well and you get offered fulltime, and the commission goes up, but then you just see more problems. 

working on a holiday? want to get paid time and a half? too bad. those extra hours instead get "banked" for paid time off at a later date. and if you just want to have the extra money on your paycheck? well you need to request that specially and hope your manager is in a giving mood and business was good that week, which is crazy to get the money you already legally earned. 

in the store i worked, not a single one of the fulltime workers were happy or fulfilled. they we're all wanting to quit or already interviewing for other jobs. 

some people made a lot of money, but they were the most stressed and miserable. it wasnt out of the ordinary to see them shouting and swearing. managers included. 

i know the stock workers and cashiers weren't happy either, and they weren't even making any commission. 

maybe the stores in other places are better. maybe its just my experience. but it was terrible, and i can not recommend anyone taking a chance on browns

My manager and assistant managers were one of the best people i’ve ever met, there was some drama between them and others and one thing that definitely happens a lot is drama. Everyone is chill and really chill but the district managers are always hovering over everyone when they come by which is every week. The company isn’t horrible but they aren’t very in touch with the employees too well. Only thing i’d say to watch out for is drama and Competitive co workers, they rank us and show our numbers and really congratulate those who do well while the others kinda have to stand to the side and watch which is very depressing when you try your best. So don’t feel any way about that but be wary of people trying to compete for sales numbers. The company also expected us to sell multiple shoes to one customer all the time when people come in for one pair of shoes, nobody really comes in to buy 3 different pairs even 2 is a lot with those prices. They try to tell us to push cheap shoes or sandals with a pair of shoes which doesn’t make any sense. I also made a lot of good friends there, you will become friends with your co workers and that’s one good thing I will never forget.

People show up on time, in great moods, never taking out personal issues on their coworkers. The location of one of the stores sets it back a little bit, as it is not as busy as the other stores. The staff is extremely motivated and friendly, always trying to do most for customers. Our management always takes the proper measures to ensure the overall success of the store, as well as all workers are provided with appropriate training.For most workers, including me, this is their longest work place. However, sometimes the higher management may be a bit unreasonable with the targets they request from the workers. Hardest part of the job is meeting all the targets , which are usually high, making lots of workers stressed out. The only way you get commission is if you sell the appropriate amount of doubles, shoe care and $/hour .Most enjoyable,however is the relaxed atmosphere between the workers and for the customers. The music is up to date and is not typical - makes the store less basic. Most of my co workers are extremely experienced, which provides excellent knowledge and service to customers.

Working at Browns has been a very positive experience for me, especially as a first-time Sales Representative. One of the things I appreciate most is the flexibility with time off. I can usually request days off fairly, including time for special events like my birthday. Although there are blackout dates during peak seasons such as the December holidays and New Year due to high business demand, management still tries to be understanding when possible.

The company promotes fair treatment and supports employees when unexpected situations arise. If I need to leave early, I can use my accumulated hours to ensure I still receive full pay for the day. Browns also offers valuable perks, including health and dental benefits, which provide added security and support.

In addition, the company hosts two types of parties: a sales recognition event celebrating top performers, and an employee holiday party. These events are enjoyable and allow us to dress up, celebrate achievements, and feel truly appreciated for our hard work.

Working at Browns Shoes is a great learning experience for those starting off in retail and/or customer service. You learn how to work in a fast-paced environment, juggling sometimes more than two customers at a time, all while providing high standards of customer service. As a full time university student I was able to have a work schedule that best suited my needs and was able to ask for days off for exam purposes. I was able to take a month long summer vacation to travel as well. However, hours attributed to part-timers were often based on monthly performance over seniority. Part-timer schedules/hours are not consistent; fluctuate based on performance and store productivity (busyness) ! It is at times stressful when it comes to making your monthly sale quotas (commission). Breaks are short; sometimes only being allowed to have a 30 minute break during a 9 hour shift. Overall, working at Browns has been a positive experience; I have learned a lot about the industry and about myself.

Had an amazing manager for 2 years and then he got promoted and we got a whole new management team. The new manager did not take the time to get to know his staff. Instead he just treated us like numbers. Only thing keeping a lot of people at the location from quitting is the fact that we have a close relationship with our coworkers outside of the store. 
I have learned amazing customer service (from the old manager)
I have also learned how to stand on my feet for 12 hour shifts
The most enjoyable part of the job is the discounts. However, the pay could be a lot better. If you are sales you get commission and a base pay, however, if you are cash you only get a base pay. One would expect that a cashier would maybe get a bit more per hour than a sales person, however, this is not the case with this company. Cashiers get paid the same amount as the sales people and they do not get commission. -- When asking upper management about a raise opportunity, immediately shut down and told to get a raise you have to be exceptional at your job. Bottom line is if upper management likes you, you get a raise every year, if not then maybe you get one every other year.

I was hired as a sales associate, and at first, the job matched what I signed up for. I enjoyed talking to customers, and I quickly became one of the top sellers in my first three months. However, the scheduling practices made the job extremely stressful. My manager often called an hour before my shift to extend it into a full day, or to cancel it entirely, even when I had already started commuting. This unpredictability made it very difficult to balance work with my school responsibilities.

While some associates were fine with last-minute changes because this was their full-time job, I was hired part-time specifically to support myself while focusing on school. The constantly changing schedule, guilt-tripping when I couldn’t cover, and lack of advance notice left me exhausted and frustrated. Although I appreciated the chance to develop strong sales and communication skills, the scheduling environment made this job unsustainable for me as a student.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Associé aux ventes 67 salaries reported	$25.00 per hour
Sales associate 88 salaries reported	$21.16 per hour
Commis d'entrepôt 1 salary reported	$17.10 per hour
Cashier 27 salaries reported	$18.31 per hour
Préposé à l'expédition 18 salaries reported	$17.20 per hour

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