What Does a Retail Specialist Do?

A retail specialist is primarily in charge of securing sales and assisting customers on a sales floor, ensuring to meet the daily sales targets and client satisfaction. Their responsibilities include greeting clients and answering inquiries, locating products, offering recommendations and promotions, and processing payments. They may also address issues or concerns, resolving them promptly and professionally. Furthermore, as a retail specialist, it is essential to maintain the cleanliness of the sales floor and arrange displays properly to attract customers.

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Retail Specialist Responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real retail specialist resumes representing typical tasks they are likely to perform in their roles.

Manage a high volume of patient information from authorizing diagnostic procedures and scheduling patients.
Manage Nintendo's promotional programs; secure and maintain point-of-purchase displays that alert customers to brand availability.
Complete cash, credit, and debit POS transactions accurately and according to company policy.
Assist clients with applications to determine county benefits eligibility food, cash, childcare and medicaid benefits.
Operate POS system to input customers' orders, process credit card transactions, and enter cash amounts receive.
Perform insurance verification for new and self-pay patients to facilitate reimbursement for the services render.
Maintain data integrity between parallel systems, including auditing and reconciling payroll and benefits interface discrepancy and edit reports.
Increase sales for the store by upselling customers on accessories, promotional offers, and other complimentary merchandise.
Straighten and set merchandise to schematic pog.
End cap display building base on POG or design picture.
Expedite clients ACH drafts for their due dates within specific deadlines.
Report creation for ACH customers and International/Domestic wire reports
Manage Nintendo's promotional programs; secure and maintain point-of-purchase displays that alert customers to brand availability.

Retail Specialist Job Description

When it comes to understanding what a retail specialist does, you may be wondering, "should I become a retail specialist?" The data included in this section may help you decide. Compared to other jobs, retail specialists have a growth rate described as "decline" at -2% between the years 2018 - 2028, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In fact, the number of retail specialist opportunities that are predicted to open up by 2028 is -105,200.

On average, the retail specialist annual salary is $31,114 per year, which translates to $14.96 an hour. Generally speaking, retail specialists earn anywhere from $22,000 to $43,000 a year, which means that the top-earning retail specialists make $14,000 more than the ones at the lower end of the spectrum.

As is the case with most jobs, it takes work to become a retail specialist. Sometimes people change their minds about their career after working in the profession. That's why we looked into some other professions that might help you find your next opportunity. These professions include a store associate, merchandising associate, customer service retail associate, and team associate.

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Retail Specialist Jobs You Might Like

5 Retail Specialist Resume Examples

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Joan Peterson Retail Specialist Contact Information Indianapolis, IN (810) 555-7379 jpeterson@example.com Skills Reset Store Management Ross Greeting Customers Golf Clubs Customer Service Company Policies Safe Environment Positive Attitude Check Guests Employment History Retail Specialist 2015 - Present Express Scripts Indianapolis, IN Submitted procedure and department processing suggestions, reducing cost, minimizing duplication of specific tasks and enhancing department communication. Coached sales team to increase company sales goals. Provide assistance to employees to store all materials and monitor all incoming merchandise to the sales floor room. Retail Sales Representative for the Balt/Wash market, including Eastern Shore of Maryland, calling on 68 accounts. Store Associate 2014 - 2015 Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana Indianapolis, IN Greeted customers as they walked in the store and on sales floor. Worked with the Sales Floor Associates to keep the store stocked and organized. Maintain constant communication between technicians and Service Response Center, by utilizing the NexTraq dispatching system. Stock store shelves and condition -Lifting 40-50 pounds -Unload trucks Guest Service Assistant 2012 - 2014 Lowe's Indianapolis, IN Provide sales floor assistance in rough plumbing and fashion bath products. Credit card applications * Answering and transferring phone calls * Customer checkout * Information service desk Process freight so it is ready to go onto the sales floor. Education High School Diploma 2012 - 2012


Ashley Wagner Retail Specialist Contact Info Jacksonville, FL (880) 555-6333 awagner@example.com Skills Customer AccountsNew ItemsHRProper USECustomer ComplaintsApolloCompany PoliciesProduct InventoryInternetProduct Knowledge Employment History Retail Specialist 2020 - Present Dillard's Jacksonville, FL Learned, referenced and applied product information knowledge. Developed and maintained loyal customer base. Provide customer service on the beauty side (lotions, perfumes) and operate cash register. Worked with Store management to secure a section of floor space for American Greetings every day and seasonal outposts. Retail sales and Customer Service Assisted patrons by answering questions pertaining to backyard bird hobby Responsible for maintaining store inventory and stock Assisted HR manager in interviewing and hiring other Specialists. Retail Specialist 2018 - 2020 Apple Houston, TX Acted as POS (point of sales) cashier. Helped consumer and business customers select Apple products and services that met their needs. Helped to create energy and excitement around Apple products. Excelled in sales goals while providing personal customer service with each individual. Merchandiser, Sales 2017 - 2018 Walmart Houston, TX Stock and organize inventory on the sales floor. Assist customers in locating products throughout the store and provide customer service to Wal-Mart guests. Assist customers with locating product on the sales floor or in the backroom. Stock out cards and accessories in many stores * Build and maintain special displays * Communicate effectively with store management Education Bachelor's Degree Graphic Design 2014 - 2017 Massachusetts College of Art and Design Boston, MA


Ashley Wagner Retail Specialist Jacksonville, FL (880) 555-6333 awagner@example.com Experience Retail Specialist2020 - Present Dillard's•Jacksonville, FL Learned, referenced and applied product information knowledge. Developed and maintained loyal customer base. Provide customer service on the beauty side (lotions, perfumes) and operate cash register. Worked with Store management to secure a section of floor space for American Greetings every day and seasonal outposts. Retail sales and Customer Service Assisted patrons by answering questions pertaining to backyard bird hobby Responsible for maintaining store inventory and stock Assisted HR manager in interviewing and hiring other Specialists. Retail Specialist2018 - 2020 Apple•Houston, TX Acted as POS (point of sales) cashier. Helped consumer and business customers select Apple products and services that met their needs. Helped to create energy and excitement around Apple products. Excelled in sales goals while providing personal customer service with each individual. Merchandiser, Sales2017 - 2018 Walmart•Houston, TX Stock and organize inventory on the sales floor. Assist customers in locating products throughout the store and provide customer service to Wal-Mart guests. Assist customers with locating product on the sales floor or in the backroom. Stock out cards and accessories in many stores * Build and maintain special displays * Communicate effectively with store management Skills Customer AccountsNew ItemsHRProper USECustomer ComplaintsApolloCompany PoliciesProduct InventoryInternetProduct Knowledge Education Bachelor's Degree Graphic Design2014 - 2017 Massachusetts College of Art and Design•Boston, MA

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Retail Specialist Skills and Personality Traits

We calculated that 60% of Retail Specialists are proficient in Store Management, Retail Environment, and Store Associates. They’re also known for soft skills such as Interpersonal skills, Math skills, and Persistence.

We break down the percentage of Retail Specialists that have these skills listed on their resume here:

Store Management, 60%
Assisted retail store management team in executing dozens of corporate initiatives.
Retail Environment, 12%
Greet customers and efficiently process transactions within busy, fast-passed retail environments.
Store Associates, 4%
Respond to customer needs and provide product knowledge classes to store associates as well as performing demonstration classes for customers.
Customer Service, 4%
Provided superior level of customer service through accurate and immediate response to inquiries from branches representatives and customers.
Product Knowledge, 4%
Increased customer trust and loyalty by continually ensuring customer satisfaction, quality and product knowledge.
Shelf Tags, 2%
Scanned shelf tags and products via hand-held computer and scanner.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Retail Specialist Resume templates

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Most retail specialists list "store management," "retail environment," and "store associates" as skills on their resumes. We go into more details on the most important retail specialist responsibilities here:

Arguably the most important personality trait for a retail specialist to have happens to be interpersonal skills. An example from a resume said this about the skill, "a friendly and outgoing personality is important for these workers because the job requires almost constant interaction with people." Additionally, other resumes have pointed out that retail specialists can use interpersonal skills to "recommended products for customers worked in the aquatics department maintaining quality of tanks performed retail responsibilities utilized interpersonal skills during customer service"

While it may not be the most important skill, we found that many retail specialist duties rely on math skills. This example from a retail specialist explains why: "retail sales workers must have the ability to calculate price totals, discounts, and change owed to customers." This resume example is just one of many ways retail specialists are able to utilize math skills: "analyzed statistics and other data to determine the level of customer service performance achieved by the team. "

Another skill that is quite popular among retail specialists is persistence. This skill is very critical to fulfilling every day responsibilities as is shown in this example from a retail specialist resume: "a large number of attempted sales may not be successful, so sales workers should not be discouraged easily" This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "combine patience, determination, and persistence to troubleshoot utility department issues by contacting vendors daily. "

In order for certain retail specialist responsibilities to be completed, the job requires the skill "selling skills." According to a retail specialist resume, "retail sales workers must be persuasive when interacting with customers" As an example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies: "review business plans, expectations and weekly/monthly numbers with appropriate store management/sales specialist. "

Yet another important skill that a retail specialist must demonstrate is "customer-service skills." Retail sales workers must be responsive to the wants and needs of customers This is clearly demonstrated in this example from a retail specialist who stated: "provide customer support by offering information on current trends, style, quality and fabric manufacturing. "

See the full list of retail specialist skills.

Before becoming a retail specialist, 49.8% earned their bachelor's degree. When it comes down to graduating with a master's degree, 3.2% retail specialists went for the extra education. If you're wanting to pursue this career, it may be possible to be successful with a high school degree. In fact, most retail specialists have a college degree. But about one out of every five retail specialists didn't attend college at all.

Those retail specialists who do attend college, typically earn either a business degree or a communication degree. Less commonly earned degrees for retail specialists include a marketing degree or a psychology degree.

Once you've obtained the level of education you're comfortable with, you might start applying to companies to become a retail specialist. We've found that most retail specialist resumes include experience from Acosta, Premium Retail Services, and CROSSMARK. Of recent, Acosta had 610 positions open for retail specialists. Meanwhile, there are 566 job openings at Premium Retail Services and 62 at CROSSMARK.

If you're interested in companies where retail specialists make the most money, you'll want to apply for positions at Microsoft, Deloitte, and Empire Marketing Strategies. We found that at Microsoft, the average retail specialist salary is $102,856. Whereas at Deloitte, retail specialists earn roughly $54,660. And at Empire Marketing Strategies, they make an average salary of $40,068.

View more details on retail specialist salaries across the United States.

If you earned a degree from the top 100 educational institutions in the United States, you might want to take a look at Apple, United States Army Corps of Engineers, and Macy's. These three companies have hired a significant number of retail specialists from these institutions.

The industries that retail specialists fulfill the most roles in are the professional and manufacturing industries. But the highest retail specialist annual salary is in the technology industry, averaging $37,027. In the manufacturing industry they make $33,144 and average about $29,479 in the retail industry. In conclusion, retail specialists who work in the technology industry earn a 10.8% higher salary than retail specialists in the telecommunication industry.

The three companies that hire the most prestigious retail specialists are:

Acosta610 Retail Specialists Jobs
Premium Retail Services566 Retail Specialists Jobs
CROSSMARK62 Retail Specialists Jobs

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What Store Associates 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.

In this section, we compare the average retail specialist annual salary with that of a store associate. Typically, store associates earn a $1,571 lower salary than retail specialists earn annually.

While their salaries may differ, one common ground between retail specialists and store associates are a few of the skills required in each craft. In both careers, employees bring forth skills like customer service, product knowledge, and hudson.

As far as similarities go, this is where it ends because a retail specialist responsibility requires skills such as "store management," "retail environment," "store associates," and "dependability." Whereas a store associate is skilled in "compassion," "cleanliness," "math," and "front end." So if you're looking for what truly separates the two careers, you've found it.

Store associates receive the highest salaries in the retail industry coming in with an average yearly salary of $29,472. But retail specialists are paid more in the technology industry with an average salary of $37,027.

On average, store associates reach similar levels of education than retail specialists. Store associates are 1.3% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

What Are The Duties Of a Merchandising Associate?

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.

The next role we're going to look at is the merchandising associate profession. Typically, this position earns a higher pay. In fact, they earn a $2,087 higher salary than retail specialists per year.

Not everything about these jobs is different. Take their skills, for example. Retail specialists and merchandising associates both include similar skills like "store management," "store associates," and "customer service" on their resumes.

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences that are worth noting. For example, retail specialist responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "retail environment," "dependability," "hudson," and "shelf tags." Meanwhile, a merchandising associate might be skilled in areas such as "cleanliness," "loss prevention," "visual displays," and "ladders." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

On average, merchandising associates earn a higher salary than retail specialists. There are industries that support higher salaries in each profession respectively. Interestingly enough, merchandising associates earn the most pay in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $33,557. Whereas, retail specialists have higher paychecks in the technology industry where they earn an average of $37,027.

When it comes to the differences in education between the two professions, merchandising associates tend to reach similar levels of education than retail specialists. In fact, they're 0.5% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

How a Customer Service Retail Associate Compares

A customer service retail associate is responsible for providing the highest customer service for the store's customers by responding to their inquiries and concerns and recommending them goods and services that would fit their needs. Customer service retail associates support the marketing campaigns and promotional strategies of the store by offering and demonstrating products to the customers, as well as arranging stock displays, and monitoring the adequacy of inventories. They also escalate high-level complaints to management for immediate resolution and assist with product replacement and issuing refunds as needed.

Let's now take a look at the customer service retail associate profession. On average, these workers make lower salaries than retail specialists with a $1,112 difference per year.

By looking over several retail specialists and customer service retail associates resumes, we found that both roles utilize similar skills, such as "retail environment," "customer service," and "product knowledge." But beyond that the careers look very different.

Some important key differences between the two careers are a few of the skills necessary to fulfill responsibilities. Some examples from retail specialist resumes include skills like "store management," "store associates," "dependability," and "hudson," whereas a customer service retail associate might be skilled in "product line," "fedex," "strong work ethic," and "work ethic. "

Customer service retail associates make a very good living in the finance industry with an average annual salary of $32,384. Whereas retail specialists are paid the highest salary in the technology industry with the average being $37,027.

When it comes to education, customer service retail associates tend to earn similar education levels than retail specialists. In fact, they're 0.6% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Description Of a Team Associate

A team associate is responsible for organizing supply stock and performs cleaning duties to maintain a pleasant shopping experience for the customers. Team associates are usually employed in a shopping industry, providing the best customer service for the consumers by responding to their inquiries and concerns and directing them to their specific needs. They also convey promotional offers and featured products to the consumers, requiring them to have excellent communication and negotiation skills to help the business generate revenues and increase profitability.

The fourth career we look at typically earns higher pay than retail specialists. On average, team associates earn a difference of $708 higher per year.

While their salaries may vary, retail specialists and team associates both use similar skills to perform their jobs. Resumes from both professions include skills like "customer service," "product knowledge," and "pos. "

Even though a few skill sets overlap, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a retail specialist might have more use for skills like "store management," "retail environment," "store associates," and "dependability." Meanwhile, some team associates might include skills like "pet," "reservations," "kids," and "patients" on their resume.

In general, team associates make a higher salary in the retail industry with an average of $31,701. The highest retail specialist annual salary stems from the technology industry.

The average resume of team associates showed that they earn similar levels of education to retail specialists. So much so that the likelihood of them earning a Master's Degree is 0.4% less. Additionally, they're more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.1%.

Updated October 2, 2020