I know the guys at discount always say they aren't commission based so "they don't have any ulterior motive" but they sure try hard to up sell me every time I go in. Anyone have any insight into how they actually operate? Are they just giving me lip service?
Discount Tire
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Last: 2 mo ago by drumboy
They're not commissioned based, but generally speaking, the better the store does, they better they do.
jefftip said:
I know the guys at discount always say they aren't commission based so "they don't have any ulterior motive" but they sure try hard to up sell me every time I go in. Anyone have any insight into how they actually operate? Are they just giving me lip service?
Commissions =/= Bonus
I would imagine the incentives are in profitability overall, sales metrics, customer satisfaction even?
The one on 18th is the pushiest I've ever been to, and myself and others have had them do the hard-sell we can't repair/rotate those. Not sure if it's related, but the manager has some sweet classics including a 71ish El Camino and a boxy Chevy stepside, maybe double cab.
The DT I used to go to got weird, playing loud strange music outside loud enough to be annoying inside the store and sales guys wearing dark glasses inside. Had a meth vibe with a trashy parking lot.
I have lots of friends at the briar forest store if you don't want games.
Whoop Delecto said:
I had a tire DT would not patch on grandma's Sunday car so I had a local shop plug it. It ticked me off so the next tires were going to be from Costco.
I bought a Costco membership and put new Michelins on 2 trucks. Each time they took 2 full hours! One install was a Tuesday with the first morning appointment. 3 Months later, I picked up a nail close to Costco. Dropped in the store and they said it would be 3 hours and it would be better to schedule an appointment tomorrow. Next day, it took over an hour just to plug one tire.
I'm done wasting time at Costco.
DT doesn't seem much faster these days. I don't blame them since they are always swamped with cars, but it seems much slower than before.
Took my car in Monday for new tires. I was hoping to drop off my key and leave, but it took 40 minutes just to be put on the list.
They also were taking appointments as they came in and skipping the line of us waiting. I can respect that, since that is the entire purpose of an appointment, but I stopped making appointments with DT in the past because it was just a show and never helped you get in/out faster. I'll be scheduling ahead in the future, if I'm able.
Had a short conversation just last week with DT guy that sounded like he was Mgr or maybe Asst Mgr.
The managers get a base plus a percent of the total store volume. Managers at the largest stores can pull $300k plus.
He said he was at number 1 in the region store once but would never do it again. Lines 15 deep constantly. No lunch. Minimal breaks.
The managers get a base plus a percent of the total store volume. Managers at the largest stores can pull $300k plus.
He said he was at number 1 in the region store once but would never do it again. Lines 15 deep constantly. No lunch. Minimal breaks.
Whoop Delecto said:
I had a tire DT would not patch on grandma's Sunday car so I had a local shop plug it. It ticked me off so the next tires were going to be from Costco.
I bought a Costco membership and put new Michelins on 2 trucks. Each time they took 2 full hours! One install was a Tuesday with the first morning appointment. 3 Months later, I picked up a nail close to Costco. Dropped in the store and they said it would be 3 hours and it would be better to schedule an appointment tomorrow. Next day, it took over an hour just to plug one tire.
I'm done wasting time at Costco.
I love Costco but hate their tire center.
Discount tire with an appointment.
Make nice with the counter guys. Sometimes I'll have dominos delivered for the shop/counter guys.
I get helped immediately when I walk in no matter who's working.
I spend 20-25K a year with my wholesale account there.
"Discount tire with an appointment."
That seems the way to go where I live.
"I get helped immediately when I walk in no matter who's working.
I spend 20-25K a month with my wholesale account there."
Well I would certainly expect you to get good treatment when you are spending that kind of money on a regular basis! They ought to be ordering pizza for you!
That seems the way to go where I live.
"I get helped immediately when I walk in no matter who's working.
I spend 20-25K a month with my wholesale account there."
Well I would certainly expect you to get good treatment when you are spending that kind of money on a regular basis! They ought to be ordering pizza for you!
Buck Turgidson said:
"Discount tire with an appointment."
That seems the way to go where I live.
"I get helped immediately when I walk in no matter who's working.
I spend 20-25K a month with my wholesale account there."
Well I would certainly expect you to get good treatment when you are spending that kind of money on a regular basis! They ought to be ordering pizza for you!
Edited to say 20-25K a year not month. If I did that much I'd just buy direct
From the manufacturers.
I love Discount Tire, I don't even consider buying from anywhere else. Good prices on tires and the certificates are extremely negotiable.
1agswitchin4lanes said:Buck Turgidson said:
"Discount tire with an appointment."
That seems the way to go where I live.
"I get helped immediately when I walk in no matter who's working.
I spend 20-25K a month with my wholesale account there."
Well I would certainly expect you to get good treatment when you are spending that kind of money on a regular basis! They ought to be ordering pizza for you!
Edited to say 20-25K a year not month. If I did that much I'd just buy direct
From the manufacturers.
Do you know any distributors that'll do low volumes? I picked up a tire machine a few years ago, but am still paying retail pricing for the handful of tires I buy a year. I would like to at least get under MAP on Michelin. Easy enough to find wholesale pricing on Chinese tires.
1. Make an appointment.
2. Show up.
3. Profit?
I've never had an issue when I make an appointment. In and out in less than an hour.
2. Show up.
3. Profit?
I've never had an issue when I make an appointment. In and out in less than an hour.
I know a lot about a little, and a little about a lot.
At Costco you are better off going in right before the deadline for last car of the day. Then the guys have an incentive to get you out if you don't have an appointment.
txyaloo said:1agswitchin4lanes said:Buck Turgidson said:
"Discount tire with an appointment."
That seems the way to go where I live.
"I get helped immediately when I walk in no matter who's working.
I spend 20-25K a month with my wholesale account there."
Well I would certainly expect you to get good treatment when you are spending that kind of money on a regular basis! They ought to be ordering pizza for you!
Edited to say 20-25K a year not month. If I did that much I'd just buy direct
From the manufacturers.
Do you know any distributors that'll do low volumes? I picked up a tire machine a few years ago, but am still paying retail pricing for the handful of tires I buy a year. I would like to at least get under MAP on Michelin. Easy enough to find wholesale pricing on Chinese tires.
I don't sadly.
I used to buy from A few independent distributors but couldn't get good pricing on Michelin. They do me good enough on Michelins anyway.
I don't mind waiting at discount anymore. My buddy's office is right next door so I just drop my vehicle off and walk over to his office to plop down in front of the big screen in the conference room until they call me
I try to avoid tire shops where too much English is spoken. They're usually fast and cheap.
Drop at discount before work.....work....pick up after work. Doesn't matter if it takes them 20min or 6 hours to me. I hate waiting for anything
Sometimes refusing to repair Grandmas tire is due to a safety concern on the repair itself. The shade tree Mexican tire shop doesn't give a rats ass about her or anyone else's safety.:.
Always used Discount Tire, but started to notice the same thing. Always pushing something else, especially their "certificates". I added up how much I've spent on Certificates over the years, and of course it is way more than just replacing a couple of tires. I guess it's basically just insurance, and of course insurance is going to favor the house. I just don't care for how hard they push all that stuff.
Went with Costco last time and couldn't be happier. Drop the truck off, go about your day, then get it when you want. I wouldn't want to wait around at Costco, Discount, or anywhere else. Costco had better prices, too.
Went with Costco last time and couldn't be happier. Drop the truck off, go about your day, then get it when you want. I wouldn't want to wait around at Costco, Discount, or anywhere else. Costco had better prices, too.
Last time I was there, they went crazy on the "swollen lug nuts" rant and I how I needed to buy a new set of lug nuts from them for $100+. I resisted and they eventually agreed to put the existing ones back on.. For giggles, I checked everything out with an impact socket when I got home and had no issues. MAYBE a couple of them were a little snug. I've since ordered a new set of one piece lug nuts and put them on. Will wait patiently to see if they try the games again on the next visit.
Yeah, I don't have any issues with any shenanigans like that. Course, helps that a former student is the assistant manager there and always takes care of me.
I know a lot about a little, and a little about a lot.
Depending on the vehicle and lug nut issues, it actually can be a really bad deal. I've literally broken the factory lug wrench trying to remove the lugs on a tundra with this issue. It's all fun and games until you're stuck on the side of the road trying to remove a set of lug nuts that are seized in place.
However, this is why I carry a battery powered impact… most people don't though and have to get their vehicle towed if they can't get the lugs off.
However, this is why I carry a battery powered impact… most people don't though and have to get their vehicle towed if they can't get the lugs off.
Bought multiple sets of tires last year at DT - They offer the certs, I refuse, then they offer to sell me 4 certs for the price of one.
DT will beat CostCo prices, so I cross shop and call to line it up before going in. CostCo now pro-rates replacements w/ their included warranty so it was hard to get certs included at DT recently.
And no, I don't need new windshield wipers either. They called to recommend me replacing my 3 month old wipers and said that the humidity in Houston really dries them out. I wanted him to explain that logic to me.
DT doesn't have $1.50 hot dogs & $2 pizza.
And no, I don't need new windshield wipers either. They called to recommend me replacing my 3 month old wipers and said that the humidity in Houston really dries them out. I wanted him to explain that logic to me.
DT doesn't have $1.50 hot dogs & $2 pizza.
I have a good experience with my local Ft Worth Discount Tire. I ALWAYS make appointments.
drumboy said:
The one on 18th is the pushiest I've ever been to, and myself and others have had them do the hard-sell we can't repair/rotate those. Not sure if it's related, but the manager has some sweet classics including a 71ish El Camino and a boxy Chevy stepside, maybe double cab.
This is the one I use as well and they will probably successfully upsell anyone who is not knowledgeable in basic car things. Doom and gloom sales tactics.
The Wonderer said:drumboy said:
The one on 18th is the pushiest I've ever been to, and myself and others have had them do the hard-sell we can't repair/rotate those. Not sure if it's related, but the manager has some sweet classics including a 71ish El Camino and a boxy Chevy stepside, maybe double cab.
This is the one I use as well and they will probably successfully upsell anyone who is not knowledgeable in basic car things. Doom and gloom sales tactics.
Yep, I actually bought a cheap tire depth gauge and take it with me waiting for them to swipe the device over it and tell me what my tires w/ 50% of tread left are 'close to 4/32 so they need to be replaced'.
Silvy said:
They're not commissioned based, but generally speaking, the better the store does, they better they do.
They may or may not be on a bonus structure, but I'm pretty sure they have spiffs for selling certain products. The OEM will offer DT extra money if they move a particular product, and that likely gets passed to the people in store.
Perhaps when you said bonus, you meant what I mean here. We used to call them spiffs. I think of a bonus as something you earn when you reach a benchmark or goal.
My wife was in recently and they wanted her to get Faulkens to replace BFGs that were actually higher in price. They lied and said the BFGs weren't being made or in stock. I found them online, at least, at another store. We could wait the 24 hours without a problem. I was pretty pissed at that guy, though. So yeah, they're on spiffs or a bonus system or whatever.
1) they're not paid commission
2) were you looking at the BFG ATs because they specifically stopped making the previously model as they rolled out the KO3s. Yes, other stores have them in stock but they're not backfilling them at all as they shift to newer model
3) their bonus system is based on store performance which has more to do with profitability and how the manager is managing the store. Total volume of sales is a big chunk but so is managing costs… the managers that have good stores and do this well are rewarded very well but there is no specific kickback from any of the manufactures to any single individual in the store.
2) were you looking at the BFG ATs because they specifically stopped making the previously model as they rolled out the KO3s. Yes, other stores have them in stock but they're not backfilling them at all as they shift to newer model
3) their bonus system is based on store performance which has more to do with profitability and how the manager is managing the store. Total volume of sales is a big chunk but so is managing costs… the managers that have good stores and do this well are rewarded very well but there is no specific kickback from any of the manufactures to any single individual in the store.
I declined the certificates and the front desk guy just told me he'd charge $5 each tire. Ended up paying for itseof a couple months later but the certificates are definitely negotiable
DT has done me well and I'm pretty tough on my tires.
akaggie05 said:
Last time I was there, they went crazy on the "swollen lug nuts" rant and I how I needed to buy a new set of lug nuts from them for $100+. I resisted and they eventually agreed to put the existing ones back on.. For giggles, I checked everything out with an impact socket when I got home and had no issues. MAYBE a couple of them were a little snug. I've since ordered a new set of one piece lug nuts and put them on. Will wait patiently to see if they try the games again on the next visit.
Got new tires installed at Costco and they told me about the swollen lug nuts. Never heard about that so I googled and found that it's a real issue with the F-150 so I told them to go ahead and replace them. I think it was around $40 to replace all of them so not really a big deal.
The ones they sell at Discount Tire must be gold-plated or something.
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