It is what it is - Sales Associate Guitar Center Employee Review

3.0
Jul 9, 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The employee discount is pretty nice, you can make connections by working in a place frequented by musicians and various industry people, and it might be a way for young musicians to supplement their meager incomes from music. The veteran sales staff are good and knowledgeable people.

Cons

The environment is internally competitive, potentially making the staff into sharks. Unless you work in a high-traffic store, the commission system (which is going to be replaced soon) is pretty unfair - you get 10% of profit and 1% of sale, and if that amount is enough to exceed your basic monthly wages (which are barely above the minimum wage), your wages for the month are then deducted from that 10% of profit; sort of like you're paying them back out of your wages for the chance to truly get your commision, which ends up being a small bonus. Aside from this, the commission introduces petty politics. Furthermore, in my store, I found too much of the management to be bullying narcissistic personalities. The store manager was notorious among some of the staff for being an intense and crass man who mainly cares about the numbers - a man who takes out the financial pressures that are on him from above, on those below him. To be frank, I felt like psych-ops games were being played on me and workplace bullying was taking place for my first 6 months or so.

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5.0
May 5, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

You get a good discount

Cons

You work retail, which is difficult

3.0
Jul 1, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Sweet deals and discounts Coworkers are very pleasant to work with Good as extra income Good for aspiring musicians to network with experts of the industry

Cons

Obsolete softwares Scheduling system software that is thenmost imperative tool as of it will be the backbone of a lesson lead for your team of instructors success it's also somewhat obsolete amd constantly crashing both IT and Upper management are aware. IT is very diligent and pleasant to work with but Upper management expects their lessons lead to work and deliver at 100% capacity while they continue to have an operating system that only works at 75% capacity, just beware of that and if you're willing to work under those conditions. With that put there go at your own discretion. Nobody gets Christmas/winter holiday vacation time off, also go at your own discretion on that one especially if you have kids and family looking for work-life-balance.

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