My, my, where to start? - Sales Consultant CarMax Employee Review

3.0
Sep 12, 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Honestly, the people I work with and have worked with in the past 2.5yrs, are the best people I have ever met in my life! When my son and I couldn't afford Christmas last year (we will get to that in a moment), the stepped up and filled my trunk, by surprise, with gifts for him and I, as well as with Christmas food. It brought me to tears! They are incredible and I couldn't have made it through the last year without them.

Cons

Now for the cons... 1) The pay is the worst I've seen in any sales job I've ever done. 2 weeks ago, I OWED the company money for a 50hr work week because I had returns and couldn't get a good deal to close to save my life. I have NEVER had a company make me pay them to work for them. 2) There is so much micromanaging that it constantly feels like I'm suffocating in needless busy work and training paperwork. This can be in the form of eoffice forms that take more time to full out than the actual call, or monthly file reviews that bring no value to my training. 3) Unpaid weekly trainings that can last an hour or more rarely bring anything but frustration. Unpaid lockups at night means I'm leaving sometimes an hour or hour and a half after my shift ends. Unpaid "merchandising" of cars that other departments dump into the wrong part of the retail lot. Unpaid this, unpaid that... blah blah blah. 4) Appraisals. Appraisals are the worst. I have zero control over the number that comes back from the appraisers, yet the survey dings me, the customer hates me, the amount I'm paid for the time spent doing the appraisal only comes in if they sell, and only if they sell without buying something else. If they trade in a vehicle my workload doubles for NOTHING EXTRA. Come on yall, that's bull. 5) If you want to move up, be a man, and be ready to kiss upper management man-butt. As a female, it is nearly impossible for them to take me seriously. I have more experience than half the jack wagons that are managers here, and yet I can't seem to get them to even entertain the idea of me advancing my career.

Explore other reviews about CarMax

5.0
May 3, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

You are your own boss

Cons

Slow days can be demotivating.

4.0
Jun 13, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The perks of working at CarMax are quite extensive. Associates are offered an aggressive 401k program, Stock Purchasing Plan, in store discounts on sales and service, access to the CarMax Wholesale system, excellent healthcare, plenty of PTO, and at my location we are given as much OT as we want. My coworkers are generally good people, that I enjoy being able to work along side day in and day out. Management is very understanding in regards to calling out sick family emergencies, and schedule requests.

Cons

Despite doing the work of 5 people, and very politely asking for a raise management will not give me more than my 3% annual raise which is the single biggest let down. The bonus change of 2025 being labeled as "exciting" was straight corporate gaslighting unlike anything I've ever seen. Since the start of 2026, as of this review being written we have lost 7 associates largely due to pay, and I am soon to join those associates. Management from the store level up to corporate needs to understand that to retain their top performers they need to be compensated like a top performer. Some members of management are cliquey and moody which is very frustrating to deal with. Quality of Management varies wildly from store to store as well

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