Sales
Retail salesperson
Sell merchandise, such as furniture, motor vehicles, appliances, or apparel to consumers.
Median pay
$35,410
Growth to 2035
0%
little or no change
Openings a year
520,600
Time to qualify*
1 month
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Retail salesperson
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Exposure to disease
Retail salesperson: 38% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core 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.
- Demonstrate use or operation of merchandise.
- Describe merchandise and explain use, operation, and care of merchandise to customers.
Also called: Car Salesman · Customer Assistant · Retail Salesperson · Sales Associate · Sales Clerk · Sales Consultant · Sales Person · Sales Representative
Outlook and AI
Retail salespersons held 3,998,100 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 3,984,100 by 2035 (0%, little or no change; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
- Retail salesperson vs. Counter and rental clerks
- Retail salesperson vs. Door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers
- Retail salesperson vs. Stockers and order fillers
- Retail salesperson vs. Demonstrators and product promoters
- Retail salesperson vs. First-line supervisor of retail sales workers
- Retail salesperson vs. Cashier
- Retail salesperson vs. Parts salesperson
- Retail salesperson vs. Customer service representative
- Retail salesperson vs. Telemarketer
- Retail salesperson vs. Order clerk