General merchandise sales representative vs general merchandise manager

The differences between general merchandise sales representatives and general merchandise managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a general merchandise sales representative, becoming a general merchandise manager takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a general merchandise manager has an average salary of $113,362, which is higher than the $56,221 average annual salary of a general merchandise 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 a general merchandise manager are customer service, inventory control, and front end.

General merchandise sales representative vs general merchandise manager overview

	General Merchandise Sales Representative	General Merchandise Manager
Yearly salary	$56,221	$113,362
Hourly rate	$27.03	$54.50
Growth rate	4%	6%
Number of jobs	126,832	277,177
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 32%	Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Average age	47	44
Years of experience	4	6

General merchandise sales representative vs general merchandise manager salary

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

	General Merchandise Sales Representative	General Merchandise Manager
Average salary	$56,221	$113,362
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $96,000	Between $69,000 And $185,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between general merchandise sales representative and general merchandise manager education

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

	General Merchandise Sales Representative	General Merchandise Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 32%	Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

General merchandise sales representative vs general merchandise manager demographics

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

	General Merchandise Sales Representative	General Merchandise Manager
Average age	47	44
Gender ratio	Male, 55.9% Female, 44.1%	Male, 45.5% Female, 54.5%
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, 6.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 6.3% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	6%	10%

Differences between general merchandise sales representative and general merchandise manager 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.

General merchandise manager example responsibilities.

Train and manage FOH staff and improve overall quality, organization and professionalism of restaurant and bakery.
Maximize sales in jewelry, electronics, home appliances, and all apparel departments.
Assist in all administrative responsibilities including opening and closing store, organization standards, scheduling and payroll processing.
Train and manage FOH staff and improve overall quality, organization and professionalism of restaurant and bakery.

General merchandise sales representative vs general merchandise manager skills

Common general merchandise sales representative skills

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

Common general merchandise manager skills

Customer Service, 26%
Inventory Control, 10%
Front End, 10%
Sales Floor, 8%
Loss Prevention, 6%
Inventory Management, 5%

General Merchandise Sales Representative vs. similar jobs

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General Merchandise Sales Representative related jobs

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General Merchandise Sales Representative
General Merchandise Sales Representative vs General Merchandise Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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