Retail Ausbildung Guide
Short answer: Retail Ausbildung (Kaufmann/Kauffrau im Einzelhandel) is a three-year dual training in which you advise and sell to customers, handle goods, prices and stock, and learn business control, with four electives agreed in your contract. A two-year version, Verkäufer/-in, is also available. The training regulation names no required school certificate, so employers decide.
This guide explains what the training involves, how the two retail trainings differ, how the exams work, who can apply and where to find the official information. Visa and entry rules are outside the scope of this site.
Retail Ausbildung at a glance
| Topic | Kaufmann/Kauffrau im Einzelhandel | Verkäufer/-in |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 3 years | 2 years |
| Type | Dual training: company and vocational school (Berufsschule) | Dual training: company and vocational school |
| Electives | Four, set in the training contract | One, set in the training contract |
| School certificate | None named in the training regulation. Employers decide | None named in the training regulation. Employers decide |
| Exams | Two-part final exam: Part 1 at the end of the second year, Part 2 at the end | Intermediate exam at the start of the second year, final exam at the end |
| Training pay | Not set in the training regulation | Not set in the training regulation |
What retail specialists do
The training regulation lists the skills everyone learns, whatever the electives. For the three-year training they are:
- The product and service range. Guiding customers through the assortment, knowing the goods in your area and informing customers about their properties and use. This includes technical terms and product labels, also in foreign languages.
- Product display and advertising. Presenting goods attractively, changing prices within the rules and using advertising materials.
- Price calculation. Calculating purchase and selling prices and judging the effect of price changes.
- Stock control. Recording goods movements in the merchandise system, checking stock and helping with inventories.
- Goods receipt and storage. Checking deliveries and documents, and storing goods properly.
- Selling. Finding out customer wishes, advising, handling objections and dealing with complaints and returns.
- Checkout service. Operating the till, handling payments and doing the cash report.
- Retail processes. Understanding how purchasing, assortment planning, logistics and selling fit together, and suggesting improvements.
The electives
For the three-year training you complete one elective from the first list and three from the second. All four are named in your training contract. At least one of the three must come from the first three on the second list.
- First list (one): ensuring product availability, advising customers, checkout system data and customer service, or advertising and sales promotion.
- Second list (three): advising customers in complex situations, procuring goods, managing stock levels, commercial control, marketing measures, online retail, staff leadership and development, or preparing entrepreneurial self-employment.
Ask the employer which electives it offers before you apply, because they shape your training and the technical discussion in the final exam.
Kaufmann/Kauffrau or Verkäufer/-in?
Both trainings are in the same regulation. Verkäufer/-in lasts two years, has the same basic skills without the retail processes area, and one elective. The regulation says a completed Verkäufer/-in training can be credited with two years towards Kaufmann/Kauffrau im Einzelhandel, and the Verkäufer exam results in sales and advertising, goods management and calculation, and economics and social studies count like Part 1 of the longer training’s exam. If a posting says “Verkäufer” or “Kaufmann im Einzelhandel”, check which one you are applying for.
The exams
Kaufmann/Kauffrau im Einzelhandel. The final exam has two parts. Part 1 takes place at the end of the second year and covers the first 24 months. Part 2 takes place at the end of the training. Both also cover the vocational school material that matches the training content. The regulation sets the areas, times and weighting:
| Part | Area | Form | Share of the result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | Sales and advertising measures | Written, 90 minutes | 15% |
| Part 1 | Goods management and calculation | Written, 60 minutes | 10% |
| Part 1 | Economics and social studies | Written, 60 minutes | 10% |
| Part 2 | Business processes in retail | Written, 120 minutes, with tasks from at least two of the fields purchasing, assortment design, logistics and sales | 25% |
| Part 2 | Technical discussion in an elective | A case-based discussion of up to 20 minutes, after 15 minutes of preparation on one of two tasks you choose. It is based on one of your electives and also covers the goods area you worked in | 40% |
To pass, you need at least “sufficient” (ausreichend) overall, in business processes in retail and in the technical discussion. If “business processes in retail” is worse than sufficient, you can ask for an oral supplementary exam of about 15 minutes when it could decide the result.
Verkäufer/-in. The intermediate exam at the start of the second year is a written exam of 90 minutes on sales processes. The final exam has four areas: sales and advertising (written, 25%), goods management and calculation (written, 15%), economics and social studies (written, 10%) and a technical discussion in your elective (up to 20 minutes, 50%). You need at least sufficient overall and in the technical discussion, at least sufficient in two of the other areas, and no area may be graded “insufficient” (ungenügend).
For admission, repeating and preparation, see our guide to Ausbildung exams. The retail regulation was replaced in 2017, so older websites may describe different exam weights.
Who can apply
The training regulation names no required school certificate, so each employer sets its own requirements. Read the posting carefully. Retail means talking to customers all day, so expect to speak German well, and see our guide to the German level for Ausbildung.
Training pay
The training regulation does not set pay, so it depends on the employer and the training year. Do not rely on a figure from a random website. See our Ausbildung salary guide for the legal minimum and how to compare offers, and check the employer’s posting.
How to apply
- Search for “Kaufmann im Einzelhandel”, “Kauffrau im Einzelhandel” and “Verkäufer” on the official boards. Our guide on where to find Ausbildung openings lists them.
- Check which training the posting offers, which goods area you would work in and which electives are available.
- Send a tailored application: a cover letter, a CV and copies of your certificates.
- Prepare for the interview by learning about the shop, its goods and its customers.
Is it right for you?
- You enjoy talking to customers and helping them choose.
- You can stay friendly and calm when customers complain.
- You are comfortable with numbers, prices and stock records.
- You can work in a team and learn about a range of goods.
- You are ready to study in German, including product terms.
Common mistakes
- Thinking it is only standing at the till. The training includes purchasing, calculation, stock control and business processes.
- Mixing up Verkäufer/-in and Kaufmann/-frau im Einzelhandel.
- Ignoring the electives. They shape the second half of the training and the technical discussion.
- Using an older guide for the exam. The exam structure changed in 2017.
- Relying on a pay figure from a random website. Check the employer’s offer.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the retail Ausbildung?
Three years for Kaufmann/Kauffrau im Einzelhandel and two years for Verkäufer/-in, according to the training regulation.
Can I continue from Verkäufer/-in to Kaufmann/Kauffrau?
Yes. The regulation says a completed Verkäufer/-in training can be credited with two years toward the longer training.
Which electives can I choose?
One from four options such as advising customers or checkout data, and three from eight options such as procurement, online retail or marketing. Your employer and you agree them in the training contract.
How is the final exam structured?
For Kaufmann/Kauffrau: three written areas in Part 1, then a written exam on business processes and a technical discussion in an elective in Part 2.
Do I need a particular school certificate?
The regulation names none. Employers set their own requirements, so check each posting.
Sources
Last updated: 24 October 2026. Training rules, requirements and pay change, so check the official pages above and the employer’s posting before you apply.