Interview Questions

Store Manager Interview Questions


A Store Manager is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of a store, making sure it runs smoothly and effectively. Their duties include motivating sales teams, creating business strategies, developing promotional material, and training new staff.

Whether you're a job seeker preparing to be interviewed for the role of Store Manager or an employer preparing to interview candidates for Store Manager position, these Store Manager interview questions will help you prepare yourself for the job interview session.

Store Manager Interview Questions

Below are a list of some skill-based Store Manager interview questions.

  1. How would you handle an angry customer?
  2. What is your method for monitoring inventory levels?
  3. Which strategies do you use to motivate your employees and why?
  4. What experience do you have in managing a retail store?
  5. What strategies would you use to increase profits in our store?
  6. What do you think is the most important aspect of customer service?
  7. What do you think is the best way to train new employees?
  8. What are your thoughts on online shopping and its effect on retail stores?
  9. Who are our main competitors?
  10. What tasks, when executed incorrectly, directly impact sales?
  11. How do you think customer experience should be a priority for store managers?
  12. What technologies do you think are necessary for a successful retail business?
  13. What do you think is the most important aspect of being a successful store manager?
  14. A customer wants to return an item they purchased six months ago, but your return policy asks customers to return items within 30 days of purchase to receive a refund. What do you do?
  15. What do you think sets our store apart from other retail stores?
  16. How would you monitor the performance of your staff members?
  17. What goals would you set for yourself in this job?
  18. What are your thoughts on our current sales and marketing strategy?
  19. How would you address shrink in your store?
  20. A specific product hasn’t sold well and you have a lot of inventory left over. What strategies do you implement to sell it and earn a profit?
  21. What’s the most important decision you make every day as a store manager?
  22. Do you have experience organizing displays in an aesthetically-pleasing way?
  23. How would you teach a colleague how to close the register?
  24. What do you think is the biggest challenge facing retail stores today?
  25. A product is selling well at our competitors’ stores but not at our store. Why do you think this is
  26. How do you think your colleagues would describe you as a manager?
  27. How many people have you fired at your last job? Why did you fire them?
  28. Can you tell me about a time that budget cuts meant you could only order one product over another? How did you make your decision?
  29. Two out of four sales associates assigned to work a shift call out sick and your assistant manager already called off for the day. What do you do?
  30. Are you okay with overseeing store operations on the weekends or later in the evening? What shifts do you prefer?
  31. You notice two sales associates aren’t working well as a team. How do you intervene to ensure productivity?
  32. You receive a shipment of products that don’t match what you ordered. What is your process for resolving the shipment issue?
  33. What would you do if you had an employee who was frequently late?
  34. One of the employees does not respect your authority. What would you do?

Store Manager Interview Questions and Answers

Every interview is different and the questions may vary. However, there are lots of general questions that get asked at every interview.

Below are some common questions you'd expect during Store Manager interviews. Click on each question to see how to answer them.

  1. Why Do You Want This Job?
  2. What is Your Greatest Weakness?
  3. Are You a Leader or a Follower?
  4. What Is Your Greatest Accomplishment?
  5. Do You Have Any Questions for Us?
  6. What is Your Salary Expectation?
  7. Why Do You Want To Leave Your Current Job?
  8. What is Your Greatest Strength?
  9. Tell Me About Yourself
  10. Why Should We Hire You?