5 Warnings to Shoppers From Ex-Marshalls Employees
Keep these in mind the next time you're looking for big-name discounts.
Marshalls, the wildly popular discount department store, offers everything from towels to luggage to brand-name clothing. Devoted shoppers love perusing the stores since the merchandise is not only seasonal but seemingly changing from one week to the next. If you're one of these super fans, there are certain things you may want to be aware of before you next set out to purchase some designer shoes or holiday decorations. Ahead, ex-Marshalls employees share their biggest warnings to shoppers. Read on to get the intel.
READ THIS NEXT: 5 Warnings to Shoppers From Former T.J. Maxx Employees.
1
Items might be damaged.
On the job search engine Simply Hired, one anonymous former stock room manager divulged that sometimes a shift involves "1-2 hours of unloading boxes full of random items that have quite literally been thrown into the box by the warehouse, (there would often be things like broken candles or other glass/ceramic items in a box with things like makeup, or dog toys.)"
Of course, the hope is that whoever is working will check for damages, but if there's a ton of stock, it's possible a broken or snagged item could hit the shelf. Double-check what you're buying before you head up to the register. If you do notice damage, it could lead to an even larger discount.
2
You may want to wait to shop for sales.
Marshalls offers steep bargains every day, but there are certain times of the year when items are even more discounted.
"There's always lots of good items in clearance and if you shop at the end of the season you can easily get tops for 2-10$ that would have been 20$ at the beginning of the season," former employee @stvpidcvpid shared on Twitter. What's wrong with buying a bathing suit in November?
READ THIS NEXT: 5 Warnings to Shoppers From Ex-JCPenney Employees.
3
Think twice about getting the credit card.
Much like TJ Maxx, which is under the same umbrella, Marshalls employees are trained to push credit cards at check out. But don't feel pressured to get one.
When a Redditor asked about working at the chain, user popcorn12082 replied: "For the most part it's fine, but pushing the credit cards is probably the most 'stressful' thing about the job." Likewise, on GlassDoor, multiple former employees mention "asking every single person" to sign up for a card, which can be frustrating for everyone involved.
"It really gets old after a while, to be scolded for not harassing customers after they politely decline once," agreed ex-employee ACatsWhiskers on Reddit. Employees are told to ask twice and explain the benefits.
Even if the credit card isn't being pushed on you, you still may want to hold off on getting one. "The card s**** and you only save 10% by signing up so no real incentive," wrote one former employee on Indeed.
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4
Some items may be missing a price tag.
It can be difficult to keep up with Marshalls' merchandise, as it's always changing. And it's entirely possible you'll find an item missing its price tag.
Ex-employee and Redditor Single-Push-2068 revealed that one pet peeve was when "things make it to the floor without hand tags or labels [which] never fails and even during inventory you still make discoveries." If you do find an item missing a tag, they also note that Marshalls uses "dated technology" and needs "a better tracking of our inventory levels."
5
If you're shopping over the holidays, many of the employees are probably temporary.
Shopping for holiday gifts can be overwhelming no matter where you are but especially when everyone is hunting down deals. It feels that way for the employees too, as many are seasonal.
"I worked at marshalls last year, they hired a bunch of seasonal help for the holidays," Reddit commenter Littledipper16 said. They explain that the majority of these hires were invited to stay on, but most left because they had only been looking for seasonal work. So, be patient around the holiday season, because employees could still be learning the ropes.
