General merchandise sales representative vs inside sales representative

The differences between general merchandise sales representatives and inside 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 inside sales representative. Additionally, a general merchandise sales representative has an average salary of $56,221, which is higher than the $44,413 average annual salary of an inside 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 inside sales representative are customer service, CRM, and outbound calls.

General merchandise sales representative vs inside sales representative overview

	General Merchandise Sales Representative	Inside Sales Representative
Yearly salary	$56,221	$44,413
Hourly rate	$27.03	$21.35
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	126,832	244,168
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 32%	Bachelor's Degree, 66%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	4	4

General merchandise sales representative vs inside sales representative salary

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

	General Merchandise Sales Representative	Inside Sales Representative
Average salary	$56,221	$44,413
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $96,000	Between $28,000 And $69,000
Highest paying City	-	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	-	Wyoming
Best paying company	-	Berkshire Hathaway
Best paying industry	-	Technology

Differences between general merchandise sales representative and inside sales representative education

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

	General Merchandise Sales Representative	Inside Sales Representative
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 32%	Bachelor's Degree, 66%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

General merchandise sales representative vs inside sales representative demographics

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

	General Merchandise Sales Representative	Inside Sales Representative
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 55.9% Female, 44.1%	Male, 54.7% Female, 45.3%
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, 14.0% Asian, 5.1% White, 73.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between general merchandise sales representative and inside 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.

Inside sales representative example responsibilities.

Coordinate commercial sales and manage projects with HVAC contractors for Georgia district.
Accomplish tasks in a timely manner.Skills UsedComputer, math, reading wiring schematics.
Generate leads through the use of Linkedin, firm websites and legal magazines.
Manage and develop a nationwide territory through cold calling utilizing LinkedIn?, DiscoverOrg.
Manage help desk support for company ERP system as well as employee hardware and software issues.
Manage a team of 15-25 ISE's through effective sales coaching, call monitoring and creating sales spiff programs.

General merchandise sales representative vs inside sales representative skills

Common general merchandise sales representative skills

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

Common inside sales representative skills

Customer Service, 22%
CRM, 6%
Outbound Calls, 5%
Product Knowledge, 4%
Work Ethic, 4%
Sales Process, 3%

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 Inside Sales Representative

Updated January 8, 2025

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