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The differences between merchandising assistants and lead assistants 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 lead assistant. Additionally, a merchandising assistant has an average salary of $34,679, which is higher than the $31,987 average annual salary of a lead assistant.
The top three skills for a merchandising assistant include sales floor, customer service and customer issues. The most important skills for a lead assistant are customer service, sales floor, and payroll.
| Merchandising Assistant | Lead Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $34,679 | $31,987 |
| Hourly rate | $16.67 | $15.38 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 22,645 | 86,609 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| 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 lead assistant is responsible for monitoring the operations of a specific business department, under the supervision of a team lead. Lead assistants provide support on training new staff, implementing strategic policies, identifying business opportunities, and developing services that would bring more revenues and profitability for the organization. They also respond to customers' inquiries, handling complaints, and ensuring immediate resolution for all concerns to maintain customers' satisfaction and a good reputation for the business. A lead assistant must have excellent communication and leadership skills to manage the team's needs, meeting operational goals timely and efficiently.
Merchandising assistants and lead assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Merchandising Assistant | Lead Assistant | |
| Average salary | $34,679 | $31,987 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $46,000 | Between $21,000 And $46,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | New York |
| Best paying company | Softpath System | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | - |
There are a few differences between a merchandising assistant and a lead assistant in terms of educational background:
| Merchandising Assistant | Lead Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| 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 lead assistants' demographics:
| Merchandising Assistant | Lead Assistant | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 23.2% Female, 76.8% | Male, 40.8% Female, 59.2% |
| 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, 18.2% Asian, 7.0% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |