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The differences between inventory clerks and shop clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a shop clerk has an average salary of $34,468, which is higher than the $32,666 average annual salary of an inventory clerk.
The top three skills for an inventory clerk include customer service, data entry and inventory control. The most important skills for a shop clerk are basic math, math, and top quality.
| Inventory Clerk | Shop Clerk | |
| Yearly salary | $32,666 | $34,468 |
| Hourly rate | $15.70 | $16.57 |
| Growth rate | 1% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 204,051 | 106,275 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| Average age | 38 | 47 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
Inventory clerks or inventory control clerks manage and maintain all inventory coming in and out. They ensure that the items are stored and stocked in their proper places. They have to train less experienced clerks as well as prepare balance and shortage reports. They also need to report any stock issues, place orders when necessary, prepare a list of lacking products, and take note of unusable items. A good inventory clerk must be detail-oriented, organized, and have relevant experience in inventory control.
A shop clerk is primarily in charge of assisting clients in a retail store, ensuring efficient service for client satisfaction. Their responsibilities include greeting and identifying the clients' needs, answering inquiries, locating products, offering promotions, and recommending alternatives as needed. They must also maintain the cleanliness of the sales floor, clearing the obstructions and disposing of expired or defective products. Furthermore, a shop clerk must manage the product displays, devising strategies to make them more presentable to the customers.
Inventory clerks and shop clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Inventory Clerk | Shop Clerk | |
| Average salary | $32,666 | $34,468 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $39,000 | Between $26,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | Portland, OR | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | BD | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Transportation |
There are a few differences between an inventory clerk and a shop clerk in terms of educational background:
| Inventory Clerk | Shop Clerk | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between inventory clerks' and shop clerks' demographics:
| Inventory Clerk | Shop Clerk | |
| Average age | 38 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.4% Female, 48.6% | Male, 34.6% Female, 65.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 22.7% Asian, 7.0% White, 53.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.8% Asian, 6.9% White, 58.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |