Check a delivery against the invoice
Unpack a new delivery, match what is inside to the invoice, and write down what came in.
Career profile
Stocker and Order Filler
Stockers and order fillers keep shelves full and pick the right merchandise to fill orders.
Goods leave storage with you and become a full aisle or a ready order. Some people like that the finished work is easy to see.
A day in the life
Restock shelves and help shoppers
Carry backroom stock to aisle shelves, stopping to help shoppers find items while the store is open.
Pick the exact item ordered
Find the bin the order points to, and match quantity, color and size before you take anything out.
Report damaged items to a supervisor
Look over merchandise for flaws and tell your supervisor which items are damaged.
Quick facts
Learn on the job
United States · 2025
$17.95/hour
United States · May 2025
8.9% projected growth
United States · 2025–2035
Quick orientation
Preparation, pay & outlook
Preparation
Learn on the jobShort-term workplace training is typical; a formal educational credential is not typically required.
Pay
$17.95/hourNational median for stockers and order fillers, equivalent to $37,330 annually.
Outlook
8.9% projected growthEmployment is projected to grow nationally from 2025 to 2035.
Fit, tradeoffs & changing tools
You might like this if…
- You like moving around while you work.
- You can keep checking details even when the task becomes familiar.
- You enjoy putting things in order and seeing a task finished.
Things to weigh
- Standing, bending, and repeated handling can be tiring over a shift.
- Some schedules include nights and weekends, which can complicate classes or time with friends.
Where AI may help
Inventory software helps track stock. At some Amazon sites, robots also put away and retrieve goods.
What people still lead
People handle items the robot cannot move and respond when merchandise or an order needs attention.
What we can’t predict yet
How much picking becomes automated depends on what machines can handle and which systems a workplace installs.
Pay in context
Earnings
Use the national median as a comparison point when you look at a job's hourly rate and scheduled hours.
The national midpoint
In May 2025, median pay was $37,330 a year, or $17.95 an hour. Half earned more and half earned less; this is not a starting-pay estimate.
Compare the workplace and shift
Walmart store stocking in Pennsville, New Jersey, lists $16–$29 an hour. Its distribution orderfiller/loader/unloader role in Arcadia, Florida, lists $22.05–$25.55. These are local advertised ranges, not industry averages. Eligible shifts or duties may carry additional premiums.
Openings include replacement hiring
About 430,700 openings are projected annually during 2025–35, including growth and replacement needs. That is a national average, not a count of jobs available near you today.
How widely pay varies
In May 2025, the lowest-paid 10% earned $14.48 an hour or less, while the highest-paid 10% earned $23.68 or more. The annual equivalents were $30,110 and $49,260. These are national wage percentiles, not starting and experienced pay levels.
Getting started
Join a store stocking crew
Paid
- What the route involves
- Learn with an experienced worker while unloading cartons, sorting backroom stock, and replenishing shelves.
- What it can lead to
- You build experience keeping a sales floor supplied and helping shoppers locate products.
Start in distribution order filling
Paid
- What the route involves
- Learn the facility's picking procedures and safe handling methods while preparing store-bound orders.
- What it can lead to
- You gain experience moving orders through a distribution operation with production targets.
- What to check
- Check minimum ages before applying. Walmart's distribution orderfiller/loader/unloader role requires applicants to be at least 18.
You can enter through store stocking or distribution order filling. Employers set their own hiring requirements, so read the education and experience requirements for each position.
After entry
Career paths
This starts where the entry routes leave off: early work, growing capability, and advancement or specialization.
Get established
Learn the layout and handling procedures with an experienced coworker. Build a repeatable way to check each order.
Build inventory skills
Learn to count stock and spot items that need replenishing.
Move toward a lead role
A possible next step is process assistant: you help communicate instructions and keep work areas safe while still handling orders. Such roles may require a high school diploma or equivalent and experience with office software.
Where you can work
Retail stores
You move between the backroom and sales floor, where shoppers may interrupt with questions. Grocery stocking can include freezer sections.
- Indoors
- Shift work
- Physical demands
Grocery distribution centers
Orders feed stores rather than individual shoppers. Heavy cases, temperature extremes, and high productivity targets can make the pace demanding.
- Indoors
- Shift work
- Physical demands
- Safety-sensitive
Try it
See whether the job clicks before you commit to the path.
Make a pretend order from lightweight objects at home: two blue pens, one small notebook, and three envelopes. Put similar items nearby, pick the order, then check it against the list. Notice whether careful matching and counting feels satisfying or frustrating.
Sources
- O*NET OnLine. 53-7065.00 — Stockers and Order Fillers. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational projections and worker characteristics, 2025–35. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Hand Laborers and Material Movers. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- Walmart. Stocking Team Associate — Pennsville, New Jersey. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- Walmart. Orderfiller / Loader / Unloader — Arcadia, Florida. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- Amazon. Introducing Vulcan: Amazon's first robot with a sense of touch. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- Amazon. Interim Process Assistant — Job ID 10528612. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- O*NET OnLine. National Wages: 53-7065.00 — Stockers and Order Fillers. Accessed 2026-10-02.