Sales Representative (Personal and Household Goods)
What the work is
Represents their company in selling consumer goods such as toys, sporting goods, books, stationery, hardware, floor coverings, electrical goods, furniture, textiles, clothing, footwear, toiletries, groceries, fruit and vegetables, and wine to wholesale and retail establishments.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Identifies potential customers and makes sales calls to establish new accounts
- Uses customer relationship management tools to manage all of their company's relationships and interactions with customers and potential customers
- Presents and demonstrates personal and household products to potential customers
- Provides information and advice to customers on the features and benefits of different personal and household consumer goods
- Negotiates sales contracts and terms with customers
- Follows up with customers to ensure satisfaction and resolve any issues
- Builds and maintains relationships with key customers
- Monitors market trends and competitor activity
- Prepares sales reports and forecasts for management
- Attends trade shows and sales events to promote products
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in a regional sales territory, visiting hardware shops, motor parts counters and small businesses. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- A shop owner you have known for years rings you first when they need something
- You solve a customer's problem and they order more because of how you handled it
- A long drive ends with a handshake, a good order and a coffee at a country bakery
Hard days
- Long hours in the car, and a meeting where the buyer has already decided on someone else
- A promise made by your own company that the warehouse cannot keep
- A month where the target is high and the customers are all cutting back
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 621234, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.