Retail representative vs store associate

The differences between retail representatives and store associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a retail representative has an average salary of $31,790, which is higher than the $29,543 average annual salary of a store associate.

The top three skills for a retail representative include flexibility, store management and certification programs. The most important skills for a store associate are sales floor, retail store, and inventory management.

Retail representative vs store associate overview

	Retail Representative	Store Associate
Yearly salary	$31,790	$29,543
Hourly rate	$15.28	$14.20
Growth rate	-	-
Number of jobs	402,132	495,423
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	High School Diploma, 35%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	-	-

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 a store associate do?

A store associate is responsible for assisting customers with the products they need and recommending alternative goods that would fit their budget. Sales associates also market promotional offers and provide product descriptions to the customer. They also monitor inventories, stock supplies on the appropriate shelves, and ensure the cleanliness and orderliness of the store. Store associates also perform other administrative tasks as needed, such as creating sales reports, assisting in the counter, and helping customers on carrying their items.

Retail representative vs store associate salary

Retail representatives and store associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Retail Representative	Store Associate
Average salary	$31,790	$29,543
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $38,000	Between $24,000 And $36,000
Highest paying City	-	New York, NY
Highest paying state	-	New York
Best paying company	-	Pro Football Hall of Fame
Best paying industry	-	Retail

Differences between retail representative and store associate education

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

	Retail Representative	Store Associate
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	High School Diploma, 35%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Retail representative vs store associate demographics

Here are the differences between retail representatives' and store associates' demographics:

	Retail Representative	Store Associate
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 43.6% Female, 56.4%	Male, 48.8% Female, 51.2%
Race ratio	Black 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, 11.1% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 20.0% Asian, 6.6% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between retail representative and store associate 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.

Store associate example responsibilities.

Manage the appearance of the store in conjunction with the store priorities to present a desirable image of Aldi.
Work on the cash register, used calculators, POS machines and mental math.
Ensure that all cash handling are accurate and work with Ross' point-of-sale systems.
Put out freight as well as restocking the stock room, carrying 50 pound boxes up ladders.
Operate POS register and provide exceptional customer service.
Regulate profit margins, payroll, loss-prevention control and inventory management.

Retail representative vs store associate skills

Common retail representative skills

Flexibility, 36%
Store Management, 36%
Certification Programs, 11%
PET, 7%
Customer Service, 2%
Product Knowledge, 1%

Common store associate skills

Sales Floor, 25%
Retail Store, 12%
Inventory Management, 9%
Cleanliness, 7%
Math, 5%
Strong Customer Service, 5%

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Retail Representative
Retail Representative vs Store Associate

Updated January 8, 2025

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