Ask what the shopper needs
Find out what the customer needs and can spend, then suggest products that match their answers.
Career profile
Retail Salesperson
Retail salespersons help customers choose goods, explain how products work, and complete the sale.
Helping a customer who cannot decide among several backpacks starts with asking what they'll carry, then comparing them and noting features that fit their day.
A day in the life
Demonstrate how a product works
Show the controls or features working first, then explain how to use and care for the item.
Close out the purchase
Ring up the items, total the cost, collect payment, and explain the exchange policy before the customer goes.
Refill a thinning display
Once stock runs low, restock the display and clear away packaging so shoppers can reach items safely.
Quick facts
Learn on the job
United States
$17.03/hour
United States · May 2025
Little change
United States · 2025–2035
Quick orientation
Preparation, pay & outlook
Preparation
Learn on the jobUsually no formal education requirement; some employers prefer a high school diploma.
Pay
$17.03/hourNational median for retail salespersons; about $35,410 at a full-time, year-round schedule.
Outlook
Little changeEmployment projected to decline 0.3%; about 520,600 openings a year.
Fit, tradeoffs & changing tools
You might like this if…
- You enjoy asking questions before recommending something.
- You like learning product details well enough to explain them.
- You can stay friendly when someone decides not to buy.
Things to weigh
- Long stretches on your feet can be tiring.
- Evening and weekend shifts can overlap with friends' free time.
- Some customers are upset, and many conversations end without a sale.
Where AI may help
Checkout software totals purchases; inventory systems help track stock.
What people still lead
You listen to the shopper and explain which product differences matter.
What we can’t predict yet
As more shopping moves online, the balance between in-store advice and digital transactions may keep changing.
Pay in context
Earnings
Compare the hourly rate, expected hours and any commission arrangement.
Median and spread
The median was $17.03 an hour, or $35,410 annualized. The lowest tenth earned under $13.08 an hour; the highest tenth earned over $23.02. These are wage ranges, not career stages.
Workplace makes a difference
Hourly medians were $17.82 at building material and garden supply dealers, $17.45 at furniture, home furnishings, electronics and appliance retailers, and $16.43 at clothing, accessories, shoe and jewelry retailers.
Read the pay arrangement
These figures include commissions and production bonuses, but exclude overtime premiums. Fewer paid hours mean lower annual earnings.
Openings without expansion
About 520,600 openings are projected annually despite a 0.3% employment decline. Openings include replacing people who leave the occupation.
Getting started
Join a store sales team
- What the route involves
- Learn checkout, customer service and store procedures from an experienced employee.
- What it can lead to
- You can handle routine purchases and customer questions.
Learn a home-improvement department
- What the route involves
- Train on departmental products and practice recommendations with a supervisor and fellow associates.
- What it can lead to
- You build the knowledge to help shoppers assemble supplies for a project.
A degree is usually unnecessary. Employer requirements vary, and most learning happens after hiring.
After entry
Career paths
This starts where the entry routes leave off: early work, growing capability, and advancement or specialization.
Get established
Become dependable with checkout and store policies.
Know your department
Learn product differences and when a colleague in another department can help complete a customer's project.
Move into supervision
Experience can lead to a supervisor or store-management role.
Where you can work
Apparel departments
In a large store, you may combine clothing advice with stocking racks and using a handheld scanner. Product knowledge and keeping merchandise ready to shop share your attention.
- Indoors
- Shift work
- Physical demands
Home-improvement stores
Customers often need supplies for a whole project. You coordinate with nearby departments while keeping your own shelves stocked and aisles clear.
- Indoors
- Physical demands
Try it
See whether the job clicks before you commit to the path.
Choose two backpacks from an online store. Ask a friend what they carry and their pretend budget, then recommend one using two relevant features. Notice whether you enjoy asking questions and explaining your choice.
Stay safe: No purchase is needed.
Sources
- O*NET OnLine. Retail Salespersons — 41-2031.00. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retail Sales Workers — Occupational Outlook Handbook. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Table 1.2 Occupational projections, 2025–35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- The Home Depot. Customer Service/Sales — Charlotte, NC. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- Target. Specialty Sales (Style, Tech, Beauty, Ulta Beauty) (T0942). Accessed 2026-10-02.