lawlis1 i have a question about BB employee discounts. My friend just started wokring on the sales floor and getting his discounts soon. Is there a certain ammount he can get per month? or certain items he can get without it raising too much suspicsion that hes getting stuff for his family and friends. Because we are planning on gettings, tv's, cameras, dvds and all that but not sure to spread it out in weeks or months or if it would be okay to do it all in one day. i just dont want to get my friend in trouble but i want to take advantage that he can get stuff at cost

CHAOSMAN said:lawlis1 i have a question about BB employee discounts. My friend just started wokring on the sales floor and getting his discounts soon. Is there a certain ammount he can get per month? or certain items he can get without it raising too much suspicsion that hes getting stuff for his family and friends. Because we are planning on gettings, tv's, cameras, dvds and all that but not sure to spread it out in weeks or months or if it would be okay to do it all in one day. i just dont want to get my friend in trouble but i want to take advantage that he can get stuff at cost

Be very careful with this one - they take employee discount abuse VERY SERIOUSLY. I had to fire several valued emplyees for this one.
Policy states that immediate (father, mother, sister, brother ONLY) family can use the discount. You really have to use your judgement on this one - it has to be reasonable usage for the people intended. I cannot really give you a guideline but spreading it out would likely be the safest and multiple purchase of the same time of item would likely make him jobless. Just use your head.
Also, consider this - DVD's have no mark-up if bought as a new release and are typically loss-leaders sold below cost. Skip the discount for these. Employee cost is also uselss on most computer products as employee price is 5% over cost and most computers have less mark-up then 5%. The number they use as cost to figure discount is 'weighted' as well; it is not a true reflection of what they pay for the item. Even using the discount it is possible to shop the price and match or beat it. I have sold TV's to present BB employees at a lower price then their discount - I can do this because I work with a true cost number to start with.

This help?

L.

lawlis1 said:Oh sorry - I missed one other question. There is no set limit to how much he can by per month, etc.

I just thought of one other thing; for the truly great deals tell him to go on the computer at work, go into employee toolkit and look in an area called vendor accomodations. This is where employees can order select items direct from the vendor at HUGE savings below even true cost. They do limit how many and that varies by vendor but some of the prices are incredible. They do this so you'll know, love and sell more of their product.

L.Circuit City has the same thing.

Thank you OP, and welcome to fw family

lawlis1 said:CHAOSMAN said:lawlis1 i have a question about BB employee discounts. My friend just started wokring on the sales floor and getting his discounts soon. Is there a certain ammount he can get per month? or certain items he can get without it raising too much suspicsion that hes getting stuff for his family and friends. Because we are planning on gettings, tv's, cameras, dvds and all that but not sure to spread it out in weeks or months or if it would be okay to do it all in one day. i just dont want to get my friend in trouble but i want to take advantage that he can get stuff at cost

Be very careful with this one - they take employee discount abuse VERY SERIOUSLY. I had to fire several valued emplyees for this one.
Policy states that immediate (father, mother, sister, brother ONLY) family can use the discount. You really have to use your judgement on this one - it has to be reasonable usage for the people intended. I cannot really give you a guideline but spreading it out would likely be the safest and multiple purchase of the same time of item would likely make him jobless. Just use your head.
Also, consider this - DVD's have no mark-up if bought as a new release and are typically loss-leaders sold below cost. Skip the discount for these. Employee cost is also uselss on most computer products as employee price is 5% over cost and most computers have less mark-up then 5%. The number they use as cost to figure discount is 'weighted' as well; it is not a true reflection of what they pay for the item. Even using the discount it is possible to shop the price and match or beat it. I have sold TV's to present BB employees at a lower price then their discount - I can do this because I work with a true cost number to start with.

This help?

L.

thank very much for this info L i will take it into consideration. you are an asset to fw.

Nick

thank very much for this info L i will take it into consideration. you are an asset to fw.

Nick


Thank you very much Nick... good god, I have crossed to the dark side

Now so everyone knows as I previously stated I work for a Video Specialty company. We sell most brands that BB and CC do. I am not out to ruin retail, just to help buyers get a better deal at places which do nothing to earn your business.
I will sell a TV at 10% over cost to earn a customers business but feel that to be a fair profit as I have and utilize the kknowledge to help you make the best decisions. It's not uncommon that I sell a customer a less expensive set then they came in for based on their needs. As you can imagine my referral business is very good

L.

Interesting, I've worked for best buy (427 - frederick) for about 2 years now, and never seen this. Our store has a strict stance on no haggling, and I've never seen that fly. Maybe if you're dealing with a manager directly, but if you're dealing with a regular prod we wouldn't want to risk getting in trouble, we'd rather have the sale walk. We're non commissioned, we don't get bonuses if the numbers are great or worse, so "**** it".

orion2087 said:Interesting, I've worked for best buy (427 - frederick) for about 2 years now, and never seen this. Our store has a strict stance on no haggling, and I've never seen that fly. Maybe if you're dealing with a manager directly, but if you're dealing with a regular prod we wouldn't want to risk getting in trouble, we'd rather have the sale walk. We're non commissioned, we don't get bonuses if the numbers are great or worse, so "**** it".

I was told by a former BB employee that everyone is non-commissioned except for the home entertainment department. Maybe this is how they were able to get the discount on the TV.

orion2087 said:Interesting, I've worked for best buy (427 - frederick) for about 2 years now, and never seen this. Our store has a strict stance on no haggling, and I've never seen that fly. Maybe if you're dealing with a manager directly, but if you're dealing with a regular prod we wouldn't want to risk getting in trouble, we'd rather have the sale walk. We're non commissioned, we don't get bonuses if the numbers are great or worse, so "**** it".

I suppose it's possible that some stores 100% dont haggle, but more likely is you're just not seeing it.
When a manager signs off a CPO (the form used to write up the discount) for the reason he's not gonna put 'bundling so I look good'. You'll see a reason more like price match a competitor, etc.

This does, however, raise a good point I just thought of - which managers will most likely discount a sale. In my experience GM's, Customer Service and Product Process managers will not while the Sales Manager, Home Theater Area Manager or PC Area Manager will. Customers should look at their name tags to see their chances of getting a deal.

You're right; the managers do not bonus from warranties and accessories. They bonus 50% from volume and 50% from margin goals. Selling accessories and warranties create both but discounting to get it doesn't. It takes place because if the Sales, HT or PC managers don't hit their goals eventually they won't get any form of paycheck, much less a bonus.

L.

snake253 said:orion2087 said:Interesting, I've worked for best buy (427 - frederick) for about 2 years now, and never seen this. Our store has a strict stance on no haggling, and I've never seen that fly. Maybe if you're dealing with a manager directly, but if you're dealing with a regular prod we wouldn't want to risk getting in trouble, we'd rather have the sale walk. We're non commissioned, we don't get bonuses if the numbers are great or worse, so "**** it".

I was told by a former BB employee that everyone is non-commissioned except for the home entertainment department. Maybe this is how they were able to get the discount on the TV.

No one is on commision in the store. They dropped it entirely in 1989. That is sad because managers can make a bonus but the guy serving you has no incentive beyond being allowed to keep his job. Some of the vendors even pay spiffs intended for the salesman. My guess is someone sitting at a desk in corporate is keeping those.
So you know Circuit City isn't commision either. They dropped it in 2003 by firing their top 4000 salespeople and converting the lower earners to hourly.

L.