Retail Sales Worker Interview Questions & Answers

Retail sales workers help customers find products they want and process customers’ payments.

Interviewers look for candidates that demonstrate excellent skills such as:

• Customer service skills
• Persistence
• Interpersonal skills
• Selling skills
• Math skills

In this blog, we discuss commonly asked interview questions during job interviews for Retail Sales Worker positions. We also discuss the qualities that interviewers look for in successful candidates. In other words, we’re here to help you out!

Also, read more about frequently asked job interview questions here and check our job interview preparation checklist.

Skills Interviewers Look For In Successful Candidates

Below we discuss the skills you can highlight in your answers to demonstrate that you’re qualified for the job.

Customer-service skills

Why interviewers are interested in your customer-service skills:

Retail sales workers must be responsive to the wants and needs of customers. They should explain the product options available to customers and make appropriate recommendations.

Learn more about customer-service interview questions and how to answer them!

Interpersonal skills

Why interviewers are interested in your interpersonal skills:

A friendly and outgoing personality is important for these workers because the job requires almost constant interaction with people.

Related: What Does a Movie Theater Usher Do?

Math skills

Why interviewers are interested in your math skills:

Retail sales workers must have the ability to calculate price totals, discounts, and change owed to customers.

Related: What Does a Lead Sales Associate Do?

Persistence

Why interviewers are interested in your persistence:

A large number of attempted sales may not be successful, so sales workers should not be discouraged easily. They must start each new sales attempt with a positive attitude.

Selling skills

Why interviewers are interested in your selling skills:

Retail sales workers must be persuasive when interacting with customers. They must clearly and effectively explain the benefits of the merchandise.

(source: bls.gov)

Retail Sales Worker Job Interview Questions & Answers

During a job interview, the hiring manager wants to discuss several things. Think of your:

• Employment history
• Skills and abilities
• Accomplishments
• Job qualifications
• Educational background
• Career goals
• Personality

Below you find a list of commonly asked interview questions.

Examples Of General Retail Sales Worker Interview Questions

1. Tell me about yourself.
2. How would you describe yourself?
3. Why do you want to work here?
4. What interests you about this position?
5. Walk me through your resume.
6. What motivates you?
7. Why are you leaving your current job?
8. Describe your work ethic.
9. What is your greatest strength?
10. How does your experience qualify you for this job?
11. What is your greatest weakness?
12. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
13. Tell me about a challenging work situation and how you overcame it.
14. What are your expectations for this position?
15. What are your career goals?
16. Why should we hire you?
17. What did you like most about your last position?
18. What did you like least about your last position?
19. How do you handle stress?
20. What is your greatest accomplishment?

Learn how to answer these common job interview questions!

Examples Of Specific Retail Sales Worker Behavioral Interview Questions

Learn more about answering behavioral interview questions by using the STAR interview technique.

1. How would you define excellent customer service? Can you give me an example of a time you provided excellent customer service?
2. Tell me about a time you had to deal with an angry or dissatisfied customer. How did you resolve the situation?
3. What do you find most rewarding about the position of retail sales worker?
4. Describe a time you went above and beyond to help a customer.
5. What is your approach to upselling? Can you give me an example?
6. How would you deal with a situation where a customer is rude or confrontational? Can you give me an example?
7. When a customer approaches you and asks you for a product or service you cannot provide, what do you say?
8. What is your strategy to exceed a customer’s expectations? Can you give me an example?
9. If you were in the middle of helping a customer and your shift ended, how would you handle the situation?
10. Give me an example of a time when you noticed a problem and came up with a solution. How did your idea improve store performance?

Learn more about questions to ask the interviewer during your job interview.