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adies don’t lie; I’m sure you own at least one article of clothing from the infamous Aritzia. Aritzia is a highly credited clothing company in the fashion industry with simple and trendy styles. However, have you ever walked into the store, simply glance at a sweater, and have two or three girls rush to you to ask if you wanted to try it on? Do you feel the burning tension between the employees and the competition of meeting their sky-high quotas? Or what about the forced smiles, telling you how amazing your butt looks inside those Citizens of Humanity jeans? Unfortunately, this is the reality for most Aritzia customers and the ones to blame aren’t the employees themselves, but the management and human resources department.
After reading a former employee’s blog post about her traumatizing experience, I was not surprised. She talks about her long hours, their strict rules, and their expectations of humanly impossible multitasking. Aritzia is not a financial incentive based company but instead, their incentives are hours and discounts. It is a requirement for Aritzia employees to look their best at all times and wear the latest collections. The only way to afford Aritzia clothing from head-to-toe with a low wage is with their discounts.
These harsh working conditions created by management reflect on the company’s image and how the employees treat their customers. When I walk into Aritzia, I feel like a tiny fish, preyed by a sea of piranhas. In contrast to Zappos with impeccable customer service and employee benefits, Aritzia leaves their employees traumatized by the company and pushes customers away with their aggressive sales strategies. I highly disagree with the behaviour their employees have been conditioned to act and believe that Aritzia’s sales would increase exponentially if management improved the way they treat their workers and brightened the atmosphere of the store. The company should start by considering financial incentives or just a higher wage in general for their employees, instead of their current methods.
So next time you reach for that Marc Jacobs bag, beware, they’re coming after you.