Stock clerk vs general merchandise clerk

The differences between stock clerks and general merchandise clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a general merchandise clerk has an average salary of $34,415, which is higher than the $29,226 average annual salary of a stock clerk.

The top three skills for a stock clerk include stock shelves, customer service and basic math. The most important skills for a general merchandise clerk are product knowledge, product displays, and customer service.

Stock clerk vs general merchandise clerk overview

	Stock Clerk	General Merchandise Clerk
Yearly salary	$29,226	$34,415
Hourly rate	$14.05	$16.55
Growth rate	1%	1%
Number of jobs	222,752	137,799
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 44%	High School Diploma, 36%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	-	-

What does a stock clerk do?

Stock clerks are store employees who handle the display of goods. They ensure that store shelves are well-stocked at all times. They manage the inventory of stocks by providing that records are always updated. They work the display of supplies and log the number of products they will be removing from the warehouse to display these in the store. Store clerks are responsible for managing stocks' inventory and ensuring that all products shown are in good condition. Stock clerks should have good organizational skills, be trustworthy, and have great decision-making skills.

What does a general merchandise clerk do?

This individual works in the GM section of a store. They interact with customers and assist them as they purchase merchandise. In this role, they are expected to place all special orders and to take stock of all products annually. Other responsibilities of this position include developing merchandise plans and ensuring they are compliant with quality standards. They may also have to evaluate merchandise and ensure credit payments are accurate.

Stock clerk vs general merchandise clerk salary

Stock clerks and general merchandise clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Stock Clerk	General Merchandise Clerk
Average salary	$29,226	$34,415
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $37,000	Between $27,000 And $42,000
Highest paying City	Dedham, MA	-
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	-
Best paying company	Cargill	-
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	-

Differences between stock clerk and general merchandise clerk education

There are a few differences between a stock clerk and a general merchandise clerk in terms of educational background:

	Stock Clerk	General Merchandise Clerk
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 44%	High School Diploma, 36%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Stock clerk vs general merchandise clerk demographics

Here are the differences between stock clerks' and general merchandise clerks' demographics:

	Stock Clerk	General Merchandise Clerk
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 63.7% Female, 36.3%	Male, 50.2% Female, 49.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 6.9% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 23.0% Asian, 5.9% White, 56.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between stock clerk and general merchandise clerk duties and responsibilities

Stock clerk example responsibilities.

Assist customers unloading and reloading trucks scanning customers groceries and customer service
Perform essential duties such as customer service, restocking merchandise, inventory management and maintaining store cleanliness.
Gain respect of peers and management through commitment to upholding company policies and maintaining cleanliness of facility and following safety regulations.
Stock shelves and run the cash register.
Assist in activity management, help with reading and math skills.
Quoted markets and place orders with floor brokers for arbitrage trade.

General merchandise clerk example responsibilities.

Provide great customer service while effectively bagging groceries.
Collect all carts from outside help cashiers bag groceries for customers and sometimes help the customers take groceries to their car.
Execute grain futures orders for special accounts that require extraordinary attention to detail as well as personalized service.
Work in almost every department in the Kroger store.

Stock clerk vs general merchandise clerk skills

Common stock clerk skills

Stock Shelves, 12%
Customer Service, 10%
Basic Math, 9%
Math, 8%
Cleanliness, 7%
Customer Satisfaction, 7%

Common general merchandise clerk skills

Product Knowledge, 44%
Product Displays, 20%
Customer Service, 9%
Stock Shelves, 6%
Sales Floor, 3%
Math, 3%

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Stock Clerk
Stock Clerk vs General Merchandise Clerk

Updated January 8, 2025

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