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The differences between vendors and retail specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a vendor has an average salary of $52,533, which is higher than the $31,114 average annual salary of a retail specialist.
The top three skills for a vendor include product knowledge, customer service and stock merchandise. The most important skills for a retail specialist are store management, retail environment, and store associates.
| Vendor | Retail Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $52,533 | $31,114 |
| Hourly rate | $25.26 | $14.96 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 5,341 | 269,690 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A vendor's role is to sell goods and services to individuals, business entities, and stores. It is their responsibility to maintain the supply flow of products, coordinate with business partners, and maintain positive relationships with customers to strengthen the client base. As a vendor, it is vital to ensure that the products adhere to quality standards, monitor inventory, and implement deliveries to various stores. There are also instances where a vendor must advertise products on different platforms to improve brand awareness and boost sales.
A retail specialist is primarily in charge of securing sales and assisting customers on a sales floor, ensuring to meet the daily sales targets and client satisfaction. Their responsibilities include greeting clients and answering inquiries, locating products, offering recommendations and promotions, and processing payments. They may also address issues or concerns, resolving them promptly and professionally. Furthermore, as a retail specialist, it is essential to maintain the cleanliness of the sales floor and arrange displays properly to attract customers.
Vendors and retail specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Vendor | Retail Specialist | |
| Average salary | $52,533 | $31,114 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $84,000 | Between $22,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Salem, NH |
| Highest paying state | New York | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | DoorDash | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Technology |
There are a few differences between a vendor and a retail specialist in terms of educational background:
| Vendor | Retail Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between vendors' and retail specialists' demographics:
| Vendor | Retail Specialist | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.4% Female, 44.6% | Male, 42.8% Female, 57.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 21.1% Asian, 5.9% White, 56.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 6.8% White, 57.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 7% |