future shop
01-09-2007, 02:38 PM
#31
Administrator
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 16,855
Originally Posted by cca_newbie
imo i would say no i work in a retail outlet that competes with fs and all the time we get people that buy there and come for all the advice and will not buy because it is cheaper there its a waste of time to do so if you want a good price be loyal to a shop im sure some will give you a deal for being loyal
I agree. IMO it is wrong to use one dealer for information and advice and then shop them like a dirty ho just to get the dead rock bottom dollar deal with no consideration of the knowledge given for free.
01-09-2007, 07:58 PM
#33
50 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 152
Originally Posted by Dukk
^ How many people do you employ?
My local FS has over 50 employees. They live here and they spend their paycheck here in my city..
Could YOU give those 50 people jobs if the FS closed? How about all the support industry like the floor cleaners, couriers, sales reps that all exist and survive because of box stores? You going to hire them on too? Sounds like the evil box creates lots of jobs, no?
I would bet that my local FS does over 3.25 times the volume that any local independent does as well. Therefore total dollars injected into the local economy by the FS is greater than that same independent too.
Don't get me wrong - I'm not anti-independent dealer but lets look at both sides of the coin.
Box stores and independents both have their place.
20Sunfire05 - very little in the electronics field is even 50% made in North America anymore.
My local FS has over 50 employees. They live here and they spend their paycheck here in my city..
Could YOU give those 50 people jobs if the FS closed? How about all the support industry like the floor cleaners, couriers, sales reps that all exist and survive because of box stores? You going to hire them on too? Sounds like the evil box creates lots of jobs, no?
I would bet that my local FS does over 3.25 times the volume that any local independent does as well. Therefore total dollars injected into the local economy by the FS is greater than that same independent too.
Don't get me wrong - I'm not anti-independent dealer but lets look at both sides of the coin.
Box stores and independents both have their place.
20Sunfire05 - very little in the electronics field is even 50% made in North America anymore.
and i don't buy that they create a bigger market
they specialize in devaluing electronic products
in the great race to 0
Last edited by robmar; 01-09-2007 at 08:01 PM.
01-09-2007, 08:20 PM
#34
0 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 27
First of all, just so there's no confusion, I work at future shop. I work in the mobile audio department. This encompasses iPods, MP3 players, satellite radio, shelf stereos, and, of course, car audio. The guys who are allowed at my store to sell car audio have to be experts on everything else before they even have a chance to sell car audio. And yes, for any new section you want to go into you have to be considered an expert in the sections you already know. I started out with shelf systems and satellite radio and had to read through the product knowledge and do a test before they let me sell, and before they let me get the product knowledge book for MP3 players. Now I just recently got the PK book for car audio having passed with flying colours my test for MP3 players last month. That, coupled with my own car stereo system I want to put in, is why I have joined this forum. So I can be a better salesman than everyone else.
My manager it should be noted is pretty tough on his salesman, and that's why our department is always in the top 10-15% of sales in a company of over 120 stores. The salesman often push things hard because yes, we make good margin. Having said that there's other salesman like me who push the right product for the customer. I just went back to a non-comission pay system and yeah, I will have days where as a result I will make less, but it's because I don't want to feel pressured to lie to my customers. When we cut some dead weight and the extra salesman on the floor, I will go back to comission. Then I'll have enough customers in order to just sell the right product and not have to worry about the items that make me the most comission.
I will level with you guys... The monster cables, we make good money on. Having said that, their quality is simply fantastic, and the qaulity you pay for is well worth it. To find a similar qaulity item anywhere else you'd be paying much the same price. But yeah a $230 HDMI cable nets me, in my pocket, $30. Futureshop makes it's money off of accessorizing.
We also are owned by bestbuy - so yes, some of the money does go to an american company. As far as hurting small business, you seem to forget we started off as a small business like anyone else. the company is just under 25 years old. Just better entreprenurial skills - sorry, but any other company has just as much chance to grow as successful, and many independents who have been in the game for some time don't WANT to expand - that's not our problem. Just competition.
I think some of these salesman you're speaking about are either...
a) Not qualified nor allowed to sell car audio but do anyways based on greed.
b) Not properly trained - this is also more a problem with the manager of that department
c) Trying to just get you in and out as fast as possible.
Either way these stores will not do well in terms of overall sales, and these salesman won't last very long. the thing I like about the guys I work with is that if they do not knowm they'll go online and research and find out. Or they'll honestly say "We don't know"
I had no problem the other day referring a customer to staples because we were out of iPods. She found one there and she came back in ten minutes later and said that she will return it to staples within a month and come back and make a point of buying from me because I was so helpful. I'm going to be the salesman that lasts because my customer service is always exemplary, and I make a point of it. Within my first two months of work I had already had two customers come in and write letters or talk to my managers telling them how great I was and how happy with my service they were.
So, find the right salesman. Find the one you trust, find the one that looks you in the eye, and find the one you respect. Or even talk to the installation guys instead. Just like there's good and bad independents, so there's good and bad salesman at futureshop. do your homework, understand what you'll need for the install, and you'll be fine. But a salesman who sells you stuff you don't want/need is digging his own grave, because while sales are great, in our ranking system it hurts you WAY more if you get returns. WAY more.
My manager it should be noted is pretty tough on his salesman, and that's why our department is always in the top 10-15% of sales in a company of over 120 stores. The salesman often push things hard because yes, we make good margin. Having said that there's other salesman like me who push the right product for the customer. I just went back to a non-comission pay system and yeah, I will have days where as a result I will make less, but it's because I don't want to feel pressured to lie to my customers. When we cut some dead weight and the extra salesman on the floor, I will go back to comission. Then I'll have enough customers in order to just sell the right product and not have to worry about the items that make me the most comission.
I will level with you guys... The monster cables, we make good money on. Having said that, their quality is simply fantastic, and the qaulity you pay for is well worth it. To find a similar qaulity item anywhere else you'd be paying much the same price. But yeah a $230 HDMI cable nets me, in my pocket, $30. Futureshop makes it's money off of accessorizing.
We also are owned by bestbuy - so yes, some of the money does go to an american company. As far as hurting small business, you seem to forget we started off as a small business like anyone else. the company is just under 25 years old. Just better entreprenurial skills - sorry, but any other company has just as much chance to grow as successful, and many independents who have been in the game for some time don't WANT to expand - that's not our problem. Just competition.
I think some of these salesman you're speaking about are either...
a) Not qualified nor allowed to sell car audio but do anyways based on greed.
b) Not properly trained - this is also more a problem with the manager of that department
c) Trying to just get you in and out as fast as possible.
Either way these stores will not do well in terms of overall sales, and these salesman won't last very long. the thing I like about the guys I work with is that if they do not knowm they'll go online and research and find out. Or they'll honestly say "We don't know"
I had no problem the other day referring a customer to staples because we were out of iPods. She found one there and she came back in ten minutes later and said that she will return it to staples within a month and come back and make a point of buying from me because I was so helpful. I'm going to be the salesman that lasts because my customer service is always exemplary, and I make a point of it. Within my first two months of work I had already had two customers come in and write letters or talk to my managers telling them how great I was and how happy with my service they were.
So, find the right salesman. Find the one you trust, find the one that looks you in the eye, and find the one you respect. Or even talk to the installation guys instead. Just like there's good and bad independents, so there's good and bad salesman at futureshop. do your homework, understand what you'll need for the install, and you'll be fine. But a salesman who sells you stuff you don't want/need is digging his own grave, because while sales are great, in our ranking system it hurts you WAY more if you get returns. WAY more.
01-09-2007, 11:30 PM
#36
0 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 36
lol, i kinda agree. Their computer hardware prices are ridiculous. It was $150CAD to get a 250GB IDE HDD. I got a 320GB SATA II HDD from memoryexpress.com for only $130... lmao. And my Logitech G25 wheel costed $251 from NCIX.com and at futureshop, it was $399.99!?!?! And don't get me started on the GFX cards' prices.
01-10-2007, 02:46 AM
#37
0 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 5
I work over at futureshop aswell, and before we even walk into the area we have to know EVERYTHING. Anything basic, from fit kits to door speakers and upwards into the more technical aspects of a great working system. I have caught people trying to bs their way through a sale and it ends hilariously. I know, before I worked there I got treated like an idiot in Barrie, ontario's store (thanks again Barrie! 
). Knowing what I first went through, I know how to treat people, match what they need and get them a system that will fit their budget and their personal sound prefrence. I constantly read over, and over and over again sheets of printed out internet pages so I know whatever I sell works correctly, be it an MP3 player or a mid range car system.
I am very new to it, but I am lerning with the help of D.Sanchez. We all learn some time, and I have learnt more in the past few months working with him than I did in the course of my interest in car audio. It's like 4 wheeling, I may poke fun at people who have smaller trucks, but in the end they like the same thing so I'll help them out no questions asked.
). Knowing what I first went through, I know how to treat people, match what they need and get them a system that will fit their budget and their personal sound prefrence. I constantly read over, and over and over again sheets of printed out internet pages so I know whatever I sell works correctly, be it an MP3 player or a mid range car system.I am very new to it, but I am lerning with the help of D.Sanchez. We all learn some time, and I have learnt more in the past few months working with him than I did in the course of my interest in car audio. It's like 4 wheeling, I may poke fun at people who have smaller trucks, but in the end they like the same thing so I'll help them out no questions asked.
01-10-2007, 02:56 AM
#39
0 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 27
OT but do you guys have an of the 4" Infinity kappa series speakers up there? I want to buy some on staff but there's none in the lower mainland
01-10-2007, 06:05 AM
#40
i actually find futureshop kinda expensive. i`ve had better deals through local audio shops, but nothing cheaper than the good ol u.s of a.
when i was in vegas for my honeymoon i checked out this mega store just at the north end of the strip. it was similar to a future shop meaning that they carried everthing but they has 3 asiles of car audio gear that made me pop a chubby. GOD BLESS AMERICA!
when i was in vegas for my honeymoon i checked out this mega store just at the north end of the strip. it was similar to a future shop meaning that they carried everthing but they has 3 asiles of car audio gear that made me pop a chubby. GOD BLESS AMERICA!
