Retail Salespersons

Industry Basics:

Retail salespersons sell merchandise and are the face of any retailing outlet. Retail salespersons have to be equipped with a wide array of information pertaining to the product or department they represent. Apart from providing information and inducing sales, responsibilities may include: making sales checks, receiving cash, packaging or wrapping purchases as required, stocking inventory and window dressing.

Retail salespersons must also be aware of sales promotion schemes and offers to explain the same to customers. They must also be able to prevent theft and provide security to products on display.

Industry Outlook:

Employment is expected to grow as fast as the average of all the industries by the year 2014. Temporary and part –time jobs will be available and such jobs also provide supplemental income.

Online sales are not a threat to retail sales persons because increase in online selling activity dose not impact requirement for retail salespersons.

Most organizations experience high attrition rate for retail salespersons and the requirement is adjusted by either employing part time workers or by not considering replacements in case sales are expected to decline.
 

Designation and Roles:

The salesperson can move to a senior level depending on his experience and expertise. Promotion could mean increased responsibilities or moving to selling of expensive or luxury products such as: cars, electronic items, jewelry. Retail salespersons handling such expensive and luxury items have more earning potential and commissions.

Advancement is designation and responsibilities are often seen in big departmental stores and are non existent in small stores. Small stores do not require managerial help because the owner handles most of the tasks. Retail giants usually employ graduate students as management trainees and allow further advancement depending on their experience. Management trainees are usually promoted as Assistant Manager. Employees without graduation also have a chance depending upon their experience and expertise.

Skill or Education Required:

Entry level jobs may only require a high school diploma in most cases. A college degree is beneficial to start as a management trainee.

Emphasis is largely given to presentation, communication, convincing and negotiation skills. Training is mostly on the job accompanied by orientation.

Remuneration:

There are hourly wages specified as the federal minimum wage for sales positions which was: $5.15 (as of 2004). Wages may increase on account of difficulty in getting sales persons.

The average hourly earnings (Median value) is $8.98 and includes commissions as of May 2004. The median hourly earnings among the industries that employ large number of retail sales persons were: automobiles ($18.61), building materials and supplies ($10.85).

Conclusion:

• Retail salespersons sell merchandise and are the face of any retailing outlet
• Entry level jobs may only require a high school diploma in most cases. A college degree is beneficial to start as a management trainee.
• The salesperson can move to a senior level depending on his experience and expertise.
• There are hourly wages specified as the federal minimum wage for sales positions which was: $5.15 (as of 2004).