Sales, Customer Service, and Merchandising (counter/wholesale sales, quotations, returns, display)
Counter and wholesale sales
Ask the right questions - application, VIN, engine, side, quantity - before quoting or pulling stock. Confirm the order back to the customer, state availability honestly, and offer an alternative only when it truly fits. Wholesale accounts may have contract pricing, credit terms and delivery schedules that differ from retail.
Quotations
A quotation is an offer with a validity period, stated currency, part numbers, quantities, freight basis and any conditions (core charges, special-order deposit, non-returnable status). Once accepted it becomes an order; a verbal "around $200" can become a dispute. Price changes after the validity date require a new quote.
Returns and customer disputes
Apply the published return policy: time limit, original packaging, proof of purchase, restocking fee, non-returnable categories (electrical, fluids, special orders). Distinguish goodwill from warranty. Document what the customer says and what was found.
Merchandising
Displays sell: planograms group related items, facing and clean labels speed selection, impulse items sit at the counter, and cross-merchandising puts filters next to oil. Keep pricing current and shelves to standard.
Margin versus markup: margin = (price − cost) ÷ price; markup = (price − cost) ÷ cost. They are not the same number.
Worked example: cost $60, selling price $100 → margin = $40 ÷ $100 = 40%; markup = $40 ÷ $60 = 66.7%.
Traps: quoting markup when the system reports margin; letting a quote sit past its validity; accepting a return outside policy without authorization.