If you are searching to learn about the retail sales associate job description and career, including the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities they commonly perform, this post will be helpful to you.
(You will be able to download the retail sales associate job description template in pdf below.)
You will also learn how to become a retail sales associate, including the requirements you will need to meet to be hired for the role, as well as the salary you can earn.
Please, continue reading:
What Does a Retail Sales Associate Do?
Retail sales associate are usually the first set of people a customer meets when they enter a store.
According to ONetonline, the retail sales associate job title is similar to retail salesperson, sales representative, salesman, and other titles.
They are responsible for selling merchandise to consumers, such as motor vehicles, appliances, apparel, and furniture.
The retail sales associate job description entails creating as well as maintaining a long-term relationship with their customers so as to represent the store in a positive manner and achieve sales goals while ensuring further business.
Their responsibilities also include helping customers in making choices, and assisting them to locate items they want to buy, and also providing information about the particular product they are interested in.
The main duty of a retail sales associate is to sell. He/she may work in any industry – from selling cars to shoes.
The person needs to have an extensive knowledge of his/her company’s services and products, and must be customer focused and sales oriented.
In some companies, a retail sales associate’ work description may involve performing tasks, such as operating cash register once a sale has been made.
The role of the retail sales associate does not end here – they are also expected to order stock, stock shelves and even manage inventory.
They may be required to put a price on products, as well as update shelves if the price of any item changes, or when new products come in.
Retail sales associates work very closely with customers, which is the major reason they need to be able to resolve the customers’ complaints satisfactorily.
They educate customers with product knowledge in relation to warranty and features, along with any special deal or discount that the product may hold.
Retail Sales Associate Job Description Example/Sample/Template
Retail sales associates perform various functions in their quest to achieve sales goals. A list of specific duties, tasks, and responsibilities which make up most retail sales associates’ job description are shown below:
- Greet customers and determine their wants cum needs
- Discuss quality, type and number of merchandise required for a particular purchase
- Recommend merchandise based on the individual requirements
- Advise customers on care and utilization of merchandise
- Advise clients on any service or product they need information and help on
- Explain the advantage and use of merchandise to customers
- Answer customers’ questions satisfactorily
- Demonstrate live how merchandise works
- Quote discounts, prices, as well as trade-in allowances, credit terms, delivery dates and warranties
- Assist in displaying merchandise
- Welcome customers by greeting; and offer them assistance
- Direct customers by escorting them to counters and racks, as well as suggesting items they could buy
- Advice customers on suitable goods to purchase
- Assist customers in making selection from the diverse range of products available
- Build customer confidence by offering them suggestions and opinions
- Document sales by creating and updating customer profile records
- Process card payments and cash
- Stock shelves with merchandise
- Answer queries from customers
- Report problems and discrepancies to the supervisor
- Give guidance and advice to customers on product selection.
- Balance cash registers with receipts
- Attend to customer refunds
- Keep the store tidy and clean by hovering and mopping it daily
- Deal with customer complaints
- Work with established rules, mostly with brands
- Attach price tags to items on the shop floor
- Be on the lookout for fraudulent credit cards, shoplifters, etc.
Download retail sales associate job description template (pdf)
Retail Sales Associate Job Description for Resume
The sample retail sales associate job description shown above can be applied when writing a resume for the role if you are searching for a new job and have worked or are currently working as a sales associate in a retail outfit.
You can simply adopt the highlighted retail sales associate duties and responsibilities in the sample job description in completing the professional experience section of your resume to show that you have proven experience of the job.
Retail Sales Associate Requirements: Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities for Career Success
If you are seeking the job of a retail sales associate, you should be aware that recruiters will want to be sure that you can effectively carry out the obligations, purpose, and objectives of the position before hiring you.
They will therefore want you to meet certain requirements to prove that you are the right person for the job.
Shown below are major required traits, knowledge, abilities, and skills, which applicants should possess to be considered by recruiters for the retail sales associate position:
- Possession of a High School diploma or equivalent educational level
- Sales experience may not be required
- Must have a confident disposition, and be able to treat customers with respect
- Must be polite, helpful, and regular in attendance
- Must be physically fit and able to lift as much as 50 pounds regularly; and perform physical activities such as bending, climbing, stooping, etc.
- Strong ability to stand or move about the department all through working hours
- Ability to adhere to company policy and procedures in carrying out all assigned duties
- Good written and verbal communication skills to relate effectively with customers, co-workers, and management
- Strong reading and math skills and ability to give attention to detail and write legibly
- Strong ability to relate effectively with co-workers and work in a team to achieve store goals
- Ability to always use relevant technological tools in carrying out the functions of the role
- Must have extensive understanding of the different departments, such as, Fast Moving Consumer Goods, retail, and sports equipment departments
- Must have knowledge of inventory techniques
- Must maintain smart dressing and appearance and be articulate in speech
- To be hired into this position, some employers may require you take and score high in certain job tests. See various job assessment tests and how to make high scores.
Retail Sales Associate Technology Skills
If you want to succeed in a retail sales associate career, here are technology-related skills you must have:
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Microsoft Dynamics
- Salesforce software
- Microsoft Access
- Adobe InDesign
- Eclipse IDE
- Adobe Acrobat
- Microsoft Outlook
- Oracle PeopleSoft
- SAP software
- Adobe Creative Cloud software
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Photoshop
- Microsoft Office software
- Apple macOS
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Excel
- Google Docs
- Microsoft Word.
Retail Sales Associate Employment
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment for retail sales associates in 2023 was 3,684,740.
General merchandise retailers, and clothing and clothing accessories retailers are among the highest employers of retail sales associates, with 621,100 and 492,610 employments respectively.
Retail Sales Associate Salary
According to BLS, the average salary for a retail sales associate or salesperson is $36,690 yearly in 2023.
The top states that pay the highest salaries include:
- Washington, $43,320
- New York, $42,330
- District of Columbia, $42,290
- California, $41,750
- Colorado, $40,710.
Industries that pay the highest salaries to retail sales associates include:
Motor vehicle body and trailer manufacturing, $71,240 and automobile dealers, $62,380.
Retail Sales Associate Career Progression
Here is a breakdown of the typical career progression for the retail sales associate role, including the timeframe and skills to develop at each stage for career growth:
- Retail Sales Associate (Entry-Level)
Timeframe: 0 – 2 years: You can become a retail sales associate in two years after starting a career in the retail sales industry.
Role Overview: The retail sales associate position is the starting point for most professionals in retail. It is responsible for assisting customers, processing transactions, restocking merchandise, and maintaining store appearance.
Goal: In this position and with a goal to advance your career, you should strive to develop the following skills and competences:
- Customer service and communication
- Sales techniques and product knowledge
- Cash handling and point-of-sale (POS) systems
- Teamwork and attention to detail.
Next Level: Having developed and demonstrated relevant skills and competences in your work, you can be promoted to the senior sales associate position.
2. Senior Sales Associate/Key Holder
Timeframe: 1–3 years: You can become a senior sales associate within one to three years of your career.
Role Overview:
The senior sales associate acts as a lead associate, helping to train new staff and sometimes opening or closing the store. They are often trusted with extra responsibilities, such as handling returns and supervising associates during shifts.
Goal: In this role, you should strive to develop the following skills and competence to enhance your chances of promotion to the next level in your career:
- Leadership and mentoring
- Inventory control & merchandising
- Problem-solving
- Time management.
Next Level: Having demonstrated relevant skills and competences in your work, you can be promoted to the assistant store manager role.
3. Assistant Store Manager
Timeframe: 2–5 years.
Role Overview: The assistant store manager is responsible for supporting the store manager in the daily operations, scheduling, staff management, and achieving sales goals.
Goal: In this position, you should strive to develop the following skills and competences to boost your chances of being promoted to a higher role:
- Staff supervision and performance management
- Operational planning
- Conflict resolution and decision-making
- Analytical and reporting skills.
Next Level: Having demonstrated relevant skills and competence in performing your duties, you can be promoted to store manager position.
4. Store Manager
Timeframe: 4–7 years: You can become a store manager within four to seven years of your career.
Role Overview: The store manager is responsible for overseeing all aspects of store operations, including staffing, budgeting, and achieving sales targets. They are also responsible for implementing company policies and ensuring customer satisfaction.
Goal: In this position, you should strive to develop the following skills and competences as they are important for your career growth:
- Strategic leadership and business management
- Financial management (P&L)
- Marketing and customer retention
- Recruiting and employee engagement.
Next Level: Having demonstrated relevant skills and competences in performing your duties, you can be promoted to the district or area manager’s role.
5. District or Area Manager
Timeframe: 7–12 years: You can become a district or area manager after about seven to twelve years in your career.
Role Overview: The district manager is responsible for managing multiple store locations within a region, guiding store managers and ensuring each location meets performance targets.
Goal: In this role, you should strive to develop the following skills and competences that are helpful in advancing your career:
- Multi-store operations management
- Budgeting & financial oversight
- Regional sales strategy
- Coaching and performance evaluation.
Next Level: Having demonstrated relevant skills and competences in your work, you can be promoted to the position of a regional sales director.
6. Regional Sales Director/Retail Operations Director (Senior Leadership)
Timeframe: 10–15+ years: You can become a regional sales director or retail operations director within ten to fifteen years in your career.
Role Overview: The regional sales director is responsible for overseeing retail operations across multiple regions. They set strategic goals, develop policies, and collaborate with corporate leadership to drive profitability and brand success.
Goal: In this role, you should develop the following skills and competence to help you advance to a higher level in your career:
- Strategic planning and executive leadership
- Market analysis and forecasting
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Change management and innovation.
Next Level: Having demonstrated relevant skills and competence, yon can be promoted to an executive or corporate leadership role, such as vice president of retail.
Challenges faced by Retail Sales Associates on the Job
Some of the challenges faced by retail sales associate are:
- Difficult work environment
Keeping in mind to address a diverse audience, the job environment is often very difficult.
The work environment can be frustrating to deal with; it has been seen that there are always situations regarding people who have deep rooted psychological problems or exhibit bad behavior.
- Inappropriate dress and Uniform
When encountering the public, retail sales associates are expected to wear their company’s specific uniform.
In addition to this, they must also adhere to the dress code of their individual employer.
This can become a challenge for some individuals who don’t feel comfortable wearing a particular uniform or when working in environments where specific clothing is prohibited.
- High Turnover rates
This can be one of the biggest challenges faced by retail sales associates.
According to some retail experts, a high turnover rate may be due to difficult work environment and not everybody coming in contact with clients are equipped with strong enough communication skills and have proper training.
- Work related stress and burnouts
It is reported in retail industry, the work is never ending. The work environment can be very challenging while the pace of business may increase unexpectedly leading to stress and burnout.
- Unexpected promotions and demotions
Although there are no permanent promotions in retail, experience may change their roles at their company or at times because of their working performance.
Some years back, it was the case where an individual who was expected to undergo “demotion” was given a promotion instead.
Retail Sales Associate Job Satisfaction
The retail sales occupation is one of the most unsatisfying careers in the United States as revealed by a survey conducted by CareerExplorer.
In the survey, retail salespeople, including associates rated their satisfaction in their career as 2.3 over 5 stars. This put the retail sales career in the bottom 2% of careers.
The survey asked if they were happy with their salary and they gave a rating of 2.3.
This shows that most retail sales workers, including sales associates are not happy with their salary. They think that what they do is much more than what they are paid.
When asked if they found their job meaningful, the 18,147 respondents gave a rating of 1.8 over 5.
This clearly suggests that retail salespeople or associates do not see much meaning in their work or see how what they do is valuable to their customers, which affects their satisfaction in their career.
Another survey question was if the retail salespeople’s personality suits the tasks that they perform daily.
Their rating to this question was 3.3 over 5 rating. This means that the majority of the 19,702 retail sales workers that answered the question find their personality as a good fit for the job.
The survey also considered the work environment as a factor that determines job satisfaction for retail salespeople.
When asked if they found their work environment enjoyable, the 19,707 respondents gave a 2.8 over 5 rating.
This means that a slight majority of retail sales workers, including associates find their work environment enjoyable while many do not share that view.
Another question the respondents were asked is if they feel their skills were well utilized in their work.
The rating for this question was 2.1 over 5 stars. This shows that most retail salespeople, including associates do not feel their skills are sufficiently utilized, which has contributed to their dissatisfaction with their job.
How to Become a Retail Sales Associate
If you are interested in becoming a retail sales associate, here are the steps to take:
- Get a diploma or GED
Some retailers prefer candidates with high school diplomas and retail sales training. If you’re in high school, take business and marketing classes to prepare to become a retail sales associate.
Part-time retail jobs can help you gain experience and skills before applying for full-time jobs.
- Consider sales training
Many employers train new retail sales associates, but some may require it. These programs can teach you about selling products and interacting with customers.
They teach basic math for calculating prices and discounts. Some retailers offer hourly pay while teaching the necessary skills. This program lets you earn while you learn.
- Master customer service
Customer service is an essential part of any retail job, so develop your skills. This means greeting customers with a smile and being attentive to their needs.
Remember to say “please” and “thank you,” hold items for customers while they make other purchases, and follow return and exchange policies.
- Know your products
Retail sales associates must know their products well. To help customers make informed purchases, you should know where products are in the store, how they work, and their benefits.
You may need to show how to use some products or provide more details. Knowing this can improve customer service.
Major Benefits of a Retail Sales Associate Career
Here is a list of benefits you may get if you pursue a career as a retail sales associate:
- Earn money
You can earn a pleasant amount of cash by working as a retail sales associate. This job is a great starting point for many careers as well as security to have a good income.
2. Gain experience
This job gives you the opportunity to gain valuable experience that may lead toward other higher level jobs and responsibilities within your company’s hierarchy.
3. Learn new things
The job of retail sales associates provides you with the opportunity to learn many things and pick up new skills.
For most of the larger chain stores there are training classes for those who work in management, accounting, or information technology positions where you can have a leadership role.
For example, in some Wal-Mart stores there is an Employee Advisory Board that helps new employees receive mentoring through their specialist areas such as training, customer care, and product knowledge.
4. Help support the economy
Most retail outlets depend on the sale of their branded products in order to generate profits to stay in business.
As a result, they must ensure that they are selling these products as customers are increasingly demanding cheaper products.
5. Work in a variety of places
One of the major benefits of working as a retail sales associate is that you can work in a large number of locations.
As well as being able to work in your neighborhood or town, there are many opportunities to travel abroad and work abroad too, throughout the world.
For example, working on cruise ships is one such option where you can enjoy some time away while working at the same time.
6. Work in a variety of different roles
Depending on your level of experience and the different retail outlets where you work as a retail sales associate, you can perform a range of different roles.
For example, like many other jobs in this sector, you could be asked to assist with the company’s marketing campaign working either on the shop floor or behind the scenes.
7. Work in a competitive environment
Retail sales associates have to face strong competition in order to sell their products. Because of this, they must have the ability to work hard and be able to sell and motivate their customers.
Conclusion
If you are looking to become a retail sales associate, there are lots of job options for the career.
From working in a small store or boutique to providing great customer service at a national department store, the role can vary greatly.
If you decide to pursue a career as a retail sales associate, make sure that you keep your skills up to date by continuing your education and training.
If you are a recruiter or HR manager hiring for the retail sales associate position and need to make a description of the job to inform prospective employees of the duties and responsibilities to expect to perform if hired, the sample job description provided above gives you the information you need to make it.
Posting a detailed description of the retail sales associate position available in your store will help you attract the best qualified and capable individuals to your offer.
This post will also help individuals interested in the retail sales associate career to learn about what the role entails and be sure that is what they want to do.
