General merchandise sales representative vs associate sales representative

The differences between general merchandise sales representatives and associate sales representatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a general merchandise sales representative and an associate sales representative. Additionally, a general merchandise sales representative has an average salary of $56,221, which is higher than the $51,007 average annual salary of an associate sales representative.

The top three skills for a general merchandise sales representative include delivery schedules, customer service and sales floor. The most important skills for an associate sales representative are work ethic, patients, and product knowledge.

General merchandise sales representative vs associate sales representative overview

	General Merchandise Sales Representative	Associate Sales Representative
Yearly salary	$56,221	$51,007
Hourly rate	$27.03	$24.52
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	126,832	333,049
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 32%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	4	4

General merchandise sales representative vs associate sales representative salary

General merchandise sales representatives and associate sales representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

	General Merchandise Sales Representative	Associate Sales Representative
Average salary	$56,221	$51,007
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $96,000	Between $37,000 And $68,000
Highest paying City	-	Boston, MA
Highest paying state	-	Massachusetts
Best paying company	-	Verint
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between general merchandise sales representative and associate sales representative education

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

	General Merchandise Sales Representative	Associate Sales Representative
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 32%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

General merchandise sales representative vs associate sales representative demographics

Here are the differences between general merchandise sales representatives' and associate sales representatives' demographics:

	General Merchandise Sales Representative	Associate Sales Representative
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 55.9% Female, 44.1%	Male, 50.8% Female, 49.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 4.3% White, 79.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 5.1% White, 72.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between general merchandise sales representative and associate sales representative duties and responsibilities

General merchandise sales representative example responsibilities.

Manage and assist a vast customer base in the market for new roofing needs after a large hail storm in Lubbock.
Develop and implement marketing programs for distributors and retailers, including co-op advertising plans, promotional events, and merchandising techniques.
Provide training which include seminars and PowerPoint presentations.

Associate sales representative example responsibilities.

Manage organization website and Facebook page; writing articles for websites and newsletters.
Perform inside sales, including telemarketing, prospecting, account penetration and product application, consulting and delivery of customer service.
Learned how to ask proper questions and communicate MetLife's product differentiators against competition

General merchandise sales representative vs associate sales representative skills

Common general merchandise sales representative skills

Delivery Schedules, 83%
Customer Service, 13%
Sales Floor, 4%

Common associate sales representative skills

Work Ethic, 16%
Patients, 13%
Product Knowledge, 12%
Excellent Interpersonal, 7%
Excellent Organizational, 4%
Sales Techniques, 4%

General Merchandise Sales Representative vs. similar jobs

General Merchandise Sales Representative related careers

General Merchandise Sales Representative related jobs

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General Merchandise Sales Representative
General Merchandise Sales Representative vs Associate Sales Representative

Updated January 8, 2025

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