Sales Associate Job Description Sample & Template

What skills and qualifications do Sales Associates need?

Table of contents

1. Future Job Prospects for Sales Associates
2. Sales Associate Salary and Benefits
3. Education and Training Requirements
4. Sales Associate Job Description Sample – Free Download

1. Future Job Prospects for Sales Associates

• In retail stores, sales associates are part greeter and part helper, but ultimately, their job is to sell products. You will find them everywhere you shop, from auto parts to clothing stores.
• According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the need for this position will grow by 7% from 2017 to 2024, which is the average for most occupations in the United States.
• One threat to the longevity of these jobs is the continued growth of online shopping.
• However, one key way that traditional “bricks and mortar” retail outlets have remained competitive, is by emphasizing individualized service as part of the in-person shopping experience. If this trend continues, it’s possible that the number of these roles will remain consistent over time.

2. Sales Associates Salary and Benefits

• The BLS stated the average hourly wage for these positions in 2016 was $11.01
• However, the per hour rate varies considerably by type of sales position and what is being sold. For example:
  • Construction material and garden supply stores averaged $12.06 per hour.
  • Clothing and fashion Sales Associates averaged $9.57 per hour.
  • Auto parts Sales Associates averaged $14.79.
• Some Sales Associates receive just an hourly rate, while others receive an additional commission on sales.
• According to Payscale, the pay scale can increase over the course of a career by $10,000 or more. According to the BLS, in 2014, one in three worked part-time.
• The availability of these roles can increase with seasonal sales trends in certain product segments.

3. Education and Training Requirements

• In many instances, a high school diploma is sufficient for this role in a retail store. Many large retailers will hire high school students to work nights and weekends or over summer vacation.
• Keep in mind, however, that the job market is always competitive especially for the most coveted positions. That’s why a BS in marketing or other related field is always recommended.
• The lack of educational requirements are exactly what make these roles so valuable; full-time retail roles in big-box stores offer benefits along with a living wage with no college degree required. Many times these roles evolve naturally into management, making them excellent opportunities for growth.
• These roles are often the stepping stones to more prestigious or better paying positions, such customer service, non-retail sales, marketing, or human resources.
  They must typically work a varied schedule that could include nights or weekends.

4. Sales Associate Job Description Sample

Download This Job Description Template

We are seeking a customer-oriented Sales Associate to create a pleasing shopping experience for our guests. In this role, you will greet customers in a timely fashion and offer to help them explore our products. Your excellent service will ensure repeat business and customer satisfaction.

Responsibilities will include solving customer problems with a pleasant can-do attitude. Your goal will be, first and foremost, to serve our guests in the most efficient and effective way in order to increase sales.

You will learn our products inside and out, along with staying on-top of sales and promotions. You will help promote our products by keeping the store clean and neat, stocking products and engaging in cleaning as necessary. You will maintain store security to comply with all corporate policies and procedures.

In this position, you will also learn our proprietary point-of-sale computer system. You will close the successful customer experience by completing the sale, making change, and bagging their merchandise. In some cases, you may assist in nightly cash outs and register balancing.

You are articulate, and funny, engaging and outgoing. Your mission is to create the best possible customer service experience while guiding store visitors toward product purchases that help our company meet quarterly sales projections.

Responsibilities

• Greet customers that enter the store and offer to help them find what they’re searching for.
• Serve as product consultant by providing expertise on the color and fit of a product, alternative products they may prefer, or the purchase of additional products that may improve the sale.
• Answer customer questions, and retrieve items from shelves as needed.
• Educate customers on product benefits, warranties, and even, demonstrate products as needed.
• Ring up customer purchases or, potentially refund money.
• Tidy shelves, keep aisles free of debris, and restock when needed.
• Unloading deliveries, unpacking, pricing, and stocking products.
• Cleaning, mopping floors, folding, and stacking products.
• A creative flair is a plus; you may be creating pleasing retail displays that sell products.
• Maintains security by staying alert for shoplifters and follows store procedure should an incident arise.

Required Qualifications

Educational

• High School Diploma or General Education Diploma (GED) preferred.

Technical Skills

• Comfortable learning point-of-sale registers.
• Good with basic math. Able to make change accurately and efficiently handle money.
• Some roles may require a nightly cash out and balance of store receipts.
• Responsible and punctual.
• Physically able to bend and stoop while cleaning and stocking, occasional lifting, stretching, or climbing ladders may be required.
• For the able-bodied, the role requires an extended amount of time on your feet, often on cement or hard floors.

Communication/Organizational

• Ability to handle a diverse array of multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Excellent ability to communicate with people with a pleasing outgoing demeanor.
• Exceptional people skills and a pleasant, professional demeanor even when customers are not polite.
• A patient attitude, even during the most repetitious tasks such as answering the same questions repeatedly.
• Skilled at selling, articulate, and positive, with a clean, neat appearance.
• Unruffled even when constantly interrupted, handles stress well.
• Able to field customer complaints and problem solve.
• Organized, efficient, and energetic.

Benefits

• Full-time with benefits.
• Part-time.

How to Apply

Apply by forwarding your resume along with a cover letter.