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The differences between merchandising assistants and merchandising associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a merchandising assistant has an average salary of $34,679, which is higher than the $33,201 average annual salary of a merchandising associate.
The top three skills for a merchandising assistant include sales floor, customer service and customer issues. The most important skills for a merchandising associate are cleanliness, sales floor, and customer service.
| Merchandising Assistant | Merchandising Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $34,679 | $33,201 |
| Hourly rate | $16.67 | $15.96 |
| Growth rate | 4% | - |
| Number of jobs | 22,645 | 370,401 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 41% |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 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.
Merchandise associates ensure that customers get a complete shopping experience. They pleasantly arrange and stock merchandise on shelves for customers to purchase. Also, they assemble product displays and make sure popular and on-sale products are visible to customers. Part of their duty is to place the appropriate sales tag on items and record new developments in the store's inventory. Skills required for the job include excellent customer service, being detail-oriented, and relevant experience in sales.
Merchandising assistants and merchandising associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Merchandising Assistant | Merchandising Associate | |
| Average salary | $34,679 | $33,201 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $46,000 | Between $26,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Softpath System | Uline |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a merchandising assistant and a merchandising associate in terms of educational background:
| Merchandising Assistant | Merchandising Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 41% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | - |
Here are the differences between merchandising assistants' and merchandising associates' demographics:
| Merchandising Assistant | Merchandising Associate | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 23.2% Female, 76.8% | Male, 43.8% Female, 56.2% |
| 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, 10.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 20.3% Asian, 7.0% White, 56.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 7% |