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Retail Salespersons

The occupation Retail Salespersons covers people who sell merchandise, such as furniture, motor vehicles, appliances, or apparel to consumers. O*NET rates it as some preparation, which usually means a few months to a year of learning on the job. It leans on persuasion, speaking, and service orientation. One core duty is to greet customers and ascertain what each customer wants or needs. The strongest interest signal is Enterprising (6.1 of 7), then Conventional (5.2) and Realistic, which gives it the code ECR. The job can ask you to recommend, select, and help locate or obtain merchandise based on customer needs and desires. People who want leading, persuading and making business decisions usually fit better here than those who need research, analysis and working through hard problems.

What they do

Sell merchandise, such as furniture, motor vehicles, appliances, or apparel to consumers.

Main tasks

  • Greet customers and ascertain what each customer wants or needs.
  • Recommend, select, and help locate or obtain merchandise based on customer needs and desires.
  • Compute sales prices, total purchases, and receive and process cash or credit payment.
  • Prepare merchandise for purchase or rental.
  • Answer questions regarding the store and its merchandise.
  • Maintain knowledge of current sales and promotions, policies regarding payment and exchanges, and security practices.

Skills

  • Persuasion
  • Speaking
  • Service Orientation
  • Active Listening
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Negotiation

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like taking the lead and making the call.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You want to start work after a short stretch of training.
  • You are comfortable relying on persuasion and speaking.

May not suit you if

  • You would rather not persuade, sell or manage other people.
  • You want to spend most of your time analyzing and researching. Investigative rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
  • You want a career built on years of advanced study.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code ECR takes the three highest, and Enterprising comes first here.

Preparation

Some preparation. Most people start with a high school diploma, then learn from experienced coworkers over a few months to a year.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED). This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Car Salesman
  • Customer Assistant
  • Retail Salesperson
  • Sales Associate
  • Sales Clerk

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.