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Retail representative vs associate sales representative

The differences between retail representatives and associate sales representatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an associate sales representative has an average salary of $51,007, which is higher than the $31,790 average annual salary of a retail representative.

The top three skills for a retail representative include flexibility, store management and certification programs. The most important skills for an associate sales representative are work ethic, patients, and product knowledge.

Retail representative vs associate sales representative overview

Retail RepresentativeAssociate Sales Representative
Yearly salary$31,790$51,007
Hourly rate$15.28$24.52
Growth rate-4%
Number of jobs402,132333,049
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 44%Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Average age4147
Years of experience-4

What does a retail representative do?

A retail representative is in charge of assisting customers with their shopping needs in retail stores, ensuring customer satisfaction. Their responsibilities include greeting customers and identifying their needs, answering inquiries, locating products, offering promotions and recommendations, and conducting demonstrations when possible. There are also instances where they must process payments or refunds. Furthermore, as a retail representative, it is essential to arrange products on shelves to make it look attractive to customers, all while maintaining the cleanliness of the sales floor.

What does an associate sales representative do?

The duties of an associate sales representative depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. Their responsibilities typically revolve around reaching out to clients through calls or door-to-door visits, offering products and services, collecting payments, addressing issues and concerns, and performing corrective measures when necessary. An associate sales representative often has a quota and deadline to reach; therefore, it is essential to be sales driven and goal-oriented. Furthermore, one must adhere to the policies and regulations of the company.

Retail representative vs associate sales representative salary

Retail representatives and associate sales representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

Retail RepresentativeAssociate Sales Representative
Average salary$31,790$51,007
Salary rangeBetween $26,000 And $38,000Between $37,000 And $68,000
Highest paying City-Boston, MA
Highest paying state-Massachusetts
Best paying company-Verint
Best paying industry-Health Care

Differences between retail representative and associate sales representative education

There are a few differences between a retail representative and an associate sales representative in terms of educational background:

Retail RepresentativeAssociate Sales Representative
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 44%Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college-SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Retail representative vs associate sales representative demographics

Here are the differences between retail representatives' and associate sales representatives' demographics:

Retail RepresentativeAssociate Sales Representative
Average age4147
Gender ratioMale, 43.6% Female, 56.4%Male, 50.8% Female, 49.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 6.8% White, 58.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 5.1% White, 72.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage7%6%

Differences between retail representative and associate sales representative duties and responsibilities

Retail representative example responsibilities.

  • Manage Nintendo's promotional programs; secure and maintain point-of-purchase displays that alert customers to brand availability.
  • Execute the proper POS in accounts, particularly with products on sale.
  • Befriend category managers and backroom personnel to positively impact on OSA, POS placement, and other sell-in tactics.
  • Educate consumers about products and services and troubleshoot any existing customer concerns relate to service or equipment.
  • Collaborate with board members to prepare PowerPoint presentations and other written reports and present concepts to management.

Associate sales representative example responsibilities.

  • Manage organization website and Facebook page; writing articles for websites and newsletters.
  • Perform inside sales, including telemarketing, prospecting, account penetration and product application, consulting and delivery of customer service.
  • Learned how to ask proper questions and communicate MetLife's product differentiators against competition

Retail representative vs associate sales representative skills

Common retail representative skills
  • Flexibility, 36%
  • Store Management, 36%
  • Certification Programs, 11%
  • PET, 7%
  • Customer Service, 2%
  • Product Knowledge, 1%
Common associate sales representative skills
  • Work Ethic, 16%
  • Patients, 13%
  • Product Knowledge, 12%
  • Excellent Interpersonal, 7%
  • Excellent Organizational, 4%
  • Sales Techniques, 4%