sales representative

sales representative — noun

1. someone whose job is to sell a company's products or services to customers, usua

1.nounB1
Definition

someone whose job is to sell a company's products or services to customers, usually by going to see them or calling them directly

Example

Charlotte works as a sales representative for a pharmaceutical company in Tainan.

work as a sales representative + for [company]

Camille visits about fifteen businesses each week as a sales representative for an electronics firm.

Common collocations
  • work as a sales representative
  • a sales representative for [company]
  • hire a sales representative
  • train sales representatives
  • a pharmaceutical / insurance / car sales representative
Synonyms
  • salesperson

    a general term that does not specify the method of selling; less formal than 'sales representative'

  • sales associate

    often used for in-store retail staff rather than outside sales

  • account executive

    more common in advertising or media; focuses on managing client relationships

  • sales agent

    may work on commission for multiple companies rather than one employer

Grammar Patterns

sales representative + for [company/industry]

Usage Note

Frequently used with a company or industry name after 'for': 'a sales representative for a car manufacturer'. In job titles, the headword is often shortened informally to 'rep'.

Common Mistakes

The sales representative who sold me this car is very nice.' (grammatically fine but vague).
The sales representative who helped me choose this car answered all my questions.
pair the role with a specific action for clarity.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four synonyms refer to people who sell products or services, but they differ in scope and setting. 'Salesperson' is the broadest, neutral term, used for anyone who sells, whether in a shop or on the road. 'Sales associate' is most common in retail stores and emphasises helping customers inside the shop rather than going out to find them. 'Account executive' is the most specialised — it is used in advertising, media, or tech firms, where the job focuses on managing ongoing relationships with key clients rather than one-time sales. 'Sales agent' often implies working independently or on commission for multiple companies, whereas a 'sales representative' is typically employed by one company to sell its specific products or services. For example, a car dealership might employ several sales representatives, while a freelance insurance sales agent might represent several different insurance companies.

salesperson ↗sales associateaccount executivesales agent

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • outside sales representative
  • inside sales representative
  • sales representative training program
  • territory sales representative

Prepositions