Car sales representative vs retail representative

The differences between car sales representatives and retail representatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a car sales representative has an average salary of $44,026, which is higher than the $31,790 average annual salary of a retail representative.

The top three skills for a car sales representative include customer service, test drive and car sales. The most important skills for a retail representative are flexibility, store management, and certification programs.

Car sales representative vs retail representative overview

	Car Sales Representative	Retail Representative
Yearly salary	$44,026	$31,790
Hourly rate	$21.17	$15.28
Growth rate	4%	-
Number of jobs	189,827	402,132
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Average age	47	41
Years of experience	4	-

What does a car sales representative do?

A Car Sales Representative works at car dealerships primarily to help clients find the vehicle that fits their needs and preferences, securing sales in the process. Their responsibilities include greeting clients, identifying their needs and budgets, showcasing vehicles and promotions, discussing specifications, answering inquiries, and assisting customers throughout the entire procedure, aiming to build positive client relationships. A Car Sales Representative conducts research and analysis to find new business and client opportunities, generate leads, and develop sales strategies.

What does a retail representative do?

A retail representative is in charge of assisting customers with their shopping needs in retail stores, ensuring customer satisfaction. Their responsibilities include greeting customers and identifying their needs, answering inquiries, locating products, offering promotions and recommendations, and conducting demonstrations when possible. There are also instances where they must process payments or refunds. Furthermore, as a retail representative, it is essential to arrange products on shelves to make it look attractive to customers, all while maintaining the cleanliness of the sales floor.

Car sales representative vs retail representative salary

Car sales representatives and retail representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Car Sales Representative	Retail Representative
Average salary	$44,026	$31,790
Salary range	Between $20,000 And $92,000	Between $26,000 And $38,000
Highest paying City	Richmond, VA	-
Highest paying state	New Jersey	-
Best paying company	Al Hendrickson Toyota Scion	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between car sales representative and retail representative education

There are a few differences between a car sales representative and a retail representative in terms of educational background:

	Car Sales Representative	Retail Representative
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Car sales representative vs retail representative demographics

Here are the differences between car sales representatives' and retail representatives' demographics:

	Car Sales Representative	Retail Representative
Average age	47	41
Gender ratio	Male, 75.4% Female, 24.6%	Male, 43.6% Female, 56.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 6.8% White, 58.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	6%	7%

Differences between car sales representative and retail representative duties and responsibilities

Car sales representative example responsibilities.

Coordinate and manage services and requests from clients for BMW, Lexus, and Mercedes for auto body repairs and restorations.
Open, operate and close POS.
Recruit to increase Hyundai and Subaru sales.
Select for Chrysler's MVP program this year.
Assist customers in the selection of Toyota new vehicle selection.
Promote the sale of new Nissan models to prospective buyers.

Retail representative example responsibilities.

Manage Nintendo's promotional programs; secure and maintain point-of-purchase displays that alert customers to brand availability.
Execute the proper POS in accounts, particularly with products on sale.
Befriend category managers and backroom personnel to positively impact on OSA, POS placement, and other sell-in tactics.
Educate consumers about products and services and troubleshoot any existing customer concerns relate to service or equipment.
Collaborate with board members to prepare PowerPoint presentations and other written reports and present concepts to management.

Car sales representative vs retail representative skills

Common car sales representative skills

Customer Service, 47%
Test Drive, 33%
Car Sales, 14%
Customer Satisfaction, 1%
Automotive Sales, 1%
Customer Inquiries, 1%

Common retail representative skills

Flexibility, 36%
Store Management, 36%
Certification Programs, 11%
PET, 7%
Customer Service, 2%
Product Knowledge, 1%

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Car Sales Representative
Car Sales Representative vs Retail Representative

Updated January 8, 2025

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