# When You Work For A Manufacturer, Do You Still Have To Go Through Retail Channels To Buy Its Product **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 22, 2018, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-work-for-a-manufacturer-do-you-still-have-to-go-through-retail-channels-to-buy-its-product/826530 "2018-12-22T14:15:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![sps49sd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@sps49sd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sps49sd)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2018, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-work-for-a-manufacturer-do-you-still-have-to-go-through-retail-channels-to-buy-its-product/826530/61 "2018-12-26T15:59:16Z")
It depends. Some customer sites that make food type stuff will ban employees bringing the product into the plant, so that any use can be identified as a rule violation or pilferage. My stint at a grocery store allowed use of what was sold, but the receipt was supposed to be in your hand or wrapped around the bottle. I doubt any manufacturer/ packager wlil allow anyone to take stuff and deduct it later, because that sounds so easy to abuse. Many people would be trustable with this, but it doesn’t take many to abuse a privilege and ruin it for everyone. ---
**Author:** ![sps49sd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@sps49sd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sps49sd)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2018, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-work-for-a-manufacturer-do-you-still-have-to-go-through-retail-channels-to-buy-its-product/826530/62 "2018-12-26T16:05:40Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > [snip]I got 2 sets of the crap.[snip] Personal preference or has the stuff gone downhill like Pyrex? I have an ancient set that is still my best stuff, except for the smallest pots whose handle/ pot junction failed after 20 years or so. ---
**Author:** ![MDfive21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@MDfive21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MDfive21)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2018, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-work-for-a-manufacturer-do-you-still-have-to-go-through-retail-channels-to-buy-its-product/826530/63 "2018-12-26T16:51:49Z")
my dad worked at a Dow chemical plant and they have a store onsite with all the consumer plastic products they make. it’s been a while so i don’t know whether it’s employee only or open to the public. probably employee only since it’s not exactly in a convenient location. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2018, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-work-for-a-manufacturer-do-you-still-have-to-go-through-retail-channels-to-buy-its-product/826530/64 "2018-12-26T17:19:31Z")
if you work at the mint that makes coins in Denver and Philadelphia you cannot leave the building with any coins because they don’t know if you brought the coins in or are stealing them. So you leave the coins at your desk or toss them in a bin at the door and that money goes to charity. ---
**Author:** ![sps49sd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@sps49sd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sps49sd)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2018, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-work-for-a-manufacturer-do-you-still-have-to-go-through-retail-channels-to-buy-its-product/826530/65 "2018-12-26T18:19:09Z")
> [@RaftPeople](#): > > You mean in some states, right? Not all states have this restriction (e.g. California). Tesla doesn’t even have a dealer network, as I understand it; cars are bought from the manufacturer. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2018, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-work-for-a-manufacturer-do-you-still-have-to-go-through-retail-channels-to-buy-its-product/826530/66 "2018-12-26T18:28:52Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > I work for one of the largest contract manufacturers on the planet. We manufacturer a significant chunk of Apple’s iPhones and iPads. Apple provides a corporate discount that is roughly on par with a student discount. When I tried to buy the XR a month ago, the Apple Store employee was able to find the corporate code, but it was not yet set to apply to the new iPhones. The woman explained that was pretty normal for newly released products. Probably post Christmas I can use that code to get the same discount my kids in school can get. They should give you a link to the EPP store, then you can check prices without having to go into an all-too-busy Apple store. I’m not sure why I have an EPP with Apple, but it’s nice, except it’s only valid in the US. I’ve been using it for years, since even before my company had to support things such as CarPlay. They’ve also now got a veteran’s EPP. Pricing looks similar to my company EPP and educational plans. ---
**Author:** ![Yarster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/7c8e57/32.png) [@Yarster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yarster)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2018, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-work-for-a-manufacturer-do-you-still-have-to-go-through-retail-channels-to-buy-its-product/826530/67 "2018-12-26T18:55:34Z")
When I worked at Accenture, we did consulting for Best Buy and had access to their internal company auction site where employees (and their affiliates like us) could bid on returns and overstock items. My old boss now works for a company that makes e-cigarette mixtures. They are allowed unlimited supplies of the products while at work to smoke on their breaks, and can take home a cartridge at the end of their shift if they want, but it is only for “personal use”. They are instantly terminated if they are caught trying to resell it, which is too bad because he doesn’t vape and has an ever growing supply of cartridges that he gives away to people who do. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2018, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-work-for-a-manufacturer-do-you-still-have-to-go-through-retail-channels-to-buy-its-product/826530/68 "2018-12-26T19:33:02Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I worked security at a place that make electrical cords, and everyone was allowed to take a few home for free. …from the pile that failed fire inspection. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2018, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-work-for-a-manufacturer-do-you-still-have-to-go-through-retail-channels-to-buy-its-product/826530/69 "2018-12-26T20:25:08Z")
When I worked at a Fanny Farmer chocolate shop, we were encouraged to try everything and we could buy at wholesale price. Within three months I hated even the smell of chocolate. At the jewelry manufacturer, we could buy at cost +5% for labor. I designed a ring for myself, bought the gold at cost of the day (adding extra to beef up the shank) and the main stone at cost of the day, selecting it myself from the stone guys. At the ophthalmic lab, we had a bin of freebie frames or we could buy at cost. The lenses, though, no deals. All accessories were heavily discounted - we could buy two cases for $1.00. Of course, they were all imprinted with the lab name, so cheap advertising. ---
**Author:** ![40below](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/51bf81/32.png) [@40below](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/40below)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2018, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-work-for-a-manufacturer-do-you-still-have-to-go-through-retail-channels-to-buy-its-product/826530/70 "2018-12-26T23:36:44Z")
I worked in daily newspapers, and you got a personal subscription to your address for free. The HR person told me you got it because it was easier to keep an up to date list of employee addresses that way. ---
**Author:** ![PoppaSan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/poppasan/32/189_2.png) [@PoppaSan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoppaSan)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2018, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-work-for-a-manufacturer-do-you-still-have-to-go-through-retail-channels-to-buy-its-product/826530/71 "2018-12-27T02:26:52Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I’m curious about this. Were the hot, fresh pizzas in the break room the unfrozen product that was being frozen and packaged in the plant? I wonder if it tasted better than the reheated frozen product? Without being there to ask, I’m going to guess that their quality lab grabs a packaged frozen pizza on its way to the casing unit off the line and takes it to their oven to bake up. That would be similar to when our QC grabs the goodies we get, hence why there are so many leftovers after testing. They weigh the bag, count the contents, weigh the fried product, color score the fried breading, rate the % of product coverage, and the stuffing proportion of the stuffed items. The theory would be to try and examine it as close to duplicating the consumer’s experience as possible. For baked items we have a consumer grade range (replaced every other year IIRC.) I’ve already timed it when our QC was cooking up / frying and rating products from our local sister plants to give a review of their QC lab. Those never seem to get to the break room for some reason. (cheesecake, twinkie and oreo type snacks, brownies, granola type bars) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-work-for-a-manufacturer-do-you-still-have-to-go-through-retail-channels-to-buy-its-product/826530.md?page=3)