r/MichaelsEmployees

Does anyone ever have customers ask for like certain parts of an item??

Example, I had someone ask me if they could only have two popsicle sticks from a pack, I said no of course but they seemed almost confused when I explained it. Where has that ever been a thing?? Im not trying to be rude but like it really baffles me sometimes.

Just the other day I had a woman try and return a bottle of used clothes dye because it wasnt the color she needed, and when I told her we cant accept open and used products like dye she got annoyed and said “but I only used a little bit?” Like yeah you did but we cant put that back on the shelf??

I try to be understanding when someone has questions or even a silly question, I have those all the time. Sometimes people surprise me.

Probably going to dox myself, but here we go.

I started at Michael’s in 2014 as a seasonal sales associate. I was working for Verizon in their customer service support center, and couldn’t tolerate working full time due to my mental health. I needed a part time job so I applied to AC Moore and Michaels. And here we are 12 years later.

In my time, I helped open a brand new store, worked as a part time CEM and then a full time CEM. My Rewards numbers were so good I was asked by my DM to relocate to another store in the district so I did. I left the company for a little while to try a “grown up job”, hated it, and returned to Michaels as an Ops Manager. As an OPs Manager I did it all… I would work in my store then drive across town to help close another store. I acted as coverage for our replenishment manager and our store manager (at the same time) during peak season. I did two acting store manager positions. One in my district and another outside my district. Eventually I took a store manager role up state where I had been for almost five years.

In my time as store manager I flourished. The first two years were rough, but I built a very strong and reliable team. We ended number one on the scorecard for our district and in the top 50 of the company. We were selected to try new merchandise like the miniature kits we carry now. I helped develop the balloon bundle program. I was an inventory captain for the district. My DM was trying to get me added as an MCX store to help alleviate the high volume of training put on our other MCX stores. And then the A-Volume store happened…

An A-Volume store in our district had major management turn over. It happened while I was there helping them through their freight right before Christmas. And I stayed for almost five months. During my time there I struggled immensely, but I had endless support from my district and my store was being run by my Replenishment Manager who I trusted implicitly. It was never meant to be a permanent solution, but I had connected deeply with the team and was encouraged by my RVP to take the role as Store Manager. See, when I took my store manager position originally I relocated for it and I made it known I would eventually like to get back home. My RVP told me I could do the A-Volume store for 12-18 months at which time she would ensure I could get back home and Michael’s would cover my relocation back. Or I could return to my original store and Michael’s would not cover my relocation. So I agreed to take the Store Manager position in the A-Volume store.

Michaels offered me $78,000 to manage the A-Volume store. I asked for $85,000 which I didn’t think was outrageous when we were talking about a building that not only needed a lot of help, but was easily making $8M that year. And then I waited. And waited. And waited for a response. Not only did I not end up getting the job my RVP recommended me for, but I was put on a final written warning for editing a timesheet without verification from the team member. With that, I was asked to leave the A-Volume store and return to my building. To clarify the timesheet issue - I had an ASM who was being investigated for stealing time and I added a lunch punch in for her on a day where she went to the gas station next door and did not return for at least 30 minutes. I never had any previous disciplinary action. I was told I was “lucky” because I could have lost my job. The ASM was fired for time theft. I was also instructed to fire my Replenishment Manager for a 15 minute time clock discrepancy on an overnight they had worked. This left the A-Volume store with a Framing Manager and a PT CEM. A coverage manager from out of state stepped in and then I returned to my original store.

About a month later, I was able to relocate back home which Michaels did not help fund. This was in May of this year and as we all know, all Hell broke loose in the company. In my personal life, I lost both my grandparents to an act of self-inflicted violence. I was trying to adjust to a new store, a new team, and a new district. The workload became so overwhelming that I couldn’t get my footing. My depression and anxiety were so bad I was having panic attacks in the bathroom between answering pages on the radio. I truly felt out of control of every single aspect of the business. And now I’m leaving. Yesterday was my last day and I didn’t hear from my DM at all. There were no attempts made to retain me.

Michaels was a place that brought me joy. Working there was what I was known for and I was proud of that. I have met and connected with some of the most amazing, creative, and hard working people I’ve ever known. I felt sad yesterday as if I was leaving a part of me behind, but I also realized the place I loved being a part of doesn’t exist anymore. We say we’re the destination for celebrating joy and creativity, but the joy and creativity has been stripped from us. I felt no joy. I had no energy for creativity. And now that my time is over, I hope to get back to being a person rather than a Michaels Store Manager whatever that may look like.

If I had the opportunity to work with you - I hope I made an impact on you. I hope I taught you something worthwhile. I hope I made you feel seen, valued, and appreciated. I know I am walking away having taken so much from all of you and I will forever be grateful for your patience, understanding, and acceptance. The teams I’ve had the absolute pleasure of working with gave me something invaluable - the opportunity to grow. So thank you and I am wishing you all the best.

every day is worse than the last.

SM is telling us we are no longer allowed to take 15 minute breaks, is it the same for you guys? Only exception has been for one team member with a medical issue but I have the same issue and that seems to have been overlooked?? I’m so confused in employee handbook we are still allowed breaks.

Why TF do people order 30 massive balloons via instacart and it's always the most random fucking balloons ever. We had a guy pick up 35 huge foil balloons and he was like "do I have to inflate these? I have a scooter" and I was like "the app tells you they're to be inflated. Buuuuuut if you can't get them there safely that's up to you, brother" then we had a *cue tiktok sound* "and he looks back at me. And I look back at him. He looks back at me. And I look at hiiiiiim" moment he asked for a bag and then went on a rant 🤣🤣🤣

Like sir I don't blame you. I admire your moxy. I wouldnt have inflated them either. Fuck that. That shits abusive.

Ours is so bad because of how much stuff we're marking, it's like a jungle. Ive tried to straighten it before but the influx of customers who add to it by dropping whatever they change their minds on because they're too lazy to walk back...it's impossible to keep it straight

I am a new SM. Is it worth the stress? I’m trying my very hardest and it just seems like nothing I do is good enough. We get on routine and then it just falls apart. I love this company. I would hate to leave.

That's it i'm changing my availability to afternoons only 😂

Did anyone else get this email? The first time I got it, I thought it was spam or a fishing attempt. But I got it again today, and it boldly told me I could access a whole $4.25 of my paycheck early, before payday!

Like is this a real thing Michaels is doing now? I didn't get paid today yet and my bank always gets my paycheck on Thursdays, but I did get a reminder email that I could use Chime to get my paycheck. What is going on?

Also, WTF am I going to do with $4.25?? That doesn't even get a soda at a restaurant where I work after tax is applied! This job is such an effing joke. Can't wait to go to the interview I have lined up today. Still retail, but they pay seasonal hires $2 more than what I'm making here.

Hi all,
I’m a seasonal employee and I have my first shift this weekend. This is my first job, other than tutoring, so I don’t really know what to expect and I’m kind of nervous. What was the first shift like for you guys? Also, when does the website typically start working? I have nothing on my site.

Anyone else have a sudden uptick in “return to shelf” balloon orders with inflation? We had two last week that were return to shelf the morning before inflation was due, only to have the customer show up on time for the original pickup and throw an unholy FIT that they’re not ready? And of course an even bigger fit that they’d have to pay for them.

It happened twice last week. But it had never happened once in my store before that. Seems kind of scammy to me. Maybe it’s just a coincidence that it never happened before. We’ve definitely had no-shows in which we were just out the balloons and the helium and they didn’t have to pay anything.

Seems to me it shouldn’t JUST be a hold applied when it’s a tangible good with an expiration.