Absolutely everything else!
Please don't read this review thinking it's coming from an "Angry Former Employee" or something like that-- It's definitely not. I wanted to set aside some time to write a transparent, honest review of my time at PPLA, and that's exactly what I did. The following are actual things that happened when I was there (and afterward).
1) If you are an Acct Exec that travels to sell @ Trade Shows, you are supposed to get your commission check on the 25th of each month (money made the month prior). That doesn't happen whatsoever. They'll pay you several weeks or months later, if at all, and will always have excuses for why you haven't yet received it. You can keep bugging them about it before hand, or right after.. it doesn't matter.
2) Management has completely unrealistic expectations for sales. "Oh, we sold $30,000 at the show last year? Let's aim for $120,000 this year!" The target goal amount comes out of nowhere, and are completely made up based on what they HOPE you'll make, not what is realistic based on LY.
3.) You will CONSTANTLY, and I mean constantly, be running around from desk to desk (whether it be managers desks, production team, customer service, accounting or HR), trying to find solutions to a customer complaint that could easily be taken care of. Example: Say a customer calls you directly because they placed an order with you in August to get delivered ASAP, and it's already mid-November and they haven't received it. They are pissed because they needed those goods then and there (I don't blame them). You walk over to management to ask what to do, they say to ask customer service to find the package for you. You walk over to customer service, they say they can't find the package in the system, you need to check if it's been invoiced yet, so go to accounting. You then go to accounting, they never invoiced it, so go back to customer service... ETC. It's a viscous cycle and no one wants to help take care of your customer issue. You tell the customer you're working on it and doing your due diligence, but then customer service forgets about your question by the next day, and the customer never hears anything back. Issues like this are PILED on every single day from hundreds of customers, and they get added to a big 'ol stack where they are taken care of months later, if ever. Also, PPLA hardly issues returns to customers for any reason, they typically only let a customer get a CREDIT so they are forced to order from PPLA again one more time to use the credit... and of course 9 times out of 10, they forget tp the apply the credit. * Eye roll*
4) Touching on #3, you'll get a ton of daily customer complaints about sizing being way off, discoloration within same styles, or pant lengths being different per leg... because there is NO QUALITY CONTROL PERSON. They do not have one.
5) Dead roaches on the floor (they sometimes fall from the lining in the ceiling into a pile in the corner. FUN!)
6) All the clothing ideas are stolen, as is the same with many fashion manufacturers in LA. Sad but true fact. They do mainly mart buys (buy sample from someone else and copy it). This didn't bother me much, and as long as you know to expect that when coming in, then it probably won't bother you either. It's just sad because there is no creative role within this company.
7) No joke-- about 1 person quits every 2 weeks (sometimes more). The turn-over rate was incredible. They like to replace people who DO quit, with unpaid interns. Yes-- they hire unpaid interns to do your old Full-Time job that you were getting paid hourly for. Messed up, am I right?
8) There are SO many other things I can mention but quite frankly, this should be enough ammo for you to understand that this company is a terrible place to work, and I'd rather keep my dignity and work as a Retail Sales Associate than work here.
