6 free templates for retail, B2B, and dealerships, with the FLSA non-exempt guidance, a BLS pay range, and the US-vs-UK title note the generic templates skip. Download as DOCX.
A sales assistant helps customers, drives sales, and keeps the floor running, whether that is a boutique, a showroom, a dealership, or a B2B sales team. It is one of the most common retail hires, and for a US employer it comes with a quirk worth settling up front: sales assistant is the British title for the role Americans usually call a sales associate. Hiring one well also means getting two things right that the generic templates skip: the FLSA classification, which for this role is a clear non-exempt call, and a realistic pay range.
At FirstHR, we build templates for the small shops and teams that handle hiring themselves, where the owner writes the posting between serving customers. The six templates below cover the role across retail, B2B, and dealership settings, with the FLSA classification and pay guidance competitors leave out. For the fundamentals behind any posting, the guide to writing a job description is a useful companion.
TL;DR
A sales assistant helps customers, makes sales, runs the register, and keeps the floor stocked. The role is non-exempt and hourly, so overtime applies for hours over 40 a week, because inside sales does not qualify for the outside-sales or white-collar exemptions. The closest federal occupation reports a median wage of $16.62 an hour (about $34,580 a year). In the US the role is often titled sales associate; sales assistant is the British term and a US name for behind-the-scenes sales support. Download six templates as DOCX, for retail, B2B, and dealerships, with FLSA and pay guidance built in.
What a Sales Assistant Does
A sales assistant helps customers and supports sales: greeting and advising customers, processing transactions, restocking and merchandising, handling returns, and supporting the sales team. The work is customer-facing and hands-on, the engine of a retail floor or the support behind a sales team.
The closest federal occupation is retail salespersons, who sell merchandise such as furniture, vehicles, appliances, or apparel to consumers. A more senior, quota-carrying field role belongs to the sales representative, and a mid-level operational role to the sales coordinator. The duties shift with the setting, which the templates below reflect.
Sales Assistant vs Sales Associate
Before writing the posting, settle the title, because it causes real confusion for US employers. The short version: in the US, the retail floor role is usually called a sales associate, while sales assistant is the British term for the same job and a US name for a sales-support role.
Title
US meaning
Where it is the main term
Sales Associate
Retail floor seller
United States
Sales Assistant
Floor seller or sales support
UK and Commonwealth (floor)
Sales Support Assistant
Behind-the-scenes B2B support
United States
Sales Representative
Quota-carrying field seller
A step up, both regions
The practical move for a US employer is to use whichever title candidates will search, often sales associate for a floor role, and to write a clear duties list. When the role grows into a quota-carrying or account-owning job, it becomes a sales representative or an account manager. Choose the title that matches the real scope and your market.
Sales Assistant Duties and Responsibilities
Sales assistant duties cluster into four areas: customers and selling, transactions, floor and stock, and support and admin. A strong job description picks the specific responsibilities from each area that match your setting, rather than listing every possible task.
Customers and selling
Greet, assist, and advise customers
Drive sales and meet store goals
Handle returns, exchanges, and questions
Transactions
Process sales at the register
Operate the point-of-sale system
Handle cash, cards, and receipts accurately
Floor and stock
Restock shelves and displays
Maintain merchandising standards
Keep the sales floor clean and organized
Support and admin
Support the sales team on the floor
Handle special orders and follow-ups
Follow store policies and procedures
The mix shifts with the setting: personal selling in a boutique, quotes and CRM in a B2B office, test drives at a dealership. For a structured way to scope the role, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template by your setting. The core structure is the same across all six, but each one emphasizes the duties and framing that fit a specific kind of sales role, from a general store to a B2B office to a dealership.
General Sales Assistant
Any retail store
The universal baseline: greet and assist customers, drive sales, process transactions, and maintain the floor. Start here and adapt.
Retail Sales Assistant
Boutique / showroom
The personal-service version: attentive, tailored selling and presentation for a smaller, customer-focused boutique or showroom.
Sales Support Assistant
B2B / office
The behind-the-scenes version: quotes, orders, CRM, and sales reports supporting a B2B sales team rather than working the floor.
Dealership Sales Assistant
Auto / RV dealership
The dealership version: support test drives, paperwork, and showroom prep, and follow up with leads alongside the sales consultants.
Entry-Level Sales Assistant
First job
The entry-level version: help customers, learn to sell, and run the register with training provided. No experience required.
First Sales Hire
Owner's first hire
The version no competitor offers: a small shop's first sales hire who covers the floor and drives sales so the owner can grow the business.
Match the Template to Your Setting
General store: General Sales Assistant. Boutique or showroom: Retail Sales Assistant. B2B sales team: Sales Support Assistant. Auto or RV dealership: Dealership Sales Assistant. A first job with training: Entry-Level. A small shop making its first sales hire: First Sales Hire. All are non-exempt and hourly.
6 Free Sales Assistant Job Description Templates
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: company and job summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, compensation, and how to apply, with an EEO statement. Fill in the brackets and post.
Download All 6 Job Description Templates
General retail, boutique, B2B support, dealership, entry-level, and first sales hire. All in one DOCX.
Template 1: General Sales Assistant
The universal baseline: greet and assist customers, drive sales, process transactions, and maintain the floor. Start here and adapt to your setting.
[As the owner, I cannot cover the floor and run the business at the same time.
This is our first sales hire. You will help customers and drive sales so I can
focus on growing the shop. In a small business, we all do a bit of everything.]
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring its first Sales Assistant to help customers and grow
sales. You will greet and serve customers, make sales, handle the register,
restock, and pitch in wherever a small shop needs help. A reliable, friendly,
do-a-bit-of-everything person who takes ownership is ideal.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Greet, help, and sell to customers
•Run the register and process transactions
•Restock, merchandise, and keep the shop tidy
•Handle returns and customer questions
•Help with inventory and ordering
•Take ownership of the floor when the owner is busy
•Pitch in wherever the small business needs support
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
•High school diploma or equivalent preferred, not always required
•[Retail or customer-service experience helpful; not required]
•Friendly, reliable, and self-directed
•Comfortable wearing several hats at a small shop
•Available for [evening / weekend] shifts
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour (non-exempt; overtime over 40 hours)
[ ] Commission or bonus eligible
To apply, send your resume to __.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
FLSA, Overtime, and Pay Transparency
This is the part the generic templates skip, and for a sales assistant it is mostly clear with one nuance worth knowing: the role is non-exempt, so overtime applies, with a narrow commission exemption that rarely fits. Get these right and your posting attracts the right candidates and keeps your business compliant.
FLSA: a sales assistant is non-exempt and owed overtime
A sales assistant is a non-exempt, hourly employee entitled to overtime at one and a half times the regular rate for hours worked over forty in a week. None of the white-collar exemptions apply: the role does not perform exempt executive, administrative, or professional duties, and it is paid well below any salary threshold for those exemptions. The outside sales exemption does not apply either, because that requires an employee to be customarily and regularly engaged in selling away from the employer's place of business, while a sales assistant works in the store. The Department of Labor treats inside salespeople as generally non-exempt and owed overtime. For a small retailer, the safe and correct approach is to treat the role as non-exempt, pay overtime, and track hours, including any evening and weekend shifts. This is general information, not legal advice.
The 7(i) commission exemption: possible, but rare for assistants
There is one narrow overtime exemption worth knowing about, even though it rarely applies to a sales assistant. The retail or service establishment exemption, often called 7(i), can exempt a commission-paid employee from overtime if three conditions are all met: the employer is a retail or service establishment, the employee's regular rate is more than one and a half times the federal minimum wage, and more than half of the employee's earnings in a representative period come from commissions. Most sales assistants are hourly with little or no commission, so the commission condition usually fails and the exemption does not apply. The threshold is always measured against the federal minimum wage, and genuine tips never count as commissions. If you pay mostly commission, confirm the test carefully. This is general information, not legal advice.
Pay transparency: post a good-faith hourly range
A growing number of states require a pay range in job postings, and several thresholds are low enough to reach small retailers, including Vermont at five or more employees and New Jersey at ten or more, with Massachusetts applying to employers with twenty-five or more. For a sales assistant, post a good-faith hourly range rather than an annual salary, since the role is hourly and non-exempt, and fold in any expected commission separately. A remote or multi-location posting open to applicants in transparency states can trigger those rules regardless of where the business is based. Beyond compliance, a posted range improves candidate quality and saves time. Confirm the rules for the states you hire in. This is general information, not legal advice.
Sales assistant versus sales associate: a US and UK note
One point of confusion is worth settling in the posting. In the United States, the common title for a retail floor worker is sales associate, while sales assistant is used too but also carries a secondary meaning of behind-the-scenes sales support. In the United Kingdom and much of the Commonwealth, sales assistant is the standard title for the same retail floor role that Americans call a sales associate. For a US employer, the practical move is to use whichever title your candidates will search, often sales associate for a retail floor role, and to write a clear duties list so the meaning is unambiguous regardless of the title on the posting. The templates here work for both, and naming the role clearly matters more than the label.
Inside Sales Is Non-Exempt
The outside sales exemption requires selling away from the employer's place of business. A sales assistant works in the store, so that exemption does not apply, and the Department of Labor treats inside salespeople as generally non-exempt and owed overtime. The narrow 7(i) retail commission exemption can apply to a commission-heavy role, but rarely fits an hourly assistant.
For more on how the classification works, the Fair Labor Standards Act overview explains the exemptions and why an inside, hourly role like this one is non-exempt and overtime-eligible.
Skills and Requirements
Sales hiring rewards a friendly personality and reliability over formal credentials, which makes stating the real requirements concretely the job of the posting. Keep the bar appropriate to a customer-facing, often entry-level role.
Requirement
What to look for
Personality
Friendly, outgoing, and customer-focused
Service
Customer service and basic selling ability
Systems
Comfortable with a point-of-sale or register
Availability
Reliable for evening and weekend shifts
Physical
Able to stand for long periods and do light lifting
Classification
Non-exempt, hourly; overtime over 40 hours a week
Keep the posting neutral and inclusive, since the EEOC prohibits job advertisements that show a preference based on a protected characteristic, and the SHRM guide covers the standard sections of a job description.
Sales Assistant Pay
Sales assistants are paid hourly, with pay varying by setting, region, and commission. Set your range using government data as a baseline, then adjust for your local market.
Median $16.62 an Hour (BLS, May 2024)
The closest federal occupation, retail salespersons, had a median hourly wage of $16.62 as of the May 2024 data, about $34,580 a year, with the lowest 10 percent under $12.31 an hour and the highest 10 percent over $23.05 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). National compensation surveys that track the sales assistant title specifically tend to report higher averages, because they blend in B2B sales support.
Pay runs higher in showrooms and dealerships and where commission is part of the package. Because the role is non-exempt, budget for overtime when hours exceed forty in a week, and fold commissions into the regular rate for overtime calculations. Employment of retail sales workers is projected to hold roughly steady from 2024 to 2034, with about 586,000 openings a year from turnover, so small shops hire steadily. Post a good-faith hourly range where required.
Hiring a Sales Assistant for a Small Shop
A sales assistant is often a small shop's first hire to help cover the floor, the point where the owner cannot both serve customers and run the business. Here is how to write the posting for that reality, and the small-shop realities the generic big-box templates miss.
The sales assistant is often a small shop's first hire to cover the floor
For many small retailers, the sales assistant is the first person hired to help cover the floor so the owner can run the business. A boutique, a florist, an optical shop, a furniture or home showroom, a small dealership, or a small B2B team reaches a point where the owner cannot both serve customers and handle everything else. That is exactly the small-business hire this role represents, squarely in the five-to-fifty-employee range, and the work often blends selling, restocking, and a bit of admin. The generic big-box templates do not speak to that. The templates here include a first-sales-hire version written for it, framed around covering the floor and driving sales so the owner can grow the business.
Pick the title your US candidates actually search
Because sales assistant is the British term for what Americans call a sales associate, a US small business should use whichever title its candidates will actually search. For a retail floor role in the US, sales associate is usually the more searched title, while sales assistant works well for a behind-the-scenes B2B sales-support role and is perfectly clear in many storefronts too. Rather than agonize over the label, pick the title that fits your setting and write a duties list that makes the day-to-day obvious. The templates on this page cover both the floor-selling and the sales-support meanings, so you can match the role to your business and adjust the title to your market. A clear description beats a perfect title every time.
Onboarding a retail hire well pays off against high turnover
Retail sees high turnover, so a smooth, repeatable onboarding process pays off every time you hire. A sales assistant is usually a straightforward W-2 hire, and getting it right means a signed offer letter with the non-exempt, hourly classification and any commission stated clearly, the new hire paperwork including the I-9 and tax forms, and a simple first-day checklist for the register, the floor, and store policies. FirstHR fits this people side for a small retailer: e-signature for the offer letter, document management for signed forms, task workflows for the onboarding checklist, and an employee database and org chart to place the role. To be clear about scope, FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, and it does not run payroll, administer benefits, or handle scheduling, so pair it with those. Applicant tracking is coming soon.
The job description is step one. Once a candidate accepts, the same document becomes the basis for the offer and onboarding, starting with the new hire paperwork. Because retail sees high turnover, a smooth, repeatable process pays off every time you hire.
Send the offer
Confirm the role, hourly pay, any commission, the non-exempt classification, and the start date in writing. An offer letter template makes this fast.
Collect paperwork
I-9, tax forms, and direct-deposit details, gathered before the first shift.
Set up day one
A simple first-day checklist: the register, the floor, store policies, and who to ask for help.
Store the records
Keep the signed offer, the I-9, and policy acknowledgments organized and easy to find in one system.
Once your offer is ready, the offer letter template handles the next step, and an onboarding template gives the new hire a structured start. FirstHR connects the offer, paperwork, e-signatures, and document management in one place, so a small shop can manage the full process from job description to a fully onboarded sales hire. FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, and it does not run payroll, administer benefits, or handle shift scheduling, so connect those separately. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
In the US the retail floor role is usually titled sales associate; sales assistant is the British term and a US name for behind-the-scenes sales support.
Use the template that matches the setting: general retail, boutique, B2B support, or dealership.
The role is non-exempt and hourly; overtime applies for hours over 40 a week, since inside sales does not qualify for the outside-sales exemption.
The narrow 7(i) retail commission exemption can apply to a commission-heavy role but rarely fits an hourly assistant.
The closest federal occupation reports a median wage of $16.62 an hour, about $34,580 a year; post a good-faith hourly range.
Retail turnover is high, so fast, repeatable onboarding pays off on every hire.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a sales assistant do?
A sales assistant helps customers, drives sales, and keeps the sales floor running. Day to day, that means greeting and assisting customers, answering product questions and advising on purchases, processing transactions at the register, restocking shelves and maintaining merchandising standards, handling returns and exchanges, and supporting the rest of the sales team. The exact mix varies by setting. In a boutique or showroom the role centers on personal, attentive selling; in a B2B office a sales support assistant prepares quotes, processes orders, and maintains the CRM; at a dealership the role supports test drives and paperwork. The shared core is helping customers and supporting sales. The closest federal occupation is retail salespersons, which the Bureau of Labor Statistics describes as selling merchandise such as furniture, vehicles, appliances, or apparel to consumers.
What is the difference between a sales assistant and a sales associate?
In the United States, the two are largely interchangeable for a retail floor role, with sales associate being the more common American title. Sales assistant is used too, but it also carries a secondary US meaning of a behind-the-scenes sales support role that prepares quotes, processes orders, and maintains the CRM. In the United Kingdom and much of the Commonwealth, sales assistant is the standard title for the retail floor worker that Americans call a sales associate. For a US employer, the practical takeaway is to use whichever title your candidates are most likely to search, often sales associate for a retail floor role, and to write a clear duties list so the meaning is obvious regardless of the title. The title matters less than an accurate description of the work. This is general information, not legal advice.
Is a sales assistant exempt or non-exempt under the FLSA?
A sales assistant is non-exempt, which means hourly pay and overtime at one and a half times the regular rate for hours worked over forty in a week. None of the white-collar exemptions apply, because the role does not perform exempt executive, administrative, or professional duties and is paid below the salary thresholds those exemptions require. The outside sales exemption does not apply either, since it requires selling away from the employer's place of business, while a sales assistant works in the store. The Department of Labor treats inside salespeople as generally non-exempt and owed overtime. There is one narrow exception, the 7(i) retail commission exemption, which can apply to a commission-heavy role, but it rarely fits an hourly assistant. Treat the role as non-exempt, pay overtime, and track hours. This is general information, not legal advice.
Can a commission-based sales assistant be exempt from overtime?
Possibly, but only if a specific three-part test is met, and it rarely applies to a typical sales assistant. The retail or service establishment exemption, known as 7(i), can exempt a commission-paid employee from overtime when all three conditions hold: the employer is a retail or service establishment, the employee's regular rate of pay is more than one and a half times the federal minimum wage, and more than half of the employee's earnings in a representative period come from commissions. Most sales assistants are paid hourly with little or no commission, so the third condition usually fails and the exemption does not apply. The one-and-a-half-times threshold is always measured against the federal minimum wage, and genuine tips never count as commissions. If you pay mostly commission, confirm the test carefully or check with counsel. This is general information, not legal advice.
How much does a sales assistant make?
Sales assistants are paid hourly, with pay varying by setting, region, and any commission. The closest federal occupation, retail salespersons, had a median hourly wage of $16.62 as of the May 2024 data, which works out to roughly $34,580 a year, with the lowest 10 percent under $12.31 an hour and the highest 10 percent over $23.05. National aggregators that track the sales assistant title specifically tend to report somewhat higher averages, in the low-to-mid forties annually, because they blend in B2B sales support and other variants. Pay runs higher in showrooms and dealerships and where commission is part of the package. Because the role is non-exempt, budget for overtime when hours exceed forty in a week, and post a good-faith hourly range where required. This is general information, not legal advice.
What skills does a sales assistant need?
Sales assistant hiring rewards a friendly, outgoing personality and reliability over formal credentials. Core skills include customer service, clear communication, basic selling ability, comfort with a point-of-sale or register system, and attention to detail for merchandising and restocking. Reliability and availability matter a great deal, since the role often involves evening and weekend shifts. For a B2B sales support role, add organization, CRM and spreadsheet comfort, and order-processing accuracy. A high school diploma is common but not always required, and most sales assistants learn the specifics on the job. Prioritize candidates who are personable, dependable, and genuinely enjoy helping customers, since attitude and consistency drive sales-floor performance more than any single qualification. This is general information, not legal advice.
What should a sales assistant job description include?
A strong sales assistant job description names the setting up front, retail floor, boutique, B2B office, or dealership, and includes a short company overview, a job summary, and responsibilities grouped into customers and selling, transactions, floor and stock, and support. It should state the non-exempt, hourly classification and a good-faith pay range, note any commission, and list the schedule including evening and weekend shifts. The additions that generic templates skip and that matter most are the FLSA classification stated correctly, the pay range, and a quick note clarifying the sales assistant versus sales associate title so US candidates understand the role. Close with an equal opportunity statement and clear apply instructions. Matching the template to your setting attracts the right candidates. This is general information, not legal advice.
Are sales assistant jobs in demand?
Retail sales roles remain among the most common jobs in the country, even as overall growth has flattened. Federal projections show employment of retail sales workers holding roughly steady from 2024 to 2034, with the growth of online sales limiting the need for more physical-store staff. At the same time, about 586,000 openings for retail sales workers are projected each year over the decade, almost all from turnover as workers move to other jobs or leave the workforce. For a small shop, that means there is a steady pool of candidates and a regular need to hire, since retail turnover is high. The practical move is to write a clear, accurate job description and to make onboarding fast and repeatable so each hire gets productive quickly. This is general information, not legal advice.
