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Cart associate vs general sales associate

The differences between cart associates and general sales associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a general sales associate has an average salary of $29,328, which is higher than the $28,304 average annual salary of a cart associate.

The top three skills for a cart associate include customer service, groceries and golf carts. The most important skills for a general sales associate are POS, work ethic, and food preparation.

Cart associate vs general sales associate overview

Cart AssociateGeneral Sales Associate
Yearly salary$28,304$29,328
Hourly rate$13.61$14.10
Growth rate--
Number of jobs329,151383,009
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 58%Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Average age4141
Years of experience--

What does a cart associate do?

In retail stores, a cart associate is in charge of retrieving and organizing shopping carts, ensuring everything is accounted for and in good condition. Their responsibilities typically include assisting clients by carrying grocery bags and other heavy objects, helping them locate carts or other items, and answering questions, ensuring client satisfaction. Aside from managing cart stalls, a cart associate may also participate in managing product inventories, maintaining the cleanliness of store areas, re-stocking shelves, and reporting to managers regularly.

What does a general sales associate do?

The job of a general sales associate is to provide great customer service and increase the revenue of a business. They sell products and services and help customers find the right product. Depending on the retail store, their responsibilities may involve organizing store shelves, answering customers' questions, ringing up purchases, operating the cash register, and greeting customers. They may also be expected to take full charge of the managing of all financial transactions and balancing drawers.

Cart associate vs general sales associate salary

Cart associates and general sales associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

Cart AssociateGeneral Sales Associate
Average salary$28,304$29,328
Salary rangeBetween $21,000 And $36,000Between $21,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City-Washington, DC
Highest paying state-Hawaii
Best paying company-Kaufman Dolowich & Voluck
Best paying industry-Automotive

Differences between cart associate and general sales associate education

There are a few differences between a cart associate and a general sales associate in terms of educational background:

Cart AssociateGeneral Sales Associate
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 58%Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Most common majorGeneral StudiesBusiness
Most common college--

Cart associate vs general sales associate demographics

Here are the differences between cart associates' and general sales associates' demographics:

Cart AssociateGeneral Sales Associate
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 94.3% Female, 5.7%Male, 60.2% Female, 39.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 5.9% White, 58.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 7.2% White, 58.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage7%7%

Differences between cart associate and general sales associate duties and responsibilities

Cart associate example responsibilities.

  • Develop expertise of lawn mowers, trimmers, tractors, treadmills, and weight benches.
  • Provide assistance to customers (getting electric carts for those with impair movement, putting groceries in their car etc).
  • Help customers by carrying out groceries, TV's or other merchandise that they have purchased and need help with.
  • Maintain cleanliness of golf-relate areas.
  • Cross train in all areas of banquet functions including serving, bartending, and setup/breakdown.

General sales associate example responsibilities.

  • Supervise women's department, manage jewelry department, assist customers on finalizing purchases
  • Exhibit rudimentary math skills and advance communication skills when efficiently cashiering in a fast pace environment.
  • Perform minor repairs on Kohl's jewelry like changing watch batteries and removing watch links.

Cart associate vs general sales associate skills

Common cart associate skills
  • Customer Service, 47%
  • Groceries, 13%
  • Golf Carts, 7%
  • Customer Vehicles, 6%
  • Front End, 6%
  • Sales Floor, 6%
Common general sales associate skills
  • POS, 15%
  • Work Ethic, 14%
  • Food Preparation, 11%
  • PowerPoint, 10%
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Lead Generation, 9%