Stock clerks typically work in stores, warehouses, and factories, where they control the flow of supplies in and out of stockrooms. They receive and store merchandise or equipment that is retained for future use and issue these items from the stockroom when they are needed. In addition, they keep track of the number of items in storage and reorder items that are in short supply. The main goal of a stock clerk is to prevent production slowdowns or sales losses by making sure there are adequate supplies of merchandise or equipment on hand.