Street Vendors and Related Salespersons
Overview
Snapshot
Summary
Street Vendors and Related Salespersons sell goods and services on established routes, door-to-door, and at street and market locations.
Tasks
-
collecting goods and transporting them along established routes, to door-to-door areas, and to street and market locations
-
displaying and demonstrating goods, and explaining the qualities of goods to customers
-
informing customers of new goods and services
-
receiving payments from customers and giving change
-
recording transactions on customer receipts and sales records
-
wrapping and packaging goods sold
-
developing lists of prospective customers and calling on them to obtain new business
-
ordering and purchasing goods for sale, and monitoring and maintaining stock levels
-
may attract attention by playing music, singing and calling out goods and services for sale
Characteristics
-
Informal or on-the-job
-
Administrative
-
Enterprising
-
Sedentary
-
Light
-
Medium
Outlook
JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. The latest data are for the five years from November 2021 to November 2026. Over this period, the number of workers:
- is expected to decline
- is likely to reach 5,300 by 2026.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Notes: The number employed includes people who work in this occupation as their main job. People who work in more than one job are counted against the occupation they work the most hours in.
Employment projections figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Calculations based on these rounded figures may result in differences to the numbers that are displayed on this page. Employment projections data (including occupations) can be downloaded from the Employment Projections page.
Number of Workers
Year | Employment |
---|---|
2011 | 10,700 |
2012 | 13,800 |
2013 | 4,800 |
2014 | 8,600 |
2015 | 9,700 |
2016 | 6,800 |
2017 | 12,900 |
2018 | 6,500 |
2019 | 6,200 |
2020 | 3,100 |
2021 | 6,100 |
2026 | 5,300 |
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Earnings and hours
Working arrangements
-
Around 46% of people employed as Street Vendors and Related Salespersons work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 20 percentage points below the all jobs average (66%).
Full-time workers work an average of 46 hours per week in their main job. This is similar to the all jobs average (44 hours per week).
Sources:Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average.
Industries
Main industries
-
Street Vendors and Related Salespersons work in industries like:
- Retail trade
- Health care and social assistance
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services.
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, annual average 2021.
Regions
Employment across Australia
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Employment by State and Territory (% Share)
State | Street Vendors and Related Salespersons | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
NSW | 30.8 | 31.6 |
VIC | 23.9 | 25.6 |
QLD | 23.6 | 20.0 |
SA | 7.3 | 7.0 |
WA | 10.1 | 10.8 |
TAS | 2.3 | 2.0 |
NT | 0.8 | 1.0 |
ACT | 1.1 | 1.9 |
-
Around 61% of Street Vendors and Related Salespersons live in capital cities, similar to the all jobs average of 62%.
Queensland has a large share of employment relative to its population size.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Worker profile
Age and gender
-
The median age of Street Vendors and Related Salespersons is 41 years. This is similar to the all jobs average of 40 years.
A large share of workers are aged 35 to 44 years.
Females make up 53% of the workforce. This is 5 percentage points above the all jobs average of 48%.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.
Age Profile (% Share)
Age Bracket | Street Vendors and Related Salespersons | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
15-19 | 5.2 | 5.0 |
20-24 | 9.8 | 9.3 |
25-34 | 20.8 | 22.9 |
35-44 | 21.0 | 22.0 |
45-54 | 19.7 | 21.6 |
55-59 | 8.8 | 9.0 |
60-64 | 7.5 | 6.0 |
65 and Over | 7.3 | 4.2 |
Median Age | 41 | 40 |
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Employment Pathways
Education, training and experience
Formal qualifications are not essential to work as a Street Vendor or Related Salesperson, although some workers have undertaken training.
Visit
- My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
- AAPathways website to explore Retail Services VET training pathways.
Highest Level of Education (% Share)
Type of Qualification | Street Vendors and Related Salespersons | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate | 6.8 | 10.1 |
Bachelor degree | 17.8 | 21.8 |
Advanced Diploma/Diploma | 11.0 | 11.6 |
Certificate III/IV | 15.4 | 21.1 |
Year 12 | 25.6 | 18.1 |
Year 11 | 6.2 | 4.8 |
Year 10 and below | 17.2 | 12.5 |
Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Skills and Knowledge
Employers look for Street Vendors and Related Salespersons who connect well with others, provide good customer service and have an enthusiastic and positive attitude.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
-
59%
PersuasionTalking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
-
50%
NegotiationBringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
-
48%
SpeakingTalking to others.
-
48%
Active listeningListening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
-
46%
Social perceptivenessUnderstanding why people react the way they do.
-
46%
Serving othersLooking for ways to help people.
-
46%
Critical thinkingThinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
-
45%
Judgment and decision makingFiguring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
-
43%
Coordination with othersBeing adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
-
43%
Time managementManaging your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
-
41%
Reading comprehensionReading work related information.
-
41%
WritingWriting things for co-workers or customers.
-
39%
MonitoringKeeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
-
37%
Complex problem solvingNoticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
-
36%
Active learningBeing able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
-
34%
Learning strategiesFiguring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
-
32%
InstructingTeaching people how to do something.
-
25%
Management of material resourcesProviding the right equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do work.
-
23%
Management of personnel resourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
-
23%
Systems analysisFiguring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
-
60%
Sales and marketingShowing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
-
56%
Customer and personal serviceUnderstanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
-
41%
Education and trainingCurriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
-
36%
Communications and mediaMedia production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
-
36%
English languageEnglish language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
-
34%
PsychologyHuman behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
-
34%
ClericalWord processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
-
33%
MathematicsArithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
-
32%
Administration and managementBusiness principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
-
29%
Personnel and human resourcesRecruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
-
26%
Computers and electronicsCircuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
-
23%
Economics and accountingEconomics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.
-
17%
Sociology and anthropologyGroup behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
-
16%
TransportationMoving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.
-
13%
Production and processingRaw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.
-
8%
TelecommunicationsTransmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
-
8%
Therapy and counsellingDiagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and career counselling and guidance.
-
8%
Law and governmentHow our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
-
6%
Fine artsCompose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
-
6%
Public safety and securityUse of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities..
-
54%
Oral comprehensionListen to and understand what people say.
-
54%
Oral expressionCommunicate by speaking.
-
54%
Speech recognitionIdentify and understand the speech of another person.
-
50%
Speech claritySpeak clearly so others can understand you.
-
46%
Written comprehensionRead and understand written information.
-
46%
Written expressionWrite in a way that people can understand.
-
46%
Deductive reasoningUse general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
-
45%
Inductive reasoningUse lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
-
45%
Problem spottingNotice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
-
43%
Near visionSee details that are up-close (within a few feet).
-
41%
BrainstormingCome up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.
-
41%
Sorting or orderingOrder or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
-
39%
CategorisingCome up with different ways of grouping things.
-
39%
OriginalityCome up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.
-
38%
Selective attentionPay attention to something without being distracted.
-
30%
MultitaskingDo two or more things at the same time.
-
27%
Trunk strengthUse your abdominal and lower back muscles a number of times without 'giving out' or fatiguing.
-
25%
MemorizationRemember things like words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.
-
23%
Far visionSee details that are far away.
-
20%
MathematicsChoose the right maths method or formula to solve a problem.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
-
64%
Planning and prioritising workDeciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
-
63%
Influencing peopleConvincing people to buy something or to change their minds or actions.
-
63%
Working with the publicGreeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.
-
61%
Building good relationshipsBuilding good working relationships and keeping them over time.
-
56%
Communicating with the publicGiving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
53%
Coaching and developing othersWorking out the needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or helping them to improve.
-
44%
Keeping your knowledge up-to-dateKeeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
-
44%
Communicating within a teamGiving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
42%
Leading and encouraging a teamEncouraging and building trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
-
42%
Scheduling work and activitiesWorking out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
-
41%
Researching and investigatingLooking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
-
41%
Coming up with systems and processesDeciding on goals and figuring out what you need to do to achieve them.
-
41%
Thinking creativelyUsing your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.
-
40%
Training and teaching othersUnderstanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.
-
39%
Providing office supportDoing day-to-day office work such as filing and processing paperwork.
-
38%
Working with computersUsing computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
-
38%
Making decisions and solving problemsUsing information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
-
37%
Guiding and directing staffGuiding and directing staff, including setting and monitoring performance standards.
-
36%
Helping and caring for othersProviding personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.
-
34%
Managing payments and ordersMonitoring and controlling resources and the spending of money.
Interests and demands
Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.
Interests
Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.
-
100%
EnterprisingStarting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
-
67%
AdministrativeFollowing set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
-
43%
HelpingWorking with people. Helping or providing service to others.
-
43%
PracticalPractical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
-
33%
CreativeWorking with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
-
14%
AnalyticalIdeas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
Values
-
71%
RelationshipsServe and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
-
52%
AchievementResults oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
-
52%
IndependenceWork alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.
-
36%
Working conditionsJob security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.
-
29%
RecognitionAdvancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.
-
29%
SupportSupportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.
Demands
-
97%
Freedom to make decisionsHave freedom to make decision on your own.
-
97%
Unstructured workHave freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
-
94%
Contact with the publicWork with customers or the public.
-
93%
Contact with peopleHave contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
-
91%
TelephoneTalk on the telephone.
-
84%
Electronic mailUse electronic mail.
-
76%
Face-to-face discussionsTalk with people face-to-face.
-
71%
Physically close to peopleWork physically close to other people.
-
70%
CompetitionCompete with others, or be aware of competitive pressures.
-
67%
Letters and memosWrite letters and memos.
-
62%
Public speakingTalk to a group of people.
-
61%
Spend time sittingSpend time sitting at work.
-
60%
Frequent decision makingFrequently make decisions that impact other people.
-
59%
Spend time standingSpend time standing at work.
-
57%
Impact of decisionsMake decisions that have a large impact on other people.
-
57%
Time pressureWork to strict deadlines.
-
55%
TeamworkWork with people in a group or team.
-
49%
Angry or unpleasant peopleDeal with unpleasant, angry, or rude people.
-
48%
Using your hands to handle, control, or feelSpend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.
-
47%
Conflict situationsDeal with conflict or disagreements.
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 41-9091.00 - Door-To-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers.
Links and downloads
Research and reports
The Skills Priority List provides a current labour market rating and a future demand rating for nearly 800 occupations nationally. Current labour market ratings are available for occupations at a state and territory level.
Downloads
-
Occupation profiles data are available for download.
The Employment Projections are available for download.