![]() The reason I immediately mention compensation is that this is what has destroyed Guitar Center not only as an employer but as a consumer music equipment retailer. It is my understanding that the compensation was outstanding a decade ago, but I was a bit later to the party. There were really three incarnations of Guitar Center employment conditions, I arrived during the second edition, which was tolerable, stayed there for major compensation restructuring, which was barely livable for a tenured employee and impossible for the rookie. The in-store computer system utilizes what is called "Green Screen," and if you're familiar with antiquated, 1990-esque functionality (having to press a chain of commands like F9 to do this, F3 to do that…etc) then y. If you were there longer, sold more, etc-your tier would be higher, like 2.5% for example. I was on a really low "tier." Something like 0.05% commission. Does not matter whatsoever if you have a banging day on the floor and sell $1000 or more. Less hours keeps your pay scale down in respects to commission. The store hired yet more employees (some days we were overstaffed, and volunteered to clock out for the day-if not asked to). ![]() ![]() ![]() I got a raise, but this was countered with a decrease in hours each week. I was just getting used to the the "fading" scale, then the new pay structure was put into effect. Afterwards the commission would be carved up and equally distributed between the ones that swept it away from you. A sale is a sale, and regardless if it's theirs or not, yours could very well be theirs for the taking. However, I quickly the hard way that being nice turns you into a chump, and chumps get walked on really quick. I totally believed in the "look after one another" philosophy when I came aboard…learned through trial and error not to step on any of the other associate's leads or longterm business prospects. You have to really love working in retail, and competing with a lifer there who gets about 95% of the business in one department alone. associates receive barely any training f. We have roughly a staff of 30, and from the day I started the only person thats remained is now the store manager. Combined with the fact that most of the time its difficult to sell that high unless we're in holiday season and you get measly paychecks that anyone in a sales position would consider a joke For example, I can sell 30k worth a month but I'd only see about $500 to $600 extra commission on my paychecks and thats actually being generous. The percentages are so tiny for the amount you are expected to sell in order to make a livable wage. ![]() When you are trying to sell you often have to compete with other associates, that makes it a hostile sort of shark environment as well as pretty uncomfortable for the customer, more than once have I seen disputes among staff members over who gets a commission In order to increase your commission bracket you have to sell more per hour to hit a certain number of sales per hour, which is all good and fun but have a slow work day where not too many customers came into the store and your percentage immediately shrinks and you make less commission, which is generally most of the year except holiday season. Commission rate/percentage is simply too low. I once loved this place, but honestly this company has been running itself into the ground for the last few years for a variety of reasons: ![]()
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