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The Global Insight

Do sales reps work on commission?

Author

Robert Miller

Updated on February 06, 2026

The more you sell, the more you make in commissions. Sales representatives earn a salary, or draw, each month for a specified time regardless of sales. If they earn less in commission than they do in salary, they keep the commission and the difference between it and the draw amount.

How does commission work for sales people?

Depending on the compensation scheme, a salesperson may be paid sales commission based on a percentage of the amount of the sale, such as 3% of the total sales price, a standard commission on any sale such as $500 per sale over x sales in a week or month, or a team-based percentage of the total sales of the department …

Can a job be 100% commission?

Professionals working on 100% commission jobs usually earn more than those doing jobs that are paid a base salary. In case of an increase in sales, then the commission agent sells more and therefore gets a higher income on a monthly basis – that can a lot more in comparison with a person that has a wage.

Can you be employed on commission only?

It’s not legal to have an employee and only pay them commission, unless you guarantee that the commission equals or exceeds the National Minimum Wage. So in other words, you can call it commission but it needs to be guaranteed commission so in effect, it’s a salary.

Which is better commission or base salary for sales rep?

Sales reps assume much more risk with a commission-only structure since they don’t have a base salary to fall back on, so companies that offer 100% commission may experience higher turnover and a smaller applicant pool. Many salespeople don’t want the income risk and prefer to have the security of a base salary.

Can a sales rep recover their sales commission?

In states like Massachusetts and Maryland, wage payment and collection laws may entitle sales reps to recover up to three times the amount of any unpaid sales commission, in addition to attorney fees. More often than not, courts side with employees. Do you know your state’s policy on earned wages, commissions, and bonuses?

How does the draw against commission work in sales?

The draw against commission offsets the lack of incentive payments during a sales rep’s ramp and on-boarding. Ultimately, it functions more like a stable base salary payment than it does variable pay. How Does the Draw Against Commission Work in Sales? The draw amount is pre-determined and is essentially a payment advancement to the rep.

What happens when a sales rep leaves Xactly?

A Recoverable Draw pays reps up front, but the company will recover the draw payments from earned commissions over time. For example, if a sales rep leaves the company before all draw payments have been recovered, it can be difficult to collect the funds. Most companies choose to forgive the “loan” in these situations.