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Buying your own product in order to meet a sales quota...

A

Aquavelvaman

Banned
I was talking to one of my friends today. She works as a salesperson at a small clothing store. Apparently they had a bad couple of months and her boss said that if they don't sell X amount, she will be terminated mid-July.

So she's basically going to buy a bunch of clothes from herself in order to stay employed. The amount is equivalent to about 3 weeks of her pay.

The idea of giving money back to an employer shocks me and fills me with a kind of anger and dread that I can't really describe, but according to my friend it's pretty common for salespeople. I'm fortunate to have never been in this kind of position, but I can't imagine actually doing such a thing.

What do you think, NeoGAF? Would you ever do that? Have you ever heard of such a thing?
 
T

TurnipFritters

Member
I've had a lot of friends who worked retail tell me they've had to buy accessories themselves to make their quotas and stay employed. America is a magical place.
 
A

always crazy bacon

Banned
I've known people that have done it at a wholesale level to reach sales targets and a bonus and then returned the stock later. Doing it for a retail job would be more risk and effort than it's worth.
 
C

ClosingADoor

Member
I could understand if you are close to a target for a bonus and buy a few products yourself to get more money. But if sales are so bad you need to buy them to keep your job... then you will just enter a cycle where you are paying yourself to stay employed.
 
S

Skel1ingt0n

I can't *believe* these lazy developers keep making file sizes so damn large. Btw, how does technology work?
In the business world where a $10K buy-in can get you to a target that'll pay you $50K+? Yeah, totally, 100% makes sense. I know a few folks who have done something similar.

To keep a retail job? Fucking lol

EDIT:

Tell your friend they're buying right into her employer's trap. So, they threaten her employer, so she literally gives them her paycheck to keep her job. Why work at all, then? So MAYBE she has employment next month? For $10/hr or less? And they can probably fire her or threaten her again, anyway? Besides, who's to say the threat wasn't empty; and it's just a manger wanting HIS or HER quota met? Whole thing stinks. Bail out and go get a job elsewhere. Spend the next three weeks doing that while collecting that paycheck.

EDIT 2:

Also, almost completely unrelated, but this reminded me of a story. My first job was working at Burger King when I was 15 - this was, shoot, 13 years ago. Anyway, worked there for about a year and one day my manager comes over and tells me to "jump on the garbage." Basically, our giant garbage collection thing outside was overflowing because the trash guy for whatever reason hadn't come by that week. So my manager wanted me to climb into the giant green canister and literally jump on the trash to cram it down. Never in my life have I been more pointed in my insubordination: "Fuck you; no chance." He said then might hours get cut, and I said "go for it, and I'll see what the department of labor thinks of your request." And I went back to putting meat patties on the grill.

Ended up working there the rest of HS, lol
 
entremet

entremet

Member
I work in corporate sales and this can't happen here since we do B2B.

If I'm not hitting my numbers for a bit, I just start looking for another gig. That's what most salespeople do. Not hitting your numbers isn't always a judgment on the salesperson. Many factors are at play.
 
A

Aquavelvaman

Banned
Yeah I agree that it's a terrible idea. Like I said, I can't imagine ever doing it myself. Just the idea of it makes me uncomfortable.
 
R

Replicant

Member
The KPI that sales people have to put up with is ridiculous. Glad I'm not in that line of work. Just lost a colleague today because he didn't hit a quota. What a stressful way to work. :(
 
entremet

entremet

Member
Replicant said:
The KPI that sales people have to put up with is ridiculous. Glad I'm not in that line of work. Just lost a colleague today because he didn't hit a quota. What a stressful way to work. :(
Click to expand...

It can be. It's also incredibly lucrative.

It's hard to get out once you get addicted to those commission checks. Difficult to take a flat salary after that. And salespeople are always in demand in every industry.

The OP's friend is in retail sales, which is bottom of the barrel in the sales world, though. Both in pay and security.
 
S

Skel1ingt0n

I can't *believe* these lazy developers keep making file sizes so damn large. Btw, how does technology work?
Replicant said:
The KPI that sales people have to put up with is ridiculous. Glad I'm not in that line of work. Just lost a colleague today because he didn't hit a quota. What a stressful way to work. :(
Click to expand...

It sucks, but if you're willing to sell your soul and your evenings and a good bit of your sanity, it can be pretty lucrative. In my 20s? May as well climb the salary ranks. But yeah, I can't imagine living under this kind of stress at 50 with a family and kids.
 
entremet

entremet

Member
Skel1ingt0n said:
It sucks, but if you're willing to sell your soul and your evenings and a good bit of your sanity, it can be pretty lucrative. In my 20s? May as well climb the salary ranks. But yeah, I can't imagine living under this kind of stress at 50 with a family and kids.
Click to expand...

The top performing sales person in my company is in 50s and has 3 kids lol.

He's a maniac though. Dude is a hustler like no other. Some people are not meant for management and he probably made more money than his boss last year. Not very uncommon in sales. The top guy or girl usually ends up being the highest paid person in the company outside the C level folks due to commission structures.
 
R

Replicant

Member
entremet said:
It can be. It's also incredibly lucrative.

It's hard to get out once you get addicted to those commission checks. Difficult to take a flat salary after that. And salespeople are always in demand in every industry.
Click to expand...

Ah, I see. Glad to hear that at least you seem to enjoy it although I don't think I can do it.

I'm just shocked at how our sales people are like rotating doors of new faces. We lost 3 people already just this year. They don't even get normal, long-winded farewell that other employees get when they're about to leave.
 
K

Koomaster

Member
If she's 3 weeks salary behind in her quota, what makes her think she's not going to be in this position again next month?
 
A

Ashby

Member
entremet said:
I work in corporate sales and this can't happen here since we do B2B.

If I'm not hitting my numbers for a bit, I just start looking for another gig. That's what most salespeople do. Not hitting your numbers isn't always a judgment on the salesperson. Many factors are at play.
Click to expand...

Mind me asking what kind of corporate sales you work in? I'm B2B myself. Feel free to PM.
 
B

BareKnuckle

Member
What about the month after that and so on and so on.

Retail is fucking terrible, incredibly low pay for what is clearly something that takes refined skill/talent, otherwise everyone would hit their target every month.
 
entremet

entremet

Member
BareKnuckle said:
What about the month after that and so on and so on.

Retail is fucking terrible, incredibly low pay for what is clearly something that takes refined skill/talent, otherwise everyone would hit their target every month.
Click to expand...

You also cannot control your schedule and will need another job if you want to survive. It's horrible.
 
C

Crayons

Banned
I was a salesman at my previous job. Was told that the employee that sold the least amount that month would have their hours cut. Didn't really think it was fair because I had done really well the previous month but this month wasnt doing as well due to a variety of factors. Considered purchasing some of the store's product to avoid having my hours cut.

So no, its not uncommon

Ended up quitting the job and finding something else.
 
L

LosDaddie

Banned
Threads like this just make me happy in not in sales. At least not direct sales. I couldn't do it.

We sell our engineering consulting services, but we get Request For Proposals (RFPs) from our clients. No calling clients for business.
 
T

this_guy

Member
That's the strategy of multilevel marketing firms (aka pyramid schemes). Their customers are basically their salespeople.
 
V

Vermillion

Banned
entremet said:
I work in corporate sales and this can't happen here since we do B2B.

If I'm not hitting my numbers for a bit, I just start looking for another gig. That's what most salespeople do. Not hitting your numbers isn't always a judgment on the salesperson. Many factors are at play.
Click to expand...

That's something I've learned in marketing. So much shit has to be in sync for success, but people are willing to blame whoever they want for poor sales/retention/lead gen.
 
E

ERotIC

Banned
If she's working commission only, she needs to leave ASAP.

Sales can be a fun job, but if there's not a living wage base pay, it's a scam. I've been there.
 
IISANDERII

IISANDERII

Member
Aquavelvaman said:
I was talking to one of my friends today. She works as a salesperson at a small clothing store. Apparently they had a bad couple of months and her boss said that if they don't sell X amount, she will be terminated mid-July.

So she's basically going to buy a bunch of clothes from herself in order to stay employed. The amount is equivalent to about 3 weeks of her pay.

The idea of giving money back to an employer shocks me and fills me with a kind of anger and dread that I can't really describe, but according to my friend it's pretty common for salespeople. I'm fortunate to have never been in this kind of position, but I can't imagine actually doing such a thing.

What do you think, NeoGAF? Would you ever do that? Have you ever heard of such a thing?
Click to expand...
Sounds like a slimeball way of her employer paying her a lower wage effectively.
 
AJUMP23

AJUMP23

Parody of actual AJUMP23
Polish that resume and go find another place to work. Not a sustainable practice to maintain.
 
John Day

John Day

Member
I’d think she’s just delaying the innevitable. What assurances does she have that she can meet the next quota after sabing this one with her own money?
 
ArtemisClydeFrog

ArtemisClydeFrog

Banned
John Day said:
Awwwww come on people!!! Making me read and reply to shit... 🤣🤣🤦🏽‍♂️🤦🏽‍♂️

How do people stumble upon these threads?
Click to expand...

It's the "Similar thread" listing at the bottom of each thread. Like mine right now has some posts from 2019. People click on em without checking the dates. Always fun seeing a necro'd thread full of dead accounts though lol
 
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