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Retail Salesperson Job Description Template

Writing an eye-catching position description is a vital component of finding and retaining the top performers. Sorting through endless stacks of resumes from applicants who miss the mark is not something a hiring manager or recruiter should be doing. An attractive and well-written position description weeds out those who are unqualified or not eager to join your group. Taking the time to write a spot-on job post before the resumes begin flowing into your inbox will save you hours of time. Below is a Retail Salesperson job description sample to help you write a good position description.

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Retail Salesperson Job Summary

As a retail salesperson, you will greet customers enthusiastically and determine their needs. You will recommend products and services based on their wants, explain the benefits of merchandise, answer questions, and demonstrate how products work. You must have an excellent working knowledge of current promotions and sales events, payment and exchange policies, and security practices. You will also process payments, and bag or package the purchases. You may be required to open or close cash registers, which involves counting the till and separating coupons, charge slips, and exchange vouchers. You will also stock shelves, mark prices on items, and prepare the floor for displays.

Retail Salesperson Job Responsibilities and Duties:

  • Ensure high levels of consumer satisfaction by providing superior sales service
  • Assess customers’ needs and provide information and assistance on product services and features
  • Drive sales with product knowledge and market-driven enthusiasm
  • Maintain presentable and in-stock condition of assigned sections of the store
  • Actively seek out consumers shopping in store and offer assistance
  • Discuss products offered and available alternatives, including creative financing options
  • Cross-sell merchandise and services
  • Ensure proper customer service by teaming with co-workers
  • Establish trust relationships with customers
  • Attend and participate in sales meetings
  • Assist with physical inventory counts
  • Monitor loss prevention activities

Retail Salesperson Skills and Qualifications

  • High school diploma, GED, or equivalent
  • Bachelor’s degree in marketing or related field preferred
  • Proven working experience in retail sales
  • Working knowledge of market and consumer requirements and dynamics
  • Solid interpersonal and communication skills
  • Proven track record of over-achieving sale quota
  • Proficiency of sales principles and customer service practices

Company Profile

Founded in 1982, Silverfalls Pet Store is a leading retail natural pet food and supplies store in the Pacific Northwest. Our extensive product lines range from natural pet food to allergy-free products. We offer a wide range of choices to help pet owners ensure the optimal health of their animals. We work closely with manufacturers to offer only healthy alternatives for pets, such as no by-products, sugar, nitrates, or preservatives. Our goal is to educate our customers and provide information that will enhance the health of cats and dogs. We offer our customers superior service and the outstanding support needed to help enhance the health and wellbeing of their pets. We sell a full line of shampoo treatments, vitamins, and holistic flea control alternatives.

Writing a Job Description Best Practices

  • While the above is an excellent Retail Salesperson job description sample, there are times when you don’t have an example to follow. Below are some basic best practices for those situations, along with practical do’s and don’ts to ensure that you create a great job description the first time, and save yourself the bother of filtering through mounds of unqualified applicants.

    • Do list general and specific duties and responsibilities of the job.
    • Do include language to indicate your company is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
    • Don’t use wording suggesting or stating favoritism for a select age, gender, or race.
    • Do state job prerequisites and qualifications objectively.
    • Do include salary and benefits details unless it against business policy.
    • Do write in a friendly tone to create appealing content and make it more readable for job seekers.
    • Don’t add anything to the position description that might be interpreted as a guarantee or offer of employment.
    • Don’t stretch the responsibilities or expertise essential for success in the job.
    • Do highlight your company’s culture and mission to give applicants more incentives to submit their resumes.

      The Retail Salesperson job description sample above is an exemplary illustration of how an accurate job post can attract the top performers and get them to apply to your company. When you invest time upfront to write a good job description, you will see the results later when you discover the best performers to add to your team.

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Retail Salesperson Job Responsibilities

Chances are you wouldn’t accept a job without knowing what you’d be doing on a day-to-day basis. Likewise, you can’t expect excellent candidates to gravitate to your retail salesperson job description if you don’t fully elaborate on duties and expectations. In fact, the job responsibilities section is arguably the most crucial in your posting and should be the one you devote the most time and energy to.

Even though this should be the lengthiest section of your retail salesperson job description, that doesn’t mean you should be overly wordy. It’s more important that you clearly communicate job responsibilities. Use a bulleted list to organize this section, and include no more than eight items. Starting each bullet point with a strong action verb will allow jobseekers to learn immediately what the expectations are and visualize themselves performing these job duties.

If you need help getting started, here are some retail salesperson job responsibilities that follow the above guidelines:

  • Interact with customers, answering questions about products, assisting with finding the best product to match customer needs and performing the final sale
  • Apply sale prices and any discounts as needed
  • Process customer payments and supply customers with receipts of purchases
  • Greet customers with friendly demeanor, showing no discrimination
  • Perform inventory once a month during the overnight shift
  • Maintain cleanliness of retail space during hours of operation
  • Accept customer returns within return policy guidelines
Retail Salesperson Job Specifications

Although the responsibilities section of your retail salesperson job description may include the most substance and take up the majority of your time, the qualifications and skills section is still critically important. It’s an opportunity to weed out unqualified applicants. By listing basic experience and education requirements, you immediately turn away jobseekers lacking in these areas. This results in fewer resumes making their way to your inbox, and it means that the resumes you do receive more likely belong to stronger candidates.

It’s tempting to come up with an arbitrary list of what sounds like good skills and qualifications for a retail salesperson. If you don’t have direct experience with this position, however, contact the hiring manager or retail supervisor for input. In particular, someone who supervises retail staff knows specific skills that candidates need to perform the job effectively. With help, you’ll be able to create a list that includes both required and desired qualifications for your retail salesperson job description.

What follows are some sample retail salesperson job specifications:

  • 1-2 years’ experience selling merchandise in a brick-and-mortar retail setting
  • High school diploma or equivalent
  • Familiarity with point-of-sale software and systems
  • Superior people skills, including written and verbal communication and conflict resolution
  • Ability to demonstrate products and serve as a company advocate
  • Professionalism and personal cleanliness

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Writing Your Retail Salesperson Job Description: Dos and Don’ts

As the need increases for more top talent to fill retail sales jobs, the best performers will be inundated with many career choices. However, you can write a job description to attract the best talent; just make sure to encourage them to apply for your opening. Follow these simple do’s and don’ts to ensure your position description is correct.

• Don’t choose a candidate solely because they will accept the lowest salary in your advertised range; cheap labor can turn out to be expensive.
• Don’t use discriminatory or prejudicial language in the posting.
• Do develop a distinct and accurate job outline, including qualifications, expertise, and experience essential for success.
• Do emphasize your organizational culture and working environment clearly.
• Do list fundamental duties to provide an accurate picture of regular day-to-day activities in the role.
• Don’t list benefits or salary information if it is against corporate policy.

A smooth application process allows job seekers to get answers to questions quickly and improves the possibility of attracting top talent. Posting a clear job description results in a simplified process of hiring the best person for a Retail Salesperson position.