Career Profile: First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers

Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 1,505,700 people employed as first-line supervisors of retail sales workers in the United States. The median annual salary is $39,230. Entry level employees earn approximately $29,000 per year and senior employees earn approximately $73,160 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• Examine products purchased for resale or received for storage to assess the condition of each product or item.
• Enforce safety, health, and security rules.
• Estimate consumer demand and determine the types and amounts of goods to be sold.
• Confer with company officials to develop methods and procedures to increase sales, expand markets, and promote business.
• Formulate pricing policies for merchandise, according to profitability requirements.
• Hire, train, and evaluate personnel in sales or marketing establishments, promoting or firing workers when appropriate.
• Plan and coordinate advertising campaigns and sales promotions and prepare merchandise displays and advertising copy.
• Establish credit policies and operating procedures.
• Plan budgets and authorize payments and merchandise returns.
• Provide customer service by greeting and assisting customers and responding to customer inquiries and complaints.
• Direct and supervise employees engaged in sales, inventory-taking, reconciling cash receipts, or in performing services for customers.
• Examine merchandise to ensure that it is correctly priced and displayed and that it functions as advertised.
• Monitor sales activities to ensure that customers receive satisfactory service and quality goods.
• Instruct staff on how to handle difficult and complicated sales.
• Assign employees to specific duties.
• Keep records of purchases, sales, and requisitions.
• Perform work activities of subordinates, such as cleaning and organizing shelves and displays and selling merchandise.
• Plan and prepare work schedules and keep records of employees' work schedules and time cards.
• Review inventory and sales records to prepare reports for management and budget departments.
• Inventory stock and reorder when inventory drops to a specified level.
• Establish and implement policies, goals, objectives, and procedures for the department.

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