Working in places like Repco or Supercheap

[DanXR6T]

In places like Repco or Supercheap, what is the pay structure like? I'm assuming a basic level of automotive knowledge (which I have) is not essential based on the experiences I have had with people in these stores...

I'm looking at a different career - currently I work in export sales in agricultural products, but am having moral conflicts with how the company operates, so am considering moving on.

I earn $55k/yr pre-tax but cutting back doesn't worry me, I'd just sell the ute if it means I am personally more happy and get something cheaper to own/run.

Daniel....

[irlewy86]

Working in retail can cause you to lose all faith in humanity.

[vandrsxr6]

Originally Posted by irlewy86

Working in retail can cause you to lose all faith in humanity.

Tell me about it.

There are some many better things out there to do than an automotive retail postion.

Maybe look at being a rep for some of the companies these stores stock. Eg, Meguires,Bendix etc.

Pay will be very similar to what your on now and you should get a company car.

[DBourne]

dont do it!
it'll bore you to tears.

[DanXR6T]

Thanks for the posts.

I hadn't thought of those sorts of jobs. My other concern is I live in a small town and my partner has just got a new job which she enjoys and so employment opportunities are limited.

But she works for an employment agency, so I have an "in-house" source of work lol.

[blueoval]

I tend to agree with comments here about the retail industry. Its only a last resort in my eyes.

Im on the same wage as what your on and frankly if you can hang in there till you find what your looking for your better off.

Rep jobs arent the easiest jobs to find, but when you do find one with a similar retainer package to what your on now, your laughing.

My mate who works for Commercial carpet company is on a retainer which is similar to what I earn, but when he sells and meets a certain budget, he gets a % bonus per sale as well as car, fuel card, mobile, laptop and expense credit card. At the end of a good year, he has the potential to earn very close to the 6 figure mark.
I often here him bragging that he doesnt wake up till 9-10am, has 2 hour lunch breaks and knocks off work by 3pm. bastard! :P

[ms700]

Repping, you might nudge 55K, but there is no way you'll earn 55K working at Supercheap/Repco over the counter...... if there are guys out there getting that sorta coin, im in the wrong division!

[shaun*0]

look at coal mines

[DanXR6T]

Originally Posted by ms700

Repping, you might nudge 55K, but there is no way you'll earn 55K working at Supercheap/Repco over the counter...... if there are guys out there getting that sorta coin, im in the wrong division!

I'm on that now with an export sales job, but if I was happy in a job I'd work for much less if the pay level was appropriate for the responsibility/hours.

Originally Posted by shaun*0

look at coal mines

Not interested at all. If I was chasing big money I'd already be there.

[b2tf]

I currently work 2 jobs, one is a trade and the other is automotive retail 1 day a week.

I reckon if I did any more than that 1 day (and the odd Saturday to cover a shift too) I would go insane and take it out on the next person that asks me where the frangiapani stickers or seat covers are.
Seldom do you come across anybody that a) has a real interest in cars or b) is as into them as much as you, and the pay structure is just like any other retail job - experience and knowledge don't count for much in my experience.

To give you an idea - when I ordered my alloy heads for my engine, one of the full time staff members I work with asked me why I was ordering 2. This was for a V8 engine :.

Definitely go for being a rep if you can, or a more specialised area than just auto retail. You will get very rapidly tired of idiots asking what sub will be the loudest or what seat cover fits their Barina, and if it comes in pink.

[blackers10]

supercheap staff are on just above the award wage for retail (i was taking home around 36k year with overtime etc in the distribution center with 15% loading for night work

[BigCav]

i like this thread too, im currently looking for work in the same industry and was wondering about pay and peoples opinions etc.

was going to use it liek a stepping stone to get from retail to more rep based or more company based sales etc.

so any information would be great.

[DBourne]

Originally Posted by BigCav

i like this thread too, im currently looking for work in the same industry and was wondering about pay and peoples opinions etc.

was going to use it liek a stepping stone to get from retail to more rep based or more company based sales etc.

so any information would be great.

if you've never had a job before, go for it. everyone needs to start somewhere.

[DanXR6T]

Originally Posted by blackers10

supercheap staff are on just above the award wage for retail (i was taking home around 36k year with overtime etc in the distribution center with 15% loading for night work

This is the information I was after, thanks!

[DanXR6T]

Originally Posted by BigCav

i like this thread too, im currently looking for work in the same industry and was wondering about pay and peoples opinions etc.

was going to use it liek a stepping stone to get from retail to more rep based or more company based sales etc.

so any information would be great.

I would assume that once in industry that you would become aware of potential rep jobs if you sought that information out. I am not currently in the industry and so I never hear of these jobs.

My current job is very narrow in definition in terms of sales.

My original post was more so of a simple inquiry, not that I am dedicated to getting a retail job.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by irlewy86

Working in retail can cause you to lose all faith in humanity.

Not wrong. Working on both sides of the fence (worked for coles and big w, as well as selling my own products... I could only think of how many hundreds of pages my book would have been should I have recorded all the crap I had to hear / see on a daily basis...

As for places like Super cheap and repco, perhaps you could work in the spare parts division? Something specialised like that?

I guess, If you were dedicated, and in for the long term, a person with good skills and experience would easily work their way up the ladder, and making more $ in the process.

[MNM96]

Repco

Stands for

RIP EVERY POOR CHARACTER OFF!
accept insert another four letter 'c' word in the place of character!

That goes for staff, not just customers!

[XR6_661]

Get a job with local government...i.e. Council.

I'm not talking a labourer postion either.

But yeah, look into it!

[BigCav]

Originally Posted by SgtBourne

if you've never had a job before, go for it. everyone needs to start somewhere.

i currently have my cert 3 in auto, plus an adv dip in engineering and have worked as a race mechanic for 3 years, im jsut over it and wont to work in a different aspect of the auto industry

[ROOSTA]

From someone who is in retail management with a large australian owned electronics company i can tell you now that you need to be a certain kind of person to deal with people face to face on a daily basis and help them with their problems.. I have been in retail for almost 7 years and with my current employee for 4 years and I know that i often run out of patience and things often get destroyed but there is also a slight satisfaction i get when a customer leaves over the moon happy becuase you have helped them out with a solution for there problem..

Be warned though that everyday you will have someone 'special' come in asking for the impossible for less than a dollar, if ya get were i am coming from..

Pay is generally around the $32k a year mark for a full time sales position but this does vary slightly..

If your unsure if retail is your thing best to get your partner to hook you up with a casual sales job and see if it works for you..

Hope this helps..

Cheers,
Nik

[bodes-sh]

personally I wouldn't work in the normal stores, can't comment on the dc's, but my gf works at supercheap, store manager, and only gets about 45k a year, plus putting up with peoples crap and not having the area managers backing them up on anything if the customer makes a fuss

[ROOSTA]

Tell your missus its not only super cheap that have spineless Area Managers.. I am sick of micro management..

Cheers,
Nik

[dallasv8]

my Mrs is an assistant manager at a Supercheap and enjoys it.she used to run a TAB bar so she has no problem with handling all sorts of people coming in.she even recons the area manager up this way is pretty good.

i like the fact that she gets 25% of everything at supercheap and BCF

[DBourne]

Originally Posted by BigCav

i currently have my cert 3 in auto, plus an adv dip in engineering and have worked as a race mechanic for 3 years, im jsut over it and wont to work in a different aspect of the auto industry

fair enough, but remember, stores like autojoy, supercheap etc, whilst they have car related products in store, they are still part of the retail industry.

try and get work in a tuning house, might be good for ya, like minded individuals, get to see ppl who actually respect cars

[blackers10]

the Supercheap Distribution Centers are pretty good
pay is only marginally better than the stores (due to it being labour rather than retail)

the Lawnton DC is run by morons who have the collective intelligence of a gold fish
but i dont know about the other DCs as they are in melb and perth and NZ

the upper managment seems ok(above the power trippers)

but an interest in cars isnt a job requirment .. everything is just a "Unit" to 99% of the employees

[DTFRMONT]

Also remember that you'll be working most weekends & your fair share of nights as well. No such thing as 9-5 Monday to Friday in retail. I used to work as a 2IC for The Reject shop, 80 hour weeks were not unusual.

[addi_351]

I work at supercheap, the stor will remain nameless..i work on a casual basis, the wages are average..i make more money as a mechanic then wat i did working fulltime at supercheap. Like any other retail job you deal with irrate people. Its good for some part time work, but becareful of the other staff no matter where you end up. One thing thats good is at supercheap staff get 25% discount on anything instore.

My 2 cents.

[DDXR6T]

Originally Posted by DTFRMONT

No such thing as 9-5 Monday to Friday in retail.

Correct. Over-time pay @ $30+ per hour, sure is inviting though.

[GK]

Originally Posted by b2tf

I reckon if I did any more than that 1 day (and the odd Saturday to cover a shift too) I would go insane and take it out on the next person that asks me where the frangiapani stickers or seat covers are.

Classic! LOL!

Originally Posted by b2tf

To give you an idea - when I ordered my alloy heads for my engine, one of the full time staff members I work with asked me why I was ordering 2. This was for a V8 engine :.

X2 LOL!

GK

[GT0132]

Originally Posted by SgtBourne

if you've never had a job before, go for it. everyone needs to start somewhere.

What he said...

You need to start somewhere.

Do you remember the Chief Executive of McDonalds worldwide was an Aussie and started his career as a meat pattie flipper in their restaurant at Maroubra NSW...He went on to become CEO and moved to the States. Trouble is the poor guy died in his early 40's of cancer.