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Useful experience for demonstrators includes:

• customer service, retail or sales experience
• experience working with the product they are demonstrating.

Demonstrators may do some or all of the following:

• set up and display products at shops, supermarkets, trade fairs or in homes
• cook and serve products
• invite people to try out or taste products
• explain the uses of products and answer questions
• invite customers to purchase products
• keep a record of sales.

High turnover means demonstrator vacancies are common

Demonstrator vacancies are common because people tend to leave the job after a short time. This is because:

• demonstration work is often part time and seasonal, as new products are usually launched in spring and around Christmastime
• the job is often seen as an entry-level position, and once people gain experience they move into other retail positions.

About 3,000 people work as demonstrators in New Zealand, according to the Direct Selling Association of New Zealand.

According to the Census, 4,827 demonstrators worked in New Zealand in 2018.

Types of employers varied

Most demonstrators work for cosmetics, food, wine and cookware companies, or for advertising agencies.

Demonstrators are often self-employed and work on a casual or part-time basis.

Demonstrators may progress to manage a group of demonstrators, or move into merchandising and promotions, or sales representative work.

• Sales representative job information
• Visual merchandiser job information

Demonstrators need to be:

• good at answering questions and presenting
• confident about approaching and engaging with people
• friendly and polite
• able to relate to people from a range of cultures and backgrounds
• patient, as they often have to deal with repetitive questions.