retail sales associate

sales associate

retail assistant manager

store manager

assistant manager

Wild Birds Unlimited

What is the best part of working at the company?
The crew there is a very close-knit group of bird nerds! Also, the owners of the store I was at were very receptive to new ideas to improve the store. There were ample opportunities to network with people in the field of biology and ornithology while working there as well (between customers and people who came in to do educational programs at the store), so it really helped further my biology-based career path.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
During the busy seasons (ie Christmas time) it's easy to get overwhelmed, but usually the owners tried their best to schedule as many people as they could to keep up with the crowd.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
The environment is pretty casual. We're just a bunch of bird nerds and friends! I left the store I worked at a couple years ago to continue to pursue my desired career path, but to this day I still stop by, call, or text with the WBU shop owners and former co-workers about life updates and cool bird things. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
In the mornings, you set up the shop (placing up signs, vacuuming the store, setting up displays, cash register, putting out bird feeders, etc) and then you bag seed, clean, and organize things until customers come in. When customers do come in, you always greet them and unless they know what they want right away, you generally start a conversation with them to find out what they need. You then use your ample product and bird knowledge (which you are thoroughly trained on) to have a conversation with them to give them the best solution to what they need. 
Also, at least once a week (usually more) there will be a shipment of bird seed and/or other inventory and you'll be tasked with processing it and getting the product out on the floor. There's a decent amount of heavy lifting of up to 50lbs at this job.

A typical daily grind at Wild Birds Unlimited consists of working to provide an exceptional customer experience! We love our customers and welcome everyone into the store. I find being with my team members the most enjoyable part of my job, as they teach me new things everyday and always help me. My coworkers are excellent people who I have come to adore, and when I look at my schedule I am always excited to see who I'm going to work with that day. We are like a family, and that includes our customers, too. It is a very positive workplace, we encourage each other to do better and celebrate our victories, there is no negativity and I have become so happy at this job that I do not even consider it a job, but a passion. I would say that the hardest part of the job is being able to lift up to 50 pounds. However, there are plenty of carts and a dolly to help carry heavy things to the sales floor. There is no pressure to work yourself too hard, if I feel too tired, I am allowed to sit down and let another coworker finish doing the task. I've learned so much about birds, teamwork, and the importance of protecting nature. I have also learned how to use a cash register.

I can definitely tell that my coworkers and manager truly care about me like a sister or even a daughter. That is how all companies should strive to be. Good mental health creates a thriving work environment for employees and customers alike. I will always support this franchise and I will never forget my family here at Wild Birds Unlimited in Evansville Indiana.

a typical day at work:
You would have to open up to store and then do some behind the scenes tasks like bag bird seeds or pack up delivery orders until customers would come in and then you would have to help them.

what you believe you learned:
I learned a lot about bird culture through online training but I also didn’t learn as much in person because management was always watching over and micromanaging every little thing I did

management:
Horrible. I was micromanaged and was given a condescending attitude not only by the manager but the other employees as well. I never once felt comfortable working there.

workplace culture:
If you’re not already into birds, you’re not going to fit in.

the hardest part of the job:
The customers. They were so entitled and rude about the tiniest things and the manager didn’t care how awful they were to you because they only cared about the business and money that was being brought into the store. Even if they were extremely disrespectful, it was your fault for not making them happy enough.

the most enjoyable part of the job:
Not much I can remember. I guess the atmosphere was nice there

At Wild Birds Unlimited I have often been the youngest employee by about 20 years, because most of the employees are around 50-70 years old. They are all wonderful people and I really enjoy working with them. Dave is a wonderful boss, he trained us very well and made it very easy to succeed. A typical day of work is very similar to most retail jobs, however we are required to have a very extensive knowledge of the local avian species and the behavior of mammals like raccoons and squirrels. Knowing about optics and how they work is also very crucial to being successful at the store. It's a very relaxed workplace culture, however the customers are the most important part of the job. We are engaging and aviable for them at any time while they are shopping. The pay isn't great, that is why I am looking for a new job. I do understand that retail just cannot pay a lot, and I am accepting of this. I really like finding solutions to  problems various customers have, a common example is squirrels and bird food, I really enjoy learning and in this job there is always more to learn.

WBU is a wonderful franchise based company to work for. Even though this is retail sales focused, it is hobby related thus bringing passionate and nature loving clients into the stores. I have worked for three different franchise owners at two locations. My first experience was 24 year ago in Fort Worth, Texas and most recently in Billings, MT. It is great to see people that I worked with 20+ years ago still active in their franchise businesses and continuing to experience growth. Sales associates are now required to complete an educational/training course and become certified as a Backyard Bird Feeding Specialist. Most of the franchise locations that I have visited across the country are very active in their local communities,  with gardening clubs, Audubon Society, birding clubs, schools, retirement centers, etc. Very community and nature focused.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Helping customers enhance their experience with birds specifically and wildlife in general. Manager was very supportive of employee development.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
When many customers were in the store at once and my inability to help them at once.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Both culture and environment were satisfying. Procedures were clear and the manager was always available to help or answer questions. The company provided continual on-line learning for employees. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Helping customers first. Unpacking, pricing, stocking product. Boxing and labeling product for customer delivery. Sometimes opening the store or closing. Perform end of day cleaning and other cleaning as needed.

This was a pleasant place to work; great customers and fellow employees.  The primary part of the job was to wait on customers and help them with their questions and purchases.  Secondarily there were "back room" jobs that employees helped with:  deliveries, inventory control, graphic designs for in-store signs, cleaning, organizing and stocking of inventory in the front room and in the back room.

The most unpleasant thing was to deal with a dissatisfied customer.  We could do that by listening carefully, using empathy and asking how we could rectify their experience.  Often that would be as simple as taking back a defective or unliked product and letting the customer have a new one of the same kind, or letting them buy another at a discount, depending on the situation.

I LOVE working at Wild birds, it was my first job coming back from quarantine an it's been such a nice transition from home to work again! You learn things daily not only from your fellow employees, but also from the customers themselves, due to the different areas and animals they might attract. It makes me feel super knowledgeable when I'm able to help a customer get exactly what they want from the store and to see them return with success! The employees at my work feel like a family and I feel super comfortable with them. It's never overwhelmingly busy and you have a good amount of down time most days. Inventory is never hard to manage and super clear and is honestly the most difficult part of the job due to the heavy lifting it requires most times. Overall it's a very good experience and I highly recommend this company!

I was really disappointed in what happened to me when I worked there. I worked 2 days a week. I was let go as soon as my 90 days was up with no previous warning or reason why even though on most days I worked my sales totals were good. Customers liked me, other staff liked me and I loved my job there. I worked hard while I was there. There was a lot of pressure from the owner on the the manager and assistant Mgr. to meet goals that were unrealistic in this economy. I believe the fact that I told the Manager that I was fine working two days a week because I was retired so she could give the younger kids working there more hours since this job was their only income and the fact that fact I was retired and there was no more money to pay me since I was a trainee, was tge reason they let me go.

A typical day consisted of opening duties such as setting out displays, opening the cash drawer and Point of Sale system; maintained customer purchase records; customer sales and education of the items they need/want based on the information I gathered; Restocked inventory as it came in our as the shelves needed when low; educating customers about the species they have identified in their yards or travels; recommending bird food based on the species visiting their feeders, and unwanted visitors (bears, raccoons, squirrels, invasive bird species); closing the store by ensuring the store was clean, taking down outdoor displays, and balancing cash drawer/prepping deposits.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Retail sales associate 22 salaries reported	$15.59 per hour
Sales associate 16 salaries reported	$14.93 per hour
Retail assistant manager 3 salaries reported	$15.33 per hour
Store manager 2 salaries reported	$19.75 per hour
Assistant manager 2 salaries reported	$14.75 per hour

Working at Wild Birds Unlimited: Company Overview and Reviews

Wild Birds Unlimited

Wild Birds Unlimited Ratings

Popular jobs at Wild Birds Unlimited

Salary Satisfaction

Job Seeker Tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected