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First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers

It's a bright outlook for

This career will grow rapidly in the next few years.

Learn more about what they do.

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of retail sales workers in an establishment or department. Duties may include management functions, such as purchasing, budgeting, accounting, and personnel work, in addition to supervisory duties.

Related: First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment & Recreation Workers First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation & Serving Workers First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping & Janitorial Workers First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers First-Line Supervisors of Office & Administrative Support Workers

Industries: Retail

Summary
Details

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

Judgment and Decision Making
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
Troubleshooting
- Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
Writing
- Writing things for co-workers or customers.
Monitoring
- Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
Learning Strategies
- Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
Complex Problem Solving
- Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
Technology Design
- Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
Installation
- Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
Mathematics
- Using math to solve problems.
Coordination
- Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
Systems Evaluation
- Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
Operations Analysis
- Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
Repairing
- Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
Systems Analysis
- Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
Quality Control Analysis
- Testing how well a product or service works.
Operation and Control
- Using equipment or systems.
Reading Comprehension
- Reading work-related information.
Management of Personnel Resources
- Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
Persuasion
- Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
Equipment Maintenance
- Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
Speaking
- Talking to others.
Equipment Selection
- Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
Critical Thinking
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
Instructing
- Teaching people how to do something.
Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
Negotiation
- Bringing people together to solve differences.
Service Orientation
- Looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness
- Understanding people's reactions.
Time Management
- Managing your time and the time of other people.
Science
- Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
Active Listening
- Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
Management of Financial Resources
- Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
Programming
- Writing computer programs.
Active Learning
- Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
Management of Material Resources
- Managing equipment and materials.

Finger Dexterity
- Putting together small parts with your fingers.
Speech Recognition
- Recognizing spoken words.
Multilimb Coordination
- Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
Memorization
- Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
Dynamic Flexibility
- Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Static Strength
- Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
Dynamic Strength
- Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
Deductive Reasoning
- Using rules to solve problems.
Extent Flexibility
- Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Night Vision
- Seeing at night or under low light.
Perceptual Speed
- Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
Inductive Reasoning
- Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
Glare Sensitivity
- Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
Explosive Strength
- Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
Written Expression
- Communicating by writing.
Spatial Orientation
- Knowing where things are around you.
Oral Comprehension
- Listening and understanding what people say.
Speed of Closure
- Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
Information Ordering
- Ordering or arranging things.
Number Facility
- Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
Hearing Sensitivity
- Telling the difference between sounds.
Depth Perception
- Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
Trunk Strength
- Using your lower back and stomach.
Oral Expression
- Communicating by speaking.
Time Sharing
- Doing two or more things at the same time.
Near Vision
- Seeing details up close.
Written Comprehension
- Reading and understanding what is written.
Speed of Limb Movement
- Quickly moving your arms and legs.
Auditory Attention
- Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
Speech Clarity
- Speaking clearly.
Far Vision
- Seeing details that are far away.
Flexibility of Closure
- Seeing hidden patterns.
Reaction Time
- Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
Category Flexibility
- Grouping things in different ways.
Rate Control
- Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
Sound Localization
- Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
Visual Color Discrimination
- Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
Originality
- Creating new and original ideas.
Problem Sensitivity
- Noticing when problems happen.
Wrist-Finger Speed
- Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
Stamina
- Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
Control Precision
- Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
Gross Body Equilibrium
- Keeping your balance or staying upright.
Fluency of Ideas
- Coming up with lots of ideas.
Response Orientation
- Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
Mathematical Reasoning
- Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Keeping your arm or hand steady.
Manual Dexterity
- Holding or moving items with your hands.
Visualization
- Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
Selective Attention
- Paying attention to something without being distracted.
Peripheral Vision
- Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
Gross Body Coordination
- Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

English Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Philosophy and Theology
- Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
Design
- Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Physics
- Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
Sociology and Anthropology
- Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
Mechanical
- Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Personnel and Human Resources
- Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Chemistry
- Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
Biology
- Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Public Safety and Security
- Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Economics and Accounting
- Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
Sales and Marketing
- Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Food Production
- Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
Computers and Electronics
- Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Administrative
- Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Geography
- Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
Medicine and Dentistry
- Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Therapy and Counseling
- Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Fine Arts
- Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
Building and Construction
- Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Telecommunications
- Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Production and Processing
- Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Mathematics
- Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Education and Training
- Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Engineering and Technology
- Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Administration and Management
- Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Psychology
- Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Foreign Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
History and Archeology
- Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
Customer and Personal Service
- Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Communications and Media
- Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Transportation
- Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Law and Government
- Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Work Experience

Less than 5 years work experience

Training

No on-the-job training

Education and Training Opportunities

Washington Annual Salary

58460/yr

Washington Hourly Wage

28.11/hr

Currently Employed

38,710

Yearly Projected Openings

4240

Enterprising: People interested in this work like activities that include leading, making decisions, and business. They do well at jobs that need:

Integrity
Stress Tolerance
Cooperation
Leadership
Dependability
Adaptability/Flexibility

Adjustable widemouth pliers
Adjustable wrenches
Bar code reader equipment
Cash registers
Desktop computers
Electronic funds transfer point of sale equipment
Ladders
Laser fax machine
Laser printers
Magnetic stripe readers and encoders
Personal computers
Personal digital assistant PDAs or organizers
Point of sale POS terminal
Point of sale payment terminal
Screwdrivers
Security cameras
Security tags
Video cassette players or recorders

Accounting software
Analytical or scientific software
Business intelligence and data analysis software
Calendar and scheduling software
Cloud-based data access and sharing software
Computer aided design CAD software
Customer relationship management CRM software
Data base management system software
Data base user interface and query software
Data mining software
Desktop publishing software
Document management software
Electronic mail software
Enterprise resource planning ERP software
Financial analysis software
Graphics or photo imaging software
Human resources software
Internet browser software
Inventory management software
Object or component oriented development software
Office suite software
Operating system software
Point of sale POS software
Presentation software
Process mapping and design software
Project management software
Sales and marketing software
Spreadsheet software
Time accounting software
Video conferencing software
Video creation and editing software
Web page creation and editing software
Word processing software

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First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers

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