When you go in to buy a new car, the salesperson acts like they are there to help you explore your options and make the best decision. They answer your questions, set up test drives and tell you about all of the newest models. They’re kind and helpful, and you even start to feel like new friends by the end of the visit.
The reality, though, is that they’re not there to help you or to be your friend. They are there to sell cars. There are often quotas or at least expectations. Salespeople have numbers that they try to hit every month. Their main focus is to keep hitting these numbers, not to help you find the right car. So, how many are they supposed to sell?
A dozen cars
There are a lot of specifics to break down, but the typical goal that a salesperson will have is to move from 12 to 15 cars. If they can get a dozen cars off of the lot by the end of the month, they’re doing their job. They do this for all 12 months, of course, which works out to 144 cars per year. If they actually sell 15 cars per month, that’s 180 over the course of the year.
That said, not all salespeople are the same. Some may just sell eight each month, while others notch 20. Their earnings are going to be vastly different. Someone who does not make many sales could basically be working for minimum wage, despite wearing a suit and selling luxury cars. Someone who sells more than 20 could be moving toward $100,000 per year. They may average around a dozen, but there is a significant amount of variation.
What does this mean when you’re buying?
As a consumer, this can mean that you face some serious challenges. That salesperson who is making minimum wage certainly wants to earn $100,000 per year. That person who sells eight cars per month wants to show their value to the dealership by selling 20. Again, their incentive is not to help you, but to close the deal.
Has this led to fraud? Maybe the salesperson misrepresented the vehicle or directly lied about it. Maybe they tried to cover up hidden damage and tricked you into a costly mistake. If these issues happen, you must know what options you have.
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