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Grocery associate vs merchandise stocker

The differences between grocery associates and merchandise stockers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a grocery associate has an average salary of $35,040, which is higher than the $29,224 average annual salary of a merchandise stocker.

The top three skills for a grocery associate include frozen food, general merchandise and truck deliveries. The most important skills for a merchandise stocker are pallet jack, customer service, and stock shelves.

Grocery associate vs merchandise stocker overview

Grocery AssociateMerchandise Stocker
Yearly salary$35,040$29,224
Hourly rate$16.85$14.05
Growth rate1%1%
Number of jobs202,439204,511
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 36%High School Diploma, 47%
Average age3838
Years of experience--

What does a grocery associate do?

Grocery Associates are responsible for assisting with maintaining operations and providing customer service of a grocery store. Their duties include greeting customers, providing product suggestions, conduct product stocking and rotation, assisting with vendor merchandising, and unloading products from trucks. They are also responsible for operating equipment in departments, reporting illegal activities to management, and bagging groceries. Grocery Associates ensure the displays and aisles are clean while assisting customers with product finding and giving directions.

What does a merchandise stocker do?

A merchandise stocker is an employee who ensures that shelves and aisles are stocked with the merchandise in retail stores or warehouses. Merchandise stockers must receive the goods, unload or unpack them, mark them with codes to be identified, and stock them on shelves. They help customers to fill orders through mail, web, or phone while preparing the customers' merchandise for shipment. They must also operate a forklift so that they can lift or place merchandise at the assigned shelves.

Grocery associate vs merchandise stocker salary

Grocery associates and merchandise stockers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Grocery AssociateMerchandise Stocker
Average salary$35,040$29,224
Salary rangeBetween $26,000 And $46,000Between $24,000 And $35,000
Highest paying City-Tacoma, WA
Highest paying state-Washington
Best paying company-PepsiCo
Best paying industry-Retail

Differences between grocery associate and merchandise stocker education

There are a few differences between a grocery associate and a merchandise stocker in terms of educational background:

Grocery AssociateMerchandise Stocker
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 36%High School Diploma, 47%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Grocery associate vs merchandise stocker demographics

Here are the differences between grocery associates' and merchandise stockers' demographics:

Grocery AssociateMerchandise Stocker
Average age3838
Gender ratioMale, 79.4% Female, 20.6%Male, 67.8% Female, 32.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 6.6% White, 60.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 23.8% Asian, 6.8% White, 53.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between grocery associate and merchandise stocker duties and responsibilities

Grocery associate example responsibilities.

  • Receive payment via cash, checks, credit cards, debit cards and WIC.
  • Generate ideas: better organization in back room, labeling u-boats with dates, sales, etc.
  • Unload and secure receive products in the appropriate refrigerate storage areas using power, hand jack, carts or u-boats.
  • Maintain department cleanliness, and provide premier customer service.
  • Employ at Meijer's as a (GMC).
  • Stock and rotate product (FIFO )
  • Show more

Merchandise stocker example responsibilities.

  • Clean stock area and maintain cleanliness of retail area.
  • Use RF scanners to do price markdowns for monthly clearance.
  • Used RF scanners to track multiple product locations and expiration dates.
  • Perform courtesy task that includes locating items for customers and bagging groceries.
  • Perform additional duties as assigned (i.e maintain orders and cleanliness in the store and serve as cashier).
  • Greet customers while bagging their groceries, collect carts in parking lot, put away return items, general sanitation.
  • Show more

Grocery associate vs merchandise stocker skills

Common grocery associate skills
  • Frozen Food, 38%
  • General Merchandise, 14%
  • Truck Deliveries, 14%
  • Front End, 6%
  • Work Ethic, 4%
  • Grocery Store, 4%
Common merchandise stocker skills
  • Pallet Jack, 34%
  • Customer Service, 28%
  • Stock Shelves, 18%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 5%
  • Food Handling, 4%
  • Store Management, 2%

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