Which Sales Commission Structure is the Most Effective?

Depending on the type of salesperson and the company, different commission structures are available.

Companies with a straight commission structure include Amazon, Uber, and Airbnb. The commission is calculated based on the amount of revenue you generate. Companies such as Nike and Apple, on the other hand, have a variable commission structure. The commission is calculated based on how much of your quota you have sold at the end of the day or week. Variable commissions allow salespeople to earn bonuses or incentives if they meet certain targets.

Commission for Territorial Volume

Sales teams typically struggle to foster a sense of cooperation and teamwork. They must rely on individual personalities, which frequently leads to conflict. The territorial volume commission structure is intended to foster trust and unity among sales teams by focusing on collaboration and results.

The sales generated within a territory are added up, and the commissions earned are divided equally among all sales reps working within that territory under the territorial volume sales commission structure.

It promotes a team-first environment and collaboration, both of which are beneficial to success. It motivates employees to work as a team rather than attacking goals individually, which can push them to new levels of productivity and efficiency.

Keep in mind, however, that implementing this commission structure may leave top performers dissatisfied with the lack of proper recognition — especially if they are sandwiched between low or below-average performances on the same team.

Structure example:

The sales goal for four sales representatives working in the same territory is $100,000. One rep generates $30,000 in revenue, two reps generate $25,000, and the fourth rep generates $20,000 in revenue.

If the territorial commission rate is 30%, the commission is divided equally and they both earn the same $7,500 commission.

Commission on Gross Margin

A company’s gross margin is its overall profit after all costs are deducted. This is typically calculated by dividing a company’s total revenues by the total number of products sold now with the help of sales compensation softwares. A gross margin sales commission structure is one in which certain sales representatives are paid a flat percentage on each sale they make, which is then divided among all the other salespeople.

Representatives are incentivized to drive sales through gross margin commission structures. The difference is that a sales rep’s commission is calculated based on the gross revenue generated by each sale, rather than the revenue generated by each sale. This sales commission structure calculates actual profit by evaluating a product’s sale price and the costs associated with closing a deal. Sales representatives are then paid a commission based on the actual profit.

Structure example:

If a product costs $100 but it costs a company $25 to get it into the hands of a customer, sales reps earn a commission on the profit ($75) rather than the actual price of the product ($100).

Straight Commissions

A company pays a set amount of money to the salesman for each sale he makes in a straight commission structure. When a salesperson is not required to share their sales with their team members or is paid by the hour, this type of commission structure is typically used.

This commission allows startups to quickly gain market share and expand their reach with little investment and a focused sales strategy. This option makes sense for established businesses as well. The more room for growth there is in a smaller company. It increases revenue for both the seller and the customer because it is simple and requires no additional effort from either party. However, this sales commission structure can make a few sales people greedy, and they may not give customers the impression that they are getting a good deal. This may result in a large number of dissatisfied customers and a decrease in customer retention.

Structure example:

If a sales representative sells a $1000 product and their commission rate is set at 10%, they will receive $100 for each sale.

ElevateHQ works best at the job where you need to manage sales performance of companies in a succinct as well as a precise way to help commission the staff efficiently.