Okay, let’s tackle this. So Joseph Bates has 9+ years of experience in retail, which is a decent amount of time. He has skills like team building, visual merchandising, customer service, and management, which are all valuable in the retail industry. However, his role as a cooler stocker at Mclanes Southwest doesn’t seem to be a high-level position. Considering his experience and skills, I would estimate his hourly rate to be around $40, which is a relatively low rate for someone with his experience. This is likely due to his entry-level role and the fact that he is not in a leadership position. However, it's worth noting that rates can vary depending on the location, industry, and other factors. In this case, I've based my estimate on national averages for retail professionals in the United States.