Retail Sales Consultant

Retail sales involve any type of merchandise that is sold directly to the consumer. That includes anything from cars to socks to fruit trees. Whatever the product, the method is the same: put the product in front of the consumer, provide information, and complete the sale.

Whether you work at a nursery, a clothing store, or a stereo shop, your job as a Retail Sales Consultant is to greet and assist customers in an appropriate and helpful way. In order to find the right product, a Retail Sales Consultant asks questions. After all, you’re a Consultant. That means you offer advice based on your knowledge of the situation.

So you gather facts. What will they use the product for? What is their price range? What expectations do they have for the merchandise?

With this information, you provide assistance, describe product features, and explain how the product will suit their needs. “Those are the perfect shoes with that dress.” “This book has all the information you’re looking for.” “That television offers the best picture quality according to this year’s Consumer Reports.”

Once the customer decides on a product, it’s your job as a Retail Sales Consultant to close the sale. Sometimes, that means operating a cash register, and other times, it means coordinating with the finance department. If you work with larger products, you might also place orders with the manufacturer and coordinate delivery to the customer’s home.