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The differences between merchandising interns and display associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a display associate has an average salary of $61,513, which is higher than the $34,770 average annual salary of a merchandising internship.
The top three skills for a merchandising internship include powerpoint, POS and sales floor. The most important skills for a display associate are customer service, sales floor, and store management.
In a merchandising internship, an intern's duties will depend on the directives of a supervising staff or manager. Their tasks may involve preparing and processing documents, organizing and disseminating files within the company, answering calls and correspondence, running errands, and participating in creating marketing strategies. They may also assist in monitoring inventories, liaising with clients, and performing market research. Aside from gaining insights while performing support tasks, an intern must also learn and understand the policies and regulations of the company, including its vision and mission.
A display associate is primarily in charge of managing product displays in an establishment, often working under the supervision and guidelines of a coordinator or manager. Their responsibilities usually include arranging products in display areas, removing lesser quality items from shelves, checking the expiration date of perishable goods, monitoring and maintaining inventory records, putting product prices and other necessary information, and keeping the sales floor clean. Moreover, in retail stores, a display associate may also assist clients by answering inquiries, helping them locate items, and recommending products.
Merchandising interns and display associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Merchandising Internship | Display Associate | |
| Average salary | $34,770 | $61,513 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $47,000 | Between $29,000 And $130,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | California | - |
| Best paying company | ALDI USA | - |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | - |
There are a few differences between a merchandising internship and a display associate in terms of educational background:
| Merchandising Internship | Display Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Specialized Sales And Merchandising | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between merchandising interns' and display associates' demographics:
| Merchandising Internship | Display Associate | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 23.1% Female, 76.9% | Male, 41.1% Female, 58.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.8% Asian, 5.3% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.8% Asian, 5.3% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 17% | 17% |