Store merchandiser vs merchandising associate

The differences between store merchandisers and merchandising associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a store merchandiser has an average salary of $37,143, which is higher than the $33,201 average annual salary of a merchandising associate.

The top three skills for a store merchandiser include in-store, customer satisfaction and retail store. The most important skills for a merchandising associate are cleanliness, sales floor, and customer service.

Store merchandiser vs merchandising associate overview

	Store Merchandiser	Merchandising Associate
Yearly salary	$37,143	$33,201
Hourly rate	$17.86	$15.96
Growth rate	1%	-
Number of jobs	149,850	370,401
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 41%
Average age	38	41
Years of experience	-	-

What does a store merchandiser do?

A store merchandiser must maximize profitability. They are responsible for studying sales trends and controlling the stock level in their store. They study their store's target demographics. They make financial presentations for their store's manager. If any production problem arises, they must quickly solve it. They negotiate stock quantities, and they supervise and train junior staff.

What does a merchandising associate do?

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 merchandiser vs merchandising associate salary

Store merchandisers and merchandising associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Store Merchandiser	Merchandising Associate
Average salary	$37,143	$33,201
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $55,000	Between $26,000 And $42,000
Highest paying City	Reno, NV	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Oregon	Hawaii
Best paying company	The Coca-Cola Company	Uline
Best paying industry	Retail	Manufacturing

Differences between store merchandiser and merchandising associate education

There are a few differences between a store merchandiser and a merchandising associate in terms of educational background:

	Store Merchandiser	Merchandising Associate
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 41%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Store merchandiser vs merchandising associate demographics

Here are the differences between store merchandisers' and merchandising associates' demographics:

	Store Merchandiser	Merchandising Associate
Average age	38	41
Gender ratio	Male, 54.6% Female, 45.4%	Male, 43.8% Female, 56.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 20.0% Asian, 7.1% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	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	6%	7%

Differences between store merchandiser and merchandising associate duties and responsibilities

Store merchandiser example responsibilities.

Manage entire pet food recycling facility converting 9,000 tons per year from pet food to swine and poultry feed.
Maintain database of stores, displays, soda units and pallets with PeopleSoft
Service area stores with beverage product, unload pallets, distribute merchandise, remove expire merchandise.
Ring up customers using a standard POS system and promote the purchase of the store credit card to all shoppers.
Communicate internally to ASM management and externally with customers regarding project status and completion.
Organize and conduct Macys luggage seminars and bridal events.

Merchandising associate example responsibilities.

Manage e-commerce websites to maintain accurate information and maximize sales.
Maximize sales by displaying merchandise and maintain store cleanliness while executing superior customer service.
Assist customer with picking groceries in the absence of other staff.
Create monthly PowerPoint presentations for the team to use in high-level meetings.
Conduct market research in the sale of pet products, identifying consumer trends.
Complete reports for products end of life and prepare merchandise for shipments back to depot.

Store merchandiser vs merchandising associate skills

Common store merchandiser skills

In-Store, 15%
Customer Satisfaction, 11%
Retail Store, 10%
Cleanliness, 9%
Basic Math, 7%
Product Promotions, 4%

Common merchandising associate skills

Cleanliness, 26%
Sales Floor, 25%
Customer Service, 21%
Loss Prevention, 15%
Store Management, 3%
Visual Standards, 2%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Store Merchandiser
Store Merchandiser vs Merchandising Associate

Updated January 8, 2025

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