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The differences between merchandising assistants and key holders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a merchandising assistant and a key holder. Additionally, a merchandising assistant has an average salary of $34,679, which is higher than the $31,779 average annual salary of a key holder.
The top three skills for a merchandising assistant include sales floor, customer service and customer issues. The most important skills for a key holder are sales floor, product knowledge, and visual standards.
| Merchandising Assistant | Key Holder | |
| Yearly salary | $34,679 | $31,779 |
| Hourly rate | $16.67 | $15.28 |
| Growth rate | 4% | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 22,645 | 431,956 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | High School Diploma, 35% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A merchandising assistant is responsible for contributing new goods and services for the business, identifying business opportunities based on the market demands to drive revenues and increase profitability. Merchandising assistants also monitor stock inventories, negotiating with suppliers and other third-party vendors for deliveries, and strategizing on how to minimize costs without compromising the quality. They also help with arranging product displays, developing marketing campaigns, and planning promotional offers to attract customers for purchase. A merchandising assistant must have excellent communication skills, responding to the customers' inquiries and concerns, and directing them to the appropriate section for their needs.
A keyholder is responsible for ensuring the store's daily security before and after the operation. Keyholders' duties include assisting with administrative tasks, handling customers' inquiries, managing and escalating customers' complaints, monitoring the alarm system, keeping track of the deliveries, supporting staff training, cooperating in company's events, and recommending operational strategies to meet business goals and objectives. A keyholder must have excellent customer service and time-management skills, as well as the ability to multi-task, especially during high customer volume.
Merchandising assistants and key holders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Merchandising Assistant | Key Holder | |
| Average salary | $34,679 | $31,779 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $46,000 | Between $25,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Wisconsin |
| Best paying company | Softpath System | Connecticut Children's Medical Center |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a merchandising assistant and a key holder in terms of educational background:
| Merchandising Assistant | Key Holder | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | High School Diploma, 35% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi |
Here are the differences between merchandising assistants' and key holders' demographics:
| Merchandising Assistant | Key Holder | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 23.2% Female, 76.8% | Male, 28.1% Female, 71.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 7.0% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 6.6% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |