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Retail Sales Associate Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

Edited by Indeed Employer Content Team
Last updated 5 November 2025
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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

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4 min read

A Retail Sales Associate, or Retail Sales Assistant, takes care of customers in a retail environment and ensures that they have an enjoyable shopping experience. Their duties include helping customers locate the products they require, handling payment transactions and keeping the shop floor neat and presentable.

Retail Sales Associate duties and responsibilities

The responsibilities of Retail Sales Associates vary depending on factors like the type of retailer and the size of a shop. Retail Sales Associates in a small boutique may have duties like placing orders or dressing mannequins. In a large chain, they may have different responsibilities depending on their department. In general, however, the day-to-day activities of these employees include:

  • Receiving and unpacking deliveries and keeping a storeroom tidy and organised
  • Assisting with weekly and monthly stock-takes
  • Working on a point-of-sale system and cashing up the till at the end of the shift
  • Packing and replenishing shelves as needed
  • Assisting with the setting up of promotional displays
  • Dealing with customer complaints and refunds and involving management as needed
  • Informing clients of promotions and recommending products
  • Building a rapport with customers

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Retail Sales Associate Job Description Examples:

Example 1

We are seeking an enthusiastic and customer-focused Retail Sales Associate to join our team. If you love interacting with people and have a flair for sales, we’d love to hear from you!

Key Responsibilities:
  • Customer Service: Greet customers warmly and assist them with their shopping needs, providing product information and recommendations.
  • Sales: Drive sales by understanding customer needs and offering suitable products, utilizing upselling and cross-selling techniques.
  • Merchandising: Ensure the store is well-stocked and organized, maintaining attractive and accurate product displays.
  • Transactions: Process sales transactions accurately using the point-of-sale system, handling cash, credit, and debit card transactions.
  • Inventory Management: Assist with inventory counts, stock replenishment, and receiving shipments.
  • Store Maintenance: Keep the store clean, tidy, and safe, adhering to all health and safety regulations.
  • Team Collaboration: Work effectively with team members to achieve sales targets and provide a seamless customer experience.

Qualifications:
  • Experience: Previous experience in retail or customer service is preferred.
  • Skills: Strong communication and interpersonal skills. Basic math skills for handling transactions.
  • Customer Focus: Friendly, approachable personality with a genuine desire to help customers.
  • Adaptability: Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and handle multiple tasks..

If you are passionate about retail and enjoy helping customers, please submit your CV.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From £23,998.00 per year

Benefits:
  • Company events
  • On-site parking
  • Transport links
Schedule:
  • Day shift
  • Monday to Friday
Supplemental pay types:
  • Yearly bonus



Ability to commute/relocate:
  • Swindon: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (preferred)


Work Location: In deadline: 16/06/2024

Example 2

What we do.

We are a busy and growing independent menswear retailer looking for a Menswear Retail Assistant to join the team in our new Ilkley store.

Founded in 2009 Joshua Adams Menswear has built a solid platform of outstanding customer service in men's suiting, smart and everyday casual. With core values at the heart of everything we do, developed by the existing team, now is an exciting time to join us on our journey as we deliver our ambitious growth plans to be Yorkshires largest independent menswear specialist.

You’ll be a great communicator with 'can do' attitude and a passion for excellent customer service with experience in menswear retailing, as well as being committed and dedicated to achieving the best results for the store as it grows and expands. Experience in menswear is essential, experience of liaising with large parties for weddings and special occasions would be fantastic.

Day to day responsibilities
  • Provide day to day assistance, guidance and advice with instore customers, working with other team members on monthly sales targets and delivering excellent customer service.
  • Work within set systems ensuring all paperwork and processes is followed efficiently and effectively.
  • Serving, liaising, and managing hire wear / retail customers for weddings and occasions. This includes when required organising and measuring of all wearers, liaising with party lead and ensuring all garments are prepared and ready in time for wear date.
  • Serving and assisting all other retail customers with general purchases, returns and exchanges, ensuring the customer the best experience whilst instore
  • Work as a team and support colleagues in the back office operation, including shop floor tidiness and cleanliness, stock management and replenishment.
  • Handling of daily cash and card payments. Opening and closing the store, key holder.
  • Assist in the effective management of hire wear stock, including processing of garments returned from hire.
  • Overall work as part of a team within the organisations’ vision, mission and values supporting all colleagues in their role and duties.

What we are offering.
  • A part time permanent employment contract, minimum of 23.5 hours contract. Includes weekends. Salary is pro rata basis.
  • Development and progression as the business grows.
  • Company pension.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time
Part-time hours: 23 per week

Salary: £21,294.00-£25,000.00 per year

Ability to commute/relocate:
  • Ilkley, LS29 8AF: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Experience:
  • Retailing: 3 years (preferred)

Application deadline: 02/07/2022
Reference ID: start date: 04/07/2022

Example 3

Exciting Opportunity

Are you a hands-on, enthusiastic individual with a passion for horses and the great outdoors? Do you love bringing your knowledge and enthusiasm to customers, providing them with exceptional service? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you to join our team at Stockley, your best-loved store.

Why Join Us?

At Stockley, we do things differently. We put our employees first and invest in their growth and development. As a Retail Sales Associate, you'll play a pivotal role in our success by delivering professional customer service to every customer at every visit. Your dedication and the strength of our team directly impact our results, making you an essential part of our thriving company.

Benefits of Joining Our Team:

  • Friendly and happy work environment with a host of employee benefits.
  • Competitive wage based on experience.
  • Company discount scheme for our valued team members.
  • Advocacy schemes with our suppliers, providing additional perks.
  • Fantastic product and sales training, ensuring you excel in your role.

Additional Perks and Incentives:

  • Comprehensive training and support, even for those without previous experience in the field.
  • Experience our fantastic company culture, characterised by a friendly and fun atmosphere.
  • Opportunities for career progression, for those seeking to fast track their careers and lead a team.

Must-Have Skills:

  • A keen passion for our brand and an enthusiastic attitude toward our products.
  • A solid equestrian background.
  • Recognition of the importance of strong visual merchandising to create an appealing shopping experience.
  • An interest in fashion, combined with the ability to provide outstanding customer service.
  • Great attention to detail and a strong focus on punctuality and personal presentation.

Initial Sales Assistant Responsibilities:

  • Represent Stockley and engage with potential customers face-to-face
  • Provide exceptional customer service, assisting customers with inquiries about our products.
  • Become the face of Stockley and their brands during interactions with customers.
  • Support fellow sales assistants within your team, fostering a collaborative work environment.
  • Contribute to achieving weekly company targets and personal/team goals.

Candidates from various backgrounds, such as retail, warehouse, care/healthcare, and hospitality (waiters/waitresses and bar staff), have all found success in our team.

Join Stockley, and let your passion for horses and the great outdoors shine through as you provide our customers with exceptional service and create a memorable shopping experience.

To apply, please submit your Covering Letter AND CV. Let us know why you believe you are the right fit for this exciting opportunity at Stockley. We look forward to welcoming you to our team!

Apply now and unlock even more benefits as a Sales Assistant at Stockley!

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Permanent

Salary: From £10.50 per hour

Benefits:
  • Store discount
Schedule:
  • Day shift
  • Weekend availability



Ability to commute/relocate:
  • Midhurst, GU29 9DJ: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Experience:
  • customer service: 3 years (preferred)
  • equestrian: 5 years Location: In person

Example 4

Who We Are:

Reformation is a mission based company that is fast-growing and is redefining fashion. We make killer clothes that don’t kill the environment and want our garments’ impact on the planet to be as low as possible. After all, there’s nothing less sexy than leaving a big nasty mess.

Sales Associate:

No position at Reformation is about the status quo, every team member is passionate about building a company rooted in excellence. Obsessed with customers and sustainability we use tech to create a unique interaction between our customers, employees, and the Reformation brand. The Associate will execute all efforts required to achieve individual sales goals.

Reporting to the Store Manager, essential responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Who We Are:
  • Consistently meet and exceed sales goals.
  • Assist in clientele generation through customer engagement.
  • Contribute to an in-store experience for customers that both surprises and delights them.
  • Deliver and foster a culture of an excellent client experience through a customer first mindset to build long term loyal client relationships.
  • Deliver an elevated client experience acting as a brand ambassador - embody brand values, engage customers on the brand and share the stories of Reformation with a focus on educating on sustainability.
  • Maintain extraordinary customer experience feedback and scoring on service evaluation through NPS.
  • Understand the need for consistent inventory accuracy and controls in store.
  • Contribute to Loss Prevention in all areas of the business.
  • Uphold time and attendance policy.
  • Ensure the selling floor reflects the brand and concept standards at all times.
  • Share your deep knowledge about our product with genuine enthusiasm.
  • Communicate product feedback based on customer feedback so we can continuously make our product and merchandising better.
  • Help ensure that the store environment is inspiring and our product is easily accessible.
  • Understand the core values and culture of Reformation and reflect these in all efforts.
  • Maintain and uphold a professional, healthy, and productive work environment.

What you’ll bring:
  • Experience working with a sales or retail organization and/or operationally intensive business.
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced setting.
  • Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to interact effectively with diverse personalities
  • Driven approach to take on new challenges with the self-motivation for your work and career

Part Time, Hourly
  • Available to work a minimum of 20 hours per week
  • Available to work a minimum of 3 days per week, weekends included
  • Able to work flexible schedule (days, nights, weekends, & holidays if required to meet the needs of the business)
  • References required

To Apply:

Please submit your resume.

Reformation requires all employees to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 prior to starting work. Reformation is an equal opportunity employer, and will consider requests for exemption from this policy as a reasonable accommodation where it can do so absent undue hardship, consistent with federal, state, and local law.

The Reformation is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status

Job Types: Part-time, Fixed term contract, Temporary contract, Temp to perm

Benefits:
  • Employee discount
  • Flexible schedule
  • Referral programme
  • Store discounts
Schedule:
  • Holidays
  • Monday to Friday
  • Weekend availability

COVID-19 requires all employees to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 prior to starting work. Reformation is an equal opportunity employer, and will consider requests for exemption from this policy as a reasonable accommodation.
Our mission

Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines
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Download our free step-by-step guide on encouraging healthy risk-taking
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What does a Retail Sales Associate do?

The job of a Retail Sales Associate involves staffing a shop floor and tending to the needs of customers. These customer-facing employees make a valuable contribution to various retail businesses, including supermarkets, boutiques, department stores, jewellery shops and electronic stores. It’s the responsibility of Retail Sales Associates to make clients feel welcome and special so that they have a positive shopping experience and keep returning. To provide customers with excellent service and make the appropriate recommendations, Retail Sales Associates have in-depth knowledge of the products they are selling.

Retail Sales Associate skills and qualifications

The most important aspect of a Retail Sales Associate’s job is interacting with customers and ensuring that they’re satisfied. To achieve this, Retail Sales Associates possess excellent customer service and interpersonal skills. In addition, these employees need the following skills to excel at their job:

  • Active listening skills to help customers and effectively gauge their needs
  • Excellent verbal communication skills to effortlessly engage customers in conversation
  • Presentable appearance and excellent hygiene to deal directly with clients
  • Good health and fitness levels to cope with the long hours on their feet
  • Basic computer skills to work with point-of-sale systems and handheld devices
  • Good work ethic, which includes pitching for shifts on time and actively driving sales
  • Trustworthiness to handle inventory and payments
  • The ability to work well in a team with other Retail Sales Associates

Retail Sales Associate experience requirements

The level of experience a Retail Sales Associate needs depends on the position and employer. Some employers consider candidates with no retail experience and provide them with on-the-job training. Other positions require candidates who have previous experience in a retail environment or a customer-facing role.

Retail Sales Associate education and training requirements

There are no fixed education or training requirements for this occupation. Typically, candidates need at least a few GCSEs, including English and maths, to demonstrate that they have adequate numeracy and literacy skills. Candidates can develop their skills and knowledge in the field by obtaining a professional qualification through a professional body. The Institute of Sales Management (ISM), for instance, offers relevant qualifications like a Level 2 Certificate in Sales and Marketing or a Level 3 Diploma in Sales and Marketing. It’s also possible for candidates to develop the necessary skills and knowledge for the job through an intermediate level retailer apprenticeship.

Retail Sales Associate salary expectations

According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a Retail Sales Associate is £8.88 per hour. Salaries vary, however, according to factors like location, level of experience and employer.

Job description samples for similar positions

If this job description doesn’t adequately describe the job opening you currently have, here are a few job description samples of similar positions to consider:

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Retail Sales Associate job description FAQs

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