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What is a store sales associate and how to become one
A store sales associate assists customers by providing product information and ensuring customer satisfaction. They greet customers, answer questions, and help shoppers find items. Sales associates may also operate registers, stock shelves, and maintain cleanliness. They must be knowledgeable about available products and utilize communication and customer service skills. Sales associates may work in department stores, boutiques, and specialty shops. Overall, they provide a positive shopping experience and contribute to the success of the store.
What general advice would you give to a store sales associate?
Timothy Kneeland
Professor and Chair History, Politics, and Law, Nazareth College of Rochester
Avg. Salary $30,284
Avg. Salary $59,228
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.65%
Asian 6.89%
Black or African American 8.36%
Hispanic or Latino 17.63%
Unknown 4.64%
White 61.83%
Genderfemale 59.34%
male 40.66%
Age - 42American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 42Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is intermediate
7 - challenging
Work life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
What are the pros and cons of being a store sales associate?
Pros
Potential for commission or bonuses based on sales performance
Opportunity for growth within the company, such as becoming a manager
Flexible scheduling options available, such as part-time or full-time hours
Opportunity to work in a team environment and build relationships with co-workers
Potential for employee discounts on products sold in the store
Cons
May have to work weekends, evenings, or holidays depending on store hours
Pressure to meet sales goals or quotas can be stressful
Pay may be low, especially for entry-level positions
High turnover rate in some stores can lead to instability or lack of job security
May have limited opportunities for career advancement depending on company policies
Store sales associate career paths
Key steps to become a store sales associate
Explore store sales associate education requirements
Start to develop specific store sales associate skills
Skills Percentages Sales Floor 19.87% POS 10.26% Product Knowledge 10.18% Store Sales 8.43% Customer Service 6.39% Complete relevant store sales associate training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New store sales associates learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a store sales associate based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real store sales associate resumes.Research store sales associate duties and responsibilities
- Manage to sales KPI's (including sales and expense budget numbers), assuring efficient and effective use of resources.
- Earn management trust by serving as keyholder, responsibly opening and closing the store.
- Audit all jewelry counts daily, banking deposit log, cashier logs, sales logs.
- Utilize the company's POS system to cash customers out or administer returns to the store.
Prepare your store sales associate resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your store sales associate resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a store sales associate resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable store sales associate resume templates
Build a professional store sales associate resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your store sales associate resume.
Apply for store sales associate jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a store sales associate job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first store sales associate job
Are you a store sales associate?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average store sales associate salary
The average store sales associate salary in the United States is $30,284 per year or $15 per hour. Store sales associate salaries range between $23,000 and $39,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do store sales associates rate their job?
Store sales associate reviews
Only thing I dislike doing is being the bad guy when someone is shoplifting
Learn usefully ways to improve health with food viewed as medicine.
Pretty new field
I like mostly that I work with team oriented people. Some people that care and will help and that help others whether it's work related or not. That have good employee morale amongst each other not necessarily management but amongst each other.
Updated January 8, 2025
