Many retailers allow seasonal workers to purchase items at the same discounted rate regular employees receive and that perk is something David Howe is counting on. Booming income Howe, a senior at the University of Washington, is an accounting major. But his skills reach beyond those of your average bean counter Howe is a skilled salesman as well. This is the way I maximize my earning ability in a part-time schedule, Howe says. Howe says his bank account is running a bit low, so he s looking forward to taking his fall-quarter exams and then heading for the sales floor.
Stores make a profit by buying an item at one price then reselling it at another, higher price.
That difference is know as the profit margin. Howe says different items at his store are marked up at a different percentage and in the world of electronics, the stuff selling at the highest profit margin can be found in your automobile s dashboard and its doors. The car-stereo gear that Howe specializes in selling is marked up at least 45 percent, he says, with some items marked up as high as 65 percent. Since I m selling stuff that s marked up so high, I make more money in commissions, Howe says. Occasionally Howe will channel some of his commission right back into the store, thanks to a generous employee-discount program.