How to Write a Retail Resignation Letter (With Examples)

Updated 24 March 2023

If you plan to leave your existing job position in the retail industry, you may wonder how to write your resignation letter. Regardless of your reason for leaving, it's best if the resignation letter maintains a professional and respectful tone. Learning how to write a good retail resignation letter can help you manage relationships you forged during your time working in retail and leave a good impression on others for a long time. In this article, we explain how to write a resignation letter for your retail job position, including an example of a resignation letter for your reference.

What is a retail resignation letter?

A retail resignation letter is a formal letter you write to communicate to your employer or the company's human resource department that you intend to leave your job position. This letter serves as a notice of your intention to resign and usually marks the beginning of your notice period before you leave the position.

The letter also makes it easy to ensure the employer has all the information about your resignation, such as your final day of employment. Reviewing the information to include and some sample templates and letters can help you write your own resignation letter.

How to write a retail resignation letter

Once you know you wish to leave your current position, you can begin putting your retail resignation in writing. Before writing your resignation letter, it may be worth considering having a conversation with your manager or employer to let them know of your decision before submitting a resignation letter. This helps to manage their expectations regarding your departure and is a polite way of pre-empting your team members. They may also wish to seek feedback regarding your job position before you resign.

After communicating your intention to leave to your manager, you can begin crafting your formal resignation draft letter. It's good to start writing your letter early, as this draft may undergo several revisions so that you convey the right meaning in your letter. Here are some steps to follow when writing your resignation letter:

1. Use proper formatting

You may wish to write your resignation letter by ensuring that its format is readable. For example, check the font size of the text. Use font size between 10 and 12 points in size. Use fonts such as Arial, Helvetica, Calibri or Times New Roman for a professional and easy-to-read letter. Also, check that the margins are neat, and the text aligns to the left side of the page.

2. Include the date and contact information

The resignation letter can start with your contact information, aligned to the left. Include your name, address, phone number and email address. This information helps your employer or the human resource department contact you if they have questions regarding your resignation. Then, leave a line blank and write the date. Leave another line blank before writing the recipient's details. Include the recipient's full name, address and contact details. You may omit the contact details of the recipient if you do not know the phone number or email address of the recipient.

3. Include a salutation

Next, your resignation letter usually includes a salutation. Address your letter directly to your manager or employer. Alternatively, address your resignation to the human resource department if that is the company's practice. You can use a polite salutation like Dear or Hello. You may wish to use the recipient's surname or last name instead of their first name to maintain a formal tone in the letter. Consider using the recipient's first name if the company operates on a first-name basis or if you're closely acquainted with the recipient of the letter.

4. State your intent to resign

The next part of your resignation letter relates to your intent to resign. This can be a simple letter expressing your desire to leave your present job position. As part of that sentence or in the following sentence, let the recipient of the letter know the last day you plan to work.

5. Explain why you're leaving

If you're comfortable sharing, your next paragraph can include any details about why you're leaving. This section can be brief with only one or two sentences. You can simply let the recipient of the letter understand your position. For example, you may have family commitments which take up more time and you want to focus on those commitments. Another reason could be because of health reasons or taking some time to recover from an existing illness. Yet another reason could be you moving on to a different job which better suits your interests and career aspirations.

6. Offer your help

There's usually a notice period before you leave your present job position. During that period, you may hand over existing projects and tasks to other colleagues to minimise the disruption of the business. You can take this opportunity to express your willingness to help with any transitions and business continuity. Expressing a cooperative side can promote goodwill between yourself and management or your coworkers, which increases the chances of you leaving on good terms.

7. Express gratitude

It's good practice to include a paragraph expressing your gratitude for all the opportunities and guidance during your time at the retail position. This statement of appreciation shows that you value the company and are grateful for the growth opportunities. If there's a specific skill attributable to this position, you may want to mention that specifically. Such a statement could increase the sincerity and credibility of your appreciation paragraph.

8. Close and sign

At the end of the letter, consider using a formal closing. Some closing greetings include Sincerely, Kind regards, Yours truly and Yours sincerely. Leave a space for signing the letter if you intend to print and hand over a hard copy of your resignation letter. If you intend to send a soft copy of your resignation letter, type your name after the formal closing.

9. Proofread your letter

After writing your letter, proofread your letter several times. This helps reduce the chances of making spelling errors in your letter. You may also wish to ask a trusted friend or family member to read the letter and offer their opinions on its contents. By doing so, you can refine your letter to ensure it expresses what you want it to.

Resignation letter example for a retail position

Here's an example of a resignation letter from your retail position:

Choo Bee Hee
123 Bishan Drive
#15-100
Singapore 512345
+65 8111 9000
choobeehee@email.com

1 January 2022

Sally Lim Xin Yi
Human Resource Manager
Fancy Retail Outlet
222 Ang Mo Kio Avenue
#11-11
Singapore 123456
sallylim@email.com

Dear Ms Lim,

I am writing to inform you of my resignation from my position as a retail associate with Fancy Retail Outlet. My notice period is 30 days, and my last day of work is likely in early February of this year.

The reason for my resignation is that I wish to have more time to care for my family members. My parents are ageing and I hope to spend more time with them instead of focusing on my career. I hope that I have the opportunity to continue my career with Fancy Retail Outlet if the opportunity arises in the future.

In the meantime, I am available to continue my work responsibilities with the team and intend to do my utmost best to support any transition processes. Please know that I aim to minimise any disruptions from my leaving and endeavour to make the handover process as smooth as possible. If my replacement arrives before I leave, I am happy to help train and teach my replacement.

Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation for all the care and concern Fancy Retail Outlet extended to me during my two years here. I have received much guidance and support in my professional career while working at Fancy Retail Outlet which I deeply treasure. The team has been invaluable in teaching me sales skills, improving my communication skills and honing my teamwork skills. I owe much to my team and am very lucky to have had the chance to work with them. Thank you again for the support and I miss everyone here.

Yours sincerely,

Choo Bee Hee

The model shown is for illustration purposes only, and may require additional formatting to meet accepted standards.