commission

[WorkingHardforSmallRewards]

Is 3% pretty reasonable sales commission for a seasonal SA at Helzberg?

Anybody know if that figure is set in stone or if there is possible room for discussion on the matter?

 

[Richard Sherwood]

Is that 3% only, or 3% plus a base salary?

 

[diagem]

When it comes to commissions..., nothing is set in stone.

Everything is open to discussions!

 

[WorkingHardforSmallRewards]

hello Mr/Dr? sherwood, it is plus base salary.

thanks diagem well, I will be going back to discuss everything with him on Wednesday. I am really excited and thankful for the job opportunity honestly, but going to visit my fiance has drained all of my money over the years (and the stinking miles aren't doing me any good at all

)

obviously each store and person will be different, but I think I will, based solely on your words actually lol, try to move it up to 4% if I can figure out someway to suggest it properly...but if you have any ideas on a % I should aim for or how to ask him, let me know! I am not as familiar as I probably should be at discussing topics like this with management

! I certainly don't want to offend him in the process.

 

[Kaleigh]

I''d negotiate, 3% is pretty low. Back in the 90''s I got 10% plus salary. Good luck!!

 

[WorkingHardforSmallRewards]

10%, very nice. Except now I am not sure what to aim for

 

[MichelleCarmen]

It depends upon your experience, doesn't it? I was scanning seasonal work the other day in the classifieds and the Jewelry Exchange pays a rather generous wage to it's retail clerks who have diamond experience.

 

[crown1]

this question made me curious and i googled it. i found 7-20% being offered. hth.

eta: that was not specifically seasonal just general

 

[Haven]

I worked for a mall jeweler all through college (late 90s) and started at 10% commission and $10 an hour. I was also very young and had NO experience in sales. I say ask for MUCH more. Good luck!

 

[strmrdr]

3% is a sick joke of a rate.

 

[WorkingHardforSmallRewards]

well, thank you everybody for all of your input so far. I spoke with a few other mall jewelery stores and found that a common rate for such positions is 5%, at least here, and outside of the holidays 3% was not uncommon.

I am not sure what to do at this point, though I will be speaking with him again tomorrow. I am sure 10 is out of the question right now, but am just trying to figure out the best way to approach him about it. Hopefully he isn't the kind of guy to try to low ball me, I have never been one to like being mishandled, but he seemed pretty honest and upfront from my time with him at least.

Honestly I would be pretty happy with 10 and 5% myself, or even 9.5 5, but I think I might mention having done some research and ask about 10 10, see how he reacts and then adjust accordingly?

anyway, thanks for all your advice and opinions so far, hopefully it goes well, hopefully if the pay and commission is right I can actually afford to go see my fiance after the new years went ahead and put a ticket on hold pending the final numbers...

and hopefully he doesn't read pricescope

I might look a little silly

 

[Richard Sherwood]

It all depends on the base salary, and benefits, plus the commission.

When I worked as a salesperson I made 3% commission, and considered it reasonable along with the base salary and benefit package I received.

I think 10% is a thing of the past. 5% is probably the max for most stores now, and 3% probably entirely reasonable if the base salary and benefits are there.

 

[WorkingHardforSmallRewards]

Date: 11/6/2007 12:40:26 AM
Author: Richard Sherwood
It all depends on the base salary, and benefits, plus the commission.


When I worked as a salesperson I made 3% commission, and considered it reasonable along with the base salary and benefit package I received.


I think 10% is a thing of the past. 5% is probably the max for most stores now, and 3% probably entirely reasonable if the base salary and benefits are there.

Hum. It is hard to figure out exactly what to aim for. I suppose I may well change my plan again, as I have done reading your last post (I am feeling entirely fickle now, a real flip-flopper...sorry Bush) but perhaps the best decision is just to be entirely upfront myself and let him know I had asked around to get an idea, and am interested in 5 if at all possible with a nice base salary (at least nice in my eyes)...though I don't suppose benefits is much of an issue for a seasonal position.

If anybody knows any good links discussing this feel free to put it up. I can't find much actual information on the topic anywhere online and I really don't want to sound greedy and uninformed--or miss out on money that I desperately need. I would have thought the formulas and methods for ball park commission figures would be a bit more open than it seems to be. though to be honest I wonder if online purchases have helped reduce commission--and if so I suppose I played my role in that.

 

[Kaleigh]

You're at a bit of a disadvantage as it's seasonal work. Their thinking is, hire bodies, who can ring up the sales. If you show the manager that you have a passion for the business and have what it takes to be a top salesman, that will get his attention. Most people that work in those stores are warm bodies, who don't know anything. Show him that you know the importance of the C's. Keep it generic... They aren't known as selling well cut stones. You don't want to diss their product, although it might be tempting, LOL. Tell him your needs financially, that 5% plus base salary is what will work for you. HTH, good luck.

 

[WorkingHardforSmallRewards]

well, thank you everybody for your responses. I don''t believe I am supposed to speak about the details anymore at this point, but I do want to think Mr. Sherwood in particular for preventing me from seeming a real fool