What is a retail sales manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Experts

Bill Thorne,

Joseph Hancock

A retail sales manager is an individual responsible for managing the daily operations of a retail store. They oversee the sales team, set sales goals, create marketing strategies, and ensure customer satisfaction. A retail sales manager trains and motivates employees to achieve sales targets, manages inventory levels, and ensures the store is clean and organized. They work closely with other departments such as marketing, merchandising, and finance to ensure the success of the store.

What general advice would you give to a Retail Sales Manager?

Bill Thorne

Executive Director of the NRF Foundation and Senior Vice President of Communication and Public Affairs of NRF, National Retail Federation

Retail is the largest private-sector employer in the country, directly employing 32 million people and supporting 52 million jobs overall - roughly one-quarter of the U.S. workforce. While COVID-19 has presented new and unexpected challenges, retailers have continued to showcase the industry's resilience and adaptability time and again. The safety and security of customers and employees remains our greatest priority. It is no doubt that the professional environment has changed this year, but retail continues to offer a plethora of career opportunities for graduates and seasoned veterans alike.

ScoreRetail Sales ManagerUS Average

Salary

3.8

Avg. Salary $48,678

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

6.4

Growth Rate 5%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

2.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.24%

Asian 4.07%

Black or African American 3.24%

Hispanic or Latino 9.82%

Unknown 4.41%

White 78.23%

Gender

female 38.84%

male 61.16%

Age - 46

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46

Stress Level

6.4

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

8.7

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

4.4

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Retail Sales Manager?

Pros

Potential for high earnings through bonuses and commissions
Possibility for flexible scheduling and work-life balance
Access to employee discounts and perks
Chance to develop skills in areas such as leadership, communication, and problem-solving
Potential for job stability in a growing industry

Cons

High pressure to meet sales targets and quotas
Long hours, including nights and weekends
Dealing with difficult customers or situations
Responsibility for managing employee performance and addressing issues
Limited opportunities for creativity or innovation in product offerings or store layout

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Key steps to become a retail sales manager

Explore retail sales manager education requirements

Most common retail sales manager degrees

Bachelor's

60.7 %

Associate

18.1 %

High School Diploma

11.6 %

Start to develop specific retail sales manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Retail Sales	12.82%
Store Operations	6.95%
Store Sales	6.01%
Retail Store	5.30%
Product Knowledge	4.83%

Complete relevant retail sales manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New retail sales managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a retail sales manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real retail sales manager resumes.

Research retail sales manager duties and responsibilities

Create and lead staff development sessions on solution selling techniques/running effective promotions/POS execution/trade math.
Receive and count new products, reconcile delivery invoices, tickets, and enter new products into POS system.
Complete customer transactions using POS register system.
Deliver consistently strong results in identifying and capitalizing on cross-selling opportunities to advance corporate-define marketing campaigns and effectively increase revenue streams.

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