What do salespeople earn when they are compensated based on a percentage of their sales?

Salespeople are compensated based on a percentage of their sales through a commission structure. This means that for every sale they make, they receive a certain percentage of the transaction as their earnings. This method of compensation directly ties their income to their performance, incentivizing them to increase sales and potentially earn more.

In contrast to salary, which is a fixed amount a person earns regardless of sales, and bonuses, which may be one-time rewards not directly linked to sales figures, commission specifically reflects individual sales activity. Hourly wages are also distinct in that they are calculated based on the number of hours worked, rather than the volume of sales generated. Thus, commission is the appropriate term for earnings based on sales performance.