Toys R Us – Shop Assistant

Shop Assistant roles can help applicants build practical retail experience in customer service, sales, merchandising, promotions, stock control, product knowledge and store operations. Toys R Us and Babies R Us South Africa is recruiting a Shop Assistant for its Hemmingways store in East London, Eastern Cape.

This is a permanent entry-level opportunity in the Sales department. The successful candidate will help maximise sales by delivering excellent customer service and giving customers a positive shopping experience.

Important: This vacancy is not advertised as a learnership, internship or YES youth opportunity. It is a permanent Shop Assistant role that requires a Matric Certificate, 6 months retail experience, and own or reliable transport to work shifts.

At a glance

What this opportunity is

This is a Shop Assistant opportunity with Toys R Us and Babies R Us South Africa at Hemmingways in East London.

The official advert describes the role as a Retail Shop Assistant position focused on maximising sales by delivering excellent customer service and providing customers with a positive shopping experience.

The role includes helping customers on the sales floor and by telephone, advising customers on products, prices and warranties, supporting add-on sales, ensuring goods are correctly priced and displayed, assisting with promotions, maintaining merchandising standards, participating in stock counts and helping minimise stock loss.

The official advert does not state the salary, benefits, exact working hours, shift pattern or number of available positions.

Who this opportunity may suit

This opportunity may suit an applicant with a Matric Certificate and at least 6 months of retail experience who enjoys customer service, sales, merchandising and working in a busy store environment.

It may be suitable for someone who is sales driven, highly motivated, target driven, tenacious and able to communicate well with customers.

The role may also suit applicants with experience as a retail sales assistant, cashier, store assistant, merchandiser, customer service assistant, promotions assistant or general retail support worker.

Because the vacancy is based at Hemmingways in East London and requires transport to work shifts, applicants should consider whether they can travel reliably to and from the store before applying.

What you will do and learn

The official vacancy lists the following key performance areas and responsibilities:

Customer service and sales

• Provide excellent customer service to give customers a positive shopping experience.
• Attend to each customer’s individual shopping needs.
• Always put the customer first.
• Ensure customers receive prompt and relevant service on the sales floor.
• Assist customers by telephone when required.
• Adhere to basic customer service standards.
• Determine customer requirements and advise on product range, price and warranties.
• Demonstrate, explain and advise on products to customers.
• Sell goods and support add-on sales and services.
• Maximise sales in all areas.

Merchandising and promotions

• Ensure goods are correctly priced and displayed.
• Ensure promotions are executed timeously.
• Plan promotion execution in advance.
• Prepare, implement and maintain advertised sales promotions timeously.
• Adhere to merchandising layouts.
• Adhere to housekeeping standards and schedules.
• Help maintain an organised and customer-ready store environment.

Stock, reporting and store support

• Report fast sellers and slow sellers to the Store Manager.
• Participate in stock takes.
• Participate in stock counts.
• Help minimise stock loss.
• Help minimise expenses in your area of responsibility.
• Protect the company’s assets in your area of responsibility.
• Support store operations according to company requirements.

Training, confidentiality and procedures

• Undertake any other relevant duties requested by Senior Management.
• Complete mandatory and service training as required.
• Maintain strict confidentiality of all information.
• Participate in appraisals and personal development reviews regularly.
• Take responsibility and accountability for staying up to date with current standard operating procedures.
• Co-operate fully in the introduction of new technology and new methods.

Important: The duties above are based on the official vacancy. Toys R Us and Babies R Us South Africa may allocate additional reasonable sales, customer-service, merchandising, promotions, stock, housekeeping, training or store-support duties according to operational requirements.

Eligibility requirements

Applicant requirements

• Must have a Matric Certificate.
• Must have 6 months retail experience.
• Must have own or reliable transport to be able to work shifts.
• Should be sales driven.
• Should have fantastic customer service skills.
• Should be tenacious.
• Should be highly motivated and target driven.
• Should have excellent selling and communication skills.
• Should understand merchandising.
• Should be able to support promotions and store standards.
• Should be able to maintain confidentiality.
• Should be willing to complete mandatory and service training.
• Should be willing to stay up to date with current SOPs.
• Must provide complete, accurate and truthful information during the recruitment process.

Matric requirement explained

The official advert requires a Matric Certificate.

Applicants should state their Matric qualification clearly on the CV and should be prepared to upload proof if requested through the official Toys R Us Simplify application platform.

Applicants should make sure that qualification details and dates are accurate and truthful.

Retail experience requirement explained

The official advert requires 6 months retail experience.

Applicants should clearly show retail experience on their CV. Useful examples may include shop assistant work, cashier work, customer service, sales, merchandising, promotions, product advice, stock counts, stock control, housekeeping or store support.

Applicants should not assume that this is a no-experience role. The official advert specifically requires retail experience.

Transport and shift requirement explained

The official advert states that applicants must have own or reliable transport to be able to work shifts.

Applicants should consider whether they can work retail shifts, which may include weekends, public holidays, early shifts, late shifts or busy trading periods depending on store requirements.

Applicants should also consider reliable transport to and from the Hemmingways store in East London before applying.

Key skills listed in the advert

The official advert lists the following key skills:

• Sales driven.
• Fantastic customer service skills.
• Tenacious.
• Highly motivated and target driven.
• Excellent selling and communication skills.
• Merchandising.

Skills and personal attributes that may help

• Friendly and professional customer service.
• Sales confidence.
• Target-driven attitude.
• Good product explanation skills.
• Clear communication on the sales floor and by telephone.
• Merchandising and store presentation awareness.
• Attention to pricing and product displays.
• Ability to support promotions.
• Ability to assist with stock takes and stock counts.
• Reliability during retail shifts.
• Confidentiality and professionalism.
• Willingness to learn new technology, methods and SOPs.

What this opportunity really means

This is a practical retail sales role in a Toys R Us and Babies R Us store environment.

The successful candidate should expect customer-facing work, sales support, add-on sales, product advice, merchandising, promotions, stock counts, housekeeping and store standards duties.

The role is entry-level, but it still requires Matric, 6 months retail experience, strong customer service, sales ability and transport to work shifts.

Because the role includes customer service, sales performance, promotions, merchandising and stock-related responsibilities, applicants should be comfortable working in a busy retail environment with targets and store standards.

Applicants should confirm exact salary, working hours, shift schedule, store expectations, benefits and any additional employment conditions directly with Toys R Us and Babies R Us South Africa if shortlisted.

Application checklist

Prepare the following information and documents before applying:

• Updated CV.
• Clear copy of your South African ID or valid identity document, if requested.
• Proof of Matric Certificate, if requested.
• Details of at least 6 months retail experience.
• Examples of customer service experience.
• Examples of sales or add-on sales experience.
• Examples of merchandising, product display or promotion support.
• Examples of stock takes, stock counts or stock control exposure, if applicable.
• Information showing that you have own or reliable transport to work shifts.
• Correct employment dates and previous employer details.
• Reliable cellphone number and professional email address.
• Any supporting documents requested through the official Toys R Us Simplify application platform.

Need assistance with CVs, certified documents and application preparation? Visit our Learnership Resources and Guides.

Important note for applicants

This is a permanent Shop Assistant opportunity. It is not advertised as a learnership, internship or YES youth programme.

The official advert requires a Matric Certificate, 6 months retail experience, and own or reliable transport to be able to work shifts.

The official advert states that the successful candidate will be expected to complete mandatory and service training, maintain confidentiality, take part in appraisals and personal development reviews, stay up to date with current SOPs, and cooperate with new technology and new methods.

The official advert does not state the salary, benefits, exact working hours, shift pattern or number of available positions.

About the sponsor

Toys R Us and Babies R Us South Africa are retail brands focused on toys, baby products, family shopping experiences and creating moments of joy for customers.

According to the official Toys R Us South Africa website, the brand’s mission is to turn dreams into reality, ignite imaginations and create memorable experiences for customers of different ages.

The official website states that Toys R Us and Babies R Us South Africa operate more than 50 stores across Africa, including Namibia, Zambia and Botswana.

The company describes its purpose as championing joy and bringing M.A.G.I.C to life through creating, serving, innovating and achieving.

The official website also highlights a workplace culture focused on career growth, opportunities, benefits, learning, personal development and educational growth.

Learn more through the Toys R Us South Africa website.

Quick tips for applicants

• Apply before the official closing date of 01 August 2026.
• Submit by 31 July 2026 to reduce the risk of missing the deadline.
• Make sure your CV clearly shows your Matric Certificate.
• Clearly show at least 6 months retail experience.
• Highlight customer service, sales, merchandising and promotion experience.
• Include stock count, stock take or stock control exposure if you have it.
• Show that you can work shifts and have own or reliable transport.
• Use examples that show selling ability, communication and target-driven behaviour.
• Do not exaggerate retail or sales experience.
• Check that your cellphone number and email address are correct before submitting.

Common mistakes that get applicants rejected

• Applying without a Matric Certificate.
• Applying without 6 months retail experience.
• Not showing customer service experience clearly on the CV.
• Leaving sales, merchandising, promotion or stock experience off the CV where relevant.
• Ignoring the own or reliable transport requirement for shift work.
• Submitting a CV that does not show target-driven retail ability.
• Claiming retail experience that cannot be explained.
• Providing incorrect employment dates or qualification details.
• Using an incorrect cellphone number or email address.
• Uploading an outdated or incomplete CV.
• Applying through unofficial links instead of the official Toys R Us Simplify vacancy page.
• Submitting the application after 01 August 2026.

Scam warning (important)

Applicants should apply only through the official Toys R Us and Babies R Us Simplify recruitment page or another vacancy page clearly linked from an official Toys R Us and Babies R Us website.

Do not pay anyone for registration, an application, an interview, background checks, training, uniform, equipment or placement. Legitimate employers do not require applicants to pay money to secure a job.

Do not share banking PINs, passwords, one-time PINs or unnecessary financial information with anyone claiming that they can guarantee a Toys R Us or Babies R Us position.

Be cautious of recruitment messages sent from unofficial email addresses, private social-media accounts or cellphone numbers that request payment, favours, banking information or confidential documents outside the official application process.

Upload identity documents, qualifications and other sensitive documents only through the official and secure recruitment process.

Always return to the official Toys R Us vacancy page to confirm that the opportunity and application link remain genuine and available.

How this opportunity was verified

This opportunity was verified from the official Toys R Us and Babies R Us South Africa Simplify recruitment listing for Shop Assistant (Hemmingways).

The official listing confirmed the job title, employer, East London location, Eastern Cape province, permanent employment type, posted date, closing date, Sales department, entry-level minimum experience, retail primary industry and sales functional area.

The official listing also confirmed the job purpose, key skills, key performance areas, entry requirements, general duties and official application route.

The official advert did not state the salary, benefits, exact working hours, shift pattern or number of available positions when last checked.

Read more about our verification process on the How We Verify Listings page.

How to apply

1. Open the official Toys R Us and Babies R Us application link below.
2. Read the complete Shop Assistant (Hemmingways) vacancy carefully.
3. Confirm that you meet the Matric Certificate requirement.
4. Confirm that you have at least 6 months retail experience.
5. Confirm that you have own or reliable transport to work shifts.
6. Prepare your updated CV and any supporting documents requested by the official Simplify platform.
7. Select the Apply option on the official vacancy page.
8. Create a Simplify candidate profile or sign in if you already have one.
9. Complete all personal, education, employment-history and screening questions honestly.
10. Enter your retail, customer service, sales, merchandising, promotions, stock and transport information accurately.
11. Upload your updated CV and any documents requested by the official platform.
12. Read the application terms carefully before submitting personal information.
13. Check that your cellphone number, email address, qualification details and uploaded documents are correct.
14. Submit the application by 31 July 2026 where possible.
15. Keep the application confirmation or proof of submission.

Application Closing Date

The official closing date is 01 August 2026.

The official vacancy does not state the exact closing time. Applicants should submit by 31 July 2026 to reduce the risk of missing the deadline because of technical issues, missing documents or an incomplete online profile.