Sales and
retail assistants

Description

Sales and retail assistants demonstrate and sell a variety of goods and services in shops, stores, showrooms and similar establishments.

Tasks

discusses customer requirements, including type and price range of goods/services desired advises customer on selection, purchase, use and care of merchandise and quotes prices, discounts and delivery times advises customer making major purchase on credit terms and arranges finance as appropriate receives full or partial payment, checks validity of form of payment, writes or prints bill, receipt or docket and packages merchandise for customer arranges and replenishes goods on display stands, undertakes stock checks and assists with the receipt of deliveries from suppliers into the stock room handles returns and deals with customer complaints.

Educational Requirements

No minimum academic qualifications are required although some employers may require GCSEs/S grades. Training is typically provided on-the-job. Apprenticeships and NVQs/SVQs in Retail Operations are available at various levels.