Replenishment associate is just a fancy name for a stock clerk. If you take on this job, you'll play a vital role in making sure the business you work for runs smoothly and its customers find the products they seek. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, grocery, department and clothing stores are some of the primary employers of replenishment associates. Warehouses often hire them as well.
Duties
Businesses keep the products they sell in two places: Stock rooms and the sales floor. A replenishment associate receives deliveries to the stock room, unpacks orders, organizes the stock room and keeps track of inventory. This person also has the job of organizing products on the sales floor so that customers and salespeople can easily find them. A replenishment associate restocks the shelves as products on the sales floor get sold. Likewise, he replaces products that have expired, been recalled or sustained damage. In addition, some of these jobs require packing and shipping of customer orders and applying price tags to items.
Requirements
Although job requirements vary from employer to employer, they usually include the ability to multitask, good physical health, strength and stamina. For example, some jobs may require you to repeatedly lift up to 50 pounds and climb ladders to position and retrieve products. You may also have to spend a good deal of each day on your feet. You will need to be a team player, and some jobs require driver's licensing for operating company vehicles. Many employers require candidates to submit to a background check, which can reveal red flags for things like stealing and fraud. Likewise, some employers require job applicants to pass drug testing. Many provide on-the-job training for successful candidates.
Skills
You'll need a range of skills as a replenishment associate. Organizational skills, the ability to follow written and verbal instructions, and computer skills will serve you well in this job. Likewise, these jobs typically call for bending and lifting packages of various sizes, including heavy containers. The equipment you might need to use for this position can run the gamut from scanners that input information into the company's inventory system to vehicles called pallet trucks, which are used to move and store product shipments. For smaller loads of products, you'll likely use a hand truck. Communication skills are essential for talking with other replenishment associates, sales people and sometimes customers.
Work Schedule
Replenishment associates generally work during normal business hours for the store or company that hires them. In some cases, this involves working Monday through Friday. However, many businesses, especially retail and grocery stores, requires associates to work weekend hours as well. Some offer weekday schedules but require workers to work a weekend once or twice per month. In addition, some positions call specifically for overnight work. Part-time, full-time and seasonal opportunities exist.
References
Writer Bio
Jordan Meyers has been a writer for 13 years, specializing in businesses, educational and health topics. Meyers holds a Bachelor of Science in biology from the University of Maryland and once survived writing 500 health product descriptions in just 24 hours.