Career Occupational Profile for: Order Fillers, Wholesale and Retail Sales
Fill customers' mail and telephone orders from stored merchandise in accordance with specifications on sales slips or order forms. Duties include computing prices of items, completing order receipts, keeping records of out-going orders, and requisitioning additional materials, supplies, and equipment.
Signficant Points
- Stock clerks and order fillers generally are entry-level workers who learn through short-term on-the-job training.
- Despite the projected decline in employment due to the use of automation in factories, warehouses, and stores, numerous job openings are expected due to replacement needs.
- Because of automation, applicants who are familiar with computers and other electronic office and business equipment will have the best job prospects.
Sample Job Titles
Training
- These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include sheet metal workers, forest fire fighters, customer service representatives, pharmacy technicians, salespersons (retail), and tellers.
- These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work. In some cases, an associate's or bachelor's degree could be needed.
- Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed. For example, a teller might benefit from experience working directly with the public, but an inexperienced person could still learn to be a teller with little difficulty.
- Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees.
Stock clerk and order fillers generally are entry-level workers who do not need more than a high school diploma or GED. Short-term on-the-job training is usually adequate for this occupation.
Education and training. Stock clerks and order fillers usually learn the job by doing routine tasks under close supervision. They learn how to count and mark stock and later to keep records and take inventory. Training in the use of automated equipment usually is done informally, on the job. As this occupation becomes more automated, however, workers may need longer periods of training to master the use of the equipment.
Other qualifications. Strength, stamina, good eyesight, and an ability to work at repetitive tasks, sometimes under pressure, are important characteristics. Stock clerks and order fillers who handle jewelry, liquor, or drugs may be bonded. Employers prefer to hire those familiar with computers and other electronic office and business equipment. Typing, filing, recordkeeping, and other clerical skills also are important in some jobs.
Advancement. Advancement opportunities for stock clerks and order fillers vary with the place of employment. With additional training, some workers advance to jobs as warehouse leads or supervisors, purchasing agents or other jobs within the facility such as inventory control.
Nature of Work
Stock clerks and order fillers receive, unpack, check, store, track merchandise or materials, and pick up customer orders. They keep records of items entering or leaving the stockroom and inspect damaged or spoiled goods. Stock clerks and order fillers sort, organize, and mark items with identifying codes, such as price, stock, or inventory control codes, so that inventories can be located quickly and easily. They also may be required to lift cartons of various sizes. In larger establishments, where they may be responsible for only one task, they may be called stock-control clerks, merchandise distributors, or property custodians. In smaller firms, they also may perform tasks such as packing and mailing items, usually handled by shipping and receiving clerks. (A separate statement on shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks appears elsewhere in the Handbook.)
In many firms, stock clerks and order fillers use hand-held scanners connected to computers to keep inventories up to date. In retail stores, stock clerks bring merchandise to the sales floor and stock shelves and racks. In stockrooms and warehouses, stock clerks store materials in bins, on floors, or on shelves. Instead of putting the merchandise on the sales floor or on shelves, order fillers take customers’ orders and either hold the merchandise until the customers can pick it up or send it to them.
Work environment. Working conditions vary considerably by employment setting. Most jobs for stock clerks and order fillers involve frequent standing, bending, walking, and stretching. Some lifting and carrying of smaller items also may be involved. Although automated devices have lessened the physical demands of this occupation, their use remains somewhat limited. Even though mechanical material handling equipment is employed to move heavy items, the work still can be strenuous.
Evening and weekend hours are common and may be required when large shipments are involved or when inventory is taken.
Related Occupations
- Credit Authorizers
- Marking Clerks
- Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators
- Office Machine Operators
- Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers