Retail Sales Worker

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Job Outlook:
Decline
Education: None
Salary
Average: $30,750.00
Hourly
Average: $14.79

What Retail Sales Workers Do

Retail sales workers help customers find products they want and process customers’ payments. There are two types of retail sales workers: retail salespersons, who sell retail merchandise, such as clothing, furniture, and automobiles; and parts salespersons, who sell spare and replacement parts and equipment, especially car parts.

Duties

Retail sales workers typically do the following:

  • Greet customers and offer them assistance
  • Recommend merchandise based on customers’ wants and needs
  • Explain the use and benefit of merchandise to customers
  • Answer customers’ questions
  • Show how merchandise works, if applicable
  • Add up customers’ total purchases and accept payment
  • Inform customers about current sales, promotions, and policies about payments and exchanges

The following are examples of types of retail sales workers:

Retail salespersons work in stores where they sell goods, such as books, cars, clothing, cosmetics, electronics, furniture, lumber, plants, shoes, and many other types of merchandise.

In addition to helping customers find and select items to buy, many retail salespersons process the payment for the sale, which typically involves operating cash registers.

After taking payment for the purchases, retail salespersons may bag or package the purchases.

Depending on the hours they work, retail salespersons may have to open or close cash registers. This includes counting the money in the register and separating charge slips, coupons, and exchange vouchers. They may also make deposits at a cash office.

For information about other workers who receive and disburse money, see the profile on cashiers.

In addition, retail salespersons may help stock shelves or racks, arrange for mailing or delivery of purchases, mark price tags, take inventory, and prepare displays.

For some retail sales jobs, particularly those involving expensive and complex items, retail sales workers need special knowledge or skills. For example, those who sell cars must be able to explain the features of various models, manufacturers’ specifications, different types of options on the car, financing available, and the details of associated warranties.

In addition, retail sales workers must recognize security risks and thefts and understand their organization’s procedures for handling thefts, which may include notifying security guards or calling police.

Parts salespersons sell spare and replacement parts and equipment, especially car parts. Most work in either automotive parts stores or automobile dealerships. They take customers’ orders, inform customers of part availability and price, and take inventory.

Work Environment

Retail sales workers
Retail sales workers often stand for long periods and may need supervisory approval to leave the sales floor.

Parts salespersons held about 266,100 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of parts salespersons were as follows:

Automotive parts, accessories, and tire retailers 44%
Automobile dealers 21
Wholesale trade 20
Repair and maintenance 5
Other motor vehicle dealers 4

Retail salespersons held about 3.8 million jobs in 2022. The largest employers of retail salespersons were as follows:

Clothing, clothing accessories, shoe, and jewelry retailers 17%
General merchandise retailers 17
Sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, book, and miscellaneous retailers 15
Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers 13
Furniture, home furnishings, electronics, and appliance retailers 8

Most retail sales work is performed in clean, well-lit stores. Retail sales workers spend most of their time interacting with customers, answering questions, and assisting them with purchases.

Workers often stand for long periods and may need permission from a supervisor to leave the sales floor. If they sell items such as cars, plants, or lumberyard materials, they may work outdoors.

Work Schedules

Many sales workers work evenings and weekends, particularly during holidays and other peak sales periods. Because the end-of-year holiday season is often the busiest time for retail stores, many employers limit retail sales workers’ use of vacation time between November and the beginning of January.

Some retail salespersons work part time.

Getting Started

How to Become a Retail Sales Worker

Retail sales workers
A friendly and outgoing personality is important for these workers, as the job requires almost constant interaction with people.

Typically, there are no formal education requirements for retail sales workers. Most receive on-the-job training, which usually lasts a few days to a few months.

Education

Although retail or parts sales positions usually have no formal education requirements, some employers prefer applicants who have a high school diploma or equivalent, especially employers who sell technical products or “big-ticket” items, such as electronics or cars.

Training

Most retail sales workers receive on-the-job training, which usually lasts a few days to a few months. In small stores, an experienced employee often trains newly hired workers. In large stores, training programs are more formal and usually conducted over several days.

During training sessions, topics often include customer service, security, the store’s policies and procedures, and how to operate the cash register.

Depending on the type of product they are selling, employees may be given additional specialized training. For example, salespersons working in cosmetics get instruction on the types of products the store offers and for whom the cosmetics would be most beneficial. Likewise, those who sell auto parts may be instructed on the technical functions of various parts, in addition to sales technique.

Because providing exceptional service to customers is a priority for many employers, employees often get periodic training to update and refine their skills.

Advancement

Retail sales workers typically have opportunities to advance to supervisory or managerial positions. Some employers want candidates for managerial positions to have a college degree.

As sales workers gain experience and seniority, they often move into positions that have greater responsibility and may be given their choice of departments in which to work. This opportunity often means moving to positions with higher potential earnings and commissions. The highest earnings potential usually involves selling “big-ticket” items, such as cars, jewelry, furniture, and electronics. These positions often require workers with extensive knowledge of the product and excellent sales skills.

Job Outlook

Overall employment of retail sales workers is projected to decline 2 percent from 2022 to 2032.

Despite declining employment, about 563,000 openings for retail sales workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

The increase in online sales is expected to continue over the projections decade, limiting growth in the number of physical retail stores and reducing demand for retail sales workers. Projected employment of retail sales workers varies by occupation (see table).

Competition from e-commerce is expected to reduce demand for retail salespersons. However, brick-and-mortar retail stores may increase their emphasis on customer service as a way to compete with online sellers. And cost pressures may lead retailers to hire workers who can perform a broad range of tasks, such as helping customers find items, operating a cash register, and restocking shelves. Because retail salespersons provide this versatile range of services, and because many consumers are still expected to visit physical stores, retail salespersons should continue to be needed to help customers and to complete sales.

Demand for car parts and parts salespersons is expected to continue as growing numbers of older cars require repairs. Moreover, demand for ride-hailing services has shifted some public transportation use back to automobiles services, further adding to the need for car parts in upkeep and maintenance, which should support demand for parts salespersons.

Contacts for More Information

For more information about the retail industry, visit

National Retail Federation

Retail Industry Leaders Association

For more information about training for a career in automobile sales, visit

National Automobile Dealers Association

Occupational Requirements Survey

For a profile highlighting selected BLS data on occupational requirements, see

Retail salespersons (PDF)

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of retail sales workers.

Occupation Job Duties Entry-Level Education Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Cashiers Cashiers

Cashiers process payments from customers purchasing goods and services.

No formal educational credential $28,240
Customer service representatives Customer Service Representatives

Customer service representatives interact with customers to handle complaints, process orders, and answer questions.

High school diploma or equivalent $37,780
Information clerks Information Clerks

Information clerks perform routine clerical duties, maintain records, collect data, and provide information to customers.

See How to Become One $38,710
Insurance sales agents Insurance Sales Agents

Insurance sales agents contact potential customers and sell one or more types of insurance.

High school diploma or equivalent $57,860
Real estate brokers and sales agents Real Estate Brokers and Sales Agents

Real estate brokers and sales agents help clients buy, sell, and rent properties.

High school diploma or equivalent $52,030
Sales engineers Sales Engineers

Sales engineers sell complex scientific and technological products or services to businesses.

Bachelor's degree $108,530
Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents

Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents connect buyers and sellers in financial markets.

Bachelor's degree $67,480
Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives Wholesale and Manufacturing Sales Representatives

Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers to businesses, government agencies, and other organizations.

See How to Become One $67,750
Food and beverage serving and related workers Food and Beverage Serving and Related Workers

Food and beverage serving and related workers take and prepare orders, clear tables, and do other tasks associated with providing food and drink to customers.

No formal educational credential $28,130
Sales managers Sales Managers

Sales managers direct organizations' sales teams.

Bachelor's degree $130,600

Information provided by CareerFitter, LLC and other sources.

Sections of this page includes information from the O*NET 27.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.

CareerFitter, LLC has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.