Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between store assistants and sales support associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a store assistant, becoming a sales support associate takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a sales support associate has an average salary of $34,454, 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 sales support associate are sales floor, back room, and math.
| Store Assistant | Sales Support Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $32,372 | $34,454 |
| Hourly rate | $15.56 | $16.56 |
| Growth rate | - | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 511,874 | 447,642 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 43 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
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.
A sales support associate is an individual who is responsible for assisting sales staff and help customers. To provide this assistance, sales support associates use customer communication methods such as telephones or email to process customer orders and ensure that they are accurate. They work closely with distributors to make sure that products are available for their customers. Sales support associates may function as either part-time or full time, but companies may require excellent communication skills.
Store assistants and sales support associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Store Assistant | Sales Support Associate | |
| Average salary | $32,372 | $34,454 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $41,000 | Between $25,000 And $46,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jacksonville, NC | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Busch's Fresh Food Market | Goldman Sachs |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Finance |
There are a few differences between a store assistant and a sales support associate in terms of educational background:
| Store Assistant | Sales Support Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred |
Here are the differences between store assistants' and sales support associates' demographics:
| Store Assistant | Sales Support Associate | |
| Average age | 43 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.0% Female, 53.0% | Male, 43.5% Female, 56.5% |
| 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, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 6% |