store manager

retail sales associate

regional manager

merchandiser

junior planner

lovisa

I began as a Christmas Casual and was offered a Part-time role which was fine until I was being rostered on for nearly 30-40 hours per week. That would have been fine if I was being paid overtime but I wasn't. On one occasion when I worked late into the night, they paid me by morning rates. This is demonstrative of how Lovisa wants to pay you as little as possible but they still want you to do the maximum amount of work.

When rostered to close, you are expected to leave the store looking perfect in less than fifteen minutes. Let me tell you what people are expected to do in those fifteen minutes: count the tills and do cash-up, complete figures, MOC up the entire store (MOC is another word for making sure everything looks clean and shoppable), sweep and mop the floor, clean cupboards and piercing instruments and then take a video showcasing all the jewellery every single night. All that in less than fifteen minutes. Let me tell you: if you think this is achievable, it isn't. Most stylists end up staying a long time even after close. 

This is inclusive of piercing stores as well.  Working at a piercing store can be a bit hellish. You are expected to still pierce last-minute customers, yes even the ones who turn up a minute before close and it takes time to complete a consent form and process their payment. You are not given any extra time to close the store. What most stylists end up eventually doing is punching out of work at the time they were told to finish and keep working. 

Another thing about being at a piercing store is that there are never enough people rostered on. They're always critically understaffed. The worst moments are when you are left alone on break. If you're guessing where this is going, yes, you are STILL expected to pierce even by yourself. If you choose not to, management will rain down fire. 

The customers are terrible. Of all the retail shops I have worked in, Lovisa by far has some of the worst people I have ever seen. Yes, they are paying customers and we're retail workers and we're always expected to put on a big smile and help out as much as possible. But some customers are so entitled that they make the average Karen look like your friendly neighbourhood grandma that likes to bake home-made treats for all the kids and adults. Examples of this include customers wanting to return used earrings/hair pieces or customers acting ridiculously over-the-top. It is just jewellery - it is not a life-or-death issue and getting angry at retail workers for enforcing store policy is borderline nasty. It speaks of low empathy and distate. We are already being disrespected by our management, we do not need to be disrespected by strangers who threw tantrums over not being able to return used masks from more than a month ago (legitimate example.)

Speaking of being disrespected by management, Lovisa's management - starting from the regionals - is one of the most toxic workplaces I've been in. I was lucky to have good store managers that I liked I have a theory that the more you are promoted, the more humanity you lose in the role and it all starts with the regionals. They exploit workers as much as they can and they get frustrated when people don't consider Lovisa their first priority in life. 

The regionals are constantly pressuring workers to sell Add-Ons and Piercings because it benefits them in a competition. This results in stressed stylists. They prioritise the numbers over the mental health of retail workers. Off the top of my head, I can think of four people who have cried because of the amount of pressure put upon them.

Rosters are constantly changed. They are always releasing "updated rosters" or "finalised rosters" or "new rosters"during the week you're working itself. I remember there was a period in March where every single shift that I had for two months was changed. Sometimes, they change it the day before or even when you're on the shift itself. 

I'll circle back to add-ons and piercings one last time. When I tell you that the pressure is immense, I mean it. We are coached to hustle add-ons and piercings to EVERY single customer and re-approach them at the counter. There was this one instance where we were advised that high school girls were some of the best people to influence into getting a piercing. It made me feel so gross, it felt like taking advantage and when I mentioned it, I was ignored and told to do it anyway by the regional manager.

The training process is non-existent. You are thrown into the deep end immediately without any support whatsoever. I remember when I was trained to do piercings, I was expected to resume piercing immediately afterwards on the same shift. 

To summarise: there is nothing good about Lovisa. The only good thing that came out of it were the friendships I forged with other stylists. The girls are what made working there tolerable and I definitely would not have lasted as long without them. 
The payment is dismal - they pay below minimum wage. The experience I received wasn't worth the years I put in - all I know now is how to use a piercing gun (we're told not to say it like that though and we're specifiically coached on calling what we use to pierce anything BUT a piercing gun. Which it technically is) and how to console customers for having bought jewellery that will only last them a week or so or turned their skin green. 

My last day working in Lovisa was before the pandemic hit Melbourne but I heard from friends that the workplace culture became even more toxic unfortunately. I will not recommend this job to anyone. It is not difficult to get a job here, all you have to say is that you have full-time availibility and then, bam, you're hired. But trust me, it is not worth it.

16-year-old employees are expected to fulfil all duties that are completed by employees aged 21 and over. I was hired as a 'Christmas Casual' but when I checked the contract I was positioned as a 'Part-time Fixed-term' employee. To my understanding, a Christmas Casual is a CASUAL employee but I had already figured that they were trying to get the cheapest labour possible, knowing that part-time rates are much lower than casual rates. This is something that Lovisa should be ashamed about - for the amount of pressure they put on young girls. For a five hour shift, employees are only entitled to a TEN MINUTE BREAK (add teleporting as a role in the job description). Every time I was paid, my hourly rate became lower. All these promises about "hour and a half" on a Sunday make things seem pretty but are not real.

On the group chat for my store, the manager and employees can be seen talking negatively about the regional manager - an indication of extremely poor management. In fact, everyone seemed to be blaming each other. When the regional manager complained, the store manager blamed employees and the employees would blame each other. I got caught up in this because I was new and vulnerable. I got set up by another employee claiming that I refused to complete a task because it "wasn't my responsibility". I don't know what CCTV footage the regional manager was shown but things did not add up. I completed that specific task entirely as I was instructed and never through my whole time working at Lovisa refused to follow instructions. This blame game can't go on forever. I'm sure everyone that has worked at Lovisa can agree that the management is outrageous.

Just like any hierarchy, the employees at the bottom are the ones who suffer. The employees at my store showed themselves as angels in front of the managers but really did not enjoy working. I had other employees constantly asking me for the time and saying things like "Thank God, I'm out of here in 10 minutes," I'm not the best actor which is why I was so easily set up. The attitude of these employees really does reflect on the behaviour they show behind the scenes. I can hear them talking negatively about CUSTOMERS - the people they should have the most respect for.

This job will be made to appear beautiful and appealing to your eyes but seriously do yourself a favour and do not work here. The pressure they put on you is definitely not worth what you'll be getting paid. I can't imagine letting anyone else go through what I went through - being so proud to represent a store that eventually accused me of something I would never do. I'm not the type of person to write reviews but I took the time to explain this because I won't be able to sleep knowing that other people are walking into this mess. If your workplace is mistreating you, please stand up to it. Management will keep on getting away with what they're doing if you don't interfere.

I still work here, but I'm considering quitting. About to hit my 3 year anniversary at Lovisa as a Part Time Stylist. I've stayed at this job because once you learn everything, it's pretty much just going in circles every shift. The most annoying part about this job is the lack of stability and how there's just way too many layers of management. I worked in a store that at one point just didn't have any store managers at all, yet there were so many higher levels of management telling us off for not completing weekly manager tasks. During this time, our store was so disorganised but higher level regional managers didn't really step up to help us out. I also remember a girl being told off last year during winter for wearing a windbreaker, as it wasn't an approved part of clothing, but it's literally freezing cold so idk if they want us to be sick or something instead. So for me, the fact I have to think about every move and potentially having management calling you outside work hours or work days just to lecture you is really annoying and stressful. 

As for the pay, when I started in my teens, it was real low. As you leave your teens, the rate is better - I'm not sure if I can disclose the rate when your age is 20+ but it's a much less discrepancy to industry averages. Further, you can also potentially be promoted to assistant manager or store manager, but compared to a 20 year old's pay, the rate increase is not worth the additional pressure and stress (the manager rates are flat - regardless of age), so if you're really good and in your teens (somehow available to do full time hours) then this would really help with the pay rate issue. I've heard stories from other team who want to be promoted but got rejected over not wearing an allowed piece of clothing once before, so that's a bit over the top in my opinion to reject someone over something small like that. 

Great intro job if you have no other options, but definitely not a long-term job. I'm definitely at this stage where I'm starting to feel like I'm ageing so much that I don't really belong in the team anymore, even though I'm really not that old. 

the job itself is super fun i really loved it. but the lack of communication, being disregarded when you tell management the shifts you absolutely cannot work then getting rostered on and made to work them anyway, the super low pay rates and the stress put on workers just wasn’t worth the time and energy in the end. i loved the people i worked with and what i got to do in the job, but only getting 3-5 hours a week as an adult won’t even pay for your petrol to get you to and from work. i was constantly having to step up and take lead in times where it was not my job to do so which put an endless amount of stress and pressure on me. i was doing more than what i was getting paid for. i made management well aware of the hours i COULD work as i told them countless times, and yet they would constantly disregard it and put me on the times they knew for a fact i could not work. 
not to mention i had been working there for 11 months, did SO much for them that i shouldn’t have ever even had to do like train people when that’s not my job, cover shifts for everyone constantly, work at 7 in the morning even after i told them i can’t work those shifts, before the store even opens just to get things done and basically had to step up as an assistant manager at times without having that role nor being paid for it, and yet when i resigned it was the poorest and most salty goodbye i’ve ever gotten. 
the hours were not evenly distributed what so ever between team members. some of us would have one 3 hour shift one week and then 20 hours the next. i ended up having to contact regional about getting more hours because i couldn’t pay for petrol or even feed myself with the hours i was getting. they gave me 1 week of 27 hours worth of work, rostering me on at times they knew i couldn’t even work, to then have one 5 hour shift a week after that which in my opinion was just a poor effort.
like i said, the job itself is great i loved doing some of the tasks we had to do and customers were always good, but it wasn’t worth the overloaded stress and time only to be extremely under paid. 

Worked for this company for only 7 months and as soon as I started I wanted to leave. First of all the training wasn’t even there you learn absolutely nothing and I was going into a managing roll in the company so I was taught basically how to be a Christmas casual and then when starting they made me do things on my own I had no idea how to and them got in trouble if I did it wrong.

underpaid and working over hours that you aren’t even getting paid for and with job Keeper putting people on 9 hours and others on 36 hours and still getting paid the same? The dress code is stupid and you can’t express yourself as a stylist yet wanting you to style customers. Management are rude and entitled on a huge ego trip and act super intimidating so when you are actually unwell or going through something your almost to scared to even ask for a day off. Will literally have a go over the store having no customers and asking why you made no money when literally no one came in. 

When resigning from this company my regional manager called me and was questioning why I was leaving and also asking where and got upset I didn’t tell her when for one it’s absolutely none of her business where I go or why I leave and didn’t speak to me for the whole last week and didn’t receive even a thank you for my time as I worked in 4 stores and tried my hardest. When I had my last week they put me on 38 hours and I was drained and called my regional manager and I told her my mental health can’t handle this and I was asked why I hadn’t spoken to anyone about it yet not once ever was made to comfortable to tell my managers about my mental health and was further told by her “we are not mind readers” 

If you are looking for a job do not apply for this company even McDonald’s is a better job then this. If you respect yourself enough you won’t do it.

What is the best part of working at the company?
This was a very toxic workplace. The regional manager clearly played favorites and would completely ignore employees she didn’t like. She had strong “mean girl” energy, openly talked down to people, called employees names, and was a terrible role model. She was extremely strict but offered no real guidance, training, or support for those trying to grow into management roles.

She would only communicate with certain managers, leaving others unsupported and invisible. As for the manager at my location—she was highly judgmental, had a very short fuse, and created an overall negative and stressful environment.

If you care about your mental health or want genuine growth and support in your career, I would strongly recommend not working here.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The most stressful aspect of this role was the unrealistic KPIs. These targets were strictly enforced with no room for discussion, despite being unattainable under normal working conditions. Management failed to acknowledge operational challenges and did not provide adequate support or resources to meet expectations.

This resulted in ongoing stress, burnout, and a work environment focused more on punishment than employee development or success.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
The work culture was extremely toxic. Gossip and talking behind people’s backs were constant, creating an environment of distrust and negativity. There was no sense of teamwork or mutual respect, and it felt like no one genuinely supported or liked one another. The atmosphere was draining and uncomfortable, making it difficult to feel motivated or safe at work.

Working here was definitely a character building moment. The upper management was quite toxic with all the work expectations. It was almost impossible to find a cover, which you were responsible for even if you were really ill. They required a doctors note for even just one day off if you were sick, which is virtually impossible to get a doctors note on the day you are sick. They have these add ons which they call AO’s for short,  the amount of pressure to even sell just one of these was immense. You were judged and spoken down too by management if you didn’t sell any. These add ons apparently measured “customer engagement” in store like I was told many times. You were also hired as a part time employee instead of a casual so you weren’t eligible for casual loading rates. As a part time employee you were contracted a minimum of 6 hours a fortnight, which is good for high school students, except the ones who were in higher grades about to leave school.
The workload was pretty easy but stocktakes were very draining and be expected to work back to get tasks completed or for “set ups” of new stuff  and “pack downs” of old stuff. You did get the correct rates for those setups and packdowns which made having to work past 6pm and early starts at like 7am tolerable.
Also you are forbidden to half-close the doors even 10 minutes before closing time otherwise management will tell you off. They tolerate it if you’re working alone and need to close for a bathroom break.
Also make sure you know the contract for the block out periods because in my time there, they tried starting it earlier than it was stated in the contract.

I have met many great leaders and coworkers at Lovisa, as well as some leaders who are perhaps still figuring out how to best motivate and deal with employees. Working in a flagship store is dynamic and fun, however as an Assistant Manager or Manager the work responsibilities are fairy intense. I have been team member, ASM and SM - the workload increases in intensity fairy dramatically as you get promoted. This job suits those with lots of energy and drive to progress. You can get promoted really easily here to an Assistant Manager or Manager (if you make your want for progression known). 

The values of the company higher-ups is where it goes down for me. The amount of plastic used by the company is truly astounding - each store throws out thousands and thousands of little plastic bags every single week. It's also quite obvious that the company is fully devoted to the bottom line. They jump on 'international women's day' and 'help the environment' trains to appeal to market trends, meanwhile the product is imported from various countries with extremely poor working conditions. Not to mention the jewellery itself if faulty or overstocked gets dumped into landfill.

It's really fun dressing up all the jewellery (50% discount too), and if you put your passion and energy into the work you get really engrossed in it. Most people who work there are young too. So there are good and bad things about the job.

The people working there are lovely, however, the stress and lack of empathy from managers are shocking. The training that is provided to you is not comprehensive, and reliant on online, nonpractical modules - honestly had to pick up the rest myself. They expect you to know everything, and my manager was particularly passive-aggressive despite the BARE MINIMUM amount of training they provided.

Communication is a NIGHTMARE. Between regionals and store managers, everything is muddled up and there is no respect whatsoever. I have never felt so utterly disrespected in my life. Not worth sacrificing your mental health and wellbeing for this job at all, the pay isn't even sufficient for what the job throws at you. Please don't put yourself through this unless desperate- there are plenty of other fine, welcoming retailers out there to work with. 

Another thing that I and a lot of the girls disliked was the heavy reliance on Add Ons as a measure of performance - being expected and basically forced to pressure customers to purchase items they clearly don't want - it's uncomfortable for both the employees and the customers. Totally understand that KPI targets need to be met, but it's honestly insane the pressure and expectation.


Lovisa had hired me on my 16th birthday and it was my first job. They explained the requirements of what we needed to do (Restock, greet customers, P.O.S) and it seemed chill and exciting.

Management does not care about their workers. I was expected to close/open ALONE as a minor with autism in a busy shopping centre after 3 shifts. You have to do banking at closing and it's a lot to remember, and you're expected to remember all the closing requirements after being taught it once. You also are expected to keep store doors open until it's closing time on the dot, but you aren't allowed to tell customers that you're closing. You get paid 15 minutes after closing and no more, yet it usually takes a lot longer since you are expected to do so much.

They also underpay. Before July 1st, I would get $12.50 an hour, and they only increased the pay by $0.40.  The uniform is extremely strict, and I was often pressured to buy more clothes because they weren't "appropriate work attire" (it was often white sneakers that I got in trouble for wearing, and I was forced to wear heels). 

I was also put on a 9 hour shift on a busy day all alone and didn't get to have a break for 7 hours. Being in a small store with a whole bunch of customers, 60+ bright lights which also made the store hot, uncomfortable shoes and having to stand.

There's so much more I could say about this job and especially their management. I would not recommend this job to anyone, ESPECIALLY teenagers.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Store manager 4 salaries reported	$26.25 per hour
Retail sales associate 3 salaries reported	$26.00 per hour
Regional manager 3 salaries reported	$66,667 per year
Merchandiser 3 salaries reported	$58,333 per year
Junior planner 2 salaries reported	$75,000 per year

Working at lovisa: Company Overview and Reviews

lovisa

lovisa Ratings

Popular jobs at lovisa

Salary Satisfaction

Job Seeker Tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected