Special Offer 

Jumpstart your hiring with a $75 credit to sponsor your first job.*

Sponsored Jobs posted directly on Indeed with Urgently Hiring make a hire 5 days faster than non-sponsored jobs.**
  • Visibility for hard-to-fill roles through branding and urgently hiring
  • Instantly source candidates through matching to expedite your hiring
  • Access skilled candidates to cut down on mismatched hires

Sales Clerk Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

Our mission

Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines
6 min read

A 16144568retail7.75cashier2.78retail sales associate2.55goodwill1.86sales associate1.1425249273857.2514.6531.55HOURLY110161012025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Sales Clerk, or Sales Associate, is responsible for supporting the daily operations of a retail store by maintaining positive relationships with customers and organizing display shelves. Their duties include greeting customers and helping them find specific products within the store, taking inventory of products and restocking shelves as needed and managing the POS system to administer refunds or process payments for customers.

Sales Clerk Duties and Responsibilities

A Sales Clerk has many responsibilities that center on increasing and maintaining the overall sales at their store. Some of these responsibilities include the following:

  • Greeting customers as they enter the store
  • Working at the point-of-sale counter to process transactions
  • Assisting customers in locating products by going through the inventory
  • Calling other store locations to find items that are not available in the store based on customer requests
  • Suggesting new items to customers based on their selections
  • Entering sales data and customer data into the company database
  • Keeping records of special orders
  • Monitoring the merchandise and notifying a superior when items need to be restocked
  • Arranging items such as special sale items to engage customers
  • Building customer relationships

Hire your next Sales Clerk today.

Build a job description

Hire your next Sales Clerk today.

Build a job description
Close

Sales Clerk Job Description Examples

Our mission

Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines
Job Description Best Practices
Optimize your new and existing job descriptions to reach more candidates
Get the Guide

What does a Sales Clerk do?

Sales Clerks can work for various retail stores, including large department stores, shopping malls, locally-owned shops or boutiques. They work closely with other Sales Clerks to help customers learn more about products and how they can use them in their daily lives. Their job is to check the storeroom for customers to see if they still have remaining inventory of a particular product and notify customers of incoming shipments. They may also be responsible for cleaning surfaces before, during and after business hours, including mopping floors, dusting shelves and vacuuming entry mats.

Sales Clerk skills and qualifications

Several skills are necessary to meet the demands of this position, such as: 

  • Customer service: This skill involves interacting with customers and assisting them in their purchasing process. A 16144568retail7.75cashier2.78retail sales associate2.55goodwill1.86sales associate1.1425249273857.2514.6531.55HOURLY110161012025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Sales Clerk creates a welcoming atmosphere in a store, proactively helps customers to find what they are looking for and makes an effort to improve customer relationships.
  • Computer skills: These skills involve using computer technologies for keeping records, checking inventory and processing financial transactions. A Sales Clerk uses digital technologies and computer programs to provide customer service and process sales.
  • Time management: This skill involves managing several job duties while providing timely service to customers. A Sales Clerk may need to handle multiple customers during periods with a high level of in-store traffic.
  • Communication skills: Good verbal communication skills are essential for this job. A Sales Clerk uses verbal communication to assist customers and build friendly relationships.
  • Accounting skills: These skills involve performing basic accounting functions and using accounting software. A Sales Clerk uses a cash register, works as a cashier and processes sales.
  • Marketing skills: Marketing skills involve improving sales via customer interactions. A Sales Clerk suggests new products to customers that are based on their preferences, arranges clearance items to appeal to customers and builds customer loyalty by proactively assisting customers.
  • Data entry: This skill involves entering sales and customer data into the company database. A Sales Clerk types quickly, enters accurate information into computers, verifies sales data and edits data inputs so the company can keep track of sales and customer data.

Sales Clerk Salary Expectations

A Sales Clerk makes an average of $11.31 per hour. Pay rate may depend on level of experience, education and the geographical location.

Sales Clerk Salary Expectations

2025-10-017.2514.6531.55HOURLY
  • Common salary: 14.65 HOURLY
  • Typical salaries range from 7.25 - 31.55 HOURLY
  • Find more information on Indeed Salaries

*Indeed data – 2025-10-01

Sales Clerk education and training requirements

A high school diploma is usually required for this entry-level position, but you may opt for requiring an equivalent qualification or work experience. Training on the methods and policies of the company is provided on the job and is usually a part of a new employee’s onboarding. Professionals are trained for this position by working with a supervisor until they can perform all their job duties satisfactorily. At the end of this training period, employees can contact a supervisor with their questions.

16144568retail7.75cashier2.78retail sales associate2.55goodwill1.86sales associate1.1425249273857.2514.6531.55HOURLY110161012025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Sales Clerk experience requirements

As Sales Clerks usually receive on-the-job training, work experience is not usually a prerequisite for recruitment. Candidates with previous experience in working as a cashier or a Sales Clerk will require less training and are more likely to meet job demands quickly.

Job Description Samples for Similar Positions

If the job description for the Sales Clerk does not suit your needs, view descriptions for related professions:

Job Description Best Practices
Optimize your new and existing job descriptions to reach more candidates
Get the Guide

Frequently asked questions about Sales Clerks

Three individuals are sitting at a table with a laptop, a disposable coffee cup, notebooks, and a phone visible. Two are facing each other, while the third’s back is to the camera. The setting appears to be a bright room with large windows.

Hire your next Sales Clerk today.

Build a job description

Job Description Examples

Need help writing a job description for a specific role? Use these job description examples to create your next great job posting. Or if you’re ready to hire, post your job on Indeed.

No search results found