Retail sales is a wide ranging field of work which usually involves the day to day operation and maintenance of retail establishments. A retail establishment is any location which sells products directly to consumers in over the counter transactions. This can include a clothing retailer or even a fast food establishment.
Positions In Retail Sales
Retail sales positions can be fairly diverse within the industry. Many of them are entry level, with the more experienced and more highly educated workers obtaining positions which have more responsibility.
The most basic retail sales positions usually involve the stocking of store shelves and general maintenance such as keeping the sales floor clean and the premises free of debris or other distractions. This may also include directing customers to proper areas of the store.
A less basic position is cashier who must handle money every day. This is a person who operates a cash register or point of sale terminal. They must usually balance out their register drawers at the end of their shift and keep track of the amount of money that is in the register to prevent it from becoming empty.
High responsibility retail sales positions may have the employee taking charge of a single area of the store where they are responsible for stock, maintenance, answering customer questions on the floor and even creating or erecting displays to advertise the products sold.
Educational Requirements For Retail Sales
Retail sales positions generally require no specific education or only a high school diploma. Positions such as management or marketing which do require a degree are not normally considered retail sales even though they may be working on the sales floor.
A Career In Retail Sales
As a career field, retail sales is very lucrative in relation to the number of jobs available. Wherever there is a retail venue, retail salespeople will be needed. Since there is no shortage of construction of new stores there is no shortage of retail employment.
Even during times of economic downturn, retail sales positions remain strong. In addition, there is a great amount of seasonal work all throughout the year to fill in employment gaps. It is estimated that over 8% of the United States currently works in the retail sales industry.
Salaries For Retail Sales
Because of the low educational and skill requirements for retail sales, many of the entry level positions pay at or close to minimum wage. The hourly rate of pay generally goes up with seniority, experience and inclusion of additional responsibilities. Some companies increase pay based on previous education as well.
Retail sales is a stable and available career choice for those just starting in the job market or who are currently transitioning to another career. For those who enjoy interacting with other people directly, it can be a very rewarding career.
Data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
The salary range for Retail Sales begins around $15,500 and usually tops out around $40,000, with a mean in the neighborhood of $27,750. This is about 57% lower than the national average for annual salaries.
In order to qualify for most Retail Sales positions, you typically need to have a High School Diploma or higher.
Data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
The growth outlook for Retail Sales careers is estimated at about 8% while the estimated growth for all career fields over that same span is at about 10.12%. Over the next six years, Retail Sales jobs are expected to grow at a 27% lower rate than the national average for annual salaries.