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The differences between merchandisers and sales representatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a sales representative has an average salary of $56,591, which is higher than the $31,051 average annual salary of a merchandiser.
The top three skills for a merchandiser include customer service, PET and pallets. The most important skills for a sales representative are sales process, product knowledge, and customer service.
| Merchandiser | Sales Representative | |
| Yearly salary | $31,051 | $56,591 |
| Hourly rate | $14.93 | $27.21 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 109,447 | 205,456 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.4 | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 33% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Average age | 38 | 47 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
Merchandisers are employees working for a retail company. Merchandisers are mainly responsible for the store's products. They curate products that are in line with the store's branding. Merchandisers create purchase requisitions and, upon receipt of the products, create displays that would attract the customers. They also ensure that the inventory of the store is well-stocked. Merchandisers should be up to date with current market trends. They should also be familiar with what customers need and want. It is important for merchandisers to know their company's branding by heart. Merchandisers should be able to create good relationships with vendors as well so that their store may be chosen for special promotions.
Sales representatives primarily sell the company's products and services to businesses or organizations. They should be adept at closing out sales, negotiating, and providing customer service. They should be knowledgeable about the products or services of the manufacturer or producer they represent. They must also have strong analytical skills that would help them in coming up with cost-benefit analysis in assessing the current roster of clients and even prospective ones. Sales representatives should also be able to maintain good working relationships with all involved stakeholders, especially clients.
Merchandisers and sales representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Merchandiser | Sales Representative | |
| Average salary | $31,051 | $56,591 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $39,000 | Between $33,000 And $94,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, CA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | |
| Best paying industry | Education | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a merchandiser and a sales representative in terms of educational background:
| Merchandiser | Sales Representative | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 33% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred |
Here are the differences between merchandisers' and sales representatives' demographics:
| Merchandiser | Sales Representative | |
| Average age | 38 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 58.0% Female, 42.0% | Male, 58.1% Female, 41.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 19.7% Asian, 6.4% White, 57.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |