Department and specialty stores offer a variety of opportunities for those looking to start or further their career in retail. From sales associates to store managers, there are a variety of positions available in retail that can suit any skill set.
This article lists the 15 high-earning jobs in the department/specialty retail stores industry. Carefully read through.
Table of contents
What Are Department/Specialty Retail Stores?
A department/specialty store is a retail shop that sells specific and specialized types of commodities. These type of stores usually focuses on selling a particular brand or product.
An excellent example of a department/specialty retail store is a bookshop that exclusively sells books. Occasionally, it comprises retail stores that sell a particular type of product meant for that store.
There are also exceptional cases where you can find other products in a specialty retail store. For instance, a store specializing in children’s clothing can also sell shoes and socks for kids. Some stores also go as far as adding clothes and accessories that are non-clothing related.
Lawinsider defines a specialty retail store as an establishment that offers, for sale or rent, a specific product or a limited number of closely related products without toeing the line of general merchandise.
Is Department/Specialty Retail Store a Good Career Path?
Department/specialty retail stores are a great career path for individuals who enjoy customer service and want to work in a fast-paced environment.
Additionally, this industry offers real-time opportunities for career advancements into a management position in a short time. Most retail managers kickstart their careers as sales associates and customer service reps before evolving to managerial positions.
This type of jos also exposes you to other aspects of running a business, like store operations and merchandising.
Lastly, retail stores allow workers to interact with customers and build favorable relationships. The interaction helps improve customer loyalty which is a win-win for the store. In addition, employees also learn about customer preferences and trends that will help the business.
Overall, securing a job in a department/specialty retail store is a profitable business with great rewards for workers.
15 Best Paying Jobs In Department/Specialty Retail Stores In 2023
Here’s a list of the best-paying jobs in department/specialty retail stores.
- Inventory manager
- Assistant warehouse manager
- Sales Representative
- Marketing lead
- Supply Chain manager
- Social media handler
- Purchasing manager
- Transporter
- Human Resources manager
- Customer care representative
- Line Supervisor
- Loss Prevention Manager
- Retail Account Manager
- District Manager
- Entrepreneur
1. Inventory manager
An inventory manager controls all inventory in the warehouse, like ordering, storing, receiving, and distributing a company’s products and supplies. It is their duty to control the flow of supplies, analyze inventory maintenance and develop models to prevent loss.
To perform as an inventory manager, you must have robust record-keeping and organizational skills.
Individuals with solid record-keeping and organizational skills are often a good fit for an inventory management career. Inventory Managers must also be able to interact successfully with clients and staff daily, so they must have strong communication skills.
The average base salary of an inventory manager in the US is $49,687.
2. Assistant warehouse manager
The assistant warehouse officer works with the warehouse manager to guarantee the smooth running of the store. They assist with ordering, receiving, stocking, processing, and distributing goods.
According to data on salary.com, the base salary ranges from $66,250 to $91,434, with an average base salary of $77,783.
3. Sales Representative
A sales representative sells products or services for a company. They are responsible for managing customers and ensuring that each point of contact leads to a sale.
This best-paying job in department/specialty retail stores is performance-driven. This entails their earnings are directly affected by the number of items sold.
The average pay for a sales representative is $73,751 per year in the United States. They can earn up to $10,900 commission per year.
4. Marketing lead
The marketing lead is responsible for advertising, developing a marketing strategy, ensuring sales, and generally enticing customers to purchase things.
The main goal of every department/specialty retail store is to get as many leads as possible. These leads go on to transform into purchases.
The median earnings of marketing managers are $142,170.
5. Supply Chain manager
Supply chain managers oversee every stage of the production flow, purchase of raw materials down to the delivery of the final product.
The overall obligation of supply chain managers is to increase productivity and reduce costs while sourcing quality products for the company.
The average salary for a supply chain manager in the US is $77,063 per year.
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6. Social media handler
Department/specialty retail stores must showcase their services on social media to increase visibility and sales. As a social media handler, it is your duty to plan, implement and monitor social media strategies that will boost the store’s visibility.
The social media handler handles the specialty store social media handles to attract customers. Their salary ranges from $40,000 annually.
7. Purchasing manager
A purchasing manager, often known as a purchasing director or supply manager, leads a team in charge of acquiring goods and services for resale or corporate usage. They are looking for the most excellent available quality at the lowest possible price. Suppliers are evaluated, contracts are negotiated, and product quality is reviewed.
It is their duty to ensure that people purchase goods and products. According to Indeed, the average salary for a purchasing manager in the United States is $71,825 per annum and $4,000 profit sharing per year.
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8. Transporter
Working as a transporter is also one of the best-paying jobs in department/specialty stores. As a transporter, it is your duty to convey goods to the shop when necessary and be available in emergencies.
According to data on salaries submitted on Indeed, the average salary for a transporter is $39,356 per year in the United States.
9. Human Resources manager
A human resource manager takes charge of the activities in a department/specialty store. It is their duty to plan, coordinate, and direct the administrative activities of the store.
They also lead new team members’ recruiting, interviewing, and hiring. As an HR manager, you are that vital link between the store management and its employees.
According to the most recent salary report on Indeed, the annual average salary for a human resources manager in the U.S is $70,862.
10. Customer care representative
The customer service representative attends to the demands of the customers. handles customer concerns and orders, and ensures that customers are treated fairly at the store They are also well compensated for their efforts.
They may work in-house, from a call center, or from a home office. Customers’ difficulties are an important part of their job, but they must know when to refer advanced matters to management team members.
A customer service agent often has a high school diploma. Because many businesses have developed methods for dealing with consumer complaints, most of them provide on-the-job training on their policies and protocols.
To be a customer care representative, you must have fundamental computer abilities since they are frequently expected to keep digital records of their contacts with consumers and the results of those interactions. A competent customer service agent is patient and attention to detail.
According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics, the median yearly salary for customer service representatives is $36,920.
To perform better as a customer service representative, you need to see the 30 Must-have Skills For Customer Service Representatives
11. Line Supervisor
Next on our list of best-paying jobs in department/specialty stores is a line supervisor. A line supervisor monitors an organization’s line operations, guarantees the adequacy of line employees on production, and supervises the quality control processes.
Line supervisors maintain the highest safety standards and procedures on the premises to eliminate operational hazards that could cause production delays. They also train new staff, collaborate with management on process optimization, and devise strategic strategies to reduce wasteful costs while maintaining service quality.
In the United States, the total salary for a first-line supervisor is $60,619 per year, with an average salary of $55,328 per year.
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12. Loss Prevention Manager
A loss prevention manager may be a crucial job in a department/specialty store. Their duties include supervising loss prevention workers and supporting the store’s loss prevention operations to protect company assets, prevent or minimize theft, and eliminate shortages and fraud.
They are responsible for looking out for the security equipment in the store, setting up security equipment to prevent loss, conducting audits, and also monitor inventory.
It is also their duty to conduct routine inspections of the store and merchandise to guarantee adequate surveillance.
The average annual salary of a loss prevention manager in the United States is $63,000.
13. Retail Account Manager
Retail account managers are people who manage the relationship between a company that creates or sells products and the retailers that sell them. This is a significant job in department/specialty stores that provides a first-hand understanding of the merchandise.
Depending on the business and what they sell, retail managers may interact with a small number of retailers known as primary or national accounts or a significant number of smaller independent stores. Retail managers also manage strategy planning, relationship building, and internal coordination.
The average annual salary of a retail account manager in the U.S is $64,000.
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14. District manager
A District Manager, also known as a Retail District Manager, supervises and manages the operations of retail shop branches in a specific territory. Their primary duties include hiring and training store managers, working with managers to develop goals for each location, and communicating and enforcing customer policies to managers and team members.
The estimated total income for a district manager is $101,419 per year in the U.S., with an average salary of $70,311 annually.
15. Entrepreneur
Last on our list of best-paying jobs in department/specialty stores is the entrepreneur who owns the store. The entrepreneur must ensure the right crop of persons is working in the store. This goes a long way to guarantee the growth and success of the business.
The business owner’s salary depends on the size of the retail store.
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Working Requirements in Department/Specialty Retail Stores.
Department/retail stores offer different services and employ experts to handle the business. Before you can work in a specialty retail store, you must qualify for the job position.
A degree in business is Paramount to working in a department and specialty retail store because it is a business establishment. Suppose you want to work as a human resource manager. In that case, you need a degree in human resource management, a purchasing manager needs a degree in accounting or business administration, and a marketer needs a degree in Marketing. The same goes for many jobs in department and specialty retail stores.
Remember that no business owner will employ a nonqualified staff to handle the best paying job in the department and specialty retail store. Still, there is a chance for a noncertified worker to take jobs like loading, arranging, cleaning, and carrying products in the retail store with a bit of training.
To work in the department and specialty retail store, you also need soft skills such as communication, selling, listening honesty, orderliness, pricing techniques, industry knowledge, patience, and time management skills.
FAQs On Best Paying Jobs In Department/Specialty Retail Stores
A department store sells a wide variety of different types of products. Specialty stores have a narrow scope of products that they sell.
A specialty retail store is a retail store that focuses on specific product categories, as opposed to retailers that sell a large number of consumer goods categories.
If specialty stores focus on premium brands, category killers stock an entire range of products across the price range in the particular category.
Furniture stores, florists, sporting goods stores, and bookstores are all specialty stores. Stores such as Athlete’s Foot (sports shoes only) are considered super specialty stores.
Conclusion
Products sold in specialty stores are high-demand products, so there is sustainability in the job.
References
- worldtecharena.com – Top 15 Best Paying Jobs in Department/Speciality Retail Stores in 2022
- zippia.com – Is Other Specialty Stores A Good Career Path?
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