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Retail specialist skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Scott Lail PhD, MBA, CPA, CFE, CGMA, SPHR,

Sonya DiPalma Ph.D.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical retail specialist skills. We ranked the top skills for retail specialists based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 60.0% of retail specialist resumes contained store management as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a retail specialist needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 retail specialist skills for your resume and career

1. Store Management

Here's how retail specialists use store management:

Assisted retail store management team in executing dozens of corporate initiatives.
Communicate effectively with customers, fellow employees and store management.

2. Retail Environment

A retail environment can be defined as the environment in which things are sold on a commercial scale. It is the sum of the variables and forces inside and outside the company that can influence retail decisions. Businesses in this sector sell a wide range of products to consumers and companies, ranging from groceries, clothing, hardware, household items, and office supplies.

Here's how retail specialists use retail environment:

Greet customers and efficiently process transactions within busy, fast-passed retail environments.
Managed excellent customer relationships and helped coordinate inventory in busy retail environment.

3. Store Associates

Here's how retail specialists use store associates:

Respond to customer needs and provide product knowledge classes to store associates as well as performing demonstration classes for customers.
Assessed the training needs of store associates and communicate to District and Regional Management.

4. Customer Service

Customer service is the process of offering assistance to all the current and potential customers -- answering questions, fixing problems, and providing excellent service. The main goal of customer service is to build a strong relationship with the customers so that they keep coming back for more business.

Here's how retail specialists use customer service:

Provided superior level of customer service through accurate and immediate response to inquiries from branches representatives and customers.
Provide exceptional customer service and offer relevant bank products while following bank and federal guidelines.

5. Product Knowledge

Product knowledge is the skill of having better information and knowledge about the product you are selling. Product knowledge is essential for the employees of the companies so they can communicate and inform the customers about the product. Having great product knowledge is essential for a better sales pitch and to give the customer a better and complete idea of the product that will influence him to buy the product eventually.

Here's how retail specialists use product knowledge:

Increased customer trust and loyalty by continually ensuring customer satisfaction, quality and product knowledge.
Developed and gave product knowledge presentations for targeted marketing events.

6. Shelf Tags

Here's how retail specialists use shelf tags:

Scanned shelf tags and products via hand-held computer and scanner.
Scan shelf tags and products with hand-held scanner.

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7. POS

POS is an abbreviation of "Point of Sale" which is the time and place where a customer completes a transaction. It can either be a physical shop that consists of POS terminals or a virtual shop. A POS system helps simplify the retail functions and track important sales data.

Here's how retail specialists use pos:

Operated POS system to input customers' orders, process credit card transactions, and enter cash amounts received.
Coordinated all merchandising/reset efforts, to include eye catching displays and proper placement of POS.

8. Retail Sales

Retail sales are the method to track consumer demand for finished goods by assessing the purchases of durable and non-durable products over a definite period. Data on retail sales is accumulated monthly by the U.S. Bureau of the Census.

Here's how retail specialists use retail sales:

Provided input on revenue and expense estimates related to retail sales and merchandising to support district budget planning.
Excelled in each quarter's quota for retail sales for each consecutive quarter.

9. Retail Accounts

Here's how retail specialists use retail accounts:

Achieved $1.5 million dollar quota with independent Mitsubishi retail accounts in southern Texas and Louisiana.
Called on national retail accounts with a focus on establishing and maintaining strong relationships with customers.

10. Customer Issues

Here's how retail specialists use customer issues:

Identified current and potential problems in territory regarding coverage and/or customer issues.
Included opening new accounts, processing loan requests, resolving customer issues and making product line referrals as appropriate.

11. Strong Customer Service

Here's how retail specialists use strong customer service:

Contributed to repeat and referral business by using strong customer service and problem solving skills.

12. Retail Operations

Retail operations are used to describe all the tasks that maintain the store functionality. These tasks include supply chain, people management, store layout, physical inventory, cash operations, promotions, master data management, and pricing.

Here's how retail specialists use retail operations:

Delivered technical and presentation support for Retail Operations and Executive Management.
Determine and secure secondary retail display opportunities and review retail operations.

13. Customer Orders

Here's how retail specialists use customer orders:

Monitor online activity and troubleshoot issues with customer orders.
Handled customer orders by phone, online and inter-store transfers as needed, including actual shipments to customers and/or stores.

14. Sales Floor

The sales floor is the area in a company or a business that is specified for retail activities or is designated as the selling area of the shop. A car showroom can be considered a sales floor, as it has cars in its display which are to be sold. A sales floor is generally crowded with sales assistants who are there to help you out while you can search and check out the products. Generally a sales floor has free access to the public and they can observe, view and get information about the product that is being sold.

Here's how retail specialists use sales floor:

Assisted in revising position manuals during realignment of the sales floor, ensuring a smooth transition.
Lead workshop team, manage sales floor, sales, personal training, tech support

15. Retail Store

Here's how retail specialists use retail store:

Merchandised retail stores in assigned territory.
Field technician for major retail stores in Green Bay area for assembly needs such as bikes, grills, display furniture.

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What skills help Retail Specialists find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What retail specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Scott Lail PhD, MBA, CPA, CFE, CGMA, SPHR

University of Northwestern Ohio

Some skills that will become more important will be very specific to a certain role. However,
some of the more general skills that will impact most roles to at least some degree will
include:
 Being proficient with technology and keeping updated with the latest technical tools
 Knowing how to utilize and interpret data into useful and reliable information
 Communicating in ways that are respectful, while also efficient and effective
 Showing flexibility in regards to working with people and with processes
 Developing self-management skills, which will help deal with stress and build up
resilience/determination to succeed
 Respecting personal time

What soft skills should all retail specialists possess?

Sonya DiPalma Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Chair, Academic Policies Committee, Director of MCOM Internship Program, University of North Carolina at Asheville

Be personable and a person someone wants to talk with and work with on a continuing basis. Listening and note-taking skills will be critical. Great employees listen well and ask good follow up questions. Be versatile and adaptable. If you find some downtime between projects, ask how you may help with another project.

Do you want to know more?

List of retail specialist skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a retail specialist resume and required skills for a retail specialist to have include:

Store Management
Retail Environment
Store Associates
Customer Service
Product Knowledge
Shelf Tags
POS
Retail Sales
Retail Accounts
Customer Issues
Strong Customer Service
Retail Operations
Customer Orders
Sales Floor
Retail Store

Customer Problems
Sales Associates
Store Sales
Inventory Management
Apple
Inventory Control
Visual Standards
Customer Complaints
Customer Support
Cash Drawers
Customer Inquiries
Inbound Calls
Quality Customer Service
Depot
Bank Deposits

Trade Shows
PowerPoint
Stock Shelves
Upselling
Product Displays
Mac
Customer Transactions
Apollo
Monetary Transactions
Store Displays
Product Placement
Cash Registers
Store Inventory
Credit Card Transactions

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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