Do retail stores hire inexperienced 17 year olds as sales associates?

[soooooconfused]

i am an inexperienced 17 year old ( i wouldn't say i don't have experience, i have volunteered in a pharmacy as a cashier for a month) but i have tried to apply in some retail stores, and i am starting to lose hope....so my question is ....do retail stores hire inexperienced 17 year olds? i'm trying to get a summer job and it's not working, what bothers me the most is that i have seen people younger than me or my age work as sales associates.....how did they get these jobs? do they all get hiried because they have good connections?....i'm so confused, i would appreciate it if you can answer some of my questions !!!!