When you walk by your favorite clothing shop or supermarket and see a sign that says “Buy one, get one free!” or “Sale on Organic Fruit,” be sure to thank your local merchandiser. Merchandisers make most retail chain decisions, improving your shopping experience. If you’re recruiting or becoming a merchandiser, here’s what you need to know. However, this article explains merchandiser qualifications, salary, skills, and the job description.
What Is a Merchandiser
A merchandiser makes sure that goods are in stock in a real store or on a website. They ensure that the products arrive on time and work directly with the purchasing staff (and buyers) to predict, plan, and keep an eye on stock levels.
Merchandisers also work closely with the people who set up the displays to figure out how the goods should be set up to get the most sales. In smaller businesses, a merchandiser might be in charge of both selling and buying.
Merchandising is used to get the word out about certain goods and services and boost sales. It gets people to come into the store, which makes it more likely that they will buy something. The buyer chooses the lines, but the merchandiser picks how much money to spend, how many lines to buy, and how much of each line to buy.
Merchandisers are very important in shopping because how well they do their job can affect how much money a company makes. Merchandisers set prices and schedule sales and markdowns as necessary. They also deal with wholesalers and make sure that stock is delivered and spread out.
Read Also: MERCHANDISING STRATEGY: 7+ Merchandising Strategies to Drive Sales and ROI
Merchandiser Qualifications
These are the qualifications for becoming a merchandiser
#1. Complete Higher Secondary Education
Qualifications for becoming a merchandiser require that you have at least a high school diploma. Most professional classes in merchandising require students to have gotten at least a 50% average on their board exams.
#2. Pursue a Professional Course.
Some courses you can take to become a merchandiser include:
Diploma in Visual Merchandising: It takes between three months and one year to finish a diploma study. It will focus on important things like advertising, branding, and shopping. Most schools accept students based on their grades, but some, like the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), have their own entrance tests.
B.Des in Fashion and Merchandising: A bachelor’s degree in design with a concentration in fashion and marketing can be earned in 4 years. Most undergraduate applications are based on how well a candidate does on the All India Entrance Examination for Design (AIEED), the Symbiosis Entrance Examination for Design (SEED), the Design Aptitude Test (DAT), the Pearl Academy Entrance Test, and the NIFT Entrance Examination.
Diploma in Fashion Merchandising: The PGD-FM, or post-graduate certificate in fashion merchandising, can be finished in one to two years. You may pursue this program with any bachelor’s degree, but your chances of being accepted are better if you have a background in economics or business.
Although businesses prefer applicants who have completed the courses above, you can become a merchandiser with a degree in business management, business administration, economics, or supply chain management.
#3. Earn a Merchandise Certificate.
You can improve your chances by taking professional courses as well as certificate programs and online courses through reputable schools. Certifications are qualifications that can help you stand out as an expert in visual merchandising or store merchandising.
#4. Spend Time Working In Retail.
Take a while to work in retail as a stocker, cashier, or in another entry-level job. Most jobs for merchandisers require at least two years of experience working as a professional in retail.
Read Also: VISUAL MERCHANDISER: Duties, Skills and 2023 Salaries
What Is a Merchandiser Salary
In the United States, the average salary for a merchandiser is $41,600 per year. The range of salaries is $35,200 to $53,000. The average hourly salary for a merchandiser is $13.00. Pay ranges from $11.00 to $16.57 per hour. Salaries and wages depend on a lot of things, like where you live, how long you’ve been working, what business you work in, how much education you have, etc.
What are the Top 10 Highest Cities for Merchandiser Jobs
We’ve found 10 places where the average Merchandiser salary is higher than the national average. Atkinson, Nebraska, is first on the list.. Berkeley, CA, and Renton, WA, which are in second and third place, are not far behind. Renton, WA, is $8,132 (22.7%) above the national average, and Atkinson, NE, is another $8,753 (24.4%) above the average of $35,814. Since the average salaries in these 10 cities are better than the national average, changing locations as a Merchandiser seems like a great way to get ahead financially.
Lastly, another thing to think about is that the average salary for these top ten places doesn’t change much from Atkinson, NE, to Irvine, CA. This shows that there isn’t much room for wage growth. When thinking about location and salary for a Merchandiser position, the chance of a lower cost of living may be the best thing to consider.
What are the Top 5 Best Paying Related Merchandiser Jobs in the U.S.?
We found at least five jobs in the same field as merchandisers that pay more per year than an average merchandiser’s salary. A traveling merchandiser, a category merchant, and a regional merchandiser are all good examples of these jobs.
Importantly, all of these positions pay between $24,991 (69.8%) and $68,762 (192.0%) more per year than the $35,814 median income for merchandisers. If you’re qualified, one of these similar Merchandiser jobs may pay more than the average Merchandiser job.
Read Also: RETAIL MERCHANDISING: Importance and Best Practices
Merchandiser Skills
Some of the most crucial skills and characteristics for a merchandiser to acquire are:
#1. Organizational Skills
The main job of a merchandiser is to put things in order. Most of the time, this means setting up displays for goods for sale, but merchandisers also collaborate with inventory management teams to set up warehouses where products are stored.
#2. Creativity
A part of a merchandiser’s job is to build and put together eye-catching displays for products on the sales floor of a store. A creative merchandiser will find it easier to come up with unique ways to show off products that work to increase sales.
#3. Communication Skills
Merchandisers work with a wide range of people, such as producers, business owners, suppliers, stores, and retail staff. Part of their job is to be able to talk to people well. You must have communication skills, both in written and verbal communication, as well as in bargaining if you want to succeed as a merchandiser.
#4. Mathematics
A merchandiser with mathematical skills would most likely be more effective when tracking inventory changes and warehouse storage capacity. To make sure the supply chain works well, merchandisers have to make exact calculations.
#5. Computer Literacy
The merchandiser will have to use inventory management software to record all changes to the warehouse’s stock. This means that the merchandiser will spend some of their shift at a computer. A merchandiser who has computer skills can do this part of their job well.
#6. Physical Stamina
Most of a merchandiser’s time is spent moving items from one place to another and setting them up in a warehouse or on a sales floor. For a job that keeps them on their feet all the time, merchandisers need to be in good shape.
#7. Market and Product Knowledge
Merchandisers are often the link between the company that makes the item and the store that sells it. They should know a lot about the companies they work for, the items they sell, and the market they serve. As a merchandiser, you might have to answer a lot of questions about the goods that retailers and store owners are buying. In the same way, they must be able to tell manufacturers how the market is doing and what good retail methods are.
#8. Time Management Skills
Merchandisers do a lot of different things every day. You might have to juggle a lot of different tasks and clients without letting your personal time suffer. As a merchandiser, you need time management skills to be able to balance your work and personal lives.
What Is a Merchandiser Job Description
This sample job description for a merchandiser goes into depth about the most important duties, responsibilities, and skills for this job. This example is easy to change for your business and works well for posting on job boards or careers pages.
#1. Job Brief
We need a Merchandiser to help us manage our stock. We need someone who can keep track of our stock and is well-organized. This person will be in charge of setting up displays and making sure our goods are shown in the best way possible.
#2. Merchandiser Duties
- Sell, market, and advertise products, as well as estimate quantities, suggest prices, and decide on policies.
- Stock items, fix customer problems, and answer questions.
- Make sales reports, schedule work, and place orders for goods.
- Keep running promotions to increase sales
- Keep track of stock, make bills, and handle payments.
- Keep records of all deals and keep customer information up to date.
#3. Merchandiser Responsibilities
- Plan and oversee all store merchandising actions and strategies.
- Visit the store often to check, measure product placement, and keep an eye on maintenance.
- Coordinate digital picture scanning and tagging
- Encourage seasonal and marketing activities
- Find and fix display problems that lower blind-spot sales and raise store margins.
- Keep training logs and action plans current for all direct reports.
- Talk to providers to make sure sales and deliveries go smoothly.
- Follow all of the company’s rules and policies.
#4. Requirements And Skills
- Bachelor’s degree in marketing, merchandising sales, or a similar area.
- More than two years of practice selling products in retail stores
- Knowing about shopping habits and trends in stores
- Proven ability to plan, create, and handle marketing and projects.
- Strong budgeting and analytical skills.
What Is the Role of a Merchandiser?
They make sure that a store’s shelves are full of goods and set them up so that customers can see them. They also keep track of how much product is in the store, report any problems or shortages to management, and clean up any unwanted items or things that don’t follow store rules.
What Are the 5 Merchandising Activities?
Merchandising strategies include selling directly to customers, promoting sales, using marketing techniques, making coupons, and offering discounts. In a broader sense, This can mean any kind of promotion in or around a store that isn’t personal selling and is meant to get people to buy things.
What Are the Four Basic Duties of a Merchandiser?
- Collaborating with suppliers, retailers, and manufacturers to make sure that plans for merchandising are carried out correctly.
- Making sure that retailers follow the strategies.
- Making and running advertising and promotion efforts.
- Keeping track of goods in stock.
What Are the Two Types of Merchandisers?
In a broad sense, the term “merchandising” refers to any enterprise that is engaged in the process of selling a product. According to this definition, there are two types, they are: retail and wholesale. These two categories are described below.
- Wholesalers purchase products from producers and then resell them to retailers.
- Retailers, on the other hand, offer their wares straight to end users.
What Are the 6 P’s of Merchandising?
The 6 P’s of marketing—product, price, place, promotion, people, and presentation are the building blocks of a good marketing plan. When the 6 P’s of marketing are put together well, they can form the basis of a good plan for growth.
Why Do You Choose to Be a Merchandiser?
One of the best things about an occupation in merchandising is that it gives you a chance to be creative and come up with new ideas. Using different techniques and tools, you can design and show products in ways that look good and work well. You can also try out new ideas and trends and see how they change how customers act and how much money you make.
How Do I Write a Resume for a Merchandiser?
This is how to write a resume that will get you hired as a merchandiser:
- Start with the best format for a merchandiser’s resume.
- Write a resume objective or summary for the job.
- Align your resume to what the job description for a merchandiser says.
- Improve the education qualifications section of your resume.
- Include the skills on Your Resume.
References
Related Articles
