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Department, Clothing, and Accessory Stores

Nature of the Industry  |  Working Conditions  |  Employment  |  Occupations in the Industry
Training and Advancement  |  Job Outlook  |  Earnings

Significant Points

• There are no formal educational requirements for most sales and administrative support jobs; many people get their first jobs in this industry.
• The industry offers many part-time jobs.
• Despite relatively slow employment growth, turnover will produce numerous job openings in this large industry.
• Earnings are relatively low.

Nature of the Industry

Discount and variety stores carry a wide variety of merchandise, from lawn rakes to dinnerware to motor oil. They emphasize self-service and low prices, and their numbers have grown rapidly in recent years. Warehouse clubs—which carry a more limited variety of merchandise than department stores, often in bulk quantities—also are included in this industry.

Clothing and accessory stores specialize in men’s, women’s, or children’s clothing and related products, such as ties and shoes. Furriers and custom tailors carrying stocks of materials also are included in this industry. In contrast to department stores, clothing and accessory stores usually are much smaller, may concentrate on a limited type or style of clothing, and employ fewer workers.

Working Conditions

Most employees in department, clothing, and accessory stores work under clean, well-lighted conditions. Many jobs are part time, and employees are on duty during peak selling hours, 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 varied greatly among segments of the industry. In 1999, workers in general merchandise and apparel and accessory stores had 8.5and 3.2 cases of injury and illness per 100 full-time workers, respectively, compared with an average of 6.3 throughout private industry. 

Employment

Department, clothing, and accessory stores—one of the largest employers in the Nation—had about 4.0 million wage and salary jobs in 2000. Department stores accounted for most jobs in the industry, but only about 7 percent of establishments. In 1997, about 2 of 3 workers were employed in department, clothing, and accessory stores with more than 50 workers (see chart). In contrast to many industries, this industry employs workers in all sections of the country, from the largest cities to all but the smallest towns. 

Many of the industry’s workers are young—35 percent were under 24 years old in 2000, compared with 15 percent for all industries. About 31 percent of the workers were employed part time. 

Occupations in the Industry

Sales and related occupations accounted for almost 65 percent of workers in this industry in 2000 (table 1). Retail salespersons, who comprised 42 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, an indepth knowledge of the products is necessary. 

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 17 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 3.5 percent of industry employment. 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. 

Buyers purchase merchandise for resale from wholesalers or manufacturers. Using historical records, market analysis, and their sense of consumer demand, they buy merchandise with the most appropriate style, quality, and selection at the lowest 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, which have many 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. 

Various other store-level occupations in this diversified industry include interior designers, hairdressers, material-moving workers, food-preparation and serving workers, and security guards. 

Training & Advancement

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. 

Job Outlook

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 in human resources, data management, logistics, management information systems, and finance. 

Overall, the number of wage and salary jobs in department, apparel, and accessory stores is expected to increase 4 percent over the 2000-10 period, slower than the 15 percent increase projected for all industries combined. The relatively slow growth is due mainly to the employment decline in clothing and accessory stores, stemming from the increasing popularity of discount stores and “mega-retailers.” Besides stressing low prices, the latter types of stores also stress self-service; they tend to be less labor-intensive than the traditional retailers. Employment in department stores, on the other hand, is expected to increase, but more slowly than the average for all industries. 

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 electronic commerce—have taken customers away from traditional retail stores. Many retailers provide their products on the Internet to expand their customer base and to remain competitive. Electronic commerce allows self-service in selecting and purchasing goods, which may lead to sales of more goods at lower prices than in traditional retail stores. Although online sales are expected to grow rapidly, sales at traditional "bricks 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. 

Even large, well-established department stores are subject to mergers, acquisitions, and sometimes bankruptcy. 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. 

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.  

Earnings

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 3.7 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 department, clothing, and accessory stores, 2000
Occupation	General merchandise Stores	Apparel and accessory stores	All industries
General and operations managers	$18.45	$20.28	$29.41
First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers	11.10	12.48	13.23
First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers	9.80	14.86	17.51
Security guards	9.12	10.53	8.45
Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists	8.44	12.44	8.49
Customer service representatives	8.41	8.52	11.83
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand	8.07	8.39	9.04
Retail salespersons	7.56	7.30	8.02
Stock clerks and order fillers	7.79	7.56	8.75
Cashiers, except gaming	6.87	6.88	6.95

Source: Career Guide to Industries, Bureau of Labor Statistics

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