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The differences between store assistants and merchandising associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a merchandising associate has an average salary of $33,201, which is higher than the $32,372 average annual salary of a store assistant.
The top three skills for a store assistant include payroll, retail sales and customer service. The most important skills for a merchandising associate are cleanliness, sales floor, and customer service.
| Store Assistant | Merchandising Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $32,372 | $33,201 |
| Hourly rate | $15.56 | $15.96 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 511,874 | 370,401 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 41% |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
As the name entails, a store assistant helps the store supervisor or manager. You will typically perform various tasks that include processing inventory and replenishing items when they get low, assisting stock clerks in receiving and processing shipments, and performing tasks related to store opening and closing. Additionally, you are expected to provide customer service, including handling customer complaints and facilitating transactions utilizing point of sale software. A store assistant also checks for any product breakage or damage.
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.
Store assistants and merchandising associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Store Assistant | Merchandising Associate | |
| Average salary | $32,372 | $33,201 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $41,000 | Between $26,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jacksonville, NC | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Busch's Fresh Food Market | Uline |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a store assistant and a merchandising associate in terms of educational background:
| Store Assistant | Merchandising Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 41% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | - |
Here are the differences between store assistants' and merchandising associates' demographics:
| Store Assistant | Merchandising Associate | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.0% Female, 53.0% | Male, 43.8% Female, 56.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Asian, 6.9% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 20.3% Asian, 7.0% White, 56.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 7% |