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The differences between general merchandisers and stowers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a general merchandiser has an average salary of $30,372, which is higher than the $27,464 average annual salary of a stower.
The top three skills for a general merchandiser include sales floor, inventory management and back room. The most important skills for a stower are PET, pallets, and basic math.
| General Merchandiser | Stower | |
| Yearly salary | $30,372 | $27,464 |
| Hourly rate | $14.60 | $13.20 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 213,261 | 198,954 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 39% | High School Diploma, 44% |
| 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.
A stower is responsible for scanning a product and appropriately placing it to the right shelf for customer's consumption. Duties of a stower include inspecting the item for any defects and escalating damaged items to the supervisor ensuring adequately labeled products. Other responsibilities include operating essential store equipment, adhering to the sanitary standards of the working area, and assisting customers with their concerns and inquiries. A stower should have excellent time-management skills and the ability to multi-task, especially on working with a fast-paced environment.
General merchandisers and stowers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| General Merchandiser | Stower | |
| Average salary | $30,372 | $27,464 |
| Salary range | Between $20,000 And $45,000 | Between $21,000 And $34,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Lakewood, WA |
| Highest paying state | - | Washington |
| Best paying company | - | Rich Products |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a general merchandiser and a stower in terms of educational background:
| General Merchandiser | Stower | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 39% | High School Diploma, 44% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between general merchandisers' and stowers' demographics:
| General Merchandiser | Stower | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 53.9% Female, 46.1% | Male, 69.9% Female, 30.1% |
| 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, 8.5% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 19.6% Asian, 6.7% White, 58.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |