Parts salespersons held about 258,000 jobs in 2018. The largest employers of parts salespersons were as follows:
| Automotive parts, accessories, and tire stores | 43% |
| Automobile dealers | 22 |
| Wholesale trade | 21 |
| Other motor vehicle dealers | 4 |
| Repair and maintenance | 4 |
Retail salespersons held about 4.5 million jobs in 2018. The largest employers of retail salespersons were as follows:
| Clothing and clothing accessories stores | 21% |
| Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers | 11 |
| Sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, and book stores | 7 |
| Automobile dealers | 6 |
| Electronics and appliance stores | 4 |
Most retail sales work is performed in clean, well-lit stores. Retail sales workers spend most of their time interacting with customers, answering questions, and assisting them with purchases.
Workers often stand for long periods and may need permission from a supervisor to leave the sales floor. If they sell items such as cars, plants, or lumberyard materials, they may work outdoors.
Work Schedules
Many sales workers work evenings and weekends, particularly during holidays and other peak sales periods. Because the end-of-year holiday season is often the busiest time for retail stores, many employers limit retail sales workers’ use of vacation time between November and the beginning of January.
Some retail salespersons work part time.
Typically, there are no formal education requirements for retail sales workers. Most receive on-the-job training, which usually lasts a few days to a few months.
Education
Although retail or parts sales positions usually have no formal education requirements, some employers prefer applicants who have a high school diploma or equivalent, especially employers who sell technical products or “big-ticket” items, such as electronics or cars.
Training
Most retail sales workers receive on-the-job training, which usually lasts a few days to a few months. In small stores, an experienced employee often trains newly hired workers. In large stores, training programs are more formal and usually conducted over several days.
During training sessions, topics often include customer service, security, the store’s policies and procedures, and how to operate the cash register.
Depending on the type of product they are selling, employees may be given additional specialized training. For example, salespersons working in cosmetics get instruction on the types of products the store offers and for whom the cosmetics would be most beneficial. Likewise, those who sell auto parts may be instructed on the technical functions of various parts, in addition to sales technique.
Because providing exceptional service to customers is a priority for many employers, employees often get periodic training to update and refine their skills.
Advancement
Retail sales workers typically have opportunities to advance to supervisory or managerial positions. Some employers want candidates for managerial positions to have a college degree.
As sales workers gain experience and seniority, they often move into positions that have greater responsibility and may be given their choice of departments in which to work. This opportunity often means moving to positions with higher potential earnings and commissions. The highest earnings potential usually involves selling “big-ticket” items, such as cars, jewelry, furniture, and electronics. These positions often require workers with extensive knowledge of the product and excellent sales skills.
Retail sales workers typically have an interest in the Persuading and Organizing interest areas, according to the Holland Code framework. The Persuading interest area indicates a focus on influencing, motivating, and selling to other people. The Organizing interest area indicates a focus on working with information and processes to keep things arranged in orderly systems.
If you are not sure whether you have a Persuading or Organizing interest which might fit with a career as a retail sales worker, you can take a career test to measure your interests.
Retail sales workers should also possess the following specific qualities:
Customer-service skills. Retail sales workers must be responsive to the wants and needs of customers. They should explain the product options available to customers and make appropriate recommendations.
Interpersonal skills. A friendly and outgoing personality is important for these workers because the job requires almost constant interaction with people.
Persistence. A large number of attempted sales may not be successful, so sales workers should not be discouraged easily. They must start each new sales attempt with a positive attitude.
Selling skills. Retail sales workers must be persuasive when interacting with customers. They must clearly and effectively explain the benefits of merchandise.
The median hourly wage for parts salespersons was $15.24 in May 2019. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $9.89, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $26.97.
The median hourly wage for retail salespersons was $12.14 in May 2019. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $9.09, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $20.57.
In May 2019, the median hourly wages for parts salespersons in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
| Repair and maintenance | $18.99 |
| Wholesale trade | 18.66 |
| Automobile dealers | 17.11 |
| Other motor vehicle dealers | 15.44 |
| Automotive parts, accessories, and tire stores | 12.93 |
In May 2019, the median hourly wages for retail salespersons in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
| Automobile dealers | $16.65 |
| Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers | 13.36 |
| Electronics and appliance stores | 12.80 |
| Clothing and clothing accessories stores | 11.68 |
| Sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, and book stores | 11.67 |
Compensation systems vary by type of establishment and merchandise sold. Retail sales workers get hourly wages, commissions, or a combination of the two. Under a commission system, they get a percentage of the sales they make. This system offers sales workers the opportunity to increase their earnings considerably, but they may find that their earnings depend strongly on their ability to sell their product and on the ups and downs of the economy. Commissions are most common for retail sales workers selling “big-ticket” items, such as cars or electronics.
Many retail sales workers work evenings and weekends, particularly during holidays and other peak sales periods. Because the end-of-year holiday season is often the busiest time for retail stores, many employers limit sales workers’ use of vacation time between November and the beginning of January.
Some retail salespersons work part time.
Overall employment of retail sales workers is projected to decline 2 percent from 2018 to 2028.
Employment of retail salespersons is projected to decline 2 percent from 2018 to 2028. Competition from online sales will lead to employment declines in brick-and-mortar retail stores.
The increase in online sales is expected to continue over the next decade, limiting growth in the number of physical retail stores and reducing demand for retail sales workers. Online sales also are projected to affect specific segments of the retail industry to varying extents. For example, book and media stores are likely to see the most severe declines due to online competition. However, other retail segments, such as automobile dealers, have experienced much less of an impact.
Although online sales are expected to continue to increase, brick-and-mortar retail stores are also expected to increase their emphasis on customer service as a way to compete with online sellers. In addition, cost pressure may drive retailers to ask their in-store staff to do more. This means they may want workers who can perform a broad range of job duties that include helping customers find items, operating a cash register, and restocking shelves. Because retail sales workers provide this versatile range of services, they will still be needed in retail stores. In general, although consumers are increasing their online retail shopping, they will continue to do most of their retail shopping in stores. Retail salespersons will be needed in stores to help customers and to complete sales.
Employment of parts salespersons is projected to show little or no change from 2018 to 2028. People are keeping their cars longer and are buying new cars less often. Older cars need to be serviced more frequently, creating demand for car parts and parts salespersons. However, growth is expected to be slowed by competition from online parts retailers.
For more information about the retail industry, visit
Retail Industry Leaders Association
For more information about training for a career in automobile sales, visit
National Automobile Dealers Association