Retail Sales Associate 1

Job Type: Location Type: Not Specified

 

Department

Grocery / Retail

Reports To

General Manager

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Customer Service

• Greet customers in a friendly, professional, and helpful manner.
• Assist customers with locating products throughout the grocery department.
• Answer basic questions about store products, pricing, promotions, and availability.
• Provide respectful and courteous service to all customers, including customers who may be unfamiliar with Japanese grocery products.
• Direct customers to a supervisor or appropriate department when additional assistance is needed.
• Help create a welcoming store environment through positive interactions and attentive service.

Cashiering and Front-End Support

• Operate the cash register and point-of-sale system accurately.
• Scan, bag, and process customer purchases efficiently.
• Handle cash, credit card, debit card, gift card, and other approved forms of payment according to company procedures.
• Verify prices and apply discounts or promotions as directed.
• Issue receipts and process basic returns or exchanges according to store policy.
• Maintain accuracy when handling cash and balancing register activity.
• Keep the register area clean, organized, and stocked with bags, receipt paper, and other needed supplies.
• Call for assistance when lines become long or when customer issues require supervisor support.

Stocking and Merchandising

• Stock grocery shelves, refrigerated cases, freezer sections, displays, and endcaps as assigned.
• Replenish products throughout the shift to maintain full and attractive displays.
• Rotate products using FIFO procedures, placing older products in front and newer products behind.
• Check expiration dates, best-by dates, and product quality while stocking.
• Remove expired, damaged, leaking, or unsellable products from the sales floor and notify a supervisor.
• Face and front products to maintain a neat and organized appearance.
• Assist with product labeling, price tags, signs, and promotional displays.
• Unpack deliveries and move products from storage areas to the sales floor.
• Help maintain accurate product placement according to department standards.

Store Cleanliness and Safety

• Maintain clean, organized, and safe work areas, including aisles, shelves, coolers, freezers, stockrooms, and register areas.
• Clean spills promptly and place proper warning signs when needed.
• Break down cardboard, dispose of trash, and maintain backroom organization.
• Follow company safety procedures when lifting, carrying, stocking, using carts, or working near customers.
• Keep walkways, emergency exits, and work areas clear of obstructions.
• Report equipment issues, safety hazards, damaged products, or customer incidents to a supervisor.

Teamwork and Communication

• Work cooperatively with Grocery Department team members, cashiers, kitchen staff, managers, and other departments.
• Follow instructions from supervisors and complete assigned tasks in a timely manner.
• Communicate product shortages, customer requests, damaged items, and stocking needs to the appropriate supervisor.
• Support coworkers during busy periods by assisting with cashiering, bagging, stocking, or customer service as needed.
• Maintain a positive and professional attitude with customers, coworkers, vendors, and management.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist with inventory counts or cycle counts as assigned.
• Help receive, organize, and store grocery deliveries.
• Assist with seasonal, promotional, or holiday displays.
• Help monitor refrigerated and frozen products for proper condition and presentation.
• Return misplaced products to the correct department or shelf location.
• Follow company policies regarding attendance, dress code, customer service, food safety, and workplace conduct.
• Perform other duties as assigned by management.

Required Qualifications

• Must be able to provide friendly and professional customer service.
• Must be able to accurately follow instructions and complete assigned tasks.
• Must be dependable, punctual, and able to work scheduled shifts.
• Must be able to work independently and as part of a team.
• Must be able to read product labels, shelf tags, signs, and basic written instructions.
• Must be able to perform basic math for cashiering and cash handling.
• Must be able to maintain attention to detail while stocking, rotating, and cashiering.
• Must be willing to work in a retail grocery environment that may include refrigerated, frozen, and backroom areas.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous grocery, retail, cashier, stocking, or customer service experience.
• Experience operating a cash register or point-of-sale system.
• Familiarity with Japanese grocery products, Asian food products, or specialty grocery items.
• Ability to communicate with customers in more than one language is helpful but not required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong customer service skills.
• Accuracy with cashiering, scanning, bagging, and payment handling.
• Ability to stock and organize products neatly and efficiently.
• Ability to identify expired, damaged, or poor-quality products.
• Good communication and teamwork skills.
• Ability to stay calm and professional during busy periods.
• Ability to prioritize tasks when balancing customer service, stocking, and cashiering duties.
• Willingness to learn about Japanese grocery products and assist customers with basic product questions.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described below are representative of those required to perform the essential functions of this position.

• Ability to stand and walk for most of the scheduled shift.
• Ability to bend, reach, squat, kneel, push, pull, and twist while stocking or organizing products.
• Ability to lift, carry, push, or pull products, boxes, carts, and supplies, typically up to 30-40 pounds.
• Ability to use hands and fingers to scan products, operate a register, bag items, stock shelves, and handle merchandise.
• Ability to work in refrigerated or freezer areas for short periods of time as needed.
• Ability to safely use carts, step stools, box cutters, and other basic retail tools, if trained and authorized.
• Ability to perform repetitive tasks such as scanning, bagging, facing shelves, and stocking merchandise.

Equal Opportunity Employer

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.
For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.