Retail Interview Questions & Answers

Retail is a unique industry because its employees typically have different schedules and pay structures than jobs in other sectors. Because of this, the retail interview questions asked by interviewers can also vary.

Interview Question Mistakes

One question that a lot of candidates are asked during retail interviews is what they enjoy about working in retail sales. Some interviewees make the mistake of answering this by talking about income or how much they can earn. For most hiring managers, talking about money is a turn-off, so avoid this topic when you are answering any question along these lines, or if you are asked what motivates you at work. Another mistake is to avoid talking about customer service or divulge that you don't enjoy working with customers. Providing good service to every client who comes into a retail store is typically a top priority for retail businesses, so they will look for associates who enjoy these interactions.

Retail Interview Example Answers

Another common question that many retail interviewers will ask is, "What makes you a great candidate for a retail job?" This could be a good opportunity elaborate further on your retail resume. Effective answers might sound something like this:

• I have worked in the retail industry for five years and love working with customers and helping them find what they need and want. I am motivated by customer satisfaction, so when I know someone has left the store having had a positive experience, I feel excited to continue helping others.
• Because I have worked as a shift lead at my current retail job, I feel I am a qualified candidate to oversee the staff in this position. I get along well with my coworkers and take pride in making sure that each employee has a fair schedule that meets his or her needs.

You might be asked about what you have done at a past job to help reduce operating costs, increase revenue, and/or save time. In this case, use clear examples so that the hiring manager understands your work ethic and desire to improve the bottom line for the organization. Here are some sample answers:

Regardless of what retail job interview questions you are asked, you can answer them with confidence by preparing and knowing what the supervisor might ask.

• I worked with a team of five other retail associates in which we often had overlapping shifts during the slowest operating hours. When I realized how much time and money were being wasted with excessive staffing, I went to my manager to discuss shortening shifts in the late evening and early morning hours. This helped reduce the salary budget by five percent and allowed associates to stay busy during their shifts. .
• I worked in a pet retail store in which a lot of food was wasted because many of the salespeople would stock the shelves with fresher products in the front. As a result, the food behind it would expire before it was sold and we would have to throw it away. I worked with my supervisor to develop a system through which all fresh product would be placed behind older product on the shelves, giving customers a chance to buy it before its expiration date. This saved the store $2,000 in the first quarter of implementation alone.

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