Retail Salespersons

Career Description: Sell merchandise, such as furniture, motor vehicles, appliances, or apparel in a retail establishment.

Industry: Sales and Related

Other Job Titles for Retail Salespersons:

• Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
• Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• First Interest High-Point: Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Second Interest High-Point: Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Third Interest High-Point: Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• Greet customers and ascertain what each customer wants or needs.
• Open and close cash registers, performing tasks such as counting money, separating charge slips, coupons, and vouchers, balancing cash drawers, and making deposits.
• Maintain knowledge of current sales and promotions, policies regarding payment and exchanges, and security practices.
• Compute sales prices, total purchases and receive and process cash or credit payment.
• Maintain records related to sales.
• Watch for and recognize security risks and thefts, and know how to prevent or handle these situations.
• Recommend, select, and help locate or obtain merchandise based on customer needs and desires.
• Answer questions regarding the store and its merchandise.
• Describe merchandise and explain use, operation, and care of merchandise to customers.
• Ticket, arrange and display merchandise to promote sales.
• Prepare sales slips or sales contracts.
• Place special orders or call other stores to find desired items.
• Demonstrate use or operation of merchandise.
• Clean shelves, counters, and tables.
• Exchange merchandise for customers and accept returns.
• Bag or package purchases, and wrap gifts.
• Help customers try on or fit merchandise.
• Inventory stock and requisition new stock.
• Prepare merchandise for purchase or rental.
• Sell or arrange for delivery, insurance, financing, or service contracts for merchandise.
• Estimate and quote trade-in allowances.
• Estimate cost of repair or alteration of merchandise.
• Estimate quantity and cost of merchandise required, such as paint or floor covering.
• Rent merchandise to customers.
• Visit properties to assess them before showing them to clients.
• Contact utility companies for service hookups to clients' property.
• Conduct seminars and training sessions for sales agents to improve sales techniques.
• Appraise properties to determine loan values.
• Solicit and compile listings of available rental properties.
• Secure construction or purchase financing with own firm or mortgage company.
• Rent or lease properties on behalf of clients.
• Locate and appraise undeveloped areas for building sites, based on evaluations of area market conditions.

Emerging Tasks

• Assist customers, such as responding to customer complaints and updating them about back ordered parts.
• Fill customer orders from stock and place orders when requested items are out of stock.
• Locate and label parts and maintain inventory of stock.
• Maintain and clean work and inventory areas.
• Research shipping methods and costs, track packages, and pick up and deliver parts.

• Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment: Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Staffing Organizational Units: Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
• Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

• advise clients or customers
• answer customer or public inquiries
• arrange merchandise display
• assemble advertising displays
• authorize credit charges
• calculate rates for organization's products or services
• clean rooms or work areas
• collect deposit or payment
• demonstrate goods or services
• determine specifications
• estimate cost for repair services
• estimate materials or labor requirements
• examine garment fit on customer or cast member
• greet customers, guests, visitors, or passengers
• identify best product for customer's needs
• inspect merchandise to determine value
• inspect products or materials for damage, defects, or shortages
• maintain records, reports, or files
• manage inventories or supplies
• measure customer for size
• measure, weigh, or count products or materials
• obtain information from individuals
• prepare bank deposits
• price merchandise
• process credit transaction
• provide customer service
• rent item to customer
• sell insurance policies
• sell merchandise
• stock or organize goods
• use cash registers
• use computers to enter, access or retrieve data
• use industry terms or concepts
• use knowledge of metric system
• use knowledge of sales contracts
• use oral or written communication techniques
• use sales techniques
• wrap products
• recommend personnel actions, such as promotions, transfers, and dismissals
• recommend purchase or repair of furnishings or equipment
• requisition stock, materials, supplies or equipment
• resolve customer or public complaints
• resolve or assist workers to resolve work problems
• schedule employee work hours
• select software for clerical activities
• sell merchandise
• use knowledge of written communication in sales work
• write advertising copy

Overall Experience
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed. For example, a teller might benefit from experience working directly with the public, but an inexperienced person could still learn to be a teller with little difficulty.

Job Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees.

Education
These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work. In some cases, an associate's or bachelor's degree could be needed.

Examples
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include sheet metal workers, forest fire fighters, customer service representatives, pharmacy technicians, salespersons (retail), and tellers.

• Average hourly wage (2007) -$9.69
• Average annual wage (2007) - $20,150.00

• Projected growth (2006-2016): 12.44%
• Projected need (2006-2016): 556,824
• Employment (2006): 4,476,942

• Counter and Rental Clerks
• Customer Service Representatives
• Driver/Sales Workers
• Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
• Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
• Stock Clerks, Sales Floor
• Waiters and Waitresses
• Training and Development Specialists
• Retail Salespersons