General merchandise clerk vs customer service clerk

The differences between general merchandise clerks and customer service clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a general merchandise clerk has an average salary of $34,415, which is higher than the $33,566 average annual salary of a customer service clerk.

The top three skills for a general merchandise clerk include product knowledge, product displays and customer service. The most important skills for a customer service clerk are customer service, basic math, and front end.

General merchandise clerk vs customer service clerk overview

	General Merchandise Clerk	Customer Service Clerk
Yearly salary	$34,415	$33,566
Hourly rate	$16.55	$16.14
Growth rate	1%	-4%
Number of jobs	137,799	361,383
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	High School Diploma, 32%
Average age	38	40
Years of experience	-	12

What does a general merchandise clerk do?

This individual works in the GM section of a store. They interact with customers and assist them as they purchase merchandise. In this role, they are expected to place all special orders and to take stock of all products annually. Other responsibilities of this position include developing merchandise plans and ensuring they are compliant with quality standards. They may also have to evaluate merchandise and ensure credit payments are accurate.

What does a customer service clerk do?

A customer service clerk is responsible for resolving client issues, giving requested information, and providing clients high-quality customer service. Customer service clerks' tasks include sharing information, responding to and recording requests, collecting payments, and resolving billing disputes. Also, they ensure that products or services are delivered promptly to customers. Applicants to the job must be able to listen and communicate well. They must have excellent customer service skills and be able to multitask. Skills in conflict resolution and problem-solving will also give them an edge.

General merchandise clerk vs customer service clerk salary

General merchandise clerks and customer service clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	General Merchandise Clerk	Customer Service Clerk
Average salary	$34,415	$33,566
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $42,000	Between $26,000 And $42,000
Highest paying City	-	Anchorage, AK
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	United States Courts
Best paying industry	-	Retail

Differences between general merchandise clerk and customer service clerk education

There are a few differences between a general merchandise clerk and a customer service clerk in terms of educational background:

	General Merchandise Clerk	Customer Service Clerk
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	High School Diploma, 32%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

General merchandise clerk vs customer service clerk demographics

Here are the differences between general merchandise clerks' and customer service clerks' demographics:

	General Merchandise Clerk	Customer Service Clerk
Average age	38	40
Gender ratio	Male, 50.2% Female, 49.8%	Male, 33.0% Female, 67.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 23.0% Asian, 5.9% White, 56.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 22.3% Asian, 6.4% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	6%	7%

Differences between general merchandise clerk and customer service clerk duties and responsibilities

General merchandise clerk example responsibilities.

Provide great customer service while effectively bagging groceries.
Collect all carts from outside help cashiers bag groceries for customers and sometimes help the customers take groceries to their car.
Execute grain futures orders for special accounts that require extraordinary attention to detail as well as personalized service.
Work in almost every department in the Kroger store.

Customer service clerk example responsibilities.

Manage cash balances and inventory stock accurately; ensure cleanliness of all work stations and guarantee excellent customer service.
Show excellence in providing customer service satisfaction by packing then delivering groceries to customers' vehicles.
Hone in on and strengthen problem solving, quick thinking, and math skills.
Support RSA authentication service for remote customer using VPN access, with RSA token.
Help clients identify and resolve issues pertaining, but not limit to, VPN configuration, web hosting and domain registration.
Operate cash register, processing transactions with cash, credit card, debit, check, food stamp and WIC coupons.

General merchandise clerk vs customer service clerk skills

Common general merchandise clerk skills

Product Knowledge, 44%
Product Displays, 20%
Customer Service, 9%
Stock Shelves, 6%
Sales Floor, 3%
Math, 3%

Common customer service clerk skills

Customer Service, 13%
Basic Math, 12%
Front End, 11%
Math, 10%
Cash Handling, 9%
Customer Inquiries, 8%

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General Merchandise Clerk
General Merchandise Clerk vs Customer Service Clerk

Updated January 8, 2025

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