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Lead retail consultant vs sales lead/sales associate

The differences between lead retail consultants and sales lead/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 retail consultant and a sales lead/sales associate. Additionally, a lead retail consultant has an average salary of $39,319, which is higher than the $31,954 average annual salary of a sales lead/sales associate.

The top three skills for a lead retail consultant include POS, sales floor and basic math. The most important skills for a sales lead/sales associate are POS, cash control, and customer service.

Lead retail consultant vs sales lead/sales associate overview

Lead Retail ConsultantSales Lead/Sales Associate
Yearly salary$39,319$31,954
Hourly rate$18.90$15.36
Growth rate--
Number of jobs83,049882,220
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 50%Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Average age4343
Years of experience66

What does a lead retail consultant do?

A lead retail consultant spearheads consultation projects that aim to help clients optimize their daily retail operations. Their responsibilities entail conducting extensive market research and analyses, studying the target market and competitors, establishing objectives and guidelines, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of current procedures, and providing solutions against potential issues and concerns. Additionally, as a lead retail consultant, they have the duty to lead junior consultants in the joint effort to help clients achieve their short and long-term goals.

What does a sales lead/sales associate do?

Sales lead and sales associates are two different sales positions in the retail industry. A sales lead is in charge of supervising the sales department. Sales leads perform administrative duties like recruiting and training staff, monitoring inventories, and maintaining sales performance. On the other hand, sales associates guide potential customers to acquire the products or services that fit their needs. The associates notify clients of sales promotions then present to them the product or service. Employees for these positions are looking for candidates with relevant experience in sales and related degrees like marketing and sales.

Lead retail consultant vs sales lead/sales associate salary

Lead retail consultants and sales lead/sales associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

Lead Retail ConsultantSales Lead/Sales Associate
Average salary$39,319$31,954
Salary rangeBetween $17,000 And $86,000Between $17,000 And $57,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CANew York, NY
Highest paying stateNew JerseyNew York
Best paying companyAccentureGoogle
Best paying industryTelecommunicationRetail

Differences between lead retail consultant and sales lead/sales associate education

There are a few differences between a lead retail consultant and a sales lead/sales associate in terms of educational background:

Lead Retail ConsultantSales Lead/Sales Associate
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 50%Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeSUNY College of Technology at DelhiSUNY College of Technology at Delhi

Lead retail consultant vs sales lead/sales associate demographics

Here are the differences between lead retail consultants' and sales lead/sales associates' demographics:

Lead Retail ConsultantSales Lead/Sales Associate
Average age4343
Gender ratioMale, 59.1% Female, 40.9%Male, 35.3% Female, 64.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Asian, 6.9% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.9% Asian, 6.9% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between lead retail consultant and sales lead/sales associate duties and responsibilities

Lead retail consultant example responsibilities.

  • Assist store leadership in effectively leading, managing and developing store and/or department operations and associates to maximize sales and profitability.
  • Operate POS (point of sale) station with responsibility for a balance cash drawer daily.
  • Complete POS and cash register functions such as hourly readings, balancing, voids and undo transactions when necessary.
  • Assist store leadership in effectively leading, managing and developing store and/or department operations and associates to maximize sales and profitability.
  • Gain buy-in and trust with persuasive proposals, marketing collateral, and PowerPoint presentations.

Sales lead/sales associate example responsibilities.

  • Partner in managing operations of multiple retail outlets, including hiring, performance management, scheduling, and merchandising management.
  • Complete customer transactions using POS register system and fraud security protocol.
  • Monitor inventory accountability by physically checking inventory, running inventory reports, receiving shipments, and completing transfers in the POS.
  • Demonstrate strong leadership, communication and supervisory skills by providing coaching and feedback to maximize individual and store performance.

Lead retail consultant vs sales lead/sales associate skills

Common lead retail consultant skills
  • POS, 20%
  • Sales Floor, 17%
  • Basic Math, 13%
  • Product Knowledge, 6%
  • Punctuality, 5%
  • Store Sales, 5%
Common sales lead/sales associate skills
  • POS, 16%
  • Cash Control, 13%
  • Customer Service, 9%
  • Bank Deposits, 8%
  • Inventory Control, 8%
  • Sales Transactions, 7%