Merchandising associate vs customer service retail associate

The differences between merchandising associates and customer service retail associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a merchandising associate has an average salary of $33,201, which is higher than the $30,002 average annual salary of a customer service retail associate.

The top three skills for a merchandising associate include cleanliness, sales floor and customer service. The most important skills for a customer service retail associate are POS, customer service, and customer orders.

Merchandising associate vs customer service retail associate overview

	Merchandising Associate	Customer Service Retail Associate
Yearly salary	$33,201	$30,002
Hourly rate	$15.96	$14.42
Growth rate	-	-
Number of jobs	370,401	580,336
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 41%	High School Diploma, 33%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	-	-

What does a merchandising associate do?

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.

What does a customer service retail associate do?

A customer service retail associate is responsible for providing the highest customer service for the store's customers by responding to their inquiries and concerns and recommending them goods and services that would fit their needs. Customer service retail associates support the marketing campaigns and promotional strategies of the store by offering and demonstrating products to the customers, as well as arranging stock displays, and monitoring the adequacy of inventories. They also escalate high-level complaints to management for immediate resolution and assist with product replacement and issuing refunds as needed.

Merchandising associate vs customer service retail associate salary

Merchandising associates and customer service retail associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Merchandising Associate	Customer Service Retail Associate
Average salary	$33,201	$30,002
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $42,000	Between $23,000 And $37,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	Bellevue, WA
Highest paying state	Hawaii	Washington
Best paying company	Uline	Tractor Supply
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Finance

Differences between merchandising associate and customer service retail associate education

There are a few differences between a merchandising associate and a customer service retail associate in terms of educational background:

	Merchandising Associate	Customer Service Retail Associate
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 41%	High School Diploma, 33%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Merchandising associate vs customer service retail associate demographics

Here are the differences between merchandising associates' and customer service retail associates' demographics:

	Merchandising Associate	Customer Service Retail Associate
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 43.8% Female, 56.2%	Male, 33.3% Female, 66.7%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 21.7% Asian, 6.5% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between merchandising associate and customer service retail associate duties and responsibilities

Merchandising associate example responsibilities.

Manage e-commerce websites to maintain accurate information and maximize sales.
Maximize sales by displaying merchandise and maintain store cleanliness while executing superior customer service.
Assist customer with picking groceries in the absence of other staff.
Create monthly PowerPoint presentations for the team to use in high-level meetings.
Conduct market research in the sale of pet products, identifying consumer trends.
Complete reports for products end of life and prepare merchandise for shipments back to depot.

Customer service retail associate example responsibilities.

Reconcile POS drawers on a daily basis, correct any problems accordingly and manage bank transactions.
run the registerSkills Usedfork lift, reading, writing, math
Perform cash handling duties, bag customers groceries, assist customers with groceries when necessary.
Assist cashier in boxing groceries, stocking merchandise, reorganizing shelves, and performing inventory.
Run the register of a small convenience retail shop .. Be accurate with money and math skills.
Check out guests on the POS system in a quick and efficient manner with thorough understanding of processing payment procedures.

Merchandising associate vs customer service retail associate skills

Common merchandising associate skills

Cleanliness, 26%
Sales Floor, 25%
Customer Service, 21%
Loss Prevention, 15%
Store Management, 3%
Visual Standards, 2%

Common customer service retail associate skills

POS, 20%
Customer Service, 16%
Customer Orders, 13%
Retail Environment, 10%
Bank Deposits, 10%
Product Line, 9%

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Merchandising Associate
Merchandising Associate vs Customer Service Retail Associate

Updated January 8, 2025

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