Retail Salespersons

69% (High Risk)

High Risk (61-80%): Jobs in this category face a significant threat from automation, as many of their tasks can be easily automated using current or near-future technologies.

More information on what this score is, and how it is calculated is available here.

User poll

Sentiment

The following graph is included wherever there is a substantial amount of votes to render meaningful data. These visual representations display user poll results over time, providing a significant indication of sentiment trends.

Wages

Very low paid relative to other professions

In 2023, the median annual wage for 'Retail Salespersons' was $33,680, or $16 per hour

'Retail Salespersons' were paid 29.9% lower than the national median wage, which stood at $48,060

Wages over time

Comments

Joon (Highly likely) 2 years ago

Will this reflect or have separate section that is post ChatGPT?
What was originally seen as a roadblock is no longer valid, and the threat of replacement was already high even prior to the advent of ChatGPT

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David (No chance) 3 years ago

Not likely. People can't corner an automated system and force it to pay attention to them while they talk about irrelevant and inappropriate things, brag about their medical issues (in graphic detail), and list the types of antipsychotic medications they are currently prescribed.

In addition, the general public doesn't have the aptitude to operate technology which is the better part of a century old. We've all seen the threats, and they don't hold water because after utilizing automated systems for a few decades, retailers are ditching them in favor of employees. Walmart is a great example because they are actively removing these systems (don't try to argue, just look it up).

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Nico (Highly likely) 4 years ago

Because of the pandemic and all.

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Richard 4 years ago

The world is changing exponentially year over year. Things that took 20 years to be developed and brought to market now can be developed in just a fraction of the time. Society is driven by innovation and technology and the economy is vastly dominated by data driven statistics. AI is more advanced than the world actually realizes. The IOT is already in production and just standing by for the regulations to be incorporated, then that will pull out all the stops. I give it 2-3 years tops before automation disrupts every industry whether society is ready for it or not.

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Richard Dumas (Highly likely) 4 years ago

The entire retail industry is fallen by the waste side and being disrupted by eCommerce. Amazon has dominated the retail space over the last decade and is expanding exponentially year over year with no signs of slowing down. The retail industry will need to adapt to the new way that people want to do business.

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Joel Vitug 5 years ago

People will always need that human connection, there are plenty of us that needs to touch, see, and feel the product, sometimes even taste the product. There are going to be a place for AI and robotics, with this in some aspects will make our jobs more efficient and productive. We are social beings, we have learned that through this Covid-19 pandemic, people need people even in sales.

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Ali (Highly likely) 5 years ago

Well it depends what we're talking about here. If we're talking about people who stock shelves the whole times then absolutely but there're are some places where we cant really replace them yet.

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Marge (Highly likely) 5 years ago

Ease of online sales will surely doom retail storefronts, especially the sales reps. It already is. I work in cellular and literally sell the very devices people use to online shop and price check. Sorry 'bout that.

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Viviane Paraschiv 6 years ago

Because people still go in stores (talking here about fashion here) for a personal connection. Might be more automated for consumer goods but not that sure it will be 92% automated

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Lee Springer 5 years ago

Amazon Prime Wardrobe, Blackcart, Try.com and thousands of other companies represent the current projected 92%. You're correct in estimating that the 'current' population would prefer to shop in store. You must realize in 10 years the customer market will be completely different than it is now.
Shopping malls are shutting down, New shopping stores launch online with only 4% hitting a store front.
It's safe to say that retail shopping is doomed as a career/job.

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