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working for a retailer selling phones

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PC Jona

Well-Known Member
Do any of you guys sell phones for a living? Going to leave my job soon to work for Wireless Advocates and I've heard some pretty bad stuff about them online, and some good stuff as well. The reason I got into this is because I have a friend who was going to become the District Manager, but something happened... anyways he was introduced to everyone as the new DM. Hes just a Kiosk Manager now.. and hes helping me get a job at another location.

I just have a few questions about selling phones..

hows the pay ? base for my location is 8.50. thats 3 dollars less then I make now an hour. But they make commission. So how does all that work? Is it hard at all to sell phones? Ive been at the location and it seems like the work just comes to them..

If anyone has any info to give me on selling phones or the company that would be great. Please and thank you! :)
 
Good luck with the job. Retail teaches you to hate your fellow man. Been there done that. Photography business not phones.

Work hard and learn much, grasshopper.
 
I sell phones through a local verizon retailer, and honestly the best advice I can give, is start looking for a new job as soon as you can. the biggest issue I've had is that with commision you'll make decent money but you get very little benefits, no promotional abilities (usually) and its not good experience for most fields. Im stuck right now because I want a new job but I make too much money here and the jobs im more interested in wont pay nearly as well. My other co-workers are also in the same situation.

Honestly though other than that I love my job, yes customers suck sometimes but shrug off the rude customers, you'll get some wicked nice people that really make you day and make you love the job. Plus its fun always seeing the newest tech.


One of the nice things about cell phones compared to regular sales is it's harder to find yourself in a rut of boredum, it's always changing and no 2 customers are the same so you really have to be on your toes and listening to your customers. If I could give you one bit of advice that I feel has helped me more than anything else, is try to actually be all of your customers friends, don;t just worry about your sale and making money, find a topic you and your customer both enjoy and talk about it. after 5-10 minutes of conversation you'll know enough about the person to sell them a phone without it being salesy
 
i also work at a local retailer. money's good, but customers suck sometimes. some days i handle it better than others! gallandof is right, just try to be friends with them. even if they are being a dick, act like you're on their side and make it seem like you're going to hook them up with some kind of special help. people love that kind of stuff
 
Bob Maxey said:
Good luck with the job. Retail teaches you to hate your fellow man. Been there done that. Photography business not phones.
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:confused:

I found retail sales to be quite the opposite. There are a lot of nice people who come into stores, interesting people, smart, etc. Far more than any sort of person one could possibly "hate."
 
ive noticed cell phone sales tend to have the "worst" customers, expecially with how fast the markets changing, you always get the elderly people who are frustrated with every change. You get a lot of ignorant customers who want a specific device and refuse to listen to you. But with that said when you get a good customer they are some of the best, i've met some of the nicest people through work, as well as some good friends.

it can be a great job, but just too easy to get comfortable with it.

On the plus side if this company you got hired by sucks, but if you like the job, theres tons of retailers in the area that would be more then likely to hire you with experience.(check out gowireless, so far they've been great to work with and seem to have their stuff straightened out)
 
I'm not sure if it was "Wireless Advocates" or some other "Authorized Verizon Retailer" and they wanted to charge me a fee for making a payment on my Verizon account. I had some spare cash and wanted to make a payment with cash, but when they told me there would be a fee, I walked out.

And the best advice I can give you, the customers that are asses are pissed at the company and/or the device so as long as you take that into account, don't make it personal, but at the same time don't go all, "Yeah this company sucks, I hate my life right now" and you'll be fine.
 
thanks everyone..hope everything goes well..I should be starting there soon so we'll see what goes on.

thanks again :D
 
I recently started working for best buy mobile. Best buy is a non commission retail job, so the hourly pay is a little higher but no commission. The advantages are that there is great promotional opportunities and management actually makes pretty good money and the benefits are really good. I really enjoy my job, especially after selling cars for the last few years :D

Also selling phones I get a perk that I consider great... The dealer phone. I just ordered my Sprint Galaxy S II today and I should have it Friday. I get it really cheap and the plan can't be beat by anyone! In a few months I will probably get an additional dealer line on another network just because I love having different phones :cool:
 
You know I just lost my job and actually thought about working at a wireless retail store. I tend to know a little about cellphones. Not a lot but more than the average Joe. This site helped me out a lot on learning phones and how to troubleshoot them. The pros and cons of the different devices.

I just wonder what's best working commissions or hourly like at best buys? It's either this or working on aircrafts for a private company. One thing i enjoy to do from my air force days. I am just looking at I am 40 and don't want to work a demanding physical job in extreem heat and cold.
 
Dark Jedi said:
You know I just lost my job and actually thought about working at a wireless retail store. I tend to know a little about cellphones. Not a lot but more than the average Joe. This site helped me out a lot on learning phones and how to troubleshoot them. The pros and cons of the different devices.

I just wonder what's best working commissions or hourly like at best buys? It's either this or working on aircrafts for a private company. One thing i enjoy to do from my air force days. I am just looking at I am 40 and don't want to work a demanding physical job in extreem heat and cold.
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I was a nuclear chemist in the Navy, so I understand where you are coming from.

I liked car sales because it was commission. In the military you are not always rewarded by how well you do you job so the idea of commission sales really appealed to me. I was really tired of being the best at my job, but not promoted because i was a couple pounds over weight but in better shape than everyone else and getting the same pay as people that sucked at their job. It was great at first until the economy went to crap. Car sales suck now. I really like the idea of commission sales though.

I like my job at best buy though. I don't like the pay. Honestly it sucks compared to what I would want at this point in life. I don't really care about the medical benefits since I have the VA and I am a disabled vet.

The thing I have at best buy is a great work environment, great advancement opportunity, and a company I can see as a career with great pay potential. And I love being able to just talk to people about phones all day. Plus there is a good employee discount and a great deal on phones and plans for best buy mobile employees.
 
That's how I was in the Air Force. A few pounds over weight and the one of the best at being a crew chief on the B52. Having others get credit for what I did and getting the whole well its your job when you do something great.

It cant hurt to try it. Worse thing is I can hate it but still have a job and can then look for another. Just need a job now and want something different than working factory jobs sweating my ass off and worry about layoffs as all my other jobs ended in layoffs and I am sick of it.
 
Dark Jedi said:
That's how I was in the Air Force. A few pounds over weight and the one of the best at being a crew chief on the B52. Having others get credit for what I did and getting the whole well its your job when you do something great.

It cant hurt to try it. Worse thing is I can hate it but still have a job and can then look for another. Just need a job now and want something different than working factory jobs sweating my ass off and worry about layoffs as all my other jobs ended in layoffs and I am sick of it.
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Yeah, I was the Work Center Supervisor for Reactor Laboratories division.

Right now it is pretty easy to get a retail job of any kind because of the holidays, act quick though if you want to do it. Once you are in, if you are good they will keep you after the holidays and turn it into a career if you like it.

It is a huge plus to be a vet, in your interview just make sure you point that out, and how you don't show up late or call in sick. That is actually why I got a job in mobile when they weren't hiring for mobile at best buy. My knowledge of mobile phones and computers (not that much more than what I have learned here) combined with how reliable I was got me basically whatever job I wanted in the store. You would be surprised how much being reliable means to employers, even though it is just natural to us!

The best advice I can give to anyone looking for a job right now is make sure you tell the interviewer you are reliable, and have something to back it up if needed!
 
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