Stores supervisor vs sales associate/manager

The differences between stores supervisors and sales associate/managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a stores supervisor and a sales associate/manager. Additionally, a sales associate/manager has an average salary of $41,412, which is higher than the $34,046 average annual salary of a stores supervisor.

The top three skills for a stores supervisor include sales floor, ladders and store management. The most important skills for a sales associate/manager are customer service, sales floor, and strong customer service.

Stores supervisor vs sales associate/manager overview

	Stores Supervisor	Sales Associate/Manager
Yearly salary	$34,046	$41,412
Hourly rate	$16.37	$19.91
Growth rate	-	5%
Number of jobs	286,651	318,977
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 47%	Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	6	6

What does a stores supervisor do?

Store or retail supervisors are management professionals who are responsible for managing a team of staff members to ensure the smooth operation of a retail store. These supervisors are required to arrive early at the store so that they can open the store and disable the alarm system as well as prepare the cash registers. They must maintain inventory level and order new products when necessary while keeping records of every product available in their backroom. Store supervisors must also act as a customer service agent to help customers enjoy their experience in the store.

What does a sales associate/manager do?

As the name entails, sales associates or associate managers are responsible for helping the store manager organize and run the retail stores. Their roles and responsibilities include ensuring that the store's goals are met by the sales team, hiring and training sales staff, and monitoring inventory. They are also expected to analyze consumer behavior, look for competitive products in the market, and communicate and evaluate clients' needs. To be qualified for this position, you should have experience as an assistant manager, organizational and leadership skills, and proficiency in MS Office.

Stores supervisor vs sales associate/manager salary

Stores supervisors and sales associate/managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Stores Supervisor	Sales Associate/Manager
Average salary	$34,046	$41,412
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $43,000	Between $30,000 And $55,000
Highest paying City	Providence, RI	Salem, VA
Highest paying state	Rhode Island	Massachusetts
Best paying company	Nestlé	Google
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Manufacturing

Differences between stores supervisor and sales associate/manager education

There are a few differences between a stores supervisor and a sales associate/manager in terms of educational background:

	Stores Supervisor	Sales Associate/Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 47%	Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	SUNY College of Technology at Delhi	SUNY College of Technology at Delhi

Stores supervisor vs sales associate/manager demographics

Here are the differences between stores supervisors' and sales associate/managers' demographics:

	Stores Supervisor	Sales Associate/Manager
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 48.2% Female, 51.8%	Male, 44.2% Female, 55.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 7.0% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 7.0% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between stores supervisor and sales associate/manager duties and responsibilities

Stores supervisor example responsibilities.

Manage the daily task of a retail pet store, delivering great customer services and increase net sales.
Assist in maintaining department staffing levels to ensure scheduling and service requirements are achieved while maintaining payroll objectives.
Assist store leadership in effectively leading, managing and developing store and/or department operations and associates to maximize sales and profitability.
Handle customer transactions on POS along with getting change for all register and cash room.
Maintain store cleanliness and ensure compliance with safety regulations.
Exercise cleanliness and raise awareness of cleanliness and encourage safety generate work areas.

Sales associate/manager example responsibilities.

Partner in managing operations of multiple retail outlets, including hiring, performance management, scheduling, and merchandising management.
Execute marketing and visual merchandising initiatives and organize POS merchandise display.
Partner in managing operations of multiple retail outlets, including hiring, performance management, scheduling, and merchandising management.
Start as a part time associate and are promoted to full time Keyholder within 90 days.

Stores supervisor vs sales associate/manager skills

Common stores supervisor skills

Sales Floor, 10%
Ladders, 8%
Store Management, 7%
Cash Handling, 7%
Store Operations, 5%
Customer Service, 5%

Common sales associate/manager skills

Customer Service, 34%
Sales Floor, 13%
Strong Customer Service, 9%
Retail Sales, 4%
Payroll, 4%
Product Knowledge, 4%

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Stores Supervisor
Stores Supervisor vs Sales Associate/Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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