Meaning & use
stock taker
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Meanings
nouncountablebusiness
A person whose job is to count and record the goods a shop or company has on hand.
Grammar: Countable: one stock taker, two stock takers. Often written as two words.
Patterns
- work as a stock taker
- a stock taker at a store
- hire a stock taker
She works as a stock taker for a large supermarket chain.
The company hired two stock takers to check the warehouse before the audit.
As a stock taker, he spends most of his shifts scanning shelves and counting items.
nouncountablebusinesstechnical
A device or software tool that automatically records the quantity of goods in stock.
Grammar: Countable; used mainly in technical or business writing about inventory systems.
Patterns
- an automatic stock taker
- use a stock taker app
- install a stock taker
The new stock taker scans every barcode and updates the inventory in real time.
They installed a stock taker in each aisle to reduce counting errors.
Word forms
| plural | stock takers |
|---|
Common combinations
- stock taker job
- A stock taker job usually involves early morning shifts before the store opens.
- experienced stock taker
- They are looking for an experienced stock taker who knows the warehouse layout.
- stock taker's report
- The stock taker's report showed a shortage of about fifty units.
- work as a stock taker
- He worked as a stock taker during the summer holidays.
- hire a stock taker
- The manager decided to hire a stock taker for the year-end count.
Synonyms and how they differ
- inventory clerk
- Similar job, but 'inventory clerk' often includes office record-keeping, while a stock taker mainly counts goods.
- counter
- 'Counter' is broader and can mean anyone who counts things, not specifically goods in a store.
Word family
Commonly confused: stock taker or stockholder? stock taker or shopkeeper?
stock taker vs stockholder
A stockholder owns shares in a company, while a stock taker counts goods in a store or warehouse.
stock taker vs shopkeeper
A shopkeeper runs a shop; a stock taker is an employee who only counts the goods.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'stock taker' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A stock taker counts and records goods, so counting boxes fits. Option 0 describes a stockholder (a shareholder), option 2 is a repair worker, and option 3 is a barista or server.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “stock taker”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.