Cashiers
Overview
Cashiers are the friendly faces customers see when checking out at stores, handling everything from scanning items to processing payments and returns. They work with modern point-of-sale systems, accept various payment methods including mobile payments and credit cards, and help customers with store programs and policies. This role develops strong customer service and multitasking skills while working in fast-paced retail environments. Many cashiers work flexible schedules, making it a popular entry-level job that teaches valuable workplace skills like money handling, communication, and problem-solving.

Did you know?
Cashier positions typically offer minimum wage with few opportunities for significant salary increases or career progression within most American retail establishments.
At a Glance
Median Wage
$30,510 Avg/yr
Growth
Stable
Top Skill
Installation
Key Responsibilities
- Cash checks for customers.
- Answer incoming phone calls.
- Establish or identify prices of goods, services, or admission, and tabulate bills, using calculators, cash registers, or optical price scanners.
- Maintain clean and orderly checkout areas, and complete other general cleaning duties, such as mopping floors and emptying trash cans.
- Stock shelves, sort and reshelve returned items, and mark prices on items and shelves.
- Calculate total payments received during a time period, and reconcile this with total sales.
- Process merchandise returns and exchanges.
- Issue trading stamps, and redeem food stamps and coupons.
- Offer customers carry-out service at the completion of transactions.
- Keep periodic balance sheets of amounts and numbers of transactions.
- Compute and record totals of transactions.
- Greet customers entering establishments.
- Help customers find the location of products.
- Weigh items sold by weight to determine prices.
- Request information or assistance, using paging systems.
- Compile and maintain non-monetary reports and records.
- Receive payment by cash, check, credit cards, vouchers, or automatic debits.
- Monitor checkout stations to ensure they have adequate cash available and are staffed appropriately.
- Sort, count, and wrap currency and coins.
- Assist with duties in other areas of the store, such as monitoring fitting rooms or bagging and carrying out customers' items.
- Sell tickets and other items to customers.
- Bag, box, wrap, or gift-wrap merchandise, and prepare packages for shipment.
- Issue receipts, refunds, credits, or change due to customers.
- Supervise others and provide on-the-job training.
- Answer customers' questions, and provide information on procedures or policies.
- Post charges against guests' or patients' accounts.
- Assist customers by providing information and resolving their complaints.
- Count money in cash drawers at the beginning of shifts to ensure that amounts are correct and that there is adequate change.
Career Considerations
Limited Wage Growth and Advancement
Cashier positions typically offer minimum wage with few opportunities for significant salary increases or career progression within most American retail establishments.
Customer Service Excellence Requirements
American retail culture emphasizes exceptional customer service, requiring cashiers to maintain friendly, efficient interactions even during high-stress situations.
Technology Integration and Adaptability
Modern cashier roles increasingly require proficiency with evolving point-of-sale systems, mobile payments, and self-checkout technology supervision.