Working for a HiFi dealer

I'll be leaving my company at the end of the month (redundancy) and, as well as the option of staying in my current field (Business Analyst in Financial Services), I've been wondering about a change and maybe doing something that I'm really interested in like hifi/home cinema.

The question I was hoping someone here can answer is what kind of salary could one expect to make working for a high street hifi specialist? I'm sure it wouldn't be as much as I get in my current role but I could probably live with this if it meant turning up for work full of enthusiasm. The fact that my wife has a good income helps too i.e. I don't need to earn loads.

So, what are we talking money wise?

Matt.

 

Starting as a junior you'll be lucky to get £18k, if you head for being a manager you might break £30 and if you can get a top sales job possibly £60. Needless to say the top jobs are very rare and the junior jobs common.

Experience counts for a lot and salary tends to be commensurate. Some shops operate on a commission basis but not all (Audio T don't). The world of Hi-fi retail is a very small one and everyone knows everyone else and it's hard to break into except at the bottom.

Or at leasst this was my impression when I (didn't) work for Audio T last year

 

Scary !

Matt, I was a BA in the financial sector as well but after redundancy decide to avoid that choice of employment for a looooooong time.

 

tom,

i have worked for Audio T and at the time they did pay commission.
but please let me know where i can get 60k.

 

£60K may be available if you are owner of shop, unlikely to earn £60k in retail, Matt have you thought about becoming a rep for a home entertainment company, ie panasonic, sony etc, company car good perks etc?

 

Commission is an interesting thing. Yes Audio-T do but in the shop I (didn't) work for it was shared out equally rather than on individual sales.

I gather that one of the senior sales reps for one of the bigger companies had just landed that salary last year. Fortunately I forget who or for whom. Everyone was staggered. It certainly didn't appear to be the norm.

 

Tom are you sure that this was not OTE which means tha's what he can expect to earn if he smashes his targets, basic is more likely around 18K rest commision.

I work as a drug rep and they have higher than normal basic salaries compared to most other reps, my basic is £37k with comm on top up to £15K plus car, laptop, BUPA, cont pension, phone, £25K expense account. Pretty good living to be had as a sales rep, and 4-5star hotels comferences thrown in for good measure, the husband of an ex colleague of mine used to work for I think Panasonic Huge geopgraphical territory (smaller in the south) lower basic and car policy not as tasty, but with commision he earned a bit more than her gross.

Did have access to a salary comparison site, but can't seem to find it now.

 

Yup, AFAIK it was salary not OTE. I remember everyone was astounded hence the general discussion on the subject.

Mind you if you want to earn real money get in IT sales.

But if Matt wants to work in a shop he's more likely to be earning £18k - £25k.

 

I have been considering writing to some hifi shops, I'm currently unemployed due to redundancy. What's the best approach - writing letters, phoning them up or going into the store and enquiring?

 

Hodge, check out the websites of any retailers in your area as they usually have a job section .

 

Perth needs a decent dealer. Why not set up a new shop there?

 

Subscribe to the eBAJ (internet version of British Audio Journal), as there are often jobs in there. I got my job (Audio Applications Engineer) that way (although apparently I'm the only person who responded to that particular advert).

 

Im a retailer and get plenty of people who ask me for a job, its not so much a case of i do have a joe, but I DO HAVE A JOB FOR THE RIGHT GUY, we even get people asking to work here for pittance, but im not out to take advantage of people, just have the right guy at the end of the phone, or on the shop floor. a large majority of people who have worked for us have thought its a place to drink coffe and listen to music all day, yes thats true but only if your a customer.
Wages are down to the individuals abilty to be able to sell product and be polite and informative to the customer.
Cheers
John Roberts

 

What do I have to do to become a full time customer John

 

Hand over yer credit card Mike that would be a good start, don't accept any wages coffee and seating space only, mind you the rate you go through kit, you must surely qualify for full time customer already, surely a dealers best friend you are.

 

Actually, I suspect merlin would be more likely to be a dealers worst nightmare

 

Merlin,

If anyone qualifies for a dealer job its you!!.
You've owned more kit than most had seen

 

You wouldn't have needed to supply coffee If you had allowed me a home demo of the B400X CD player. However, when I eventually heard one I kept my old B400 so I suppose it was better for both of us..

 

I guess £18K-£25K ain't bad if you love the job. It's an option I will look into along with the idea of being a rep for a home entertainment company.

I'll also have to see what comes up on the BA front - I'd prefer contract BA work - I used to work on this basis before going permanent for, amongst other things, the extra job security!! Rates for contract BA's aren't bad at all at between £300-£400 per day and the best bit is you just do the job and that's it - none of this development plans, personal objectives and office politics that I just can't abide.

Thanks for all the info though.

Matt.

 

Merlin: I am sure anything is possible....just bring money

Some shops pay well others don't. We had a work experience lad in a shop I worked for who we offered a full time job to. He left after 2 weeks to work for Richer Sounds as he got paid more there. In fact he got paid almost as much as me after about a year. In the end he left as he couldn't hack it and came back to work for our shop again. He has since left once more.

The point is that some shops pay well and some don't. There is not an open policy like in many industres where you know that the going rate for a sales rep is xxxx or a storeman is xxxx etc.

I agree totally with John that many folk think working in a hi-fi retailer is an easy life of music and fun. I can assure you it is not. It can be extremely stressfull and usually involves long hours and alot of commitment, often for little recompense or thanks.

If you manage to work in an environment where you get on with your colleagues and have a laugh then it's great. I enjoyed most of my time in retail. I don't particularily want to go back though.

Gordon
Convergent-AV