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Retail Sales Workers

Retail sales workers assist customers with purchases, rentals, and services across various commercial settings including stores, repair shops, gaming establishments, and service counters. These professionals handle monetary transactions, operate cash registers and payment systems, maintain accurate financial records, and provide customer service by explaining products, policies, and pricing. They work in diverse environments from traditional retail stores to specialized parts shops and entertainment venues.

Median Annual Pay
$32,270
Range: $22,580 - $60,480
Training Time
Less than 6 months
AI Resilience
🟠In Transition
Education
High school diploma or equivalent

🎬Career Video

🤖AI Resilience Assessment

AI Resilience Score

Score 2/6: declining job demand indicates this career is being transformed by AI

🟠In Transition

How we calculated this:

AI Exposure
Medium+1

26% of tasks can be accelerated by AI

Job Growth
Declining+0

-6% projected (2024-2034)

Human Advantage
Moderate+1

EPOCH score: 12/25

Total Score2/6
Methodology: v2.0 - GPTs are GPTs / BLS / EPOCH Additive ScoringUpdated: 2026-01-09

📋Key Responsibilities

  • Receive payment by cash, check, credit cards, vouchers, or automatic debits.
  • Greet customers entering establishments.
  • Issue receipts, refunds, credits, or change due to customers.
  • Assist customers by providing information and resolving their complaints.
  • Monitor checkout stations to ensure they have adequate cash available and are staffed appropriately.
  • Establish or identify prices of goods, services, or admission, and tabulate bills, using calculators, cash registers, or optical price scanners.
  • Answer incoming phone calls.
  • Answer customers' questions, and provide information on procedures or policies.

💡Inside This Career

Retail sales workers spend their days at the heart of commerce, facilitating the exchange of goods and services across diverse environments from department stores and specialty shops to car rental locations and casino floors. Their work revolves around customer transactions, but each interaction brings unique challenges—whether helping a family select the right appliances, processing a complex rental agreement for construction equipment, or managing high-volume checkout during peak shopping periods. These professionals master point-of-sale systems, payment processing, and inventory management while maintaining the interpersonal skills needed to guide customers through purchasing decisions.

The rhythm of work varies dramatically based on setting and specialization. A parts salesperson might spend morning hours researching technical specifications for automotive components, then shift to hands-on assistance helping mechanics identify the right replacement parts. Meanwhile, casino cage workers handle rapid-fire transactions in a high-security environment, exchanging thousands of dollars in chips while maintaining precise records. Counter clerks balance administrative duties like completing rental paperwork with practical tasks such as inspecting returned equipment for damage.

Collaboration happens both with customers and colleagues throughout the day. Retail sales workers coordinate with inventory teams to locate products, work with managers to resolve pricing issues, and partner with maintenance staff to address equipment problems. They also serve as information hubs, fielding questions about store policies, product warranties, and service availability. Whether working independently at a checkout station or as part of a sales floor team, these professionals must juggle multiple priorities while maintaining accuracy in financial transactions and delivering consistent customer service.

📈Career Progression

What does this mean?

This shows how earnings typically grow with experience. Entry level represents starting salaries, while Expert shows top earners (90th percentile). Most workers reach mid-career earnings within 5-10 years. Figures are national averages and vary by location and employer.

1
Entry (10th %ile)
0-2 years experience
$22,630
$20,367 - $24,893
2
Early Career (25th %ile)
2-6 years experience
$27,570
$24,813 - $30,327
3
Mid-Career (Median)
5-15 years experience
$33,230
$29,907 - $36,553
4
Experienced (75th %ile)
10-20 years experience
$39,340
$35,406 - $43,274
5
Expert (90th %ile)
15-30 years experience
$53,540
$48,186 - $58,894

📚Education & Training

Requirements

  • Entry Education: High school diploma or equivalent
  • Experience: Some experience helpful
  • On-the-job Training: Few months to one year

Time & Cost

Education Duration
0-0 years (typically 0)
Estimated Education Cost
$0 - $0
Can earn while learning
Source: college board (2024)
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💻Technology Skills

POS systemsMicrosoft OfficeInventory trackingCustomer service toolsMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft WordSpreadsheet softwareWord processing softwarePOS/rental systemsInventory managementScheduling softwareParts lookup databasesCRM systems

Key Abilities

Oral Comprehension
Oral Expression
Near Vision
Written Comprehension
Speech Clarity
Problem Sensitivity
Information Ordering
Speech Recognition
Selective Attention
Time Sharing

🏷️Also Known As

Retail Sales WorkersAuction ClerkBottle Booth AttendantBox Office AttendantBridge Toll CollectorCage CashierCash CheckerCash Office WorkerCash PersonCash Register Operator (Cash Register Op)+20 more

📑Specializations

This career includes 5 specialized roles with different focuses and compensation levels.

🔗Related Careers

Other careers in sales

🔗Data Sources

Last updated: 2026-01-09

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