Garden Center Sales Associate Full Time

Garden Center Sales Associate

Since 1978, Big Tool Box has been the family-owned hardware haven where "all the expertise is under one roof," putting customer service at the heart of everything it does. Spanning five powerhouse categories-Ace Hardware and Tools for every nut, bolt, and power tool imaginable; the Rental & Repair Center to keep projects moving without breaking the bank; the Highlands Garden Center bursting with plants, soil, and green-thumb guidance; the Lawn & Sprinkler Center for flawless outdoor irrigation and landscape solutions; and the Grillin and Chillin Center stocked with premium BBQ grills and all the accessories for perfect backyard cookouts-Big Tool Box remains the go-to destination for contractors, gardeners, grill masters, and DIYers alike.

Job Summary

• Assist customers with inside and outside garden sales covering live goods, patio décor, garden decorations, tools, chemicals, lawn care, and landscaping supplies.
• Drive sales through merchandising, price changes, stocking, inventory tasks, back-up cashiering, and hands-on plant care to create an inspiring, fully stocked garden center.
• Deliver exceptional service indoors and outdoors in the garden center with flexible shifts and seasonal live-goods focus.
• Full-time, part-time, or seasonal positions with comprehensive training and outdoor working in all weather.
• Full-time position with flexible availability including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Praise worthy customer service is our goal in every customer interaction.

Key Responsibilities

• Inside Garden Sales
  • Greet customers in houseplant, seed, bulb, and indoor décor zones; recommend succulents, orchids, starter kits, potting mixes, indoor fertilizers, and decorative pots.
  • Demo soil moisture meters, grow lights, and self-watering planters; upsell Ace Rewards and plant care bundles.
  • Process POS transactions, special orders, and rain checks for indoor live goods and seasonal décor.
• Outside Garden Sales
  • Proactively assist in the outdoor garden center: carry flats of annuals, 5-gal shrubs, bagged mulch, or pavers to carts/vehicles.
  • Advise on sun/shade needs, perennial pairings, pollinator plants, patio furniture, fountains, wind chimes, and outdoor lighting.
  • Load bulk items (soil, stone, sod) safely; offer carry-out and delivery scheduling.
• Merchandising
  • Build indoor endcaps (herb starter kits) and outdoor color stations (wave petunia pyramids, Proven Winners trios).
  • Arrange patio décor (benches, statues, trellises) and garden decorations (birdbaths, flags, solar stakes) into themed vignettes.
  • Hang baskets, rotate live goods for best light, and install vendor POP, QR care tags, and price signage.
• Price Changes & Stocking
  • Execute weekly price changes via RF gun: remove old tags, print/apply new, update POS overrides.
  • Stock shelves, tables, and racks with live goods, bagged goods, décor, and patio items; front-face and fill from backstock.
  • Rotate dated chemicals and live plants FIFO; consolidate trays and cull unsellables.
• Inventory & Live Goods Care
  • Conduct cycle counts on 20-50 live goods SKUs (high-shrink herbs, succulents) using mobile RF scanner and Mango reports.
  • Water, prune, deadhead, and monitor indoor/outdoor plants; adjust misting and shade cloth per weather.
  • Report low stock, pests, or damage; assist with receiving live pallets (count, inspect, quarantine).
• Back-Up Cashiering
  • Jump to registers (indoor or garden checkout) when lines exceed 2 customers; scan bulky items, process payments, and bag live goods carefully.
  • Handle returns, rain checks, Ace Rewards lookups, and simple overrides; radio for manager on discounts.
  • Ring up propane fills, bulk mulch tickets, or patio sets; offer loading assistance post-transaction.
• Safety & Team Support
  • Secure pesticides and sharp décor; wear gloves for chemicals and sun protection outdoors.
  • Radio for price checks, loading help, or special orders; cover breaks in adjacent departments.
  • Participate in opening/closing: sweep indoor aisles and outdoor walkways, lock gates, water final round.
• All other duties as assigned by management.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Education
  • High school diploma or GED equivalent preferred.
• Experience
  • Garden center, nursery, or retail merchandising experience a plus; live goods and cashier training provided.
• Skills & Abilities
  • Working knowledge of plant identification, light/water needs, patio trends, and safe chemical handling.
  • Friendly, energetic communicator who turns "I need flowers" into a $200 patio refresh.
  • Basic math for coverage calculations, bulk pricing, price-change batches, and cash handling.
  • Comfort with POS, RF scanner, label printer, and Ace Retail App
• Physical Requirements
  • Lift/carry up to 50 lbs repeatedly (flats of annuals, patio chairs, bagged soil).
  • Stand/walk full shift indoors and outdoors; bend, kneel, reach overhead; work in heat, cold, rain, sun, pollen.
  • Push/pull rolling plant racks and loaded carts across gravel or concrete.
  • 16 years of age or older
• Other
  • Passion for live plants, outdoor living, and creating Instagram-worthy displays.
  • Willingness to work outdoors in the garden center year-round and back up at registers.
  • Weekend and peak spring/summer availability required.
  • Commitment to BigToolBoxs helpful, neighborly culture.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Education
  • High school diploma or GED equivalent preferred.
• Experience
  • Garden center, nursery, or retail merchandising experience a plus; live goods and cashier training provided.
• Skills & Abilities
  • Working knowledge of plant identification, light/water needs, patio trends, and safe chemical handling.
  • Friendly, energetic communicator who turns "I need flowers" into a $200 patio refresh.
  • Basic math for coverage calculations, bulk pricing, price-change batches, and cash handling.
  • Comfort with POS, RF scanner, label printer, and Ace Retail App
• Physical Requirements
  • Lift/carry up to 50 lbs repeatedly (flats of annuals, patio chairs, bagged soil).
  • Stand/walk full shift indoors and outdoors; bend, kneel, reach overhead; work in heat, cold, rain, sun, pollen.
  • Push/pull rolling plant racks and loaded carts across gravel or concrete.
  • 16 years of age or older
• Other
  • Passion for live plants, outdoor living, and creating Instagram-worthy displays.
  • Willingness to work outdoors in the garden center year-round and back up at registers.
  • Weekend and peak spring/summer availability required.
  • Commitment to BigToolBoxs helpful, neighborly culture.