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The differences between merchandising interns and merchandising associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a merchandising internship has an average salary of $34,770, which is higher than the $33,201 average annual salary of a merchandising associate.
The top three skills for a merchandising internship include powerpoint, POS and sales floor. The most important skills for a merchandising associate are cleanliness, sales floor, and customer service.
| Merchandising Internship | Merchandising Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $34,770 | $33,201 |
| Hourly rate | $16.72 | $15.96 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 58,634 | 370,401 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 41% |
| Average age | 40 | 41 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
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.
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 interns and merchandising associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Merchandising Internship | Merchandising Associate | |
| Average salary | $34,770 | $33,201 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $47,000 | Between $26,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | ALDI USA | Uline |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a merchandising internship and a merchandising associate in terms of educational background:
| Merchandising Internship | Merchandising Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 41% |
| Most common major | Specialized Sales And Merchandising | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between merchandising interns' and merchandising associates' demographics:
| Merchandising Internship | Merchandising Associate | |
| Average age | 40 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 23.1% Female, 76.9% | Male, 43.8% Female, 56.2% |
| 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, 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 | 17% | 7% |