Does anyone know if these stores pay well? I'm sure they're all commission-based but I just want some feedback from someone working at one.
Anyone here work at a high-end Home Theater store?imax theatre
I worked at a high end store for some years as a salesman. The salesmen were on commission and I think all of us made between 30 - 40 thousand a year plus manufacturer spiffs. When the job got stressful (such as around Christmas) it was also fun because we were making a lot of money. When business was slow we were able to tinker with the gear more. I really enjoyed it.
Anyone here work at a high-end Home Theater store?performing show opera theater
I used to work in a high end electronics store. At that time it was on commission. The trend now seems to be no more commissions and just an hourly wage, which sucks.
The stores I use these days have no employees, just the owner. But years and years ago, two stores that I used had no commission. The sales people were paid a very good salary after they'd been there for a while. At first, you are just dead weight.
I'm trying to get a job at magnolia because I'm still in school so i can't get a real job yet. But i know most of the guys that work there are a joke. But the guys at magnolia are not on commission i don't know what they make I'm sure it's not bad if this is not your career.
Many of these stores "feed" on young, enthusiastic people wanting to get into the home audio business. In other words, if you're just starting out, don't expect to make much money. They (the "higher ups") are counting on your naivete to be willing to work long hours for little or no commisson (or commission only and no salary/benefits!) until you "prove yourself" to the company. This can take a loooong time - so be wary.
Usually, a person starting out will be asked to do a lot of the grunt work. Nothing wrong with that specifically, except there's no guarantee that it will lead to anything else.
MY ADVICE: if you really want to get somewhere within a company lilke this, first off, be prepared to be the "scrub" and be willing to take a lot of kidding around, be the butt of jokes and the general "low one on the totem pole" - or, if you're a female, you'll have to work even harder, twice as hard as a guy in a comparable position - plus get a lot of sexist crap laid on you at the same time. (Unfortunately, this is true in most professions...this being no exception.)
So, if you can stomach all that, the next most important bit of advice I can give you is: make friends with the most technical people there, like the engineering staff and/or programmers. Forget the sales people, they're all competing with each other and if you don't seem to have anything to offer them, you're just asking for a hard time if you try to pick their brains for ANYthing. The techies on the other hand, are much more likely to help you learn new things, because of their own general need to be valued and thier recognition of a fellow "misfit." Make yourself valuable to one of these staffers, and your success their is strengthened. Offer to do them favors, help them with something when you can spare a moment...this is one possible fast-track toward becoming part of a team, rather than remaining "the new guy."
Again, don't expect to make real dough until you have earned some value there.
And good luck!
