Should I take Best Buy as a second job?

honkymcgoo

So, I just got employed doing office type work, and Ill be making plenty of money there. But! I also just got a call for a part time job as loss prevention at Best Buy. My main reason for considering this is it wouldnt be too demanding to work a few closing shifts a week and maybe a saturday, and it could provide me with a spare 600 bucks or so a month to spend on just whatever the hell I want to spend it on. The other thing is the discount, Ive heard its pretty huge(Thats what she said). So my question to you guys is, have any of you worked at Best Buy whether it was Loss Prevention or not, and is the discount worth the extra work? Also, is it worth working there at all? I would basically only want to do it for a few months to get enough spare cash to pick up a sweet new tv and maybe a decent new surround reciever. HELP ME WITH ADVICE.

EggyToast

A lot of people moonlight with low-responsibility jobs either on evenings or weekends. It can be stressful, but as long as you have your priorities straight (day job first), and you have the time, can't hurt.

honkymcgoo

EggyToast wrote: »

A lot of people moonlight with low-responsibility jobs either on evenings or weekends. It can be stressful, but as long as you have your priorities straight (day job first), and you have the time, can't hurt.

Well, my plan is to try and get maybe three 6 to 930 shifts during the week, and one 8 hour shift on saturday during the day. I work 8 to 5 monday through friday already, and the actual store would be about 15 minutes from my office. Then I dont ever go out friday night that often, but I do on saturday nights so I figure work saturday during the day, go out and relax sunday. My main thing is Im pretty much over retail, but I know Loss Prevention is probably a lot less hassle at best buy. Also, does anyone have any idea how much they pay? And is the discount really worth it?

DeShadowC

Their discount is you pay a certain percentage above store cost. Even with the discount they still make money off of their employees which is sad. I had an employee there come into walmart one night. He told me he could buy a tv from us cheaper then he could from them with his discount.

PirateJon

I did it, only I went stocker so I wouldn't have to think/deal with people. The bestbuy I worked at was a good place and a good second job.

Pay will be low, under $10 an hour I think. the discount is cost+x%. So you get a $100 monster cable for $15 (still overpriced) and a $499 video card is yours for $489. Returns and open box is where the sweet deals are. Bonus - if your cell plan is sold through bestbuy, you can get an employee discount.

Ramen Noodle

I know from a friend they pay starting at 9 an hour, and your discount is 5% above cost (as in what the company paid for the item)

EggyToast

Yeah it's rare to find a job where the discount is truly awesome. But saving money on items that are consistently the same price everywhere can make it a good deal.

It's a better deal if you shop at best buy a lot anyway.

urahonky

Best Buy is a pretty good job, and would work well with your other job. Just one thing to remember is that the discount is actually GOOD (despite what people say here) and that you're more inclined to buy things while working there. I'm still fighting my CC bill from working there for 3 years.

Got a nice 50" DLP TV for ~1200 two years ago though, so I'm not complaining at all.

honkymcgoo

urahonky wrote: »

Best Buy is a pretty good job, and would work well with your other job. Just one thing to remember is that the discount is actually GOOD (despite what people say here) and that you're more inclined to buy things while working there. I'm still fighting my CC bill from working there for 3 years.

Got a nice 50" DLP TV for ~1200 two years ago though, so I'm not complaining at all.

My basic plan if I take it, is to work there for like 3 months and just have all the money from that job deposited into a seperate savings account. Then, after 3 months Ill hopefully have around 1800 bucks saved up from just that job and can get myself a nice new tv and maybe a new reciever. Because I have a nice 37inch lcd now but when I move its gonna go into my bedroom, so Ill need a nice 42 inch plus for the living room.

2868

I can't really talk against Best Buy. I worked a second job here about 7 years ago and kind of liked it. Most customers are nice enough and the pay is good for second job stuff.

They do have non-commissioned sales, but this doesn't mean no pressure sales. Pay, privileges, and hours are commiserate with attachment rates for PRPs, PSPs, and subscription services. You have to mention it to every customer and push them into it. From software sales to cashiers. Some of the staffers like Inventory and Merch don't have to do this and they get sweet hours like 4am to 9am.

If you are good at attachments you win shit like laptops and high fives from douchebags who think middle management at a big box is the big time.

If you can get over that then I'd say do it. It beats the shit out of Target, or Shoe-barn.

A Dabble Of Thelonius

It'd be worth it. I worked there in Home Theater and the discount on some of the tvs was insane. Also, $1.65 USB cables were nice.

reminderGTO

Best Buy hourly salaries differ by location right? I mean there isn't a set standard all around the US right?

CoJoeTheLawyer

Ramen Noodle wrote: »

I know from a friend they pay starting at 9 an hour, and your discount is 5% above cost (as in what the company paid for the item)

This is my understanding as well. Keep in mind that in giant consumer stores (Best Buy, Circuit City, etc) this is going to be basically standard.

Jimmy King

I worked at Best Buy for several years. As far as retail, dead end, type jobs go it was probably about as good as it gets. The job itself wasn't too bad, pay was tolerable, and the discounts (depending on what it is you wanted to buy) were great. At the time I was into car audio stuff and being one of those dicks who not only deafens themselves but also anyone within a 2 mile radius. At that time, most of the car audio stuff was quite commonly close to 50% off the shelf price. The replacement plans and stuff are also frequently worthwhile with the employee discount - I think on speakers they were something like $5.

honkymcgoo

2868 wrote: »

I can't really talk against Best Buy. I worked a second job here about 7 years ago and kind of liked it. Most customers are nice enough and the pay is good for second job stuff.

They do have non-commissioned sales, but this doesn't mean no pressure sales. Pay, privileges, and hours are commiserate with attachment rates for PRPs, PSPs, and subscription services. You have to mention it to every customer and push them into it. From software sales to cashiers. Some of the staffers like Inventory and Merch don't have to do this and they get sweet hours like 4am to 9am.

If you are good at attachments you win shit like laptops and high fives from douchebags who think middle management at a big box is the big time.

If you can get over that then I'd say do it. It beats the shit out of Target, or Shoe-barn.

Yeah I would be the guy who stood and watched the camera for shoplifters, so I wouldnt really be selling people anything and therefore not having to push any replacement plans. Sounds like it wouldnt be a bad thing to have for a temporary second job.

2868

honkymcgoo wrote: »

2868 wrote: »

I can't really talk against Best Buy. I worked a second job here about 7 years ago and kind of liked it. Most customers are nice enough and the pay is good for second job stuff.

They do have non-commissioned sales, but this doesn't mean no pressure sales. Pay, privileges, and hours are commiserate with attachment rates for PRPs, PSPs, and subscription services. You have to mention it to every customer and push them into it. From software sales to cashiers. Some of the staffers like Inventory and Merch don't have to do this and they get sweet hours like 4am to 9am.

If you are good at attachments you win shit like laptops and high fives from douchebags who think middle management at a big box is the big time.

If you can get over that then I'd say do it. It beats the shit out of Target, or Shoe-barn.

Yeah I would be the guy who stood and watched the camera for shoplifters, so I wouldnt really be selling people anything and therefore not having to push any replacement plans. Sounds like it wouldnt be a bad thing to have for a temporary second job.

Oh Yeah LP, they get paid more. It is a good job. I did it for a while as a back-up. The LP position in Austin was around 12-15 bucks an hour.

LP stands for Loss Prevention