Low pay, understaffing, and too much competition. - Sales Associate Guitar Center Employee Review

2.0
Sep 5, 2010
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Easily the employee discount (musical gear at COST) is the most apparent reason to work there. Second to that would be the scheduling flexibility (they let you off for touring, etc.), and the free education from the training modules. Though there are never enough working at one time to help everyone with an issue, the store managers are generally very down-to-earth and ready to aid. The managers are pretty good at verbally acknowledging a job well done.

Cons

The scheduling is extremely haphazard - schedules will change violently from week to week and sometimes at extremely short notice. Management will sometimes forget to inform people of changes altogether. Most departments are regularly understaffed. The pay is horrible and it is EXTREMELY difficult to make a decent salary. Most employees working fairly don't make much more than $50 or so over minimum wage per paycheck. Because of this, most of the employees result to sharky and unfair tactics to undercut each other, i.e., the competition. Employees also rely heavily on selling items with a large profit margin, which usually are proprietary, cheaply made, and NOT the best item for the customer. Management live in fear of higher management, and therefore sweeping changes can be made at the drop of a hat regardless of practicality and without realistic planning. Pay is docked if employees do not meet certain sales performance ratios, like 30% GC warranty sales, etc. The work environment is also FULL of vulgarity and behavior that could easily be considered harassment, which is why I believe the company has very few female employees.

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May 5, 2026
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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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