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The differences between lead associates and store sales associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a lead associate and a store sales associate. Additionally, a lead associate has an average salary of $54,903, which is higher than the $30,284 average annual salary of a store sales associate.
The top three skills for a lead associate include PET, leadership and POS. The most important skills for a store sales associate are sales floor, POS, and product knowledge.
| Lead Associate | Store Sales Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $54,903 | $30,284 |
| Hourly rate | $26.40 | $14.56 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 188,353 | 524,877 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
The duties of a lead associate depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. In a retail setting, their responsibilities revolve around performing research and analysis to identify new business opportunities, devising strategies to optimize sales, and reaching out to clients through calls and correspondence. A lead associate may offer products and services to potential clients, answer inquiries, conduct demonstrations, process payments, arrange billing plans, and perform follow-up calls. Furthermore, they may also handle issues and concerns, resolving them in adherence to the company's policies and regulations.
A store sales associate is responsible for assisting store customers, directing them to the correct area of their needs, and responding to their inquiries and concerns regarding a product. Store sales associates also support the store's promotional campaigns, selling goods and services to the customers by demonstrating the product and its benefits. They keep the store premises clean and tidy to avoid any potential hazards during operations. A store sales associate must have excellent communication skills, especially on resolving customer complaints, processing replacements, and issuing refunds.
Lead associates and store sales associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Associate | Store Sales Associate | |
| Average salary | $54,903 | $30,284 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $117,000 | Between $23,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Elizabeth, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | Rooms To Go |
| Best paying industry | - | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a lead associate and a store sales associate in terms of educational background:
| Lead Associate | Store Sales Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi |
Here are the differences between lead associates' and store sales associates' demographics:
| Lead Associate | Store Sales Associate | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 44.8% Female, 55.2% | Male, 40.7% Female, 59.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 6.9% White, 61.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 6.9% White, 61.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |