Sales assistants can be found in a variety of retail venues and locations, from small retail stores on a High street to large superstores in shopping malls. The job requires a high level of customer interaction, meaning sales assistants should have good customer facing and communication skills.

On this page we will give you the job description of a sales assistant, including their responsibilities, hours of work and typical workplace environment. The typical role is not as straight forward as it seems, apart from selling, shop floor assistants are also responsible for the stocking and ordering of merchandise and the related administrative duties.

If you are considering a career in this field then bear in mind that some retail outlets require staff to meet sales targets. If these targets are not met then their job may be on the line.

A sales assistants job description, including their routine daily duties:

• Greeting customers who enter the shop.
• Be involved in stock control and management.
• Assisting shoppers to find the goods and products they are looking for.
• Being responsible for processing cash and card payments.
• Stocking shelves with merchandise.
• Answering queries from customers.
• Reporting discrepancies and problems to the supervisor.
• Giving advice and guidance on product selection to customers.
• Balancing cash registers with receipts.
• Dealing with customer refunds.
• Keeping the store tidy and clean, this includes hovering and mopping.
• Responsible dealing with customer complaints.
• Working within established guidelines, particularly with brands.
• Attaching price tags to merchandise on the shop floor.
• Responsible for security within the store and being on the look out for shoplifters and fraudulent credit cards etc.
• Receiving and storing the delivery of large amounts of stock
• Keeping up to date with special promotions and putting up displays.

The personal skills that are required for the job:

• Having a friendly and engaging personality.
• Comfortable working with members of the public.
• Should have a confident manner.
• Must be helpful and polite.
• Assistants should be physically fit as they will be on their feet for most of the day and may be required to lift large amounts of stock.
• You should have a comprehensive understanding of your area of salesi.e. retail, Fast Moving Consumer Goods, sports equipment etc.
• Able to work as part of a sales team.
• Knowledge of inventory techniques.
• Should be of a smart appearance and articulate.