I help manage a small specialty electronics store. It's small enough that we're all extremely knowledgeable, and it's easy to observe interactions and coach and keep everyone doing what they should and taking care of customers better than anywhere else.

It's hourly pay with a bonus based on overall store performance, so there's a friendly competition for sales bragging rights, but it's not cutthroat. We're happy to help people for a half hour for a $100 item.

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I help manage a small specialty electronics store. It's small enough that we're all extremely knowledgeable, and it's easy to observe interactions and coach and keep everyone doing what they should and taking care of customers better than anywhere else.

It's hourly pay with a bonus based on overall store performance, so there's a friendly competition for sales bragging rights, but it's not cutthroat. We're happy to help people for a half hour for a $100 item.

Yep. If I lived in Nashville I would do business with you. I run a small professional business and prefer local brick and mortar with knowledgeable people.

I work in a "Mom & Pop", family-owned, "old fashioned" shoe store. Online shopping has really hurt our business. The owners are great to work for & try to treat both the customers & the employees fair. We get a base hourly pay plus a percentage commission. Sometimes customers will ask if we work on commission, I am honest & tell them we make hourly & commission so don't worry about us, we get paid either way.

We pride ourselves in knowledge & customer service. We have a Pedorthic department with board certified foot pharmacists. I am one of them & they paid for all of my classes, exam fees, paid me for my time during the days I had to attend seminars/classes, & all expenses during my travel to these events. They know how important it is to have knowledgeable people in our store. All sales employees are trained to properly measure people's feet, fit orthotics, use use supplies to make the footwear fit properly for various conditions. We are to physically take off & put on people's shoes, versus just handing them a box. We are to educate them how their shoes should fit & why. If they need to take 1 of us off the floor to do a "task" we get paid extra for that time.

People don't get that experience online. Yes, we ocassionally get that person that comes in with the intention of just finding out what size of a particular shoe they want so they can get it on amazon, but most of our customers realize that there are not many stores like ours & they value our knowledge, service, & honestly our friendly atmosphere. The owners even have bottled water & coffee just for the customers. The general manager is out on the floor with us almost every day, even helping customers if needed. 1 of the owners is a certified pedorthist & he gets out on the floor from time to time just to stay in touch with the reality of what the customers want & what we have so he gets an idea of what we are doing right & what we need to work on. It makes the employees feel good that the owners get an idea of we work with.

Right now the owners are trying out a different approach to try to combat the online competition & they have brought in a lot of new (to us) lines that are not available online. I even went online just to learn about a few of them & can't even find them in a Google search.

I always say have to take the good (sales) days with the bad & if you do right by the customer (versus right for your commission) they will come back to you & that is how you truly make your money. I don't sell something to someone just to make a sale, I sell somebody something because it is what is right for them. I happen to be one of the top sellers in the entire company (we have 4 stores), yet I probably check my "sale" least of anyone there. There are some things that convenience just can't take over completely & will always have a hand's-on place to go. I hope our company is one of them.

If you are a person who shops locally, using up a salesperson’s time, just to purchase online, then you are a first-rate jackass. It is theft of service. Why don’t you lug down your old sofa and throw it in their dumpster while your at it?

My biggest complaint, as many of you have stated is that you cannot get anyone to help you when you need something or to check out. I remember growing up, (and we have discussed this on this forum in length) going to Sears for almost everything. They used to have the best flannel shirt, best prices on Carhart, tools etc.. Now I hate going to that store.

I remember back in the day a friend of mines dad from little league baseballs used to work in the appliance section of Sears. He was very well versed on the different appliances their capabilities etc.. It was a positive experience when you needed to buy something.

I am one of these guys that no matter how much research I do online, computers capabilities and the various parts and pieces does not mean a thing. Because of that reason I go back to Richmond to a guy who runs this little refurbish store in a junky building to buy my computers. He is very polite, and takes his time to explain the ins and outs of each model and what would best fit my needs.

Because i got jacked up feet I go to a specialized running shoe store. This especially goes for boots and it is hard to find good military boots even on base.

I know it is old school, but I like to go put my hands on items before I buy them, check it out personally. Usually when I buy something it is because I need it then not a couple of days later.


I know I must learn to adapt but I am a slow learner. I hate the idea that this is the new norm.

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Originally posted by Gibb:

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Originally posted by tatortodd:
Astoundingly, Circuit City died and Best Buy is still in business.

I worked for Circuit City back in the day. I made a good connection selling honest equipment and reading customer needs. Many of my coworkers did not, they chose to sell the high spiff items just for the check (and take the hot when it was returned).

I left after I had a long sales pitch with a customer, where I explained the best setup for their needs, how to tie the computer into their entertainment system, and tips for making the most for their budget.
The customer then went to Best Buy, and bought everything there. Actually came back to me for a question, and when I asked why they didn't buy from me they replied "it was 100 bucks cheaper across the road, that is a big savings" I looked them dead in the eye, told them, "I understand. But I'm unable to help with items I didn't sell you, go ask them for support." They cried out "They were idiots, they didn't have half the info you did..." I walked away while saying "but look at that money you saved! "
I gave my notice the following day. Swore off retail after that. 6 months later, Circuit City ended its commissioned sales, and fired all the high earners opting to cap sales salaries at 15 an hour tops. It took less than a year to close after that.

I worked at CC for years. I was there just when they started to expand but still did all their training in Richmond. They really had good sales and product training. It wasn’t commission that killed CC. It was a series of bad decisions. Divx, real-estate choices and technology changes to name a few. Best Buy at one point was on verge of bankruptcy as well. I’ve both sold on commission and managed commission sales force. Brick and mortar retail can exist with a commissioned sales force. It is really about relationships. This devolops over time. If price is equal, service sells.

My problem with most B&M stores is that they generally stock absolute bottom tier quality items. Gun stores are especially bad about this. I'm glad you have S&W and DPSM ARs on the shelf, but I'm in here looking for Colt, Daniel Defense, and KAC. It's nice to see you're selling C Products and Tapco mags, but I'm interested in Okay and Lancer mags. You've got a Sig red dot and some no name red dot--I'm here to look at Aimpoint. Where are your Safariland holsters? Your non-Breakfree lube? Why is there a quarter inch of dust on your 25 round boxes of Golden Saber ammo? Etc. I end up having to buy online just to find the products I want.

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Originally posted by Monk:
My problem with most B&M stores is that they generally stock absolute bottom tier quality items. Gun stores are especially bad about this. I'm glad you have S&W and DPSM ARs on the shelf, but I'm in here looking for Colt, Daniel Defense, and KAC. It's nice to see you're selling C Products and Tapco mags, but I'm interested in Okay and Lancer mags. You've got a Sig red dot and some no name red dot--I'm here to look at Aimpoint. Where are your Safariland holsters? Your non-Breakfree lube? Why is there a quarter inch of dust on your 25 round boxes of Golden Saber ammo? Etc. I end up having to buy online just to find the products I want.

The gun industry is one of the worst when it comes to supporting dealers. Unless you're a big, national, multi-door store, you're not going to get the time of day from the manufacturers. An a independent, gun-shop, who's good or, decent with their business, will do their purchasing through a buying group; the gun shop with poor business sense ends up buying through a distributor. Both options cut into the margins, which that price increase is passed to the consumer. The bad gun shops live at the bottom price tiering because they need the daily turns to simply keep the lights on and they don't interact with any sales reps who have a business interest in seeing them succeed. From a sales stand point, speaking from another industry, the business sense of most gun shops is very poor, and the industry as a whole is unsupportive and under resourced.

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Originally posted by Monk:
My problem with most B&M stores is that they generally stock absolute bottom tier quality items. Gun stores are especially bad about this. I'm glad you have S&W and DPSM ARs on the shelf, but I'm in here looking for Colt, Daniel Defense, and KAC. It's nice to see you're selling C Products and Tapco mags, but I'm interested in Okay and Lancer mags. You've got a Sig red dot and some no name red dot--I'm here to look at Aimpoint. Where are your Safariland holsters? Your non-Breakfree lube? Why is there a quarter inch of dust on your 25 round boxes of Golden Saber ammo? Etc. I end up having to buy online just to find the products I want.

You're probably the exception. The majority of the retail traffic is overly cost conscience, and won't buy those expensive options. There's probably ten people who want the low-cost good, and don't know the difference between a cheaply built or exceptional mag. They do know the difference in a price tag. That's why Walmart exists everywhere, full of cheap products, while high service, high quality shops go under. This is also why airlines are now greyhound busses. People will jump to the lowest possible price, period.

In fact, I'd argue that a high quality, high priced product is best served online. I never see Dillon presses (or much Redding either) for sale locally, but they do a bustling business overall. Almost exclusively online, where they can reach the thinly spread clientele who recognize the value of their high quality goods.

There isn't enough market demand for the high end stuff at retail, and is a business model that won't work. For the most part, with a few exceptions; high end designer clothing being peddled at retail in Manhattan, for example.

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Originally posted by sigcrazy7:
If you are a person who shops locally, using up a salesperson’s time, just to purchase online, then you are a first-rate jackass. It is theft of service. Why don’t you lug down your old sofa and throw it in their dumpster while your at it?

Funny enough, we just did that for some shoes for Mrs. Pilot...on the advice of the salesman who spent a lot of time helping us.

It turns out that his store couldn't get the exact color my wife wanted, so he told us where to get it. In doing so he earned MY business for some high end running shoes and some comfy slides.

I generally agree exactly with the sentiment you expressed, though. It was just an interesting exception.

This is exactly why my philosophy is to "do right by the customer". No brick & mortar store can stock & have absolutely everything, every customer wants & needs. That salesman earned your trust & respect by owning up to that fact & told you what your wife needed & where to get it. By doing what was right, you went back to him.

I had a customer that came in, wearing the shoe he wanted & as soon as I told him we did not have the same exact model, he started on this rant about how he knows it exists & not to tell him they don't make it. Everyone tells him they don't make it. I explained to him that just because my store didn't have it, didn't mean they don't still make it, just that we, specifically do not carry it anymore. I also explained that that particular company will stop making a specific model for a few years, then bring it back. I told him I was happy to look it up to see if they still made it. I did, found out they discontinued it but still had limited sizes available. Told him I can have the lady that does special orders contact the rep. to see if we could get his size. We did, I called him, & he paid for it over the phone, we got him his shoes. His wife stopped by later that week & handed me an envelope that had a hand written card from her husband & some cash. He & his wife only come to me now when they want shoes. I still have the card posted in my little closet at my work.

I had a lady this past week that started off saying we don't have what she wants. I said, "what do you want?" She explained she was there last week & they guy she spoke to said we don't have the type of shoes she wanted in double wide. I explained that all shoes run different. I measured her, I know our products, & she left with 5 pairs of comfortable shoes. She didn't think she'd have choices. I showed her how most European shoes go by a number system for widths. Right away I rattled off the "guys" name & she said yes, that was it. I told her that he really is nice & will get you exactly what you ask for so if you ask for a double wide, that was what he was looking for & only that. So she says she will only come see me from now on.

A lot of sales people do not want to put forth the effort. I enjoy making people happy & getting them stuff most other people can't/won't.

Having spent several years in the Electronics business before I went into computers I remember when there are actual sales people.

Today the Internet in all it's glory and goodness has reshaped the "salesman".
As a pure salesman today you cannot afford to invest so much time and energy in educating and qualifying a client because they have the ability to go online and check prices.
It used to be they came to you for expert advice and your recommendations were rewarded into sales.
Of course the opportunities aka competition were substantially less.

Let me give you a real life true sales session of today that actually happened to me recently:
I was upgrading my car stereo and I already bought one from this very same company > Crutchfield.

I was back online and contemplation a space underseat sub so they have an online "chat" with a so called expert/salesman.
His name was "Gordo".
Since I am logged on to the sites they already have access to what I previously purchased and already know what my car is an it's requirements.

So I ask Gordo "Why is this Focal sub $200 more than the all the other similar ones?

Gordo says "Let me LOOK IT UP".

Expecting a legit response similar to "better warranty, service, it specs out better ...etc.

What Gordo then says "It has better wires inside and sounds better".

I re-asked if that was his answer and he sounded frustrated and confused.
I thanked him and hung up.

After that I got an evaluation that I responded negatively and scoring him low, he did not like that and started sending me excuses that that have soooo much stuff ...blah, blah

The point is that the really good salesman today do not exist anywhere except in their own businesses for the most part.
Sad.

I’m at the point of avoiding brick and mortar stores whenever I can. A pair of dress shoelaces and an audio cable for a portable device. Three stores for each item and a tankful of gas. Should have done Amazon as the first choice - not the second. Both under $5 and no shipping charges.