What's a fair staff discount?

[WildGoose]

I'm feeling a bit ripped off today bought a present for somebody plus some dog food. We don't sell a lot of anything i'd ever buy, but its good for a few things, i.e. we sell bulk washing powder (12kg) and bulk dog food (20kg). We are a small company, only one boss, 10 employees, the only person who tells me what to do is also the company director.

The dog food is bought in at £17.75, we sell it for £24.95, he gave me 10% off retail price.

For the present he mentioned "i'll do you a better deal on these as the mark up is quite high" . He buys them in for £11.75, sells them for £23.95, gave me 20% off retail.

The job has next to zero perks (save for company phones they don't keep too tight observation on), no sick pay, no BUPA type stuff despite the dangerous physical nature of the work, no uniform so you supply your own clothes to get trashed, and provide your own safety/wet weather gear. No breakdown recovery for the vehicles.

To my mind, I should be able to buy things at cost (plus the VAT at a push, if its needed to keep the books happy) but I can't see any justification for charging an employee any more than this. I might as well go home an hour and a half early. If for sake of argument, a days work is £80 he has made over £11 quid of it back from me by being a rip off merchant.

Yes I don't /have/ to buy stuff here, but even at retail its a saving because of the bulk. I should be voting with my feet really but thats another story.

I must just be a soft target. He gives better discounts to his wink wink nudge nudge type customers, as well as the pikeys who buy all our out of date or damaged goods.

To the point ...

If you worked in a retail place - I know there are plenty of you who work in these type of roles - What would you want/expect from your employer in terms of discount on the products they sell?

What are your experiences in practice?

Assuming all things being equal, i.e. you are a good little corporate egg, a valuable asset etc and all that bullshit.
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So in other words, he stopped you for being flagrantly in posession of a motorcycle in direct contravention of the Hippies, Darkies and People Whose Face I Don't Like The Look of (Police Powers) Act. 1976

[Hetzer]

For the sake of what you saved, why didn't you just say "Nah, I think I'll pay full retail thanks. Somewhere else."
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"There's the horizon! Ride hard, ride fast and cut down all who stand in your way!"

[The Artist]

Any discount is a bonus IMO.

[ms51ves3]

I got 15% off when working at a motorcycle dealership. Far from decent.

My sister works at Greggs and gets 50% off. Cheese and ham baguettes for 95p

[sickpup]

I expect cost or better. I've just had a new 3/4 length coat through the company even though they no longer supply riding gear, was brought in from France specially for me and cost me our discount retail price spread out over 4 weeks at £25 a week and the company is swallowing the VAT for me. So that's one new pair of textile trousers and two new coats in the last 6 months on the same arrangement.
I make them a lot of money every week for the few days I work and they do their best to keep me happy, way it should be.

When I've worked at bike shops part of my contract is that I only pay trade on parts and that I can buy whatever I want and sell to whomever I want as long as it doesn't interfere with company business.

[wizzzard]

I wouldn't class myself as a valuable asset but I still get cost plus VAT which can be a saving of a few hundred quid on a single item.

We have a similar size set up, and while I wouldn't automatically expect that kind of discount, the boss has always been most generous and just offered it.
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[panrider_uk]

I think the supermarkets generally give staff 15%.

I sell to friends and family at cost price.

Mark
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Current bikes: Honda ST1100 Pan European. Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel

[amnesia]

An ex used to get 10% at Safeway, but that was over 5 years ago.

I have just bought a christmas present from a friends shop at trade + VAT.

I have got trade + VAT from a local motorcycle dealer.
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[Skudd]

I used to get 10% dicount, although from time to time some things were excluded, as was petrol and cigs. Not bad discount when using it every week, saved about £1-2k a year.
Although some staff liked the 5 finger discount better.
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[AngelGrinder]

I work at Ocado (Waitrose home-delivery (sort-of)) and we get 10% and free delivery (normally £5).

And I still don't use it, it's bloody expensive, so very rarely use it.

Depends on where you work really, but at the bottom end of jobs....don't expect much!
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Currently Riding - 2002 Aprilia RSV1000 Mille

[lostboy]

[Clanger]

I used to get 50% off for family, and 20% off for friends. Most things I wanted for myself (so long as I didn't take the mickey) I got free.
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[Kickstart]

Hi

Not sure I have worked anywhere that gave a staff discount. 3M had a company shop on site that was a bit cheaper I suppose. Certainly didn't get any discount on gas / electric when I worked for MEB / npower.

All the best

Keith
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[Feasty]

I work for a major IT company, and every now and again we get emailed round a list of limited availability stock at "much cheaper" prices for staff. This includes laptops, PC's, flat screens, etc, etc.

However, do a web search on any of these products and I can guarantee we'd find them cheaper from some online supplier.
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Previous: Aprilia Habana Retro 50cc (beauty), Yamaha SR125 (fell apart), Honda XR125 (nippy little commuter), Honda SLR650 (Geewhizz), Yamaha Diversion 900S (Smoooooth) written off courtesy of a stupid escaped horse.
(7 year gap), BMW F650 (Relaxing ride). Aprilia Caponord ETV1000 (Big and bold). Yamaha FZS600 (got me in trouble too quick!).
Current: Yamaha TDM 900 (Comfy, light but big, power when needed).

[Nb]

I get car parts at cost at my place, and i dont have to pay straight away either. Can be handy at times.
I'd expect cost on things from a place of work, aslong as your not doing them out of business.
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[chris-red]

It depends on the store, I used to get 10% off at tesco everything except petrol and fags I think. Now this was fair considering how much I would spend there, but if I work at a clothes shop say I would expect 20/30% If it was a small business like the OP's example I would expect cost.

The best discount I ever heard was 99% at sunglasses hut they could only buy 2 pairs a year though I think.
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Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
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[Alexio]

I used to get computer components at 5% above cost price when I worked in a computer shop. I thought it was pretty reasonable.

What am I saying, I haven't worked there for a year but I still get that discount. It's good to have friends.
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[steveh]

I get 20% off items i want. (motorcycle dealership)

its good, but somethings are cheaper to get from T'internetz

steve.
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[mistergixer]

[c_dug]

I get 30% on most stuff, get less on some of the high priced gadgets as we make less of a markup on them anyway. 30% is more than most people I speak to so im happy with it.

c_dug
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[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

[G]

At starbucks we got free 'made' drinks and 50% off all food and bottled drinks, but only while on-shift. Rest of the time it was 10% I think.
10-20% is pretty common for big retailers, though I'd hope for more in smaller places.
There's always going to be more costs associated that just 'cost price', but then if they're trying to keep staff and the staff aren't using it all the time, it makes sense.

Starbucks actually wanted you to pay for their own polo shirts, though you didn't have to buy them and could use plain ones. Manager said they were free when we first opened, think he paid for them out of his own pocket.

[L-Jam]

I've got two part time jobs because I'm still in college, but in River Island I get 75% off jeans once a month and 30% off everything, to a limit of 250 quid a month. In Foot Locker, I get 50% off trainers once a month, one pair free a year, and 30% off anything at any time.

By the look of things, my discount is quite good!
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[KLR600]

I work at an artificial ski slope and the benefits are pretty good compared to what everyone else seems to get!

I get:

Free skiing and snowboarding lessons provided there's already public booked onto the lesson.

Free use of the slope once I'm at the required skill level (took about a week to get there so I can go on the slope for free whenever I want now)

Pretty much cost price food/drink. You pay £3.25 for a panini, I pay 75p! I get hot drinks and cordials for free, cold drinks like pepsi, J2O's at cost.

Free toboggan use.

Free sno tube sessions (provided public are already booked onto a session).

Free crazy golf.

Whats even better is direct family get all that too so it makes for a really cheap Saturday if we're stuck for something to do! Trouble is it means I have to go work on a day off. I often stay behind after work to go for a slide around though, I may aswell while it's free! No limits on anything either!
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[sickpup]

Just remembered I used to work for Madison 20 years ago who own Ridgeback bikes and import Shimano in the UK and I used to get a 40% discount there. I also got 40% off of sale prices and special knock down prices as well so got each of my sisters new £900 bikes for £180 each. On top of that I have the prototype XTR groupset fitted on my bike for the sum of £170.00 and used to get free wheels, parts and bikes to borrow from Ridgeback on the proviso that I did my best to break them.

I aso worked at Ewards the bike shop in Camberwell and rarely paid for parts, as long as you didn't take the piss virtually any thing you wanted was free. I had a set of Mavic M231 ceramic rims ordered which we were told were £45 a pair and when they turned up were £90 each so the boss paid the difference, as far as he was concerned he had quoted me and that was that.

When you treat your staff well and give them big discounts they are less likely to steal and will deal with customers with a big genuine smile on their faces as they rightly feel valued.