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The differences between general merchandisers and in-stock associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an in-stock associate has an average salary of $32,130, which is higher than the $30,372 average annual salary of a general merchandiser.
The top three skills for a general merchandiser include sales floor, inventory management and back room. The most important skills for an in-stock associate are food handling, stock room, and ladders.
| General Merchandiser | In-Stock Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $30,372 | $32,130 |
| Hourly rate | $14.60 | $15.45 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 213,261 | 199,766 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 39% | High School Diploma, 48% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A General Merchandiser creates displays and promotes the products and services in retail stores. Among their primary duties and responsibilities include shelf placement strategies and in-store displays for maximum product exposure to potential customers. They train staff to carry out their tasks in the merchandise store effectively. As the brain of almost every decision in retail chains, merchandisers ensure every customer the best experience they can get while shopping.
An In-Stock Associate is responsible for ensuring that the shelves of a retail store or warehouse are stocked with up to standard items and merchandise. They follow a supervising staff or manager's instructions while adhering to the company's policies and regulations, reporting problems should there be any. An In-Stock Associate's tasks will also revolve around loading and unloading shipments or deliveries, monitoring the quality and quantity of items, and operating devices such as scanners and forklifts, communicate and assist customers, and cleaning up stockrooms and shelves.
General merchandisers and in-stock associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| General Merchandiser | In-Stock Associate | |
| Average salary | $30,372 | $32,130 |
| Salary range | Between $20,000 And $45,000 | Between $26,000 And $38,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | - | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | - | General Electric |
| Best paying industry | - | Retail |
There are a few differences between a general merchandiser and an in-stock associate in terms of educational background:
| General Merchandiser | In-Stock Associate | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 39% | High School Diploma, 48% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between general merchandisers' and in-stock associates' demographics:
| General Merchandiser | In-Stock Associate | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 53.9% Female, 46.1% | Male, 69.7% Female, 30.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 21.0% Asian, 6.4% White, 58.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 21.9% Asian, 6.6% White, 54.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |