Brief Contents
1. An Introduction to Retailing
2. Building and Sustaining Relationships in Retailing
3. Strategic Planning in Retailing
4. Retail Institutions by Ownership
5. Retail Institutions by Store-Based Strategy Mix
6. Web, Nonstore-Based, and Other Forms of Nontraditional Retailing
7. Identifying and Understanding Consumers
8. Information Gathering and Processing in Retailing
9. Trading-Area Analysis
10. Site Selection
11. Retail Organization and Human Resource Management
12. Operations Management: Financial Dimensions
13. Operations Management: Operational Dimensions
14. Developing Merchandise Plans
15. Implementing Merchandise Plans
16. Financial Merchandise Management
17. Pricing in Retailing
18. Establishing and Maintaining a Retail Image
19. Promotional Strategy
20. Integrating and Controlling the Retail Strategy
Responsibilities)
Jennifer Herrity
Updated March 3, 2023
If you're passionate about guiding teams toward achieving success and using your
sales skills to increase revenue, you might enjoy working in retail management. Retail
management involves many responsibilities, and there are often multiple managers
sharing these duties to help optimize a store's operations. Understanding what this
career entails may help you decide if you're interested in pursuing a management role in
the retail industry.
In this article, we discuss retail management, the responsibilities of a retail manager,
how to become a retail manager and 10 retail management positions to consider.
What is retail management?
Retail management is a process that store leaders participate in to encourage sales,
enhance store associates' performances and exceed customers' expectations. These
practices aim to build customer loyalty and improve efficiency. They also may help
teams stay aligned, progressing toward common goals. Here are some of the areas
retail management focuses on:
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Inventory management: Ensuring the store is stocked according to
customer demand and communicating with suppliers
Warehouse operations: Coordinating storage and transportation of
goods at an offsite warehouse
Offline and online storefronts: Managing e-commerce and brick-andmortar sales
Payments and accounting: Documenting and overseeing the store's
financial accounts
Human resources: Supervising, training, hiring and developing staff
members
Store layout: Controlling the store environment with lighting,
temperature, visual displays and product placement to make
merchandise look appealing
Customer service: Answering customers' questions, helping them find
the right items, resolving disputes and building loyalty
Sales: Using pricing strategies and customer service skills to meet
organizational sales goals and grow revenue
Related: 4 Steps To Improve Operations in Retail
What are a store manager's responsibilities?
Retail managers are store leaders who enact retail management strategies and
techniques to help a store meet its goals. These professionals manage teams of store
associates, ensure the store has the necessary items it needs and handle the visual
presentation of merchandise. Retail managers are responsible for a variety of tasks,
including:
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Mitigating loss and protecting merchandise from theft or damage
Keeping proper records of products coming into or leaving the store
Ensuring the store is clean, visually appealing and easy to navigate
Organizing merchandise according to sales goals
Helping customers on the sales floor
Ordering products from suppliers to maintain the right amount of
inventory
Hiring, training and supervising sales staff
Creating daily sales reports outlining profits, customers and any loss
Scheduling staff to support customers on the sales floor, attend to the
cash register and unpack shipments
Related: 12 Retail Jobs That Pay Well
How to become a retail manager
Here are the key steps to becoming a retail manager:
1. Graduate from high school or earn a GED
A degree isn't usually a requirement for an entry-level retail position, but a high school
diploma or equivalent is often important for managers. It might be wise to complete your
education before pursuing a managerial role. Completing high school may also help you
refine your organizational and leadership skills, which are useful in retail management.
Related: GED vs. High School Diploma: What's the Difference?
2. Gain retail work experience
Entry-level positions in retail can teach you necessary skills such as customer service,
organization, marketing, leadership and teamwork while building a professional network.
Roles to pursue include a cashier, sales associate, stocker, bagger or department
personnel. Consider the type of retail store you want to work in, too. For example, you
might want to work in a small local shop to stay connected with your community, or you
may want to work for a national chain to access a wider network of colleagues. Reflect
on your priorities to determine the right retail environment for you.
Related: What To Wear for a Retail Interview
3. Pursue a college degree (optional)
Having either an associate's degree or a bachelor's degree in a business or retailrelated field can teach you more about management concepts. Sales, marketing and
business management are all relevant majors to consider. Supplementing your retail
experience with a formal education could help you become a competitive candidate.
Related: 9 Benefits of Having a Business Management Degree
4. Move into a lower management position
Department manager or assistant manager roles could help ease you into the
management role you're pursuing. Having supervisory experience on your resume may
also qualify you for higher-level management jobs. Applying for leadership opportunities
when they arise may also demonstrate ambition and work ethic to your employer, which
may benefit you in your career.
Related: Retail Assistant Manager Interview Questions
5. Get promoted to store-level management
Try to be vocal about your career goals so your supervisor knows you're interested in
management roles when they become available. To make yourself a viable candidate,
showcase your potential in your current role by being a leader among your peers. Try to
arrive punctually to every shift, volunteer for extra responsibilities and meet your sales
goals. If you work within a chain, you may have the option to transfer to another store to
become a manager if your current store doesn't have an open role.
Related: How To Get Your First Manager Job
10 retail management jobs
Some retail stores hire multiple managers to fulfill different management roles. Learning
more about the management opportunities available in the retail industry could help you
pursue your first retail management job. Here's a list of 10 jobs in retail management
that you could pursue. For the most up-to-date salary information from Indeed,
visit indeed.com/salaries.
1. Head cashier
National average salary: $33,952 per year
Primary duties: The head cashier supports management by supervising cashiers,
training new hires and maintaining the cash register area. They also perform customer
service duties, such as resolving complaints and answering questions, as well as
reconciling each cash drawer at the end of each shift. These individuals typically ensure
that all team members abide by store-wide guidelines when working at the cash
register.
Read more: Learn About Being a Head Cashier
2. Customer service manager
National average salary: $42,857 per year
Primary duties: Customer service managers are responsible for overseeing the
customer care department of larger retail establishments. This department typically
handles aspects of customer support including answering customer questions,
addressing concerns, researching an issue when necessary and communicating
customer issues to store management. They also may be involved in developing
customer loyalty programs and brainstorming ways to retain customers.
Read more: Learn About Being a Customer Service Manager
3. Retail assistant manager
National average salary: $45,624 per year
Primary duties: A retail assistant manager supports the store manager by performing
managerial tasks and taking over when the store manager is away. A person in this role
may be responsible for training and supervising employees, assisting in inventory
management and problem-solving in the event that an employee or a customer has an
issue. Retail assistant managers may also help the manager determine team goals and
track progress towards these goals.
Read more: Learn About Being a Retail Assistant Manager
4. Store manager
National average salary: $45,881 per year
Primary duties: A store manager is responsible for the daily operations of a retail store,
including managing inventory, hiring and training employees, monitoring customer
returns and implementing store promotions. They may also act as a resource for
customers and staff on store policies and other store information. These individuals may
report to regional or national management if they work for a large corporation or to the
owner if they work for a small business.
Read more: Learn About Being a Retail Store Manager
5. Warehouse manager
National average salary: $52,819 per year
Primary duties: As a retail inventory professional, a warehouse manager is responsible
for monitoring inventory levels and reporting on inventory trends, managing the
warehouse and warehouse staff, stocking shelves and creating enticing displays to
encourage additional sales. They may also be required to complete Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA) training and receive a license to drive a forklift,
depending on the scope of the role in a particular company. Warehouse managers
might coordinate with store managers about scheduled shipments, e-commerce orders
or inventory issues.
Read more: Learn About Being a Warehouse Manager
6. General manager
National average salary: $59,826 per year
Primary duties: A general manager is responsible for interviewing and hiring
employees, evaluating employee performance, administering disciplinary action if
necessary and setting store goals. They may work with the store-level manager to
determine which procedures to complete to meet the store's profitability goals. These
individuals often oversee multiple locations of a business.
Read more: Learn About Being a General Manager
7. District manager
National average salary: $63,864 per year
Primary duties: A district manager is responsible for overseeing retail stores within an
assigned geographic area. These professionals hire store managers, track individual
store sales goals and create budgets. They also perform regular site visits to ensure
that each store is receiving proper upkeep and policies are being followed, and they
conduct periodic management training sessions. They might also take part in human
resources-related issues if necessary.
Read more: Learn About Being a District Manager
8. Brand manager
National average salary: $65,163 per year
Primary duties: A brand manager monitors market trends by conducting market
research and gathering sales data from competing brands. They perform competitor
analysis and develop brand campaigns to increase brand awareness. They may also
create monthly brand exposure reports and interact with vendors to discuss product and
packaging design. Brand managers may also visit stores to monitor visible inventory
and product displays.
Read more: Learn About Being a Brand Manager
9. Human resources manager
National average salary: $70,627 per year
Primary duties: Human resources managers are responsible for recruiting, interviewing
and hiring staff members, administering performance evaluations and acting as a liaison
between staff and management. They also typically work with upper management to
develop company policies and establish a positive work environment. They may also be
responsible for executing onboarding processes, writing job descriptions and posting job
listings.
Read more: Learn About Being an HR Manager
10. IT manager
National average salary: $87,689 per year
Primary duties: Information technology (IT) managers are responsible for ensuring that
the store's computer systems are operational, including hardware, software and network
connections. They oversee the IT team and perform updates and maintenance on
digital devices and programs to support business operations. In the retail industry, these
professionals may manage technology such as security systems, POS (cash register)
systems and inventory management systems.
Read more: Learn About Being an IT Manager