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Retail

CERTIFICATE II IN RETAIL

 

Position description

Retail trainees sell goods to customers in retail and wholesale establishments.

Retail trainees may perform the following tasks:

• advise customers on the location, selection, price, delivery, use and care of goods available from the store, with the aim of encouraging them to buy and to return to buy in the future;
• operate cash registers and accept payment;
• take special orders for items not currently in stock or not normally stocked and notify customers when the items have arrived;
• package goods for customers and arrange delivery;
• price, stack and display items for sale and keep the store tidy and attractive;
• be aware of health, safety and welfare issues and practices;
• participate in stocktaking (counting and describing the goods in stock); and
• arrange for the repair of damaged goods or advise on needed repairs.

Retail trainees are on their feet most of the day attending to customers, finalising sales and tidying display units. They will be required to work at night and on weekends.

Retail trainees may specialise as one of the following:

• Delicatessen Assistants – sell foods such as sausages, smoked meats, salads, cheese, fish, olives and other specialist lines. They arrange products in attractive displays and may make and sell lunches. Delicatessen Assistants may work in small shops or large supermarkets with delicatessen sections.
• Electrical Goods Sales Assistants – sell household products and electrical equipment such as fans, heaters, food mixers, sewing machines, radios, televisions, sound systems and video recorders. They must have sound knowledge of the products they sell. They advise customers about features such as controls, wattage and power, as well as demonstrate and compare products.
• Fashion Sales Assistants – sell clothes and other fashion items in department stores, fashion boutiques and retail warehouses. They may advise customers on fashion trends and suitable styles and colours, and assist with store displays.
• Cafe Sales Assistants – work in large or small outlets selling food, drinks and other products. They may prepare food for cooking, make dough or batter, spread butter on bread, chop, cut or slice fillings and prepare salads. In fast food chain stores, sales assistants may work at the counter or in the kitchen, and where dining areas are provided, they may clear tables, wash utensils and clean floors and windows.
• Hardware Sales Assistants – work in retail businesses which supply and sell a range of hardware goods, such as lengths of timber, paint, brushes, hand tools, screws, nails, tap washers and other general house maintenance requirements. They may have to demonstrate tools and explain how products work.
• Pharmacy Sales Assistants – work with pharmacists in chemist (pharmacy) shops. They assist customers in choosing a range of products, including cosmetics, toiletries, hair products, and medicinal products such as cough mixtures, cold and headache tablets. They also refer prescriptions to the pharmacist to prepare.
• A Service Station Cashier – receives payments by cash, cheque and credit/debit cards for petrol and other merchandise at service stations, balances takings against register sales records and provides basic assistance and advice to customers.

Personal requirements

• Interested in people
• A helpful, courteous manner
• Neat appearance
• Good communication skills
• Able to deal accurately with money
• Motivation and drive
• No skin disorders if working with food
• Willing to work in a team