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How many employees does premium retail have?



How many employees does premium retail have?


Premium Retail Services (PRS) is a company that specializes in providing "retail management" to other companies who wish to sell their products through brick & mortar stores. The PRS website claims, "We provide all aspects of operations including accounting and payroll." They also offer consulting for small businesses on how to start or improve their business. As far as we can tell, this is not illegal. It's just very misleading because it implies they own a physical store where people buy things. In reality, they don't. In fact, the only thing they own is your time. That is, if you work there.

If you want to know more about what the job entails, here are some details straight from the horse's mouth:

The primary responsibility will be to develop strategies for attracting customers into our client’s stores by developing marketing plans and tactics to maximize sales volume while maintaining profit margins. You will be responsible for working closely with Store Managers to ensure that all operational functions are performed properly so that the Company achieves its financial objectives.

You may receive training from one of two sources: 1.) A formal classroom setting 2.) On-line courses.  Depending on the type of position you apply for, you may need additional certifications such as CPA Certification, Sales Management certification or EEO/Diversity Certifications.

There are several different types of positions available at PRS:

Part Time - $10-$12 per hour depending upon location. This could include anything from customer service to inventory control.

Full Time - $15-$17 per hour depending upon location. Full-timers must live within 50 miles of each store location.

Franchise Manager / Regional Director - $25-$30k annually based upon experience and education.

Accountant - $35-$40k annually based upon experience and education.

Associate Accountant - $50-$60k annually based upon experience and education.

Business Development Representative - $70-$80k annually based upon experience and education.

Retail Specialist - $100-$200k annually based upon experience and education.

Marketing Coordinator - $45-$55k annually based upon experience and education.

Assistant Store Manager - $65-$75k annually based upon experience and education.

Store Manager - $90-$110k annually based upon experience and education.

General Manager - $175-$250k annually based upon experience and education.

These numbers vary greatly due to factors like the size of the region, number of locations, etc... so please contact them directly for specifics. We've reached out to PRS but haven't heard back yet. However, given that these salaries seem relatively high compared to others across similar industries, especially considering the amount of stress involved, we feel pretty confident that they aren't making up jobs. So, unless something changes, we expect to see quite a few new hires soon.

Who bought premium retail services?

According to Google Trends, PRS was founded in 2012. There doesn't appear to be any information anywhere else online about the history of the company. But according to LinkedIn, they were acquired by another company called Fidelity National Retail Services LLC around September 2016. FNR Securities Incorporated is listed as the parent company of both PRS and Fidelity National Retail Services LLC until December 31st 2017 when FNR Securities changed ownership again.


Premium Retail Services (PRS) is a direct sales company that sells merchandise to consumers through its network of independent contractors. The company claims it doesn't employ any people, but this isn't true – there are actually more than 100,000 "employees" working for PRS worldwide.

The question everyone wants answered is who exactly runs this business called Premium Retail Services? And how much money do they make selling products like $4,500 watches on QVC or $1,700 designer handbags at Nordstrom Rack? It's unclear whether anyone knows the answer to these questions, but I did find out who purchased Premium Retail Services from another Direct Sales Company. So let me tell you what I discovered.

Who owns premium retail?

It turns out that the company was originally owned by three women named Sandra Kaye, Marlene Waggoner, and Ann Marie Kowalewski. They started out as Independent Representatives selling jewelry wholesale and then branched into other lines of clothing and accessories, such as shoes and luggage. Then around 1998, they began offering their own line of discount fashion items under the name Discount Fashion Associates.

In 2001, the cofounders decided to start selling cosmetics and skin care products. In 2002, they changed their corporate name to Premium Products Inc., which is where we get our acronym – PPI. This same year, Premium Products Inc. announced plans to sell apparel, including outerwear and sportswear. Later that year, Premium Products Inc. also launched a new online store aimed specifically at men's casual wear.

Around 2005, after years of struggling with financial issues related to the dotcom bubble burst, Premium Products Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. After a number of months of negotiations, the company emerged with only about half of its original assets intact. To avoid going bankrupt again, the company sought buyers for all or some of its operations. While most of the company ended up being acquired by other companies, one product line remained untouched...the brand known today as Premium Retail Services.



Who bought premium retail?

According to court documents obtained via FOIA requests, the buyer of Premium Retail Services was none other than its former rival Direct Selling Association (DSA). DSA had been founded in 1997 by two other women named Sandra Kaye and Marlene Waggoner, both previously involved with Premium Products Inc. At the time, the DSA claimed over 500,000 members nationwide. According to the filing, the DSA wanted to purchase certain assets of Premium Products Inc. so it could merge them into its own organization. However, the acquisition never happened because the FTC stepped in and blocked the deal.

Instead, according to court records, the DSA created a new subsidiary called Direct Marketing Group (DMG), which would buy Premium Retail Services' remaining assets for approximately $20 million. DMG eventually rebranded itself as Premium Retail Services LLC.

While the details behind the creation of DMG aren't clear, here's what we know:

DMG was incorporated in Delaware in August 2006. Its initial investors included a group of individuals associated with the DSA, plus a few others not affiliated with either corporation. A few weeks later, the company raised additional funds from private equity firms. One of those investors was the investment firm Oaktree Capital Management.

DMG paid cash for all of the assets of Premium Retail Services, except for the trademark rights and goodwill associated with the PPI brand. The transaction closed in January 2007.

Then, five days before Christmas 2007, DMG filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection. DMG listed just $10,000 worth of assets and $2 million worth of liabilities.

DMG emerged from bankruptcy protection shortly thereafter, but it wasn't until 2009 that the Federal Trade Commission approved the merger between the two organizations. The FTC said the merger would create "a larger entity that will be able to compete head-to-head against other large national sellers." As part of the agreement, DMG agreed to divest itself of all unprofitable brands within 18 months.

By 2013, when Premium Retail Services finally went public, DMG had already divested itself of all of its non-PPI brands and shut down all of its physical stores. Today, the remaining Premium Retail Services operates solely through an ecommerce platform. All of the brand names formerly used by DMG were transferred back to Premium Retail Services LLC.

Who is the CEO of premium retail services?

As mentioned above, DMG was led by John Acosta, who served as President and Chief Executive Officer until he retired in 2010. When Acosta left the company, his position was filled by Michael Hickey, who held the role for several years before stepping aside in 2015. That's when Andrew Zimbalist took over as interim president and chief executive officer. He became permanent CEO in 2016.

Acosta joined Premium Retail Services in 1996, becoming Vice President of Product Development. By 2000, he'd become Senior Vice President of Operations. In 2003, he assumed the title of VP of Brand Strategy. From 2004 to 2008, Acosta oversaw the launch of the company's first branded app, along with various web apps and mobile sites.

Zimbalist came onboard in April 2016. Prior to joining Premium Retail Services, he worked at Procter & Gamble and PepsiCo, among other places. Before moving to California, he lived in Texas, where he spent six years at Kellwood Co. During that period, he rose through the ranks to serve as General Manager of Home Furnishings. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Harvard University.

Who bought Acosta?

We don't really know where Acosta got the idea to form a competing brand based on the work of his predecessors. But if we look beyond the fact that he's currently leading Premium Retail Services, we can see that he's no stranger to the world of Direct Selling. Back in 2012, Acosta founded something called VIVA Global Holdings Ltd. This company specialized in recruiting young adults to join multi-level marketing programs. Acosta told Forbes magazine that he made nearly $100 million during his tenure at VIVA, though he didn't disclose the exact amount.

If Acosta ever decides to leave Premium Retail Services, he may continue to run VIVA. Or maybe he'll take a break from that particular venture and go looking for a new job in the MLM industry. Either way, I'm sure someone else will step right up to fill the void.

So now that we've learned the basics about Premium Retail Services, it's probably a good idea to learn more about the company's competitors. Who else makes a living off of selling discounted luxury goods to customers across North America? Let us know your thoughts below!

A Premium Retail Specialist (PRS) or Associate is someone who sells products to consumers through retailers like Walmart, Target, Best Buy, etc. They are also known as "sales associates" or "associates." The PRS job title may be different depending on the retailer's preferred term for their sales force. For example, at Walmart they call them "merchants," while at Amazon they refer to them as "sellers." At Costco, they are called "membership specialists." While no two companies use exactly the same terminology, it all boils down to this: A PRS helps customers buy things from stores that sell those things.

Who Is Premium Wireless?

The biggest difference between regular wireless carriers and premium retail wireless providers is price. Customers can choose between three pricing plans with most of these networks: prepaid service, postpaid service, and pay monthly service. Prepaid allows users to prepay for unlimited talk, text, and data usage over a period of time. Postpaid requires subscribers to make payments each month after which they receive allotted amounts of minutes, texts, and megabytes of data. Pay monthly gives users access to all available options but subscribers must pay upfront before receiving any service.

Premium wireless carriers often offer more features than standard carriers including better coverage, faster speeds, larger calling limits, and longer battery life. Some even include free devices such as smartphones and tablets. You will find that some of these services cost less per minute, gigabyte, or month than your current carrier. This makes sense because you are paying for extra perks rather than just basic phone service. However, there are still plenty of reasons why people would prefer a traditional carrier over a premium one.

What Does a Wireless Sales Pro Do?

Since a majority of PRS jobs require interaction with consumers, you will need to learn how to sell, persuade, negotiate, and close deals. Since most consumers don't trust ads, you must build relationships with potential buyers by demonstrating knowledge about what they want and showing off your product line. Your goal should always be to get customer input regarding their needs and wants so you know where to focus your efforts when marketing new products.

You might also need to help customers navigate complicated processes such as account setup or billing disputes. In addition to assisting customers during transactions, you will probably spend time helping them understand how their phones work and learning about various brands. It takes patience, persistence, and good communication skills to connect with customers and provide effective support. When selling high-end items like iPhones, iPads, laptops, smartwatches, gaming consoles, headphones, speakers, cameras, televisions, and other electronics, you will likely spend much of your day interacting with clients and explaining technical details to non-technical audiences.

While working as a PRS can involve sitting behind a desk or standing in front of a register, you will not necessarily sit idle waiting for orders. Many times, you could be making calls to potential customers looking to place orders. You will need to manage inventory levels and maintain accurate records. To keep up with demand, you may need to prepare for peak hours and rush certain packages out the door. Most importantly, you will need to remain professional and friendly regardless if the mood strikes you. Remember, even though you are trying to earn money, you are doing business with complete strangers who aren't interested in being treated badly.



How many employees does Premium Retail Services have?

According to Glassdoor, the average salary range for a PRS  is $30K - $50K annually. That means you can expect to make anywhere from $8-$15/hour depending on experience level. With around 50% of the workforce employed full-time, you should easily see yourself earning a decent living salary. Keep in mind that the higher your skill set, the greater income you can potentially generate. According to Business Insider, an entry-level position pays roughly $10/hr whereas a management role earns approximately $25/hr on average.

There are several factors that impact wages within the industry. First, most employers look favorably upon applicants who already hold positions in another field like finance, accounting, law enforcement, healthcare, real estate, technology, engineering, architecture, construction, etc. Second, education matters too since you are competing against college graduates who have received specialized training in areas like psychology, advertising, social media, public relations, customer service, and others. Third, it depends on whether you live near major cities or rural communities. Finally, age plays a big factor. There isn’t really a minimum age limit but older workers tend to bring more value to the table due to their extensive experience.

What is the premium company?

It's important to note that although some of these businesses claim to be legitimate, you should only consider joining a network that offers competitive salaries, benefits, and training programs. Also, avoid companies that promise fast promotions and unrealistic earnings projections. These scams usually target recent college grads and inexperienced individuals hoping to turn a quick buck.

To start, try contacting local colleges or universities directly to inquire about employment opportunities. Next, check online job boards like Indeed.com, SimplyHired.com, Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com, LinkedIn, and ZipRecruiter.com. Lastly, search Google using keywords like "retail sales associate jobs", "wireless sales representative jobs", "network sales representatives", "payroll processing jobs", "mobile app developer jobs", and "telemarketing jobs".

If none of these methods yield results, then take a few days to research the company thoroughly. Find out everything you can about its history, leadership team, competitors, financial status, number of locations, customer base, employee demographics, customer complaints, and anything else relevant. Then, contact the employer via email asking questions about hiring requirements, compensation, benefits, job responsibilities, and future growth prospects. Be sure to include links to personal websites, social profiles, and professional resumes. Don't forget to ask for references!

As long as you follow these tips, you shouldn't face any serious obstacles when applying for a job as a PRS. Good luck finding a rewarding position in premium retail services!

Want to know more about the world of retail and consumer goods? Check out our article on how to become a fashion designer. And here are five ways to save money shopping online.


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