Easy Job but Underpaid - Senior Sales Consultant CarMax Employee Review

2.0
Feb 6, 2012
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

For a sales professional that wants hands off management this was a perfect job. It was next to impossible to get fired except for harrassment or other unexcusable acts. There was no real sales goals as in other sales organiztions. If you need a job where you can coast from time to time this is a good place for it. Generally speaking the top salespeople at each location were more successful and seasoned than the management team in the store.

Cons

When a salesperson overperforms they are not paid appropriately. When I was recruited I was promised a six figure potential for over performers. I was the top salesperson in a 13 store region for 2 of the 3 years I worked at Carmax and consistently in the top 1% in the company of several thousand nationwide and my top earnings year was just short of $80k. The pay structure / comp plan has not been increased for 10 years. Also the base pay plan was a minimum wage draw that you had to pay back when you made more than minimum wage. The training and development plan was horrid for seasoned sales people. It was a complete and utter waste of time for any salesperson with experience.

Explore other reviews about CarMax

5.0
May 3, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

You are your own boss

Cons

Slow days can be demotivating.

4.0
Jun 13, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The perks of working at CarMax are quite extensive. Associates are offered an aggressive 401k program, Stock Purchasing Plan, in store discounts on sales and service, access to the CarMax Wholesale system, excellent healthcare, plenty of PTO, and at my location we are given as much OT as we want. My coworkers are generally good people, that I enjoy being able to work along side day in and day out. Management is very understanding in regards to calling out sick family emergencies, and schedule requests.

Cons

Despite doing the work of 5 people, and very politely asking for a raise management will not give me more than my 3% annual raise which is the single biggest let down. The bonus change of 2025 being labeled as "exciting" was straight corporate gaslighting unlike anything I've ever seen. Since the start of 2026, as of this review being written we have lost 7 associates largely due to pay, and I am soon to join those associates. Management from the store level up to corporate needs to understand that to retain their top performers they need to be compensated like a top performer. Some members of management are cliquey and moody which is very frustrating to deal with. Quality of Management varies wildly from store to store as well

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