Sales Clerk Interview Questions

Previous experience in sales or retail is an asset, even if no specific work experience is required for the sales clerk position. The candidate is encouraged to explain how their skills make them qualified for the job. What to look for in an answer:

• Experience  assisting customers
• Enthusiasm to learn new skills 
• Understanding what the job entails

Asking this question will help you learn how eager the candidate is to work in your establishment and whether they've researched your company. They should also be excited to learn more about your company's products and services. Qualities to look for in their answer include:

• Take-charge attitude 
• Ability to learn new tasks quickly
• Basic knowledge of the company 

Whether it's gained from previous jobs or volunteering, customer service experience is considered an asset for this role. The candidate should be comfortable working with challenging customers. What to look for in an answer:

• Basic understanding of customer service 
• Politeness 
• Ability to interact well with customers 

Keeping customers satisfied and interacting with them in a courteous manner is a crucial part of being a sales clerk. You need to know whether the candidate has the temperament and knowledge to handle angry customers. A candidate's answer should demonstrate:

• Problem-solving skills 
• Ability to listen to a customer's concerns
• Ability to handle high-pressure situations 

A sales clerk is often the first point of contact for a customer. The candidate should demonstrate the ability to explain the benefits of products, inform about sales promotions, and answer questions. This requires having good customer service skills and knowledge of the store's products. What to look for in an answer:

• Outgoing personality
• Confidence 
• Ability to communicate with customers concisely and persuasively

A sales clerk won't be able answer questions from customers all the time on their own. Sometimes they'll need to find out the answer from a supervisor. You need to be reassured that the candidate won't be upset or rattled if there are times when they won't be able to immediately answer a customer's question. Qualities to look for in their answer include: 

• Composure 
• Willingness to ask for assistance and advice
• Listening skills

Sales skills are important for a sales clerk to have. You need to know that the candidate is comfortable trying to persuade a customer to purchase an item without being pushy. They'll need to be tactful in promoting products. A candidate's answer emphasises:

• Sales experience
• Communication skills 
• Ability to act in a respectful way towards customers

This question allows you to assess the candidate's knowledge of the job. They should recognise just how valuable sales clerks are to a store. Look for enthusiasm and an understanding of how they can contribute to the store's overall success in their answer.  Other qualities to look for in their answer include: 

• Commitment to helping the store increase sales
• Positive personality
• Ability to inspire others 

You need to know that the candidate is reliable in handling cash and processing payments. Preparing invoices and receipts, and being able to explain to customers how taxes are applied to purchases are other important skills that are beneficial for the candidate to possess. A candidate's answer demonstrates:

• Trustworthiness
• Basic understanding of how a customer can pay for an item
• Ability to return change to a customer

This question gives you insight into the candidate's ambition and how long they plan to work for your company. Their answer will determine whether they plan to work up to a higher role with your organisation. Qualities to look for in their answer include:  

• Self-motivated and goal-oriented
• Striving to always improve 
• Loyalty to a company

This question will help you to determine if the candidate is physically able to perform the job. They should understand the physical demands of the job, which include restocking shelves, setting up store displays, bagging products, cleaning, and frequently moving around the store to assist customers. What to look for in an answer:

• Knowledge of the demands of the job
• Understanding of all the duties
• Active lifestyle

The sales clerk's duties include recording sales, updating customer accounts, preparing reports for supervisors, and tracking merchandise. The candidate needs to have a good understanding of these tasks and an interest in learning new techniques. A candidate's answer should emphasise:

• Basic computer skills 
• Ability to gather and report information 
• organisational skills

A sales clerk works closely with many other people in the company. They report to sales managers, shift supervisors, and store owners. They help sales associates close a sale and collabourate with stock clerks. You need to know if the candidate works well independently and as part of a team. What to look for in an answer:

• Ability to assist and motivate fellow employees
• Teamwork skills
• Ability to follow directions from supervisors

This question gives you a glimpse into what the candidate views as inappropriate workplace behaviour, such as texting during a shift or shouting at a customer. What to look for in an answer:

• Strong sense of ethics and duty 
• Ability to handle a difficult situation
• Problem-solving skills 

Asking this question will give you insight into what the candidate feels are their strengths and weaknesses. A sales clerk should be polite, detail-oriented, and energetic, but they also need to know in what areas they can improve. Qualities to look for in an answer include:

• Outgoing personality
• Professional approach
• Ability to grow and make changes 

"My strengths are being courteous towards others, remaining calm, and dedicating myself to accomplishing goals. I'm constantly evaluating what I need to improve. I sometimes have a hard time delegating tasks, but I've been using my communication skills to improve in this area.