What does a Fulfillment Associate do?

A fulfillment associate is responsible for monitoring warehouse stock inventories, organizing stock shelves, and picking the correct shipment merchandise. Fulfillment associates check items for delivery, inspect the packages for any defects, operate warehouse equipment, update orders on the database, and perform a variety of administrative tasks as needed. They also respond to customers' inquiries and concerns and escalate high-level complaints to the supervisor. A fulfillment associate must have excellent time-management skills and the ability to multitask to assist with daily operations and meet production deadlines under minimal supervision.
Fulfillment associate responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real fulfillment associate resumes:
- Manage inventory and troubleshoot technical problems to resolution.
- Provide on time shipping base on customer SLA standards.
- Adhere to multiple company safety directives including those govern by OSHA and MSDS.
- Key accurately and productively using PC's, hand-held computers or other such devices.
- Upload of that information into a share database on a daily basis with specific SLA requirements.
- Pack, seal, label, and affix postage to prepare materials for shipping, using an RF scanner.
- Answer customers' questions regarding on-line booking products, provide technical support to users via telephone and troubleshoot any problems.
- Manufacture filled seal labeled and stack material on pallets for shipping
- Separate pallets of return products, match item quantity and description to return packaging.
- Interpret marketing programs to develop require fulfillment instructions for vendors and proprietary MRP and fulfillment systems.
- Ensure the timely departure of transship CPT's.
- Help client websites benefit from SEO through Google.
- Assist and facilitate an external website team's tasks to ensure product deadlines are met, which include creating SEO content.
- Check and verify orders via hand hold RFID barcode scanners.
Fulfillment associate skills and personality traits
We calculated that 20% of Fulfillment Associates are proficient in Basic Math, Customer Service, and Math. They’re also known for soft skills such as Interpersonal skills, Selling skills, and Customer-service skills.
We break down the percentage of Fulfillment Associates that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Basic Math, 20%
Possess basic math skills * Able to follow and carry out instructions
- Customer Service, 12%
Provide superior Customer service by ensuring timely processing and delivery of Customer orders.
- Math, 9%
Packaged school suppliesPrepared science and math kits to be sent to schools
- Customer Orders, 9%
Produced over 3500 units of merchandise per day; accurately calculated product quantity to ensure customer orders were accurately fulfilled.
- Ladders, 8%
Trained in clearing jams on the conveyor (some requiring climbing ladders to get over and in between lines.
- Pallets, 6%
Separated pallets of returned products, matched item quantity and description to returned packaging.
"basic math," "customer service," and "math" are among the most common skills that fulfillment associates use at work. You can find even more fulfillment associate responsibilities below, including:
Interpersonal skills. The most essential soft skill for a fulfillment associate to carry out their responsibilities is interpersonal skills. This skill is important for the role because "a friendly and outgoing personality is important for these workers because the job requires almost constant interaction with people." Additionally, a fulfillment associate resume shows how their duties depend on interpersonal skills: "demonstrate excellent interpersonal communication skills such as understanding, influencing, assessing, and provide customer service practices. "
Selling skills. Another essential skill to perform fulfillment associate duties is selling skills. Fulfillment associates responsibilities require that "retail sales workers must be persuasive when interacting with customers." Fulfillment associates also use selling skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "stacked merchandise on both partial and full pallets and removed empty pallets from sales floor. "
Customer-service skills. This is an important skill for fulfillment associates to perform their duties. For an example of how fulfillment associate responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "retail sales workers must be responsive to the wants and needs of customers." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a fulfillment associate: "order fulfillment associate: responsible for picking and staging online orders for customers to pick up in-store. ".
Math skills. fulfillment associate responsibilities often require "math skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "retail sales workers must have the ability to calculate price totals, discounts, and change owed to customers." This resume example shows what fulfillment associates do with math skills on a typical day: "packaged school suppliesprepared science and math kits to be sent to schools"
The three companies that hire the most fulfillment associates are:
- Lowe's Companies555 fulfillment associates jobs
- Belk47 fulfillment associates jobs
- Chewy39 fulfillment associates jobs
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Fulfillment associate vs. Associate retailer
An Associate Retailer is responsible for keeping the sales area up to standard and assisting customers while inside the store's premises. Most of the tasks revolve around keeping items on shelves clean and well-organized, greeting and offering assistance to customers, responding to inquiries and locating products, and even providing suggestions or recommendations when necessary and in adherence to the store's policies and regulations. In other stores and retail outlets, the Associate Retailer may also process payments and returns while still putting importance to customer satisfaction.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between fulfillment associates and associate retailer. For instance, fulfillment associate responsibilities require skills such as "pallets," "problem solve," "pallet jack," and "shipping receiving." Whereas a associate retailer is skilled in "loss prevention," "customer issues," "pet," and "retail store." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Associate retailers tend to make the most money working in the hospitality industry, where they earn an average salary of $29,543. In contrast, fulfillment associates make the biggest average salary, $34,146, in the technology industry.On average, associate retailers reach similar levels of education than fulfillment associates. Associate retailers are 0.8% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Fulfillment associate vs. Seasonal associate
Seasonal Associates are employees in a retail store during a particular season, such as holidays or school breaks. They may also be employed in any other business with a high volume of customers or clients, like theme parks, restaurants, or holiday destinations, during the aforementioned seasons. As such, they usually work on administrative or clerical activities. They may help in overseeing the store display, assisting customers, taking inventory, and restocking shelves, among others. In case seasonal associates do exceptionally well, the company may offer them a full-time engagement.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, fulfillment associate responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "good time management," "pallets," "problem solve," and "shipping receiving." Meanwhile, a seasonal associate has duties that require skills in areas such as "pet," "loss prevention," "pos," and "customer inquiries." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
On average, seasonal associates earn a higher salary than fulfillment associates. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, seasonal associates earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $33,532. Whereas fulfillment associates have higher pay in the technology industry, with an average salary of $34,146.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Seasonal associates tend to reach similar levels of education than fulfillment associates. In fact, they're 0.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Fulfillment associate vs. Backroom associate
In retail establishments, a backroom associate processes merchandise from stockrooms to the sales floor. Their other responsibilities include loading and unloading deliveries, inspecting merchandise to ensure its quantity and quality, labeling and tagging items, keeping records of all transactions, and monitoring the inventory of goods. There can also be instances where they must assist clients by answering inquiries and obtaining their orders. Moreover, a backroom associate must maintain an active communication line with staff, coordinating every step of the way for a smooth and efficient workflow.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a fulfillment associate is likely to be skilled in "basic math," "math," "good time management," and "ladders," while a typical backroom associate is skilled in "cleanliness," "customer merchandise," "outbound shipments," and "safety equipment."
When it comes to education, backroom associates tend to earn similar degree levels compared to fulfillment associates. In fact, they're 1.0% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Fulfillment associate vs. Sales floor associate
Salesfloor associates often work with retail establishments. They are either referred to as retail sales associates or retail associates. These associates greet customers as they arrive, assess their needs, and help them find the right products and services. Other responsibilities include operating cash registers, introducing customers to promotions and opportunities, and cross-selling products to increase sales. Also, they assist customers in getting their complaints resolved as well as with their returns and refunds. Job seekers must have excellent customer service skills, relevant retail experience, and a strong knowledge of selling techniques.
Updated January 8, 2025