General merchandise sales representative vs sales support representative

The differences between general merchandise sales representatives and sales support 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 a sales support representative. Additionally, a general merchandise sales representative has an average salary of $56,221, which is higher than the $38,310 average annual salary of a sales support 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 sales support representative are sales support, phone calls, and POS.

General merchandise sales representative vs sales support representative overview

	General Merchandise Sales Representative	Sales Support Representative
Yearly salary	$56,221	$38,310
Hourly rate	$27.03	$18.42
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	126,832	319,292
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 32%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	4	4

General merchandise sales representative vs sales support representative salary

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

	General Merchandise Sales Representative	Sales Support Representative
Average salary	$56,221	$38,310
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $96,000	Between $30,000 And $48,000
Highest paying City	-	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	-	Washington
Best paying company	-	NetApp
Best paying industry	-	Finance

Differences between general merchandise sales representative and sales support representative education

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

	General Merchandise Sales Representative	Sales Support Representative
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 32%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

General merchandise sales representative vs sales support representative demographics

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

	General Merchandise Sales Representative	Sales Support Representative
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 55.9% Female, 44.1%	Male, 39.9% Female, 60.1%
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 sales support 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.

Sales support representative example responsibilities.

Manage internal CRM and inventory software to track and input sales orders, account history, and stock allocation.
Facilitate the transition from AS400 to JDE operating system.
Utilize all programs, systems, and procedures of windows operating systems.
Help customers troubleshoot technical issues with their computers, process customer transactions and handle escalate issues.
Assist in setting up and checking EDI data from customers, brokers, carriers, and truckers.
Work collaboratively with sales representatives and regional vice presidents to produce cost proposals, problem solve and troubleshoot issues.

General merchandise sales representative vs sales support representative skills

Common general merchandise sales representative skills

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

Common sales support representative skills

Sales Support, 16%
Phone Calls, 10%
POS, 8%
Product Knowledge, 7%
Customer Complaints, 6%
Customer Inquiries, 6%

General Merchandise Sales Representative vs. similar jobs

General Merchandise Sales Representative related careers

General Merchandise Sales Representative related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Sales Industry
General Merchandise Sales Representative
General Merchandise Sales Representative vs Sales Support Representative

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse sales jobs