retail sales associate

retail assistant store manager

floor leader

retail assistant manager

retail store manager

Skechers

During my year-long tenure as a 1st Assistant Manager at Skechers, I encountered a series of challenges that began with a hurried training process. This led to an underestimation of my capabilities and a lack of standard operating procedure (SOP) knowledge. On my first day, the absence of my trainer coincided with a particularly busy Sunday, leaving me and two colleagues to manage the store. Despite these circumstances, I excelled in my role, contrasting sharply with the declining performance and accountability of the team.
The store, being the second busiest in our district, was understaffed 80% of the time, which hindered our ability to meet the high expectations set for sales and last year’s (LY) metrics. The management structure seemed to prioritize bonuses over staff well-being, with payroll being underutilized to benefit Store Managers and District Managers’ bonuses. Our District Manager’s frequent visits often disrupted store operations and overshadowed the Store Manager’s authority.
The company’s reactive stance to business, characterized by sudden promotions and price changes, created a high-pressure environment. This was compounded by a culture that discouraged independent decision-making, even when it led to positive outcomes, as I experienced when my initiative to improve product visibility resulted in increased sales but also a reprimand.
Skechers’ approach to management was heavily micromanaged, with ever-changing checklists and expectations that disregarded employee feedback. Over the course of the year, I observed no improvement in my colleagues’ performance, which seemed to regress due to a lack of accountability and effective coaching.
Furthermore, I faced issues with the HR department regarding my gender expression rights, and my attempts to access benefits were met with neglect. Payroll management was imbalanced, with staffing heavily weighted towards the morning shifts, leaving the afternoon team understaffed and overwhelmed with unresolved tasks.

In summary, my experience at Skechers was marked by poor team dynamics and a disconnect between the company’s priorities and the realities of store operations. The lack of trust and value for employees, along with tone-deaf executive decisions, made it a challenging work environment.

The gap between Skechers’ corporate strategy and the day-to-day realities of store operations not only undermined the potential for staff growth but also the store’s overall performance. The lack of investment in proper training and coaching, coupled with a disregard for employee autonomy, created an environment where neither the employees nor the store could thrive. It’s my hope that sharing this experience will highlight the importance of aligning corporate practices with the needs of both employees and store management to foster a more productive and supportive workplace


The only reason I did not rate this job one star is because I genuinely like the people that I work with they are all amazing and hard workers, never any drama. However the job itself is high stress and will have your blood pressure through the roof. Though I have been with the company for awhile now I’m leaving soon because I can’t take it anymore. Corporate is toxic constantly demanding things to be changed they can’t seem to make their mind up about the BOGO so they have certain shoes excluded from the BOGO but they do not make that clear on the advertising which has led to customers getting angry and violent (throwing things) with the workers as if it’s our fault that they have false advertising we do not directly control that. Corporate nitpicks at everything constantly demanding pictures of the store and talking about you behind your back. I put in a lot of work my time here only to be told I’m not doing good enough. They only notice the bad never the good. The training I had to become a manager was awful I never felt like I was trained well enough and I was thrown into it the whole process felt rushed which added to my stress level. The job is fun and exciting until you wake up one day and realize you hate it because the longer you’re there the more work you have to do as the new people take time to grasp the concept of shifting and adding shoes on the wall. The shifting and adding shoes on the wall is a lot of physical labor especially if you’re doing it alone. I’m drained from working here overworked and underpaid I was still making the same salary as a manager that I was making as a sales associate that is absolutely ridiculous. I also want to mention the trucks and how they will constantly send shoes that we don’t have room for so our back room at some point was literally a hazard because of how overstocked it was ! Also the store gets very busy and there have been times that I was left alone in there and expected to be able to manage that I personally believe no one should ever be alone in such a busy store because people will constantly ask for shoes in backstock while also having to run the register and also having to get shoes down that customers can’t reach and keep the store clean these are unrealistic expectations. We are always the last ones to leave the mall at closing at this store because of the crazy workload. Random people will stop by the store to literally watch you and you’ve never seen them a day of your life but they come from corporate for ONE day and think they know everything. My time here has come to an end and all of my hard work my last straw was being told that I’m not good at what I do when I know how much I do that goes unnoticed I have NEVER missed a day of hard work my whole time here. I’m genuinely traumatized from taking a management position again because I’m too young to have ever felt that stressed. They can nitpick at the new people I won’t miss the stress it’s their loss. 

Working as a Senior Financial Reporting Accountant at Skechers had the potential to be a strong career opportunity, but unfortunately my experience was overshadowed by extremely poor management.

Within my first two months, it became immediately clear why both the manager and senior in this role had left before me. The leadership style was rooted in extreme micromanagement, where no level of autonomy or trust was given, regardless of experience or capability. Every task was scrutinized at an excessive level, creating an environment where it felt impossible to work efficiently or confidently.

There was also an unrealistic expectation of perfection on the first attempt. Rather than fostering growth, collaboration, or reasonable feedback loops, mistakes—no matter how minor—were met with disproportionate criticism. This created constant pressure and made it difficult to perform at a high level, as the focus shifted from producing quality work to avoiding unnecessary scrutiny.

Instead of feeling supported, the environment felt tense and unsustainable. Communication often lacked constructiveness, and the overall tone made it clear that employees were expected to operate under constant oversight rather than as trusted professionals.

I remained with the company for six months, hoping the situation might improve, but it ultimately became clear that the management style was not conducive to long-term success or a healthy work environment. I genuinely feel for anyone who has to work under similar conditions, as it significantly impacts both morale and professional development.

While Skechers as a company has strong brand recognition and resources, leadership at this level plays a critical role in employee retention and performance. Unfortunately, in this case, it created the opposite effect.

For Skechers corporate: there are multiple departments with multiple teams each. Some will allow you a workload to grow quickly, network, learn, and move up while others will have too much work to have any time to learn, network or grow. HR will tell you there is growth opportunities but this is the reality.... Management doesn't value opinions even if you have been with the company for many years or have previous experience. There is a honey moon phase like most companies but overall the opportunity is limited. If you stick out the day to day agony there is potential for long term growth but it really depends on which area you're in. It doesn't matter how hard you work or what ideas you have it just depends on if something opens up and you have the experience. You will be overworked and underpaid compared to the same position in other companies. 

Management is out of touch with what's going on below them and don't seem to care. They are very very outdated in technology and ideas.  Some teams are small yet have extremely high workloads and don't hire more people due to management being afraid to ask for more people. While other teams have too many people and not enough work. You will quickly realize which ones are which if you work for them. ...

The benefits are pretty good but they will really pay out/ promote the top level people making 6 figures before they give raises or bonuses to mid or entry level positions. 


Your opinions will not be valued and they will probably tell you to keep your head down.  Very high turnover rate they will drop employees fast. A lot of people are hired and quit within a month because they realize what is going on there is not right to employees. Approaching management about raises or new ideas is frowned upon and not encouraged. If you get in on a good team your experience may be better but it's all luck of what is open. Once you're in it is very hard to switch as they have a policy of being in a position for at least 1 year before moving up.( Even if you are qualified)

Best of luck

I worked very consistently which was amazing. I loved knowing that on these days I would work around four to six hours. In my first week I met four girls who had all given notice, within two weeks we had a staff of five with another new hire the week after that. We all learned why the store lost so many people. Two of my three managers we absolutely awful. The store manager would belittle you if you forgot the one very obscure insole that is literally only in one shoe. I had been made to totally fix our Mark Masons in the stock room because someone else had put a shoe in the wrong place. But I had been back there and seen the one misplaced shoe. There were five more in the wrong space. So as punishment for focusing on my sales goal instead of fixing it I spent the last hour and a half of my shift fixing and moving and getting crushed by these many many many boxes of shoes. The other manager just left me. A number of times, she would say she was taking her lunch walk out the door and come back not a half hour later but forty five minutes or even an hour. She would later complain that she was hungry and I'd tell her to get something to eat, and she would take another full break. Plus one time she just up and left the store after she had purposely switched shifts with another manager. The assistant manager on the other hand was lovely. One time she bought a big box of Cinnabon and let me take a few home for my family. Within about a month I was thinking about quitting. I had it marked in my planner for the six month date, I couldn't make it. I quit before black friday. 
Every one hated their job. Although we could joke and enjoy our selves occasionally in the end we were all bitter to be there.
I love the brand, so much, like they are some of the most comfortable shoes ever and that made being on the floor bearable when there were customers. But the hardest part of the job was just having the job. When I was employed there it was right next to my other job that I preferred and had almost had for a year by that point, but had very few hours.

I worked for Skechers a while back as an ASM in the beginning at my original store the direction from my SM was very wishy washy and not clear. Come to find out a month of being there he was fired for poorly managing his store. When another SM from another location came to temporarily take over until they found a replacement I was very intimidated by him because he ran a very tight ship at his store. Shortly after I was sat down with another manager and was told I would be transferring over to the other manager who was filling in store. At first I was terrified and didn't know what to expect. I didn't think he cared for me much. 

 When I transferred over all that I heard and was told was far from the truth. Did he run a structured store? Yes! He did but, he was so caring for his AM's and took a lot of our opinions into account and saw our strengths and utilized them very well. I learned so much from him and considered him an amazing mentor to me. He was someone I didn't know I needed until reflecting on it in hind sight. 

 He taught me the importance of time management, how to utilize my employees based on their strengths, identify their weaknesses and how to coach them to better excel at their job, taught a lot of operations and why it was important, how to look at the companies numbers and get an overall feel of how we were performing as a business, and find those areas of improvement to keep the store out of the red. 

 It was very demanding not to say the least and very fast paced at times however, my peers were very supportive and as long as we communicated with each other, things rand pretty smoothly for the most part. 

 I enjoyed my time working here unfortunately due to health reasons I had to resign from my position as my well-being was more important and necessary. I learned so much during my time there and am very grateful for the Store Manager I had who I felt very close to and will always consider him one of the best mentors I have ever had. 

I started out working in a concept store and truthfully enjoyed it. Our team worked really well together and we had fun for the most part. Unfortunately, that store closed down, so I transferred to the Factory Outlet store. It was nicer in the sense that outlets are majority customer self serve, but this in turn means more work as far as replacing product and getting the store back in order each night. Other than basic customer service and keeping the store up to standard, the only things you ever do is shift the sales floor (shoe boxes) and make shipment holes. I didn’t mind it at first, quite frankly I kinda enjoyed it and found it relaxing. But after awhile of that being the only thing you do every single week almost everyday you work (excluding busy days like weekends or holidays), you get burnt out really really fast. These tasks aren’t difficult at all, but you can only do them so many times without wanting to scream. Coworkers were good for the most part, but there were times it was hard to get everyone to pull their weight - which in turn resulted in the same handful of us always doing the same mundane tasks over and over which sold the ticket to burnout city. Not a whole lot of room for promotion. Other than the Store Manager and Assistant Store Manager position, your only other options are Sales Associate and Floor Lead/Key Holder. Pay was decent, but not very comparable to other stores in the same mall or the same job position at a different store - company tends to be on the slower side when it comes to raising wages in comparison to everyone else. Overall, it definitely isn’t the worst place I’ve ever worked and I don’t feel like my time there was for nothing. Bottom line, if you need a part time job and don’t mind doing repetitive and/or mundane tasks, then you’ll be golden. But if you’re someone who needs a job that keeps them on their toes, I’d probably pass.

A normal day:  depending if you were the opening or closing manager.
Opening: Opening the store consisted of unlocking the doors and turning off the alarm. Once you were clocked in at your scheduled time, you would count the tills and petty cash, and writing out the planner for the day.  All the people that were scheduled for the day get put on the daily planner according to the time they arrive, all the daily numbers and goals are set for the day as well we each are given a section to maintain throughout our shift. whether it is cleaning, filling the area, making displays, or customer service.  As a manager you would send people to their breaks at their certain times; run the store as in customer service, register, moving product, visuals.  Helping customers is a huge deal for this company, so we would constantly check on customers to make sure they are finding exactly what they were looking for. I was the first assistant in the store I worked in and all the management/ employees under the store manager and myself looked up to us everyday for help on certain situations and we answered all the questions they had.  
Hardest part of the job was sometimes the customers.  just about everyday the customers wouldn't treat the employees of the store very nicely.  so as a manager would you have to do your best to take care of anything that the employee needed  with a challenging customer.
Closing manager-
At the end of the night the manager on duty would count the tills and make the bank deposit once the store was closed and all customers were out of the store.  after the deposit was made the manager would then go in the back and do the nightly paperwork and then once it is time to leave they would collect all the trash and set the alarm and leave. 
I really enjoyed working with the great group of people that were in that store.  I had good relationships with everyone I have worked with and still keep in contact with some of them.

I worked for them for 1 year and a few months and I got promoted to supervisor by the time I was maybe 5-6 months in. I was working at one location and they asked me if I could help out other stores and I said yes. I was helping 2 other stores and before I knew it they had transferred me to a way further location from where I lived and from the store I had originally gotten hired at, they didnt even talk to me about it or anything. So at the new location I'm already Supervisor and I was only getting paid as a regular cashier. When I got pregnant they cut my hours like crazy I swear to you I was doing 3.5 - 4 hours a day for only 2 days a week. And when i told them that I got a second job they were upset and when I told them I had a third job they were so upset that they made me choose between them (Skechers) as my priority or my other jobs and I choose the other jobs because I was basically getting paid $3 more at both for a regular position that didnt require much work compared to being a supervisor and working for a horrible pay. Also before making my decision I told them that it's very difficult for me to stay at Skechers and do they work that I do for minimum wage and they said we know, were not gonna change it tho. And so that made it a lot easier for me to make my decision.  Beside all that I swear to y'all that a position as a regular sales Associate is a lot easier and you just go in and sell your shoes and make your money. It's based off of commissions. So if you sell more than 2 pairs of shoes within one transaction you make money for yourself. Also KEEP IN MIND THAT WHAT I WENT THRU WAS MY OWN EXPERIENCE, YOUR EXPERIENCE COULD BE ALOT BETTER AND A BAG OF CHIPS. Good luck.

I was a Skechers Store Manager. First of all.  Average salary realistically is 35000-42000 for a store manager which is terrible. The company is cheap and sneaky and doesn’t care about anything except money.  Staff is underpaid in all positions. No morals and values in the company. Extremely stingy corporate team... one example. Staff was forced to do 2 overnight stays for the simple task of ripping off every price sticker and marking UP every shoe by $10-$15 dollars. The people that noticed left and said they would never be back. Rip off price sticker to hide what we were doing. Stores get One BULK shipment a week, 1500-3000 units at one time so cut shipment costs. Extremely stressful situation that happens every week. They have overstocked their stores because allocations is poorly managed.  The weight of the product on the walls was so heavy it was pulling the fixtures out of the wall and breaking them.  District Manager visits once a week... I’ve never seen this in any company. Puts huge stress and constant unrealistic visual expectations on staff and managers. Likewise, regional manager visits once every two weeks. Bonus is just for Store Managers, no one else.  BUT upper management manipulates sales plan goals so high... sometimes 50% up to LY per quarter to make $850 before taxes. Lame and very stingy.  Good luck staffing your store. No one wants to work here for any amount of time because of the crazy workload and stress. Not to mention that Skechers has a reputation of not being cool at all.  That and the low rate of pay.. no wonder Skechers gets the lowest talent. High turnover... in and on and on.  Not worth it!

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Retail sales associate 83 salaries reported	$17.36 per hour
Retail assistant store manager 79 salaries reported	$20.73 per hour
Floor leader 1 salary reported	$13.50 per hour
Retail assistant manager 29 salaries reported	$17.96 per hour
Retail store manager 29 salaries reported	$30.99 per hour

Working at Skechers: Company Overview and Reviews

Skechers

Skechers Ratings

Popular jobs at Skechers

Salary Satisfaction

Job Seeker Tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected