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The differences between shop clerks and customer service clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a shop clerk, becoming a customer service clerk takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a shop clerk has an average salary of $34,468, which is higher than the $33,566 average annual salary of a customer service clerk.
The top three skills for a shop clerk include basic math, math and top quality. The most important skills for a customer service clerk are customer service, basic math, and front end.
| Shop Clerk | Customer Service Clerk | |
| Yearly salary | $34,468 | $33,566 |
| Hourly rate | $16.57 | $16.14 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -4% |
| Number of jobs | 106,275 | 361,383 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | High School Diploma, 32% |
| Average age | 47 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
A shop clerk is primarily in charge of assisting clients in a retail store, ensuring efficient service for client satisfaction. Their responsibilities include greeting and identifying the clients' needs, answering inquiries, locating products, offering promotions, and recommending alternatives as needed. They must also maintain the cleanliness of the sales floor, clearing the obstructions and disposing of expired or defective products. Furthermore, a shop clerk must manage the product displays, devising strategies to make them more presentable to the customers.
A customer service clerk is responsible for resolving client issues, giving requested information, and providing clients high-quality customer service. Customer service clerks' tasks include sharing information, responding to and recording requests, collecting payments, and resolving billing disputes. Also, they ensure that products or services are delivered promptly to customers. Applicants to the job must be able to listen and communicate well. They must have excellent customer service skills and be able to multitask. Skills in conflict resolution and problem-solving will also give them an edge.
Shop clerks and customer service clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Shop Clerk | Customer Service Clerk | |
| Average salary | $34,468 | $33,566 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $44,000 | Between $26,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Anchorage, AK |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Alaska |
| Best paying company | University of California, Berkeley | United States Courts |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Retail |
There are a few differences between a shop clerk and a customer service clerk in terms of educational background:
| Shop Clerk | Customer Service Clerk | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | High School Diploma, 32% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | - |
Here are the differences between shop clerks' and customer service clerks' demographics:
| Shop Clerk | Customer Service Clerk | |
| Average age | 47 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.6% Female, 65.4% | Male, 33.0% Female, 67.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.8% Asian, 6.9% White, 58.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 22.3% Asian, 6.4% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 7% |