sales assistant

Meaning

A sales assistant is a person who works in a retail shop or store, helping customers find products and processing their payments. They are the main point of contact for shoppers and play a key role in customer service. This term is very common in British and international English.

Examples

• I asked the sales assistant where the changing rooms were.

  I asked the sales assistant where the changing rooms were.

• She works as a sales assistant at a local clothing boutique.

  She works as a sales assistant at a local clothing boutique.

• The sales assistant was very polite and helped me choose a gift.

  The sales assistant was very polite and helped me choose a gift.

• Are you looking for a job as a part-time sales assistant?

  Are you looking for a job as a part-time sales assistant?

• The sales assistant scanned my items and gave me the receipt.

  The sales assistant scanned my items and gave me the receipt.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I asked the seller assistant for help.

  ✓ I asked the sales assistant for help.

  Avoid using 'seller' as an adjective here. The standard, natural compound noun in English is always 'sales assistant'.

• ✗ She is a sale assistant.

  ✓ She is a sales assistant.

  The word 'sales' must be plural in this compound noun, even though it refers to a single job position.

Related Expressions

Practice

• If you can't find your size on the shelf, you should ask a ___ for help.

  💡 The person who works in the shop and helps customers.

  Show answer

  sales assistant

• He got a weekend job as a ___ at the department store.

  💡 A retail worker who assists shoppers and runs the cash register.

  Show answer

  sales assistant