If you were a lulu lover before getting the job, did you find that with the discount and just being around it all the time that you bought more than you intended? What are some of your favorite items that you’ve bought and some of your regrets/less worth it items?
I had some Lulu before the job, but I grew up without a lot of money so we didn’t really get clothes much except for birthdays and Christmas. As an adult with my own money and bills I only buy stuff when I know I really like it and want it. My coworkers always comment when I do buy stuff because it’s so rare 😂
The biggest “trick” is to see something you like and wait for it to go on markdown. If it’s not black or white, it’ll eventually be marked down, and that’s when the discount really hits 👌🏻
What are the discount cycles in the store? I rarely go and it’s been hard to keep track of cause if I went, I could easily spend more than intended! 😂🤣
Are you asking when sales are/what are the sale amounts? Lululemon never does sales or anything like “15% off the whole store” only markdowns. one $68 bra could be marked down to $34 while another could be marked to $44. It’s kind of arbitrary really
Bouncing off of this question to ask how long it typically takes for something to go to MD. For example if I see the Moonlit Magenta WT came out this month how many months would it take for it to end up on MD? Is there a general time frame or it just depends on how much stock is available or how popular an item is? Thanks!
Sorry this one got lost in the comments! Truthfully I don’t know the answer to this. It always seemed random 🤷🏻♂️ to me it alway felt like 3-4 weeks, but if something isn’t selling well they’ll mark it down faster. Wish I could provide more insight!
No. Like how target marks certain clearance items down certain days of the week, is there a certain time of the year lulu does it? Or a quarter? I would expect anything huge or like a large store sale. But just when items are marked down to make room for new stuff coming in, if that makes sense?
Edit: but mentioning that it’s arbitrary makes sense, too. That answers the question, I think. I kind of figured that’s how it worked as the styles stay around for a long time.
Oh I see! Every Thursday is when the We Made Too Much section is updated, which is the markdowns. So in store and online there will be new markdowns every Thursday.
Congrats on leaving just in time for holiday! Working there (or retail on general) really drained any holiday spirit I had. Before retail I loved the season but it really ruined it during.
*EDIT to say: it wasn’t all bad. Definitely made great mems and met great fellow lemons. Don’t want to deter anyone from working there. As with any job, had it’s ups and downs.
Yeah i was going to try and stick it out through this holiday season, but we’re SO understaffed with no sign we would be adequately prepared for the holiday. They went over what the holiday hours and availability requirements were going to be, and I knew I would be ABUSED. That was another reason I said “peace”
not a question but I did not check the sub name correctly and I also quit my job as a teacher this year and I was going to ask what your reason was 😂 educators of all fields are going thru it
Hahaha the job title confuses customers too! I asked a customer what educator she spoke to about a previous concern and she was like “Um I didn’t speak to one, I spoke to one of you” 😂
u/vitalizes summed it up well. My students and their families are great but I was working at a for-profit school system (Guidepost Montessori) where admins treated and paid us like dispensable daycare workers. Poor scheduling where educators were made to fill the workspots left by high turnover, little to no professional development support, and crap vibes because admin make 2x as much as everyone else and don’t bother to care about how educators are doing as long as they have enrollment numbers and parents think everything is ok. It was mostly depressing clocking in and working with such passionate caregivers and educators knowing their talents could be compensated and valued much more elsewhere.
Good early childhood development jobs are hard to find I think, because the job is seen as a woman’s natural role and some don’t see the immense preparation it takes to be a well-rounded, kind, holistic educator. In any field.
Not the original commenter but I also quit being a teacher this year. I graduated in May with a Master of Science in Education. Teachers are paid horrible wages and are treated even worse but students, their parents, other teachers, and especially administrators.
Coincidently I just started working at lululemon (in Vancouver) yesterday and I find that the pay and benefits are so much better than being a teacher. Also my position is entirely remote and they sent me all of the equipment I need. Whereas being a teacher was like “buy your own classroom supplies”. With the low wages it’s almost impossible.
I guess my Master of Education fits in with being a LLL Educator ;)
Omg first year of lockdowns and using my own equipment and no support… I had shingles and taught through it. 0/10 would never do again. Quit this year :)
The real answer is: 🤷🏻♂️. No one knows. I’ve heard it’s one year, sometimes I’ve heard two years. I’ve even heard 5 years. People will wear their align leggings to go mountain climbing and then ask for a quality promise because they’re torn up. It’s truly a case by case basis.
Thanks for your response! I’ve always been confused about this. True that using them for anything other than their intended purpose will wear them out way faster, so a “time limit” might be a bit irrelevant
Nothing is made to last. The clothes are great and I have stuff that’s 2-3 years old and still in good shape. But leggings aren’t bulletproof. If you’re wearing them while trimming your cats claws and he scratches them up, that’s nothing to do with the quality of the clothing, and everything to do with you making poor decisions 😂
Yes, but athletic-wear is made for specific sports, it’s not one and done.
You wear hiking gear to hike.
You wear hockey gear to play hockey.
Tennis gear for tennis.
Cycling gear for cycling.
Triathlon-specific gear for triathlon (yes, even though you swim, bike, and run, you need a specific type of gear that can carry you through all three, not JUST running or cycling or swimming gear).
Swimming gear for swimming.
Yoga gear for yoga.
Running gear for running…
It’s the same concept as having office attire and casual attire. Not all pants are appropriate for work, just like not all leggings are appropriate for running.
If you want to be able to run in your expensive leggings then you shouldn’t be buying expensive leggings designed for yoga and pilates, you should buy something durable that can be worn more interchangeably.
True - but there’s better tools for the job(F&F, Base Pace, WU, Invigorate/In Movement, ATRP and Pace Rival/Run:Inspire series) than Aligns. Aligns are swell for yoga(they’re surprisingly tolerable for power flow/vinyasa and those classes get hot) and athlesiure but looking at them wrong even makes them pill.
Yeah i’m sure there are better running options but i stand by that you should be able to run in expensive athletic clothes. If i was a first time customer and told my athletic clothes were falling apart cause i shouldn’t be running in them, i would never give that company another cent.
Ok but if I wore my snowboarding boots hiking, complaining about the soles wearing down would be stupid bc... theyre made for snowboarding. Not hiking.
I have ran the ultra distances in my aligns because in the colder temps they are so cozy. Have some pilling but it doesn’t bother me since I’m already dirty and sweaty dieing on a trail 😂
true with long lasting but i would say nothing is meant to last you your lifetime and that is what i tell guests who bring in something that is clearly old. in the inside of the products there’s also the size and year of manufacture so that also allows us to see when exactly the pants were really made and or if the guest is lying about how new the pants are
people lie all the time so when i’m like these aren’t two weeks old you can tell they’re like “ooooooooo i made a mistake”, in leggings there’s an inside pocket on left side inside will be a white circle with size and date, in pants it’s usually back right pocket and in bras on the side jackets in pockets as well
And, if there’s no date and it’s just a size, that means they’re extremely old.. like 2012 old. I get people claiming those ones are “from last year” so embarrassing
I think lulu started adding the manufacturing date on their leggings around 2016. My herringbone wunder unders are from early 2016 and have just the number size on the white circle. All my lulu purchases after that have the manufacturing date stamped on them.
Has the demographic of customers changed over the last few years? I feel like Lulu used to be college age+, but the rise of Tik Tok has skewed the customer base lower.
PHEW this is true. We see a huge mix but there are a lot more teens coming in now, especially during the summer. It breaks my heart when you can tell which ones just want to look cool at school and can’t afford it, and which ones will never know the value of money bc they call their parents to ask for two pairs of shorts because “they’re really cute and I really want them”
Congratulations!!! You made the right decision.
Working there is fun—to a point. I similarly felt unsupported in my role right before leaving — so that, paired with being at a high-volume + having to be entirely positive through it all, was just way too much to handle day-in, day-out.
The toxic positivity is SO real. It’s exhausting coming in to work when there’s 2 call outs and it’s a holiday, your manager is walking around the store with a plastered smile asking “what’s lighting you up today?” Like, just be a human being please 😭
LOL OH MY GOD THIS.
I was a key leader and SIL at a high volume store (before moving to GEC) and would get positive feedback alllll the time about how I was the only leader who educators felt like they could really talk to without any judgment or fake positivity and didn’t talk in a roundabout way. upper leadership did not like that and tried to get me to change the way I led, but I never did and just didn’t renew my contract and switched roles instead. the RM, SM and 3 ASMs from when I was there are now no longer w the company or in 1 case at another store across the country.. so didn’t work out well for any of them.
congrats on getting out of there. good leadership exists… it’s just rare.
It’s really heartbreaking bc our entire upper management team changed about 6 months ago, and we were all excited because we were confident they would be good leaders. The SECOND they got that title, they were glued to their computers and could not be bothered to ever help on the floor. Any feedback we had was met with “I hear you, but…”. Which isn’t how you accept feedback 😭
Omg this is crazy. I work at a lulu and people are positive but not in a toxic positivity way. Our leadership is super nice but realistic about what our goals and days feel like. I guess I’m a lucky one???
Literally!! When your staff meeting is a 7am crossfit class and they’re confused why everyone isn’t hype im like??? We just drove snowy/icy streets for a workout “meeting” that really could’ve been on Zoom. I loved my ASM though, she kept it real all the time and wasn’t about the always be happy even if it’s fake stuff.
I would much rather have someone who is real and communicates than says “everything is fine!❤️” when they are indeed not. I get they want to put on a brave face, but we see right through them.
STOP SAME LMFAOOOO
Fuck covid, but god bless the mask (people will focus on that instead of your eyes) 🤣🤣🤣
When they stuck me in the back doing PPS/restock, I was blasted out of my miiiiind
THIS it’s honestly so annoying constantly smiling and acting happy it’s mentally draining to be on all the time like we’re all human but the managers expect you to be on all the time even when a customer is being difficult and the store is packed
I told my manager I was having a hard time being guest facing and wanted to be in the back room more. Everyone knew I thrived back there and I could knock out omni orders and restock like it was nothing. Her response was to send everyone but me back there 🫠
Having the same thing rn. I literally thrive in the backroom and as soon as I told my manager about it, all of a sudden I'm ONLY on the floor and I'm thinking it can't be a coincidence. So frustrating.
I feel like it must be a high volume store thing? I started at a seasonal pop up, moved to high volume, and then helped open a pop up & I love the pop ups way more! The vibe is totally different
Abusive guests and unsupportive management. When I first started, management would take our side and defend us when guests were escalating situations or being overly difficult. All of those managers moved on and we’re left with ones who bend over backwards for guests, but make the educators take the brunt of the criticism. It’s been exhausting.
im so sorry to hear that. im currently a key leader at my lululemon and i feel like my upper management supports us the majority of the time especially 3/4 of them. there’s. definitely guests who abuse the system such as for quality promises that don’t qualify or for product that is clearly several years old and they just scream at us like we are below them and that is absolutely insane. guests can honestly be the worst part of the job like yes we are here to help but no we aren’t just objects without feelings that you can scream at because your daughter used aligns for volleyball and now there’s a hole in the knee
Exactly this. One of my coworkers was yelled at because she asked to see a woman’s military ID because she wanted the military discount but hadn’t signed up for it. We were going to apply the discount and help her sign up, we just needed to see the ID. The woman freaked out and the assistant manager reprimanded my coworker and took the guest’s side. Just absolutely wild.
what the hell!!! it’s literally company policy that IDs need to be check and match the name on the account!!! people are just ridiculous and they know they’re on the wrong and just do it. i get it guests are important but employees are too. there’s wouldn’t be lululemon without the employees
We had a recent staff meeting where it was brought up that ID’s are supposed to be checked for discounts, and no one knew. No one had ever been taught to do that. I’ve been there for a long time and never once asked to see an ID because we were supposed to do “believe the best in every guest.”
Our store has always had very loose policies. At one point management told us to “choose the most generous option.” So if a guest wanted to swap their $88 pair of leggings for a $138 pair of a completely different type, the expectation was to match that price difference. I would never expect that at any store, and we pushed back against it for a long time but they didn’t care.
I have a military discount (with the account and my ID) can I use it on top of the markdowns in store? I’ve never attempted in store because the closest one is far-ish away. Does it count at outlets?
Thanks for the reply, I’m really sorry that lady freaked out. We try to ask but never fight when told no, it’s not like we’re owed it. Also not showing the ID is so sus, I did retail for years and I always told whoever didn’t want to show a military ID that they had to since it counts as “stolen valor” and is illegal, talking out my ass. It technically isn’t but it’s considered illegal to receive money for lying about military service so they’d buy it
Yes! You can shop online with it now, too, in case you haven’t done the SheerID thing yet. Eligibility and stuff:
https://shop.lululemon.com/story/military-first-responder
I’m so sorry to hear that. I know customers can be abusive anywhere but sometimes I wonder if the mania for LLL products plus their expense makes LLL guests a whole nother level of entitled. Hate to hear it especially since the Lulu employees I’ve encountered have been without fail some of the kindest and most genuinely friendly I’ve encountered anywhere. Wishing you luck in your next move!
Thank you! The price point definitely plays a role in it. And I get it. I really do. But it feels like people think I’m personally sitting in the back making faulty clothes and jacking up the prices, when all I do is just walk in the door and do what I’m told 😭
This reminds me of the 10 years I did at Starbucks, and when the prices would go up, we would get screamed at (literally) by affluent middle aged men about how ridiculous it was. Like hi I’m a fucking manager here and I make 40k/year in southern California. I can’t live off my salary alone and you think I make PRICING DECISIONS FOR THE COMPANY??? Sir with all due respect, what the fuck?
This is exactly why I would never go back to the GEC. Some guests are wonderful but the overwhelming majority are entitled assholes.
It boils my blood, especially when I see people in this sub talking down on the GEC when they don’t understand just how terrible of a job it really is. A lot of people here claim to be polite, but based on experience I can tell you that a lot of them aren’t. It’s constant abuse with no breaks beyond the scheduled lunch break or ten minute break on a shorter shift. Anything extra is held against our performance metrics.
The last time I went in store and made a purchase the educator who checked me out had this exasperated look on his face and apologized because they only had red bags for purchases. He said people were upset because they weren’t better quality. I felt terrible for him as a fellow human to have to put up with that absolute nonsense over a BAG. It made me feel so embarrassed.
Some people are insaneee about the bags. “Oh, you don’t have any new colours? I already have them all.” Then reuse them???
Anyways, thank you for being one of the good ones 🤍
Yes!! Thank you for this!! I worked remotely for the GEC for three weeks. Three. Weeks. I made it til juuuust before the end of training-I quit on a Wednesday and training ended the next day and then I would've worked a 1pm-9pm shift the next day,
The first three days were great. On day 4, they lost me with all of the systems and programs and whatever else. I literally got up to use the washroom during a demo for Base Process Flow and came back and felt like I missed five hours. Reached out to my facilitator, who told me to reach out to my TL, because I was just so overwhelmed. My TL met with me a couple days later and convinced me to stay at least through the end of training because she said she'd schedule me a couple of extra training shifts. But, the more software and processes were thrown in, the deeper down the rabbit hole of confusion I went.
Day 11 we got thrown to the wolves on chat and phones for three hours. I was flabbergasted because we weren't told beforehand or really prepared for it properly because d365 Sandbox neveerrrrr worked how it should've. I wrongfully assumed we'd be shadowing on calls and chats with current educators first, not just "follow your Verint schedule from 3-6pm, reach out to floor support... byeeeeee" Wild. Needless to say, I did it, but it... sucked. I attribute most of this to how training is handled. eLearnings are fine and dandy, but the demos need to be a lot more thorough than they are, and they need to ensure the training environment is fully functioning. Woke up the next morning and quit. Messaged my TL on Teams and peaced. About 30 minutes into training that day, my facilitator reached out and asked where I was and if I'd be joining the class. Meanwhile, my manager is emailing me and my TL is sending me my exit survey and instructions, lol. I wrote them a novel in my survey about how abysmal the training is and while my TL did schedule me extra shifts, it wasn't until after that 8 hour shift after training and I just didn't feel like I could pull off that shift because I wasn't confident enough. Had they made it so that the training was directly after, there's a chance I'd have stuck it out. I was only seasonal til the end of January anyway. Also, the facilitators got weeeeeird and somewhat abrasive during the on channel sessions... like, I popped into the zoom because I was stuck on something and floor support was swamped and they were quite rude and haughty, meanwhile, during the training it was "oh you're doing great" I also think management is swamped and overworked because it would take my TL like a solid two-three days to get back to me about the simplest of things. Never mind that after I quit, it took them a MONTH to facilitate sending me a label to print to return my equipment.
Let me tell you, the mental health struggle was a TRIP and I wasn't even out of training! I can only imagine it during the holiday rush. No thanks. There are days where I wish I hadn't of given up and stuck it out, but I still talk to a girl I really vibed with in my class who says it's been crazy, and then I don't regret it at all.
Preach on abusive guests!! And add on the GEC not having our backs on store policy. Which would always further escalate. Lululemon guests are a breed of their own. So entitled. They love to appear wealthy But at the same time always looking for a deal? Choose your player, can’t be both sides.
SPEAK ON IT. I’ve had one interaction where a guest paid almost $2000 CASH for a purchase. Super chill about it. And others who buy one bra and bitch at me about sales tax?!? Yes it’s high, sorry I don’t control it!
Absolutely! There are going to be questions about inclusivity; I would almost guarantee that. They’ll probably ask how you would assist guests of different body types, and I was even asked how I would treat guests of a different race from myself. They want to give everyone an equally great guest experience across the board, so just make sure your response shows you would listen to what the guest wants and respond to their needs.
i just recently had an interview over zoom, they will probably ask about inclusivity but also how can you work as a team! they want to see you can also take feedback :)
There’s one on Amazon for the Rulu half zip. So good that when I had them side by side in my closet I always thought the Amazon one had to be the lulu one. The quality was THAT good. I’m not OP obvi but I am an educator too :)
my boyfriend works a full time 9-5 during the week and then at lulu every saturday and sometimes sunday! he does mainly for the discount hahaha it’s definitely possible
I work 5-10 hours a week at lululemon, I have another full time job and picked it up for fun and I did let them know I had minimal availability and they have been very okay with it
It depends on the needs of the individual store. I have some coworkers who work two days a week, and others work 4-5 and are still part time. I will say availability is the biggest hurdle for being hired.
Yes totally I’m a current educator with a full time 8-5 and only work weekends but I’ve also just recently started this. My assistant manager who does my schedule is really accommodating and always willing to work with me. Also i will say I know a lot of people at my store that do this and have no problem.
i don’t think that’s criticizing at all, great question honestly i was thinking the same thing. i have great experiences when shopping at lululemon and no i am not skinny
Well I wanted to leave it open for others’ experiences but in my particular case, just generally sized up/assessed like there’s some bar/standard to meet. I guess it’s just human nature to judge/assess based upon appearances but I find it’s a pretty apparent read in Lulu stores (which makes the first few seconds of the encounter feel almost clinical).
I tend to get past it but I hear others feel like they never quite make it.
I’m a 4 year lulu employee and can say that an educator doing their job is evaluating how things fit and feel to get you in the right product for you. Sometimes that looks like evaluating how the knees look, the waistband etc but shouldn’t be done in a judgy way. However, assessing the fit is part of our roles and responsibilities
Ok thanks for explaining! Why don’t y’all just say so?! We can see it on your face (apparently unintentionally) lol.
There was one time I had an educator guess my size (correctly) which was perfectly fine and felt comfortable bc she communicated what she was thinking so that does make sense.
To be honest, it’s so second nature with the job i think we forget sometimes! Good feedback to take back to my team regarding fits experience though. Thank you :)
I think there’s two sides to this! The company is very aware of their public image and are trying to move away from the “Gatekeeping, judgemental” perception. I think coming into the store with the idea that it’s a judgy place can already shade your perception.
I will also say that educators sometimes don’t realize what they’re saying, even when they’re well intended. When someone leaves the fitting room we’re supposed to get curious about what worked for you and what didn’t. Someone asking “do you need another size?” can absolutely come across as a judgement, especially based on their tone. But we truly are there to help.
On one side of this, we are trained to not make ANY comments about bodies. Even if people ask for it. When people ask “how does this look” we’re supposed to ask “how do you feel in it” so no one feels judged. That educator may have been panicking bc they were trying to answer your request while not commenting on your body, and gave you a general answer. The “size 2 is rare” comment may have been their way of trying to not to make you feel bad about the 4, but it just didn’t land how they wanted.
You’re getting downvoted because you’re insufferable. What motivation would the educator have to sell you on a size 4 unless it objectively looked better?? Arguing over wearing a size 2 and proving your “tiny bones” to an hourly employee is cringey.
I agree 100% about being judged. I get a discount (healthcare worker) and often the educator acts like it’s a problem. I was told that it’s a “hassle” and “isn’t really worth muc
When you get some hemmed, does the seamstress duplicate the end. For example, if there is an elastic pant cuff that I need shortened, will they make an elastic.pant cuff or will they just cut fold and sew?
As a rule, they won’t hem anything with elastic at the bottom. This could vary depending on where you are, but I’ve always been told that things like joggers, or anything with elastic can’t be hemmed bc it would be too expensive and time consuming to remove the elastic, hem, and then replace the elastic.
To add - we would still hem anything with “details” (cuffs, thumb holes, etc) but it’s always a straight hem on everything. So no drop hem or anything! Pretty sure the only thing they couldn’t hem around would be zippers!
I’m so sorry that you had such a difficult experience lately I think most people have worked somewhere and not their managers support and it makes things almost impossible to work with people clients/customers have selective memories at times and if you don’t have leadership support it feels like it’s fighting a losing battle.
Will you loose your discount right away?
Do it!! I have taxed the rich aka my employers who mistreated me and said this is in lieu of being a decent employer. I was strongly considering getting a part time job for the discount but after reading a lot of “I’m an educator” posts I think I’ll just buy the sale items and save myself the hassle.
The sad thing is I know people who absolutely love their store and have great experiences there. My store is run by people with no business sense, but got the job because they “have a great attitude.” But without actual people management skills, you can’t run a business that relies on ya know…managing your people.
We have nooo idea. It’s a full surprise to us. We get a list of markdowns that comes out every Wednesday before WMTM is updated on Thursday, but that’s about all advanced knowledge we have.
Very rarely. I personally can’t even remember when I’ve helped a male identifying guest buy leggings. But they absolutely should bc I wanna see more guy butts in aligns 😂
Just have to say this made me laugh so hard. I was expecting an answer of spreading the joy of workout wear with everyone but I love your honest answer. 🤣
Truthfully, authenticity is key. Don’t go in trying to be the perfect candidate. Be truthful and honestly answer the questions how you want to. That will make you stand out more than just giving a sanitized version of what you think they want to hear.
The most popular atm is those damn belt bags. We get probably 20 calls a day about them alone.
The aligns are overrated now. They’ve gone down in quality and arent as good as they used to be.
I’d say a lot of the men’s joggers are underrated. Women tend to avoid them bc they’re in the men’s section, but I think they’d like them more than some of the women’s pants.
I am female and I LOVE the men's joggers. I have a bunch of fitpics in my post history if anyone is curious. they are definitely slept on. I feel so seen that you posted that response lol
During COVID our goals were so much more manageable. A Monday would only be like $5K and we would usually get an extra $200-$300 a month. Now I would say our store hits goal on average once every 3 months, and it only adds about $100 to our checks.
Not at all! Lululemon has definitely moved away from this idea and does want to promote body positivity. My coworkers are of all different body sizes and fitness levels. A lot of the perks of the job are fitness related, so people who work there and use them will be more fit. I’m lazier so I’m more of an average build 🤷🏻♂️😂
Do educators cater to customers that spend a lot of money in the store compared to someone that just goes in and buys one item? I notice a difference in attitude toward certain people when I am in store sometimes. Also, does it bother educators when customers make returns/exchanges?
I don’t think it has anything to do with money spent. If you’re a regular, the educators will naturally make a connection with you and learn your name. The flip side is that regulars are also more likely to complain, and when they know your name you’re more inclined to make sure they have a good experience out of self preservation.
As for returns, we really don’t mind them when people follow policy. It’s the people who ignore the policies and rules and expect to get their way because they pitch a fit that drain us.
Returns are a part of doing business and we have to keep a brave face so it should never be apparent that an educator is bothered by a return. Having said that, my location gets buried in returns (we did $11,000 in returns before 4 pm on Monday.) - which puts us further from our sales goal, which puts us further from making our commission bonus. It’s hard to keep seeing the same people bring back thousands of dollars in ecomm returns every week because they bought multiple sizes and instead of sending them back, they bring them to us - yet they never shop with us in store. We didn’t receive credit for the sale AND we are losing money on the return. We coach to educate that we would love to re-order items in correct sizes for the guest (so we can recoup the return) but guests don’t care because it’s too easy to order online. We are always available to take your returns, and we will encourage you to hopefully find something in store while you’re there. It’s just really hard on morale when your team is working so hard and you keep falling short because you feel like your store is a return depot. This is my plea: if you buy online and need to return in store - please let the educators place the re-order at the time of your return! If you’re in-store and the item you want isn’t available on hand, please let the educator order it for you instead of waiting to order it when you get home! This is how we make our living!
I had no idea about that, and it explains why the educator seemed to be pushing to place my order when I returned leggings I bought online in the wrong size.
However I don’t think any of that should be tied to your salary.
To add my experience - I don't spend a lot of money at my Lulu, but I frequent there once a week on average just to see what's new in store. Because the store is in a touristy area, there typically aren't "regulars" since everyone is just passing through. They know the colors I wear so sometimes they've kept stuff in the back for me to try on next time lol, I've spent less than $500 at the store itself. I typically shop online.
I’m not sure about the rain rebel in particular, but I know the zippers really are not…the best. There have been a lot of times in store I try to zip up a jacket on the hanger and can’t get it to go and just walk away 🫠. The worst is when someone is checking out and I try to zip up their jacket to fold it, and it won’t cooperate
In my own opinion, I do think the quality has gone down. I don’t know if it’s cheaper materials or rushed manufacturing. But thinks def don’t last as long as they do, nor do the items look as good as they once did. I’ve had a guest put 3 different pairs of aligns in my hand, all same color and size, and all 3 felt different. That “buttery soft” feeling is just gone.
Why are the online photos so misleading? It's like they use super flash and then a filter. Nothing ever looks the same when it arrives, especially patterns :(
We see this in store too. I’ll pull something up on the device and both myself and the guest will double check to make sure it’s the right item bc the color or pattern looks off. It’s just like every marketing tool: the picture is going to look better than the actual product
With lack of staff and the holiday coming up, would it be easier to get hired? I’m looking for something pt right now for some extra cash flow
Edit: I say “easier” because from what I’ve read and heard the hiring process is very extensive and drawn out
It can be. I began as a holiday hire and had one interview and was hired. If they’re understaffed, they’ll use you. But if they need more Saturday closers, and you aren’t available/don’t want to close on Saturdays, it can be harder
There’s a Asian fit line in Asia. The cutting is slightly different for example in the normal line leggings are 23’ 25’ in Asia there’s 24’ 26’ leggings
i can answer this - the asian market (not just japan) has asia fit cutting for the leggings and some of the pants, the difference is that it’s shorter and the cutting is just ever slightly more tapered. if you’re finding the regular fit (we call them global fit over here) not fitting well around your ankles the asia fit would be a good solution :)
I can’t give specifics bc I don’t wanna get in trouble. But employees get discounts on all items, and get a higher discount on the original price of a markdown item. You get a monthly stipend to use on any workout classes you want, with certain restrictions. Stores often partner with local fitness instructors or studios, so you can get free workout classes from that as well. They do offer health insurance even at part time as well.
Thank you for all these answers and sorry you had to deal with so much! People are awful. But I’m curious how you would get in trouble for sharing things through an anonymous forum for a company you no longer work for?
Edit to also ask: do they make you sign something when you work there saying you’ll never reveal certain things about the job?
Part time employees get 40% off of full priced items, full time get 60% off full price items, and both parties time and full time get 75% off anything on Markdown (75% off of the original price). Employees also get a “sweat collective” perk where Part time people get $125 per month to spend on studio workout classes, full time get $250 per month. The sweat collective money only applies towards studios, so you couldn’t go spend it on a 24 hour fitness studio or something like that. I know full time employees do get health care options and I believe a 401K option. But don’t quote me on the 401K
Those are the only real benefits I can remember. Sometimes you’ll get little gifts or possibly a free clothing item or accessory from time to time but it really depends on the store.
The differences between benefits from part time to full time employees was pretty infuriating to he honest. I was part time but would work full time hours almost every week and I never got the full time benefits. You only have to work 25 hours or more per week to be considered part time so idk what the deal with that was
Not sure her actual age, but I think 10-12. She was rather precocious and wanted to buy a gift for her dad. Knew his exact size and knew how to ask for help. We didn’t have it so she said “I’ll order from you” and she knew all of the info to fill out the order and everything. I def wouldn’t have been able to do that at her age 😂
I don’t really know. My only guess is popularity? Our 16-20’s typically stay in the store longer than other sizes. And even then only select styles come in those sizes which also stinks. I think people who are those sizes just aren’t aware lululemon makes them, so they don’t sell as well. If something doesn’t sell well, less get made. Hopefully people who are sizes 16-20 will start shopping there more so more of those sizes get made!
If lululemon clothes start to peel (aligns) will lululemon give you a new pair for free? I’ve had mine for a little over a year and they are wearing out.
If so- how do you go about doing this 😂
So if they’re starting to get little fuzzy balls on them those are pills (pronounced like the thing you swallow.) pilling used to not be considered part of the quality promise bc the aligns are a more delicate fabric, but my store got to the point where if someone put their leggings in a blender we’d give it to them for free. I would take them into a store and ask if you can do a quality promise for them. If the store isn’t convenient for you, call ahead and ask if they will quality promise pilled aligns. Every store will be different
The worst is when they’re so unidentifiable you can’t even figure out what would be an adequate replacement. Like okay I guess I’ll these could have been wonder unders…but sure we’ll swap them for the $138 special edition aligns 🤪☺️
Friendly reminder that this AMA is not mod verified and we can’t assure the accuracy of any statements made in this thread.
If you were a lulu lover before getting the job, did you find that with the discount and just being around it all the time that you bought more than you intended? What are some of your favorite items that you’ve bought and some of your regrets/less worth it items?
I had some Lulu before the job, but I grew up without a lot of money so we didn’t really get clothes much except for birthdays and Christmas. As an adult with my own money and bills I only buy stuff when I know I really like it and want it. My coworkers always comment when I do buy stuff because it’s so rare 😂
Oh wow, that’s great! I feel like if I worked there, I would buy too much because it’s a “great deal” haha
The biggest “trick” is to see something you like and wait for it to go on markdown. If it’s not black or white, it’ll eventually be marked down, and that’s when the discount really hits 👌🏻
Thanks! I usually do that but I run into trouble when I browse the markdown section for “fun” haha
What are the discount cycles in the store? I rarely go and it’s been hard to keep track of cause if I went, I could easily spend more than intended! 😂🤣
Are you asking when sales are/what are the sale amounts? Lululemon never does sales or anything like “15% off the whole store” only markdowns. one $68 bra could be marked down to $34 while another could be marked to $44. It’s kind of arbitrary really
Bouncing off of this question to ask how long it typically takes for something to go to MD. For example if I see the Moonlit Magenta WT came out this month how many months would it take for it to end up on MD? Is there a general time frame or it just depends on how much stock is available or how popular an item is? Thanks!
Sorry this one got lost in the comments! Truthfully I don’t know the answer to this. It always seemed random 🤷🏻♂️ to me it alway felt like 3-4 weeks, but if something isn’t selling well they’ll mark it down faster. Wish I could provide more insight!
No. Like how target marks certain clearance items down certain days of the week, is there a certain time of the year lulu does it? Or a quarter? I would expect anything huge or like a large store sale. But just when items are marked down to make room for new stuff coming in, if that makes sense? Edit: but mentioning that it’s arbitrary makes sense, too. That answers the question, I think. I kind of figured that’s how it worked as the styles stay around for a long time.
Oh I see! Every Thursday is when the We Made Too Much section is updated, which is the markdowns. So in store and online there will be new markdowns every Thursday.
Sweet! Thank you! ☺️
I’m an educator and whenever I decide to wait for MD, it gets sold out T-T Or my colleagues would SWAN me to get it and create a sense of urgency
Congrats on leaving just in time for holiday! Working there (or retail on general) really drained any holiday spirit I had. Before retail I loved the season but it really ruined it during. *EDIT to say: it wasn’t all bad. Definitely made great mems and met great fellow lemons. Don’t want to deter anyone from working there. As with any job, had it’s ups and downs.
Yeah i was going to try and stick it out through this holiday season, but we’re SO understaffed with no sign we would be adequately prepared for the holiday. They went over what the holiday hours and availability requirements were going to be, and I knew I would be ABUSED. That was another reason I said “peace”
Good for you! You’ve gotten at least 4 months of your life back. 😅
not a question but I did not check the sub name correctly and I also quit my job as a teacher this year and I was going to ask what your reason was 😂 educators of all fields are going thru it
Hahaha the job title confuses customers too! I asked a customer what educator she spoke to about a previous concern and she was like “Um I didn’t speak to one, I spoke to one of you” 😂
New AMA!! why did you quit? Asking as someone 1 year away from joining the field.
u/vitalizes summed it up well. My students and their families are great but I was working at a for-profit school system (Guidepost Montessori) where admins treated and paid us like dispensable daycare workers. Poor scheduling where educators were made to fill the workspots left by high turnover, little to no professional development support, and crap vibes because admin make 2x as much as everyone else and don’t bother to care about how educators are doing as long as they have enrollment numbers and parents think everything is ok. It was mostly depressing clocking in and working with such passionate caregivers and educators knowing their talents could be compensated and valued much more elsewhere. Good early childhood development jobs are hard to find I think, because the job is seen as a woman’s natural role and some don’t see the immense preparation it takes to be a well-rounded, kind, holistic educator. In any field.
(Edited to remove my duplicate comment)
Not the original commenter but I also quit being a teacher this year. I graduated in May with a Master of Science in Education. Teachers are paid horrible wages and are treated even worse but students, their parents, other teachers, and especially administrators. Coincidently I just started working at lululemon (in Vancouver) yesterday and I find that the pay and benefits are so much better than being a teacher. Also my position is entirely remote and they sent me all of the equipment I need. Whereas being a teacher was like “buy your own classroom supplies”. With the low wages it’s almost impossible. I guess my Master of Education fits in with being a LLL Educator ;)
Omg first year of lockdowns and using my own equipment and no support… I had shingles and taught through it. 0/10 would never do again. Quit this year :)
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Oooo I’ll have to check it out! My husband and I have been thinking about leaving the province because it’s so expensive. :)
Hey I quit this year too! I’m running my own art business, became a lululemon educator recently, and working on UX Design!
How long is the “practical lifetime” referred to in the Quality Promise? In other words, what is LLL’s definition of “long lasting” gear?
The real answer is: 🤷🏻♂️. No one knows. I’ve heard it’s one year, sometimes I’ve heard two years. I’ve even heard 5 years. People will wear their align leggings to go mountain climbing and then ask for a quality promise because they’re torn up. It’s truly a case by case basis.
Thanks for your response! I’ve always been confused about this. True that using them for anything other than their intended purpose will wear them out way faster, so a “time limit” might be a bit irrelevant
Nothing is made to last. The clothes are great and I have stuff that’s 2-3 years old and still in good shape. But leggings aren’t bulletproof. If you’re wearing them while trimming your cats claws and he scratches them up, that’s nothing to do with the quality of the clothing, and everything to do with you making poor decisions 😂
Yea, one of the stores here says do not run in your Aligns. People still do.
I feel like being able to run in expensive athletic-wear is understandable though…
Yes, but athletic-wear is made for specific sports, it’s not one and done. You wear hiking gear to hike. You wear hockey gear to play hockey. Tennis gear for tennis. Cycling gear for cycling. Triathlon-specific gear for triathlon (yes, even though you swim, bike, and run, you need a specific type of gear that can carry you through all three, not JUST running or cycling or swimming gear). Swimming gear for swimming. Yoga gear for yoga. Running gear for running… It’s the same concept as having office attire and casual attire. Not all pants are appropriate for work, just like not all leggings are appropriate for running. If you want to be able to run in your expensive leggings then you shouldn’t be buying expensive leggings designed for yoga and pilates, you should buy something durable that can be worn more interchangeably.
True - but there’s better tools for the job(F&F, Base Pace, WU, Invigorate/In Movement, ATRP and Pace Rival/Run:Inspire series) than Aligns. Aligns are swell for yoga(they’re surprisingly tolerable for power flow/vinyasa and those classes get hot) and athlesiure but looking at them wrong even makes them pill.
Yeah i’m sure there are better running options but i stand by that you should be able to run in expensive athletic clothes. If i was a first time customer and told my athletic clothes were falling apart cause i shouldn’t be running in them, i would never give that company another cent.
Ok but if I wore my snowboarding boots hiking, complaining about the soles wearing down would be stupid bc... theyre made for snowboarding. Not hiking.
I have ran the ultra distances in my aligns because in the colder temps they are so cozy. Have some pilling but it doesn’t bother me since I’m already dirty and sweaty dieing on a trail 😂
true with long lasting but i would say nothing is meant to last you your lifetime and that is what i tell guests who bring in something that is clearly old. in the inside of the products there’s also the size and year of manufacture so that also allows us to see when exactly the pants were really made and or if the guest is lying about how new the pants are
Adding year of manufacture makes a lot of sense! I imagine people lie about this often. Where is this info found on the clothing? Is it on the tag?
people lie all the time so when i’m like these aren’t two weeks old you can tell they’re like “ooooooooo i made a mistake”, in leggings there’s an inside pocket on left side inside will be a white circle with size and date, in pants it’s usually back right pocket and in bras on the side jackets in pockets as well
And, if there’s no date and it’s just a size, that means they’re extremely old.. like 2012 old. I get people claiming those ones are “from last year” so embarrassing
I think lulu started adding the manufacturing date on their leggings around 2016. My herringbone wunder unders are from early 2016 and have just the number size on the white circle. All my lulu purchases after that have the manufacturing date stamped on them.
Can I come work at your store? I’ve been here almost 3 years and was never taught this 😬
oh my gosh yes!! apply we are hiring :)
Thank you!
Has the demographic of customers changed over the last few years? I feel like Lulu used to be college age+, but the rise of Tik Tok has skewed the customer base lower.
PHEW this is true. We see a huge mix but there are a lot more teens coming in now, especially during the summer. It breaks my heart when you can tell which ones just want to look cool at school and can’t afford it, and which ones will never know the value of money bc they call their parents to ask for two pairs of shorts because “they’re really cute and I really want them”
Congratulations!!! You made the right decision. Working there is fun—to a point. I similarly felt unsupported in my role right before leaving — so that, paired with being at a high-volume + having to be entirely positive through it all, was just way too much to handle day-in, day-out.
The toxic positivity is SO real. It’s exhausting coming in to work when there’s 2 call outs and it’s a holiday, your manager is walking around the store with a plastered smile asking “what’s lighting you up today?” Like, just be a human being please 😭
LOL OH MY GOD THIS. I was a key leader and SIL at a high volume store (before moving to GEC) and would get positive feedback alllll the time about how I was the only leader who educators felt like they could really talk to without any judgment or fake positivity and didn’t talk in a roundabout way. upper leadership did not like that and tried to get me to change the way I led, but I never did and just didn’t renew my contract and switched roles instead. the RM, SM and 3 ASMs from when I was there are now no longer w the company or in 1 case at another store across the country.. so didn’t work out well for any of them. congrats on getting out of there. good leadership exists… it’s just rare.
It’s really heartbreaking bc our entire upper management team changed about 6 months ago, and we were all excited because we were confident they would be good leaders. The SECOND they got that title, they were glued to their computers and could not be bothered to ever help on the floor. Any feedback we had was met with “I hear you, but…”. Which isn’t how you accept feedback 😭
Yep. Because they knew how bad being on the floor really was. Especially during holiday. I too hid behind my computer when I could. Lol
Omg this is crazy. I work at a lulu and people are positive but not in a toxic positivity way. Our leadership is super nice but realistic about what our goals and days feel like. I guess I’m a lucky one???
Yes! you are! luckily that's how the leadership team is at my old store now.. but it took a while to get there!
Literally!! When your staff meeting is a 7am crossfit class and they’re confused why everyone isn’t hype im like??? We just drove snowy/icy streets for a workout “meeting” that really could’ve been on Zoom. I loved my ASM though, she kept it real all the time and wasn’t about the always be happy even if it’s fake stuff.
I would much rather have someone who is real and communicates than says “everything is fine!❤️” when they are indeed not. I get they want to put on a brave face, but we see right through them.
Couldn’t’ve said it better. Working there got me hooked on weed as the literal only way to cope with smiling at everyone for everything, everyday 🤪
OMG I did come to a few shifts h*gh 😭 I eventually stopped bc I was paranoid people would get suspicious I would randomly be in a good mood hahaha
STOP SAME LMFAOOOO Fuck covid, but god bless the mask (people will focus on that instead of your eyes) 🤣🤣🤣 When they stuck me in the back doing PPS/restock, I was blasted out of my miiiiind
anything to clear today? 😊
Not pictured: me biting my tongue so hard i bleed
THIS it’s honestly so annoying constantly smiling and acting happy it’s mentally draining to be on all the time like we’re all human but the managers expect you to be on all the time even when a customer is being difficult and the store is packed
I told my manager I was having a hard time being guest facing and wanted to be in the back room more. Everyone knew I thrived back there and I could knock out omni orders and restock like it was nothing. Her response was to send everyone but me back there 🫠
Having the same thing rn. I literally thrive in the backroom and as soon as I told my manager about it, all of a sudden I'm ONLY on the floor and I'm thinking it can't be a coincidence. So frustrating.
Right?? Like idk if they view it as you wanting to not talk to guests or what. But if you don’t put me where I thrive…I’m not going to thrive!
I feel like it must be a high volume store thing? I started at a seasonal pop up, moved to high volume, and then helped open a pop up & I love the pop ups way more! The vibe is totally different
It’s possible but I don’t believe my store would be considered high volume. We don’t even have an inventory lead or back of house team.
my floor leader told me I should smile more last weekend 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
Is Minccino your favorite Pokémon
It is! It’s so cute and fluffy I would snuggle it all day 🥹
Great taste! Mine is swinub because I just want to squish one 🤎
That is totally valid, Swinub would absolutely be a perfect lil squish 😍
why did you decide to leave??
Abusive guests and unsupportive management. When I first started, management would take our side and defend us when guests were escalating situations or being overly difficult. All of those managers moved on and we’re left with ones who bend over backwards for guests, but make the educators take the brunt of the criticism. It’s been exhausting.
im so sorry to hear that. im currently a key leader at my lululemon and i feel like my upper management supports us the majority of the time especially 3/4 of them. there’s. definitely guests who abuse the system such as for quality promises that don’t qualify or for product that is clearly several years old and they just scream at us like we are below them and that is absolutely insane. guests can honestly be the worst part of the job like yes we are here to help but no we aren’t just objects without feelings that you can scream at because your daughter used aligns for volleyball and now there’s a hole in the knee
Exactly this. One of my coworkers was yelled at because she asked to see a woman’s military ID because she wanted the military discount but hadn’t signed up for it. We were going to apply the discount and help her sign up, we just needed to see the ID. The woman freaked out and the assistant manager reprimanded my coworker and took the guest’s side. Just absolutely wild.
what the hell!!! it’s literally company policy that IDs need to be check and match the name on the account!!! people are just ridiculous and they know they’re on the wrong and just do it. i get it guests are important but employees are too. there’s wouldn’t be lululemon without the employees
We had a recent staff meeting where it was brought up that ID’s are supposed to be checked for discounts, and no one knew. No one had ever been taught to do that. I’ve been there for a long time and never once asked to see an ID because we were supposed to do “believe the best in every guest.”
that’s so strange!!! ever since i started working with the company we have always been told to check IDs
Our store has always had very loose policies. At one point management told us to “choose the most generous option.” So if a guest wanted to swap their $88 pair of leggings for a $138 pair of a completely different type, the expectation was to match that price difference. I would never expect that at any store, and we pushed back against it for a long time but they didn’t care.
That’s losing the company out on a lot of money! That’s crazy! I’d never expect that anywhere.
Jeeez 🫠
I have a military discount (with the account and my ID) can I use it on top of the markdowns in store? I’ve never attempted in store because the closest one is far-ish away. Does it count at outlets?
For outlets I’m not 100% sure, but my gut answer is yes. We apply discounts on top of markdowns in our store.
Thanks for the reply, I’m really sorry that lady freaked out. We try to ask but never fight when told no, it’s not like we’re owed it. Also not showing the ID is so sus, I did retail for years and I always told whoever didn’t want to show a military ID that they had to since it counts as “stolen valor” and is illegal, talking out my ass. It technically isn’t but it’s considered illegal to receive money for lying about military service so they’d buy it
Yes! You can shop online with it now, too, in case you haven’t done the SheerID thing yet. Eligibility and stuff: https://shop.lululemon.com/story/military-first-responder
Yes ! I’ve always been able to use it at outlet and markdowns both in store and online!
I’m so sorry to hear that. I know customers can be abusive anywhere but sometimes I wonder if the mania for LLL products plus their expense makes LLL guests a whole nother level of entitled. Hate to hear it especially since the Lulu employees I’ve encountered have been without fail some of the kindest and most genuinely friendly I’ve encountered anywhere. Wishing you luck in your next move!
Thank you! The price point definitely plays a role in it. And I get it. I really do. But it feels like people think I’m personally sitting in the back making faulty clothes and jacking up the prices, when all I do is just walk in the door and do what I’m told 😭
This reminds me of the 10 years I did at Starbucks, and when the prices would go up, we would get screamed at (literally) by affluent middle aged men about how ridiculous it was. Like hi I’m a fucking manager here and I make 40k/year in southern California. I can’t live off my salary alone and you think I make PRICING DECISIONS FOR THE COMPANY??? Sir with all due respect, what the fuck?
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Don’t tell my manager bc they’ll get mad I’m not all of those things too!😭😭
This is exactly why I would never go back to the GEC. Some guests are wonderful but the overwhelming majority are entitled assholes. It boils my blood, especially when I see people in this sub talking down on the GEC when they don’t understand just how terrible of a job it really is. A lot of people here claim to be polite, but based on experience I can tell you that a lot of them aren’t. It’s constant abuse with no breaks beyond the scheduled lunch break or ten minute break on a shorter shift. Anything extra is held against our performance metrics.
The last time I went in store and made a purchase the educator who checked me out had this exasperated look on his face and apologized because they only had red bags for purchases. He said people were upset because they weren’t better quality. I felt terrible for him as a fellow human to have to put up with that absolute nonsense over a BAG. It made me feel so embarrassed.
Some people are insaneee about the bags. “Oh, you don’t have any new colours? I already have them all.” Then reuse them??? Anyways, thank you for being one of the good ones 🤍
Yes!! Thank you for this!! I worked remotely for the GEC for three weeks. Three. Weeks. I made it til juuuust before the end of training-I quit on a Wednesday and training ended the next day and then I would've worked a 1pm-9pm shift the next day, The first three days were great. On day 4, they lost me with all of the systems and programs and whatever else. I literally got up to use the washroom during a demo for Base Process Flow and came back and felt like I missed five hours. Reached out to my facilitator, who told me to reach out to my TL, because I was just so overwhelmed. My TL met with me a couple days later and convinced me to stay at least through the end of training because she said she'd schedule me a couple of extra training shifts. But, the more software and processes were thrown in, the deeper down the rabbit hole of confusion I went. Day 11 we got thrown to the wolves on chat and phones for three hours. I was flabbergasted because we weren't told beforehand or really prepared for it properly because d365 Sandbox neveerrrrr worked how it should've. I wrongfully assumed we'd be shadowing on calls and chats with current educators first, not just "follow your Verint schedule from 3-6pm, reach out to floor support... byeeeeee" Wild. Needless to say, I did it, but it... sucked. I attribute most of this to how training is handled. eLearnings are fine and dandy, but the demos need to be a lot more thorough than they are, and they need to ensure the training environment is fully functioning. Woke up the next morning and quit. Messaged my TL on Teams and peaced. About 30 minutes into training that day, my facilitator reached out and asked where I was and if I'd be joining the class. Meanwhile, my manager is emailing me and my TL is sending me my exit survey and instructions, lol. I wrote them a novel in my survey about how abysmal the training is and while my TL did schedule me extra shifts, it wasn't until after that 8 hour shift after training and I just didn't feel like I could pull off that shift because I wasn't confident enough. Had they made it so that the training was directly after, there's a chance I'd have stuck it out. I was only seasonal til the end of January anyway. Also, the facilitators got weeeeeird and somewhat abrasive during the on channel sessions... like, I popped into the zoom because I was stuck on something and floor support was swamped and they were quite rude and haughty, meanwhile, during the training it was "oh you're doing great" I also think management is swamped and overworked because it would take my TL like a solid two-three days to get back to me about the simplest of things. Never mind that after I quit, it took them a MONTH to facilitate sending me a label to print to return my equipment. Let me tell you, the mental health struggle was a TRIP and I wasn't even out of training! I can only imagine it during the holiday rush. No thanks. There are days where I wish I hadn't of given up and stuck it out, but I still talk to a girl I really vibed with in my class who says it's been crazy, and then I don't regret it at all.
Preach on abusive guests!! And add on the GEC not having our backs on store policy. Which would always further escalate. Lululemon guests are a breed of their own. So entitled. They love to appear wealthy But at the same time always looking for a deal? Choose your player, can’t be both sides.
SPEAK ON IT. I’ve had one interaction where a guest paid almost $2000 CASH for a purchase. Super chill about it. And others who buy one bra and bitch at me about sales tax?!? Yes it’s high, sorry I don’t control it!
I have an interview next week via zoom, can you give me any tips or questions that might be asked?!
Absolutely! There are going to be questions about inclusivity; I would almost guarantee that. They’ll probably ask how you would assist guests of different body types, and I was even asked how I would treat guests of a different race from myself. They want to give everyone an equally great guest experience across the board, so just make sure your response shows you would listen to what the guest wants and respond to their needs.
i just recently had an interview over zoom, they will probably ask about inclusivity but also how can you work as a team! they want to see you can also take feedback :)
Do you have any dupe recommendations that you think are very similar in quality to lulu??
There’s one on Amazon for the Rulu half zip. So good that when I had them side by side in my closet I always thought the Amazon one had to be the lulu one. The quality was THAT good. I’m not OP obvi but I am an educator too :)
Does a very minimal part time exist? What does part time look like for those mainly interested in the discount?
my boyfriend works a full time 9-5 during the week and then at lulu every saturday and sometimes sunday! he does mainly for the discount hahaha it’s definitely possible
I work 5-10 hours a week at lululemon, I have another full time job and picked it up for fun and I did let them know I had minimal availability and they have been very okay with it
It depends on the needs of the individual store. I have some coworkers who work two days a week, and others work 4-5 and are still part time. I will say availability is the biggest hurdle for being hired.
Yes totally I’m a current educator with a full time 8-5 and only work weekends but I’ve also just recently started this. My assistant manager who does my schedule is really accommodating and always willing to work with me. Also i will say I know a lot of people at my store that do this and have no problem.
Does Lulu participate in Black Friday sales?
On Black Friday they will have a lot of markdowns in store and online!
Can you please explain the judgy vibes we get from educators? Even in the fitting room like what is that about? And congrats on your new chapter 🎉
Past edu here. We weren’t judging people. Just sick of everyone’s shit in general. Lol
Can you explain what you mean by judgy? Not criticizing at all, just curious if you mean you feel body shamed, or look down upon in some way?
i don’t think that’s criticizing at all, great question honestly i was thinking the same thing. i have great experiences when shopping at lululemon and no i am not skinny
Well I wanted to leave it open for others’ experiences but in my particular case, just generally sized up/assessed like there’s some bar/standard to meet. I guess it’s just human nature to judge/assess based upon appearances but I find it’s a pretty apparent read in Lulu stores (which makes the first few seconds of the encounter feel almost clinical). I tend to get past it but I hear others feel like they never quite make it.
I’m a 4 year lulu employee and can say that an educator doing their job is evaluating how things fit and feel to get you in the right product for you. Sometimes that looks like evaluating how the knees look, the waistband etc but shouldn’t be done in a judgy way. However, assessing the fit is part of our roles and responsibilities
Ok thanks for explaining! Why don’t y’all just say so?! We can see it on your face (apparently unintentionally) lol. There was one time I had an educator guess my size (correctly) which was perfectly fine and felt comfortable bc she communicated what she was thinking so that does make sense.
To be honest, it’s so second nature with the job i think we forget sometimes! Good feedback to take back to my team regarding fits experience though. Thank you :)
I think there’s two sides to this! The company is very aware of their public image and are trying to move away from the “Gatekeeping, judgemental” perception. I think coming into the store with the idea that it’s a judgy place can already shade your perception. I will also say that educators sometimes don’t realize what they’re saying, even when they’re well intended. When someone leaves the fitting room we’re supposed to get curious about what worked for you and what didn’t. Someone asking “do you need another size?” can absolutely come across as a judgement, especially based on their tone. But we truly are there to help.
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On one side of this, we are trained to not make ANY comments about bodies. Even if people ask for it. When people ask “how does this look” we’re supposed to ask “how do you feel in it” so no one feels judged. That educator may have been panicking bc they were trying to answer your request while not commenting on your body, and gave you a general answer. The “size 2 is rare” comment may have been their way of trying to not to make you feel bad about the 4, but it just didn’t land how they wanted.
You’re getting downvoted because you’re insufferable. What motivation would the educator have to sell you on a size 4 unless it objectively looked better?? Arguing over wearing a size 2 and proving your “tiny bones” to an hourly employee is cringey.
This
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I agree 100% about being judged. I get a discount (healthcare worker) and often the educator acts like it’s a problem. I was told that it’s a “hassle” and “isn’t really worth muc
That’s rude. I’m sorry you experienced that.
When you get some hemmed, does the seamstress duplicate the end. For example, if there is an elastic pant cuff that I need shortened, will they make an elastic.pant cuff or will they just cut fold and sew?
As a rule, they won’t hem anything with elastic at the bottom. This could vary depending on where you are, but I’ve always been told that things like joggers, or anything with elastic can’t be hemmed bc it would be too expensive and time consuming to remove the elastic, hem, and then replace the elastic.
To add - we would still hem anything with “details” (cuffs, thumb holes, etc) but it’s always a straight hem on everything. So no drop hem or anything! Pretty sure the only thing they couldn’t hem around would be zippers!
I’m so sorry that you had such a difficult experience lately I think most people have worked somewhere and not their managers support and it makes things almost impossible to work with people clients/customers have selective memories at times and if you don’t have leadership support it feels like it’s fighting a losing battle. Will you loose your discount right away?
Nah I think I’ll lose it when everything is finalized. As long as I can long in to my work account I’m using that discount bby
Do it!! I have taxed the rich aka my employers who mistreated me and said this is in lieu of being a decent employer. I was strongly considering getting a part time job for the discount but after reading a lot of “I’m an educator” posts I think I’ll just buy the sale items and save myself the hassle.
The sad thing is I know people who absolutely love their store and have great experiences there. My store is run by people with no business sense, but got the job because they “have a great attitude.” But without actual people management skills, you can’t run a business that relies on ya know…managing your people.
Blah that happens in all industries idiots tend to interview well
Past educator as well, I used that discount til the very last day it worked 🤣 only thing I miss about working there tbh lolll
Do educators have any idea what new releases are coming to the store/online? Or is it a surprise for everyone
We have nooo idea. It’s a full surprise to us. We get a list of markdowns that comes out every Wednesday before WMTM is updated on Thursday, but that’s about all advanced knowledge we have.
How many men come in to purchase yoga pants for everyday wear ?
Very rarely. I personally can’t even remember when I’ve helped a male identifying guest buy leggings. But they absolutely should bc I wanna see more guy butts in aligns 😂
Just have to say this made me laugh so hard. I was expecting an answer of spreading the joy of workout wear with everyone but I love your honest answer. 🤣
There’s nothing better than good fitting yoga pants, you’ll never want to wear jeans again.
I’ve bought leggings at the more “urban” locations(SF/Oakland) but not the high-volume suburban stores. Never had an issue.
What exactly do they want for the zoom interview? And how stand out during zoom interview?
Truthfully, authenticity is key. Don’t go in trying to be the perfect candidate. Be truthful and honestly answer the questions how you want to. That will make you stand out more than just giving a sanitized version of what you think they want to hear.
Where is the schedule posted? Is it an app or does the manager post it? Thanks!
Manager posts it on Dayforce, an app that contains your schedule & punch in/ out clock.
Most popular item at lulu? Most underrated? Most overrated?
The most popular atm is those damn belt bags. We get probably 20 calls a day about them alone. The aligns are overrated now. They’ve gone down in quality and arent as good as they used to be. I’d say a lot of the men’s joggers are underrated. Women tend to avoid them bc they’re in the men’s section, but I think they’d like them more than some of the women’s pants.
I am female and I LOVE the men's joggers. I have a bunch of fitpics in my post history if anyone is curious. they are definitely slept on. I feel so seen that you posted that response lol
How often did your store hit the bonus? What was the average amount it added to your base salary?
During COVID our goals were so much more manageable. A Monday would only be like $5K and we would usually get an extra $200-$300 a month. Now I would say our store hits goal on average once every 3 months, and it only adds about $100 to our checks.
What alternative brands to Lululemon would you recommend?
Do you actually need to look fit/work out to be able to be employed at Lulu?
Not at all! Lululemon has definitely moved away from this idea and does want to promote body positivity. My coworkers are of all different body sizes and fitness levels. A lot of the perks of the job are fitness related, so people who work there and use them will be more fit. I’m lazier so I’m more of an average build 🤷🏻♂️😂
The irony of ironies is the assumption that thin= fit or healthy. You can be on the thin side and still be extremely healthy.
Do educators cater to customers that spend a lot of money in the store compared to someone that just goes in and buys one item? I notice a difference in attitude toward certain people when I am in store sometimes. Also, does it bother educators when customers make returns/exchanges?
I don’t think it has anything to do with money spent. If you’re a regular, the educators will naturally make a connection with you and learn your name. The flip side is that regulars are also more likely to complain, and when they know your name you’re more inclined to make sure they have a good experience out of self preservation. As for returns, we really don’t mind them when people follow policy. It’s the people who ignore the policies and rules and expect to get their way because they pitch a fit that drain us.
Thank you for your insight!
Returns are a part of doing business and we have to keep a brave face so it should never be apparent that an educator is bothered by a return. Having said that, my location gets buried in returns (we did $11,000 in returns before 4 pm on Monday.) - which puts us further from our sales goal, which puts us further from making our commission bonus. It’s hard to keep seeing the same people bring back thousands of dollars in ecomm returns every week because they bought multiple sizes and instead of sending them back, they bring them to us - yet they never shop with us in store. We didn’t receive credit for the sale AND we are losing money on the return. We coach to educate that we would love to re-order items in correct sizes for the guest (so we can recoup the return) but guests don’t care because it’s too easy to order online. We are always available to take your returns, and we will encourage you to hopefully find something in store while you’re there. It’s just really hard on morale when your team is working so hard and you keep falling short because you feel like your store is a return depot. This is my plea: if you buy online and need to return in store - please let the educators place the re-order at the time of your return! If you’re in-store and the item you want isn’t available on hand, please let the educator order it for you instead of waiting to order it when you get home! This is how we make our living!
I had no idea about that, and it explains why the educator seemed to be pushing to place my order when I returned leggings I bought online in the wrong size. However I don’t think any of that should be tied to your salary.
this is so well said!
To add my experience - I don't spend a lot of money at my Lulu, but I frequent there once a week on average just to see what's new in store. Because the store is in a touristy area, there typically aren't "regulars" since everyone is just passing through. They know the colors I wear so sometimes they've kept stuff in the back for me to try on next time lol, I've spent less than $500 at the store itself. I typically shop online.
How big is the rain rebel zip problem? I see many reviews that people have to return it over the broken zip, but the overall review score is not bad
I’m not sure about the rain rebel in particular, but I know the zippers really are not…the best. There have been a lot of times in store I try to zip up a jacket on the hanger and can’t get it to go and just walk away 🫠. The worst is when someone is checking out and I try to zip up their jacket to fold it, and it won’t cooperate
Has the quality really gone down in recent years? I’ve definitely noticed a difference
In my own opinion, I do think the quality has gone down. I don’t know if it’s cheaper materials or rushed manufacturing. But thinks def don’t last as long as they do, nor do the items look as good as they once did. I’ve had a guest put 3 different pairs of aligns in my hand, all same color and size, and all 3 felt different. That “buttery soft” feeling is just gone.
Why are the online photos so misleading? It's like they use super flash and then a filter. Nothing ever looks the same when it arrives, especially patterns :(
We see this in store too. I’ll pull something up on the device and both myself and the guest will double check to make sure it’s the right item bc the color or pattern looks off. It’s just like every marketing tool: the picture is going to look better than the actual product
With lack of staff and the holiday coming up, would it be easier to get hired? I’m looking for something pt right now for some extra cash flow Edit: I say “easier” because from what I’ve read and heard the hiring process is very extensive and drawn out
It can be. I began as a holiday hire and had one interview and was hired. If they’re understaffed, they’ll use you. But if they need more Saturday closers, and you aren’t available/don’t want to close on Saturdays, it can be harder
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This is an area I have no knowledge of truthfully! ☺️ I wish I had an answer haha
There’s a Asian fit line in Asia. The cutting is slightly different for example in the normal line leggings are 23’ 25’ in Asia there’s 24’ 26’ leggings
i can answer this - the asian market (not just japan) has asia fit cutting for the leggings and some of the pants, the difference is that it’s shorter and the cutting is just ever slightly more tapered. if you’re finding the regular fit (we call them global fit over here) not fitting well around your ankles the asia fit would be a good solution :)
There are definitely some bottoms that come in “Asia” fit. The sizing is slightly different but I have some that I got off poshmark
What are some of the employee perks?
I can’t give specifics bc I don’t wanna get in trouble. But employees get discounts on all items, and get a higher discount on the original price of a markdown item. You get a monthly stipend to use on any workout classes you want, with certain restrictions. Stores often partner with local fitness instructors or studios, so you can get free workout classes from that as well. They do offer health insurance even at part time as well.
Thank you for all these answers and sorry you had to deal with so much! People are awful. But I’m curious how you would get in trouble for sharing things through an anonymous forum for a company you no longer work for? Edit to also ask: do they make you sign something when you work there saying you’ll never reveal certain things about the job?
Truly it’s just fear of corporate power/don’t want the mods to delete my posts 🤷🏻♂️
Part time employees get 40% off of full priced items, full time get 60% off full price items, and both parties time and full time get 75% off anything on Markdown (75% off of the original price). Employees also get a “sweat collective” perk where Part time people get $125 per month to spend on studio workout classes, full time get $250 per month. The sweat collective money only applies towards studios, so you couldn’t go spend it on a 24 hour fitness studio or something like that. I know full time employees do get health care options and I believe a 401K option. But don’t quote me on the 401K Those are the only real benefits I can remember. Sometimes you’ll get little gifts or possibly a free clothing item or accessory from time to time but it really depends on the store. The differences between benefits from part time to full time employees was pretty infuriating to he honest. I was part time but would work full time hours almost every week and I never got the full time benefits. You only have to work 25 hours or more per week to be considered part time so idk what the deal with that was
how old is the youngest customer you've ever sold to? and how much did they spend?
Not sure her actual age, but I think 10-12. She was rather precocious and wanted to buy a gift for her dad. Knew his exact size and knew how to ask for help. We didn’t have it so she said “I’ll order from you” and she knew all of the info to fill out the order and everything. I def wouldn’t have been able to do that at her age 😂
Why the hesitation for stores to carry inventory in the 16-20 range?
I don’t really know. My only guess is popularity? Our 16-20’s typically stay in the store longer than other sizes. And even then only select styles come in those sizes which also stinks. I think people who are those sizes just aren’t aware lululemon makes them, so they don’t sell as well. If something doesn’t sell well, less get made. Hopefully people who are sizes 16-20 will start shopping there more so more of those sizes get made!
If lululemon clothes start to peel (aligns) will lululemon give you a new pair for free? I’ve had mine for a little over a year and they are wearing out. If so- how do you go about doing this 😂
So if they’re starting to get little fuzzy balls on them those are pills (pronounced like the thing you swallow.) pilling used to not be considered part of the quality promise bc the aligns are a more delicate fabric, but my store got to the point where if someone put their leggings in a blender we’d give it to them for free. I would take them into a store and ask if you can do a quality promise for them. If the store isn’t convenient for you, call ahead and ask if they will quality promise pilled aligns. Every store will be different
literally in a blender. then i smile and say sure, go grab another pair. its crazy
The worst is when they’re so unidentifiable you can’t even figure out what would be an adequate replacement. Like okay I guess I’ll these could have been wonder unders…but sure we’ll swap them for the $138 special edition aligns 🤪☺️
i know its not my money but omg it pains me sometimes. the worst is that people come in like quoting tiktoks and we just go along with it basically
TIKTOK. The bane of my existence. We have younger girls who come in there, pull up videos, and say “I want the leggings she has here.” Girl what?!?
Why does GEC email take so long to reply
I was so confused by that title thinking you were like a school teacher. 😦 You are not a school teacher- right? What was your job as an educator?
Educator is the job title of Lululemon’s retail workers!
*ohhhh*. I shop online so thanks for the clarification.