Is Clothing/Shoe/Accessory Stores A Good Career Path? | 2023

Yes. Clothing/shoe/accessory stores are an excellent career path. The fashion retail business employs about 1.4 million people, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). It is worth more than $3 trillion.

Thousands of positions are available in the clothing/shoe/accessory retail labor market, ranging from apparel merchandisers to footwear designers.

This career will be interesting and rewarding if you are interested in fashion and enjoy staying up with design trends.

What Are Clothing/Shoe/Accessory Stores?

Clothing/shoe/accessory stores sell new clothing and accessories from established sales points.

In other words, a clothing/shoe/accessory store is an industry that sells people’s apparel, shoes, and accessories.

It involves designing the clothes, transporting them, and exhibiting them in the retail store for customers to see.

Is Clothing/Shoe/Accessory Stores A Good Career Path?

Yes. Working in clothing/shoe/accessory stores is a good career path. Despite the development of e-commerce sites and online marketing, clothing retailers will keep attracting customers due to the skills of their workers.

Clothing can be a challenging item to choose from without seeing and putting it on. However, many individuals prefer to buy new clothes in person.

Clothing, shoes, and accessories are all available at retail outlets. There are stores that specialize in one of these as well.

No matter which one you choose, some skills make you important.

How Much Can You Make in Clothing/Shoe/Accessory Stores Career Path?

Indeed, salary varies based on the following factors; education, location, and level of experience or skills. The more educated and experienced you are, the better your income is going to be.

The average annual salary for clothing/shoe/accessory stores jobs ranges between $33,110 to $101,180.

Entry-level jobs like Assistant Merchandise Buyer have a salary range of $20,000 to $51,000.

For mid-level positions such as Marketing and Sales Managers, it ranges from $32.62 to $67,840. Senior-level positions like Sales Managers have the highest salary range of $46.90 to $97,550.

In addition to basic salary, many clothing, shoe, and accessory stores provide workers with benefits such as health insurance, etc.

Some shops may also provide commission-based salaries, which allows top performers to earn more money.

Top 5 Highest Paying Cities for Clothing Store Jobs

City	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
Santa Clara, CA	$42,630	$3,552	$819	$20.50
San Francisco, CA	$41,127	$3,427	$790	$19.77
Fremont, CA	$40,166	$3,347	$772	$19.31
Marysville, WA	$40,139	$3,344	$771	$19.30
San Jose, CA	$38,865	$3,238	$747	$18.69

Pros and Cons of Clothing/Shoes/Accessories Stores Career Path

Pros:

• Career Advancement: For many people, getting entry-level work at a clothing/shoe/accessory store is a good start. You’ll be able to obtain hands-on experience and useful skills in a variety of job roles.
• Gaining Useful Skills: Employees at clothing/shoe/accessory businesses are frequently required to hit sales targets. This will aid in developing excellent sales skills such as persuasive marketing abilities, product knowledge, and strategies.
• Flexibility: Clothing/shoe/accessory stores jobs have flexible hours. As a result, they are a fine choice for anyone who must combine work with other duties such as school or family.
• Employee Benefits and Discounts: Many clothing/shoe/accessory stores give their employees up to 20% off their purchases. This allows them to buy products at a lower cost and perhaps save money.

Cons:

• Low Income: Employees in the fashion retail business rarely receive a normal salary. Some jobs often pay the minimum wage or higher. This may not be enough to sustain some individuals or their families.
• Very Competitive: A career path in Clothing/Shoes/Accessories Stores is a highly competitive sector. Most of the time, huge candidates have a limited amount of job positions.
• Long Working Hours: Clothing/shoe/accessory stores jobs can require full-time employees to work long hours. This includes weekends and evenings, which can be stressful for people with other commitments. The stress rate spikes up during busy shopping periods.

Benefits For Employees In The Clothing/Shoe/Accessory Stores

• Health Insurance
• Employee Discounts
• On-the-job Training
• Employee Referral Program
• Retirement Savings Plan
• Paid Time Off

What Certificate Do You Need For A Career In Clothing/Shoes/Accessories Stores?

• Retail Management Degree: A retail management degree may not be for everyone in the clothing/shoes/accessory industry. On the other hand, obtaining this degree will make you a better manager or merchandising controller.
• Fashion Design Certificate Program: A fashion design certificate program may teach you the skills you will apply to create high-quality designs for clothing, shoes, and accessories. It is a fantastic concept for anyone who wants to become a shoemaker or a clothing designer.
• Apprenticeship: The majority of the best jobs in the clothing/shoe/accessories store industry require hands-on experience. Therefore,  obtaining an apprenticeship degree can help you gain the necessary experience.

Despite the fact that most careers in clothing/shoe/accessories stores do not require a degree, thus your main path to advancement in this field will be through experience.

#1: Apprenticeship

The majority of the highest-paying jobs in clothing, shoe, and accessory stores need practical skills.

• Jeweller
• Jewellery designer
• Goldsmiths
• Tailors
• Jewelry polisher
• Shoe Repair
• Bootmakers
• Footwear designer

#2: Degree

There are some exceptions, therefore here are some degrees to think about.

• Retail management
• Apparel and Textiles
• Design
  • Design Technology
  • Fashion Design

How Much Can You Make in Clothing/Shoe/Accessory Stores?

The more educated and experienced you are, the better your income is going to be. In terms of salary, many clothing, shoe, and accessory stores provide workers with benefits such as bonuses, health insurance, etc.

Some stores may also provide commission-based income, which gives top performers the chance to earn more money.

Clothing/Shoe/Accessory Stores Job Prospects and Growth

For years, the market for clothing/shoe/accessory retailers has been booming.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an increase 10 years from now.

The sector is currently one of the largest, worth more than $3 trillion, and is predicted to grow by 3.55% by 2027.

As a result, being current with trends and understanding business methods are vital in this line of work. This means that there will be more jobs available for individuals who are passionate about it.

Available Jobs In Clothing/ Shoe /Accessory Stores

• Alteration Specialist
• Public Relations Manager
• Jewelry Grader
• Store Driver
• Retail Store Salesperson
• Tailor
• Goldsmith
• Bench Jeweler
• Textile Producer
• Cashier
• Assistant Store Manager
• Department Manager
• Relief Goods Buyer
• Shoe Repairer

Best Paying Jobs In Clothing/Shoe/Accessory Stores

1]: Goldsmith

• Average Annual Salary: $48,886 (ZipRecruiter)

A goldsmith’s work and salary vary widely depending on their region and level of skill. Goldsmiths make jewelry largely via forging, filing, and casting.

They are required to have some working knowledge of other precious metals as well, despite the fact that they work mostly called goldsmiths.

2]: Jeweler

• Average Annual Salary: $43,403 (Salary)

The duty of a jeweler is to design and maintain attractive and costly jewelry pieces. This can range from engagement rings and wedding bands to pendants, earrings, and other fine jewelry.

A jeweler often has an in-depth understanding of gemstones and precious metals, as well as the ability to produce and repair jewelry using a range of equipment and techniques.

3]: Inventory Manager

• Average Annual Salary: $63,047 (Talent)

This person is in charge of keeping track of the store’s inventory. The stock manager must ensure that the real stock in the shop matches the computerized stock, which requires a lot of counting.

4]: Store Manager

• Average Annual Salary: $64,500 (Salary)

As a store manager, you will be in charge of monitoring the store’s daily operations, such as managing personnel, setting sales objectives, and ensuring that everything runs smoothly.

This high-paying position requires excellent leadership and managerial abilities, as well as the ability to make decisions and handle issues.

5]: Footwear Designer

• Average Annual Salary: $58,511

As a footwear designer, you will develop brand-new footwear concepts or update current ones. You will draw your thoughts or design directly on a computer-aided design (CAD) system.

You’ll need to keep up with current trends and fashions, as well as master foot anatomy.

Top 5 Highest Paying Cities for Footwear Designer Jobs

City	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
San Mateo, CA	$53,908	$4,492	$1,036	$25.92
Boston, MA	$53,628	$4,469	$1,031	$25.78
Green River, WY	$53,515	$4,459	$1,029	$25.73
Daly City, CA	$53,158	$4,429	$1,022	$25.56
Renton, WA	$53,088	$4,424	$1,020	$25.52

Entry-Level Jobs In Clothing/Shoe/Accessory Stores

6]: Apparel Merchandiser

• Average Annual Salary: $34,511 (Glassdoor)

Apparel merchandisers work with clothes, ensuring that it is neatly folded or hung on a hanger and placed in the right location for customers to see. Although not every business has an apparel merchandiser, most bigger stores do.

7]: Fashion Merchandiser

• Average Annual Salary: $45,937

Fashion merchandisers are in charge of the style design of clothing and accessories at retail clothing stores, costume suppliers, and fashion companies.

Predicting fashion trends, planning and implementing shop layouts, purchasing clothes, and collaborating with designers are all responsibilities of the fashion merchandiser.

Top 5 Highest Paying Cities for Fashion Merchandiser Jobs

City	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
New York City, NY	$53,437	$4,453	$1,027	$25.69
Green River, WY	$52,101	$4,341	$1,001	$25.05
San Mateo, CA	$51,866	$4,322	$997	$24.94
Daly City, CA	$50,986	$4,248	$980	$24.51
Bend, OR	$50,809	$4,234	$977	$24.43

Who Works In Clothing/Shoe/Accessory Stores?

People working in Clothing/Shoe/Accessory Stores sell clothes, shoes, and accessories to customers. This involves designing the clothing, transporting it to the shop, and placing it on the shelf for buyers to choose from.

The majority of those working in this field will be employed in stores. They give consumers advice and maintain order and supply in the stores.

Some will focus more on already-made product design and create items to market to people in their stores. While those highly skilled or educated produce the merchandise themselves, such as jewelers, goldsmiths, shoemakers, and fashion merchandisers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Bottom Line

For individuals who are passionate about fashion and enjoy interacting with people, choosing a career path in the clothes, shoe, and accessory stores might be an excellent decision.

The retail sector allows employees to keep up with the most recent trends and fashions while also providing job stability and flexible working hours.

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