Sell spare and replacement parts and equipment in repair shop or parts store.
U.S. Workers
265,060
Median Salary
$37,440
10-Year Growth
+3.1%
Annual Openings
30,200
Typical entry: No formal educational credential
18 of 19 tasks have some AI capability
Exposure Trend
This score reflects estimated AI technical capability for tasks in this occupation. It does not predict employment changes, and it does not account for company-specific constraints, regulation, or adoption barriers.
Receive and fill telephone orders for parts.
AI: Fully automatable - As of 2025 AI voice agents and integrated order-management/RPA systems can take telephone orders, validate details, and create/route fulfillment tasks end-to-end.
Receive payment or obtain credit authorization.
AI: Fully automatable - Payment processing and credit authorization are routinely automated via payment gateways, APIs, and secure RPA workflows that AI can control end-to-end.
Read catalogs, microfiche viewers, or computer displays to determine replacement part stock numbers and prices.
AI: Fully automatable - OCR, information retrieval, and parts-matching models allow AI to read digital or digitized catalogs/microfiche and extract stock numbers and prices accurately.
Prepare sales slips or sales contracts.
AI: Fully automatable - AI can populate templates and ERP forms to generate sales slips and contracts automatically, including required calculations and validations.
Discuss use and features of various parts, based on knowledge of machines or equipment.
AI: Fully automatable - AI can access technical specifications, manuals, and domain knowledge to accurately discuss the use and features of parts and equipment.
Manage shipments by researching shipping methods or costs and tracking packages.
AI: Fully automatable - AI systems can research shipping methods and costs, generate labels, schedule carriers, and track packages end-to-end using available APIs and data.
Advise customers on substitution or modification of parts when identical replacements are not available.
AI: Fully automatable - AI can compare specifications, compatibility data, and engineering constraints to recommend viable substitutions or modifications when identical parts are unavailable.
Fill customer orders from stock and place orders when requested items are out of stock.
AI: Partial - AI can generate pick lists, update inventory, and auto-place replenishment orders, but physical picking/packing still often requires human labor or specialized warehouse robots not universally available.
Determine replacement parts required, according to inspections of old parts, customer requests, or customers' descriptions of malfunctions.
AI: Partial - AI can infer likely replacement parts from photos, descriptions, and diagnostics and recommend options, but nuanced inspection, ambiguous cases, and tactile checks still need human expertise.
Assist customers, such as responding to customer complaints and updating them about back-ordered parts.
AI: Partial - Automated customer-service systems can handle routine complaints and backorder notifications, but complex dispute resolution and high-empathy interactions still require human agents.
Locate and label parts and maintain inventory of stock.
AI: Partial - AI-driven inventory systems can track, suggest locations, and produce labels, yet the physical locating, labeling, and handling of parts typically remain manual or require specialized robotics.
Mark and store parts in stockrooms according to prearranged systems.
AI: Partial - AI can determine storage schemes and produce labeling instructions, but the actual marking and physical stowing of parts is generally performed by humans or dedicated warehouse automation.
Pick up and deliver parts.
AI: Partial - AI can fully coordinate logistics, schedule carriers, and route deliveries, but performing the physical pickup and last-mile delivery itself is not broadly automated by 2025.
Examine returned parts for defects, and exchange defective parts or refund money.
AI: Partial - AI can analyze photos, run automated defect-detection models and handle refund workflows but cannot physically manipulate or conclusively inspect ambiguous defects without human or robotic agents.
Place new merchandise on display.
AI: Partial - AI can create planograms and give step-by-step placement instructions or augmented-reality guidance but cannot physically place merchandise without robotic assistance.
Demonstrate equipment to customers and explain functioning of equipment.
AI: Partial - AI can explain equipment function and provide virtual demonstrations or simulated walkthroughs, but cannot perform in-person hands-on demonstrations for customers.
Measure parts, using precision measuring instruments, to determine whether similar parts may be machined to required sizes.
AI: Partial - AI can analyze measurement data and drive metrology systems to determine machinability, but it requires physical precision instruments and often human oversight for setup and verification.
Repair parts or equipment.
AI: Partial - AI can diagnose issues, provide stepwise repair instructions, and guide technicians, but it cannot broadly perform the varied physical repairs autonomously.
Maintain and clean work and inventory areas.
AI: Not automatable - Maintaining and cleaning work and inventory areas requires physical manual work and situational dexterity that AI alone cannot perform reliably as of 2025.