Clothing, accessory, and general merchandise stores are some of the most visited establishments in the country.
Whether shopping for an item of clothing or piece of jewelry, a household appliance, or even food, you will likely go to
one of these stores to either make your purchase or compare selections with other retail outlets.
General merchandise stores, in particular, sell a wide variety of items in their stores.
This category is comprised of department stores, including discount department stores, as well as
super centers and warehouse club stores. It also includes dollar stores that sell a wide variety of merchandise very inexpensively.
Department stores sell a wide selection of merchandise with no one line predominating.
These stores generally are arranged into departments with a manager heading each department.
These departments can sell apparel, furniture, appliances, home furnishings, cosmetics, jewelry,
paint and hardware, electronics, and sporting goods. They may also sell services such as optical,
photography, and pharmacy. Discount department stores typically have fewer sales workers, relying more
on self-service features, and have centrally located cashiers. Department stores that sell bulk items,
like major appliances, usually provide delivery and installation services. Upscale department stores may
offer tailoring for their clothing lines and more personal service.
Warehouse club stores and super centers, the fastest growing segment of this industry, sell an
even more eclectic mix of products and services in fixed quantities at low prices. These stores typically
include an assortment of food items, often sold in bulk, along with an array of household and automotive goods,
clothing, and services that may vary over time. These stores often require that shoppers purchase a membership
in the store that entitles them to shop there. They offer very little service and usually require the customer to take home the item.
Clothing and accessory stores sell a much narrower group of items that include apparel for all members of the family, as well as shoes,
luggage, leather goods, lingerie, jewelry, uniforms, and bridal gowns. Stores in this sector may sell all of the above
items or concentrate on a few. They often are staffed with knowledgeable salespersons who can help in the selection of
sizes, styles, and accessories. Many of these stores are located in shopping malls across the country and have significantly
fewer workers than department stores.
Most employees in clothing, accessory, and general merchandise stores work under clean, well-lighted conditions.
Many jobs are part time, with the most employees working during peak selling times, including nights, weekends, and
holidays. Because weekends are busy days in retailing, almost all employees work at least one of these days and have
a weekday off. During busy periods, such as holidays and back-to-school season, longer than normal hours may be scheduled,
and vacation time is limited for most workers, including buyers and managers.
Retail salespersons and cashiers often stand for long periods,
and stock clerks may perform strenuous tasks such as moving heavy, cumbersome boxes.
The incidence of work-related illnesses and injuries varies greatly among segments of the industry.
In 2002, workers in clothing and accessory stores had 3.0 cases of injury and illness per 100 full-time workers,
while those in general merchandise stores had 7.7 cases per 100 full-time workers.
This compares with an average of 5.3 throughout private industry.
Clothing, accessory, and general merchandise stores—one of the largest employers in the Nation—had about 4.1
million wage and salary jobs in 2002. Department stores accounted for most jobs in the industry, but only about 7 percent
of establishments. In 2002, about 7 of 10 workers were employed in clothing, accessory, and general merchandise stores
with more than 50 workers (chart 1). In contrast to many industries, this industry employs workers in all
sections of the country, from the largest cities to the smallest towns.
Many of the industry’s workers are
young—31 percent were under 24 years old in 2002, compared with 14 percent for all industries. About 29 percent of
the workers were employed part time.
Sales and related occupations accounted for 65 percent of workers in this industry in 2002 (table 1).
Retail salespersons, who comprise 56 percent of employment in the industry,
help customers select and purchase merchandise. A salesperson’s primary job is to interest customers in the merchandise
and to answer any questions customers may have. In order to do this, the worker may describe the product’s various models,
styles, and colors, or demonstrate its use. To sell expensive and complex items, workers need extensive knowledge of the products.
In addition to selling, most retail salespersons electronically register the sale on a
cash register or terminal; receive cash, checks, and charge payments; and give change and receipts. Depending on the hours
they work, they may open or close their cash registers or terminals. This may include counting the money in the cash register;
separating charge slips, coupons, and exchange vouchers; and making deposits at the cash office. Salespersons are held responsible
for the contents of their register, and repeated shortages are often a cause for dismissal.
Salespersons may be responsible for
handling returns and exchanges of merchandise, wrapping gifts, and keeping their work areas neat. In addition,
they may help stock shelves or racks, arrange for mailing or delivery of a purchase, mark price tags, take inventory,
and prepare displays. They also must be familiar with the store’s security practices to help prevent theft of merchandise.
Cashiers total bills, receive money, make change, fill out charge forms, and give receipts.
Retail salespersons and cashiers often have similar duties.
Office and administrative support occupations make up the next largest group of employees, accounting for 18 percent
of total employment in the industry. Stock clerks and order fillers
bring merchandise to the sales floor and stock shelves and racks. They may also mark items with identifying codes
or prices so that they can be recognized quickly and easily, although many items today arrive preticketed.
Customer service representatives investigate and resolve customers’
complaints about merchandise, service, billing, or credit ratings. The industry also employs administrative occupations
found in most industries, such as general office clerks and bookkeepers.
Management and business and financial
operations occupations accounted for 3 percent of industry employment. (Only managers located at the individual
stores are counted in this industry. Higher level managers for national or regional chain stores with multiple
locations are typically employed at headquarters establishments, which are classified in the management of companies
and enterprises industry. This industry is not covered in the Career Guide.) Department managers
oversee sales workers in a department or section of the store. They set the work schedule, supervise employee performance,
and are responsible for the overall sales and profitability of their departments. They may also be called upon to settle a
dispute between a customer and salesperson.
Buyers purchase merchandise for resale from wholesalers or manufacturers.
Using historical records, market analysis, and their sense of consumer demand, they buy merchandise, keeping in mind
their customer’s demand for style, quality, and low price. Wrong decisions mean that the store will mark down slow-selling
merchandise, thus losing profits. Buyers for larger stores or chains usually buy one classification of merchandise, such
as casual menswear or home furnishings; those working for smaller stores may buy all the merchandise sold in the store.
They also plan and implement sales promotion plans for their merchandise, such as arranging for advertising and ensuring
that the merchandise is displayed properly.
Merchandise managers are in charge of a group of buyers and
department managers; they plan and supervise the purchase and marketing of merchandise in a broad area, such as women’s
apparel or appliances. In department store chains, with numerous stores, many of the buying and merchandising functions
are centralized in one location. Some local managers might decide which merchandise, among that bought centrally, would
be best for their own stores.
Department store managers direct and coordinate the activities in these stores.
They may set pricing policies to maintain profitability and notify senior management of concerns or problems.
Department store managers usually supervise department managers directly, and indirectly oversee other department store workers.
Because they may be the only managers in smaller stores, clothing and accessory store managers
combine many of the duties of department managers, department store managers, and buyers.
Retail chain store area managers or district managers oversee the activities of clothing
and accessory store managers in an area. They hire managers, ensure that company policies are carried out, and
coordinate sales and promotional activities.
Table 1. Employment of wage and salary workers in clothing, accessory, and general merchandise stores by occupation, 2002 and projected change, 2002-12. (Employment in thousands)
Occupation
2002 employment
Percent change,2002- 2012
Number
Percent
All occupations
4,128
100.0
8.3
Management, business, and financial occupations
122
3.0
13.1
Top executives
63
1.5
9.8
Marketing and sales managers
8
0.2
21.9
Wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products
11
0.3
-2.4
Professional and related occupations
76
1.8
43.4
Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
11
0.3
17.2
Pharmacists
26
0.6
68.0
Pharmacy technicians
19
0.5
55.4
Opticians, dispensing
8
0.2
16.3
Service occupations
191
4.6
14.8
Private detectives and investigators
10
0.2
9.1
Security guards
28
0.7
10.0
Food preparation workers
9
0.2
12.5
Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food
21
0.5
21.7
Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
43
1.1
12.4
Locker room, coatroom, and dressing room attendants
9
0.2
20.7
Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
19
0.5
11.4
Sales and related occupations
2,683
65.0
10.0
First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers
311
7.5
10.6
Cashiers, except gaming
581
14.1
11.4
Counter and rental clerks
17
0.4
21.9
Retail salespersons
1,697
41.1
9.1
Demonstrators and product promoters
16
0.4
16.6
All other sales and related workers
41
1.0
20.6
Office and administrative support occupations
752
18.2
-1.2
First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers
55
1.3
7.0
Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks
21
0.5
-5.7
Customer service representatives
61
1.5
18.9
Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks
82
2.0
0.4
Stock clerks and order fillers
392
9.5
-6.7
Office clerks, general
31
0.7
1.9
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations
43
1.0
6.5
Automotive service technicians and mechanics
16
0.4
-0.9
Production occupations
102
2.5
4.9
Tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers
15
0.4
-4.9
Photographic processing machine operators
15
0.4
4.8
Transportation and material moving occupations
160
3.9
-0.7
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
118
2.9
-3.5
Packers and packagers, hand
25
0.6
5.1
NOTE: May not add to totals due to omission of occupations with small employment.
There are no formal educational requirements for most sales and administrative support jobs; in fact, many people get
their first jobs in this industry. A high school education is preferred, especially by larger employers. Because many of
the new workers in this industry are recent immigrants, employers may require English proficiency and may even offer
language training to employees.
Salespersons should enjoy working with people. Among other desirable characteristics
are a pleasant personality, a neat appearance, and the ability to communicate clearly. Because of the trend toward
providing more service, it is becoming increasingly important for salespersons to be knowledgeable about the products
and merchandise available. Some employers may conduct a background check of applicants—especially of those
seeking work selling high-priced items.
In most small stores, an experienced employee or the manager instructs
newly hired sales personnel on making out sales checks and operating the cash register. In larger stores, training
programs are more formal and usually are conducted over several days. Some stores conduct periodic training seminars
to refresh and improve the customer service and selling skills of their sales workers. Initially, trainees are taught
how to make cash, check, and charge sales and eventually are instructed on returns and special orders. Other topics
usually covered are customer service, security, and store policies and procedures. Depending on the type of product
they are selling, sales workers may be given specialized training in their area. For example, those working in cosmetic
sales receive instruction on the types of products available and the types of customers for whom these would be most beneficial.
Some salespersons are hired for a particular department, and others are placed after they have completed training.
Placement usually is based on where positions are available. There are some salespersons, often called floaters, who are not assigned to a
particular department; instead, they work where needed.
Advancement opportunities for salespersons vary. As those who work full time
gain experience and seniority, they usually move to positions of greater responsibility or to positions with potentially higher
commissions. Salespersons who are paid on a commission basis—that is, they earn a percentage of the value of what they
sell—may advance to selling more expensive items. The most experienced, and highest paid, salespersons sell big-ticket items.
This work requires the most knowledge of the product and the greatest talent for persuasion. In some establishments, advancement
opportunities are limited because one person, often the owner, is the only manager, but sales experience may be useful in finding
a higher level job elsewhere. Retail selling experience is an asset when one is applying for sales positions with larger retailers
or in other kinds of sales, such as motor vehicles, financial services, or wholesale merchandise.
Traditionally, capable salespersons with good leadership skills, yet without a college degree, could advance to management positions;
however, a college education is becoming increasingly important for managerial positions such as department manager, store manager,
or buyer. Computer skills are extremely important in all parts of the industry, especially in areas such as inventory control,
human resources, sales forecasting, and electronic commerce. Many retailers prefer to hire persons with associate or bachelor’s
degrees in marketing, merchandising, or business as management trainees or assistant managers. Despite this trend, capable
employees without a college degree may still be able to advance to administrative or supervisory work.
Hourly earnings of nonsupervisory workers in, clothing, accessory, and general merchandise stores are well below the average for
all workers in private industry. This reflects both the high proportion of part-time and less experienced workers in these stores,
and the fact that even experienced workers receive relatively low pay compared with experienced workers in many other industries (table 2).
Earnings in selected occupations in clothing, accessory, and general merchandise stores appear in table 3.
Table 2. Average earnings of nonsupervisory workers in clothing, accessory, and general merchandise stores, 2002.
Industry segment
Weekly
Hourly
Total, private industry
$506
$14.95
Total, general merchandise stores
285
9.88
Warehouse clubs and supercenters
309
9.54
Other general merchandise stores
293
9.44
Discount department stores
289
9.42
Department stores
280
10.20
Total, clothing and clothing accessory stores
261
10.40
Men's clothing stores
325
11.66
Family clothing stores
256
10.27
Shoe stores
224
9.19
Women's clothing stores
214
10.22
Many employers permit workers to buy merchandise at a discount. Smaller stores usually offer limited
employee benefits. In larger stores, benefits are more comparable with those offered by employers in other
industries and can include vacation and sick leave, health and life insurance, profit sharing, and pension plans.
Unionization in this industry is limited. Only about 3 percent of workers were union members or covered by
union contracts, compared with 15 percent in all industries.
Table 3. Median hourly earnings of the largest occupations in clothing, accessory, and general merchandise stores, 2002
Occupation
General merchandise Stores
Apparel and accessory stores
All industries
General and operations managers
$22.15
$22.11
$32.80
First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers
Numerous job openings will result from turnover in this large industry. Jobs will be available for young workers, first-time job seekers,
persons with limited job experience, senior citizens, and people seeking part-time work, such as those with young children or those who wish
to supplement their income from other jobs. Persons with a college degree or computer skills will be sought for managerial positions.
Overall, the number of wage and salary jobs in clothing, accessory, and general merchandise stores is expected to increase 8 percent
over the 2002-12 period, compared to the 15 percent increase projected for all industries combined. The relatively slow growth is due
mainly to limited job growth in clothing and accessory stores, as discount department stores and super centers account for a greater
share of apparel sales. Also bringing down employment growth is the popularity of super centers and warehouse stores that stress
self-service and are less labor intensive than the traditional retailers. Employment in full-service department stores will grow
the slowest, as more people buy from discounters.
There will continue to be keen competition among retailers; new stores will
continually open, and others will close. Alternative retail outlets—such as mail-order companies, home shopping, and the
Internet—have taken some customers away from traditional retail stores, but not as much as originally expected. Studies show
that most customers use the Internet to research items and compare prices, but go to the store to make their purchases. Although
online sales are expected to grow rapidly, sales at traditional "brick and mortar" stores probably will remain a major portion of
total retail sales. Although electronic commerce is expected to limit growth of some retail jobs, it is increasing opportunities
for Internet sales managers, webmasters, technical support workers, and other related workers as many establishments begin to offer
their goods online as well as in stores.
Some companies are moving towards obtaining goods directly from the manufacturer, bypassing
the wholesale level completely, reducing costs, and increasing profits. This trend may further limit job growth in this industry,
particularly among administrative and managerial workers. Many of these stores, particularly clothing and accessory stores, are also
highly sensitive to the changing tastes of consumers and to the economy. Guessing wrong on upcoming trends, especially several years
in a row, or being unable to weather a recession can cause even large, well-established stores to go bankrupt or out of business.
Worker productivity is increasing because of technological advances, particularly among clerks, managers, and buyers.
For example, computerized systems allow companies to streamline purchasing and obtain customer information and preferences,
reducing the need for buyers. However, because direct customer contact also will remain important, employment of sales workers
who interact personally with customers will be less affected by technological advances.
General information on careers in retail establishments is available from:
National Retail Federation, 325 7th St. NW., Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20004.
International Council of Shopping Centers, 665 5th Ave., New York, NY 10022.
Internet: http://www.icsc.org
Information on many occupations employed in clothing, accessory, and general merchandise
stores, including the following, appears in the 2004-05 Occupational Outlook Handbook:
Suggested citation:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Career Guide to Industries, 2004-05 Edition, Clothing, Accessory, and General Merchandise Stores, on the Internet at
http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs022.htm
(visited November 08, 2004).
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections
Suite 2135
2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20212-0001
