Low-competitive pay and fast pace work environment - Sales Associate The Buckle Employee Review

2.0
Feb 7, 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

While working at the Buckle, the management was extremely helpful in accommodating school schedules at the time. The work environment is also fun at times due to most coworkers also being college students as well.

Cons

The pay is terrible. Buckle employees of part-time and full-time sales associates work from commission. The commission is 3%. Say you make a $1000 sale from one guest or one entire day, you'll get $30 added towards your pay check. This commission is extremely unhelpful and unliviable when being paid between $5-$9 per hour while also relying on the unpredictable traffic of guest in retail. The job also requires you to work standing all day with only a 35 minute break if you work more than 7 hours. There is a lot of responsibilities as a sales associates as Buckle managers rely heavily on manipulation to convince you that your $6 per hour pay plus 3% commission will equivalent to a higher pay. During training, they'll team you up with a sales team leader or assistant sales manger who is great with sales to help you get a few commission from your first one-two weeks of work. This is a tactic they do, so when you get your first pay check, you'll actually have a small decent amount to show rather than a disappointing amount of pay you'll eventually see in the future. Buckle management also has high expectations from you and will typically assign you roles and responsibilities without asking that are outside of your job requirements without giving you a raise as well. For example, if a person of a higher position quits, the managers tend to give you their responsibilities into they rehire a replacement. At this time, they will not increase your pay or promote your position and expect you to comply. Whether you're part-time to full-time sales associate, Buckle management will decrease or increase your hours at any moment without notifying you. This is extremely disappointing especially since the pay is already so low. Buckle managers gain financially from paying employees less and giving employees less hours, so it'll be a while before you get reasonable hours as a newbie. They will continue to hire new sales employees although they have no hours available for their current staff. The pay (which is the biggest downfall) is given based on age and sometimes previous retail work experiences as Buckle's managers are typically discriminative with pay based on the age of the applicant. They will pay someone who is an older adult more than a younger adult who are both working the same job positions. Buckle management also discourages all employees to discuss pay openly since they are knowingly discriminating pay based on each individual employee. I guess the only pro is the 40% Buckle discount that you cannot use to combine with sale products or rewards. You have to dress in a "Buckle" dress code, so most of your money will be going back to Buckle as you will be using your 40% discount to buy their expensive clothes and keep up with their trends and dress code expectations. Overall, working at the Buckle as a sales associate will leave you broke. You will lose your value as an employee, and lose you sense of self-worth after you let a buckle manager convince you that you are not being underpaid.

Explore other reviews about The Buckle

5.0
Apr 6, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Flexible hours for part time work.

Cons

Holiday hours can long and busy.

3.0
Jul 2, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

-Good work-life balance. -Team-building is encouraged. -The experience can vary by location. -Buckle has the potential to have some of the best retail teams, depending on the store. -There are opportunities for growth and career advancement for employees who have supportive leadership.

Cons

Management's willingness to lead, communicate effectively, and support employees is what creates opportunities for growth, but that was not my experience at this location. I felt the work environment was negatively affected by inconsistent communication, a leadership style that felt overly controlling, and discussions about employees that appeared to undermine teamwork and trust. I believe a more respectful, supportive, and collaborative approach to leadership would create a healthier workplace culture and better support both employees and the overall success of the store.

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