Nature of the Work

Stock clerks receive merchandise in stores, warehouses, stockrooms, and other storage facilities; unpack it; mark items with identifying codes, such as price, stock, or inventory control codes; stock shelves; and help customers with their packages. Order fillers complete customers mail, Web, and phone orders by retrieving the ordered merchandise, computing the prices and recording the sale, and preparing it for shipment. Most jobs are physically demanding and may result in minor muscle ailments, scrapes, or other injuries. In retail establishments, evening and weekend hours are common.

Education and Training

A high school diploma or GED is usually sufficient for this occupation. Most stock clerks and order fillers learn their jobs through short-term on-the-job training.

Job Outlook

Employment change. Average growth in the employment of stock clerks and order fillers is expected. Most stock clerks and order fillers work in retail trade, most notably in grocery and department stores, stocking shelves and retrieving items for customers. These tasks, which usually require handling small quantities of items, are difficult to automate.

Job prospects. Numerous job openings will occur due to the need to replace workers who leave the occupation, a characteristic of very large occupations with minimal training requirements. Job openings in grocery, general merchandise, clothing, and department stores will be greater than in other industries, because much of the work is done manually and is difficult to automate.