Learn about the essential requirements, obligations, responsibilities, and skills that are helpful in a merchandiser’s job description.
Merchandisers play a critical role in today’s constantly changing retail industry. They handle product displays and marketing to increase sales and profitability. They also focus on communicating with buyers and other team members to gauge customer interest and price items correctly.
Do you need to hire a merchandiser? You can post your first job listing on ZipRecruiter for free. If you're looking for more options, check out our guide to the top job posting sites.
Merchandiser Job Description Template
We’re looking for a merchandiser to join our team. As a merchandiser on our team, your primary responsibility will be to ensure our products and services are marketed in a way that increases our brand awareness, strengthens customer relationships, and drives sales. You’ll analyze sales data and market trends to identify opportunities for improvement and make informed decisions about product assortment and placement. Our ideal candidate will have experience in retail, preferably in a merchandising role. Leadership, sales, or other relevant retail experience is also acceptable if you’re new to the field.
Merchandiser Responsibilities
-
Researching market trends and previous sales data to determine merchandising strategies
-
Plan and execute product merchandising strategies, including promotions, price changes, sales, etc.
-
Develop and maintain relationships with vendors, suppliers, and retail partners
-
Make decisions about product assortment and placement
-
Create promotional campaigns alongside the sales and marketing team
-
Visit on-site locations to ensure compliance with merchandising standards
Merchandiser Requirements
-
Bachelor’s degree in marketing, retail management, business, or a related field. Some employers may accept a high school diploma, GED, or related education and certification
-
Experience with data analysis and interpretation
-
Previous work in an analytical, merchandising, or retail role
-
Strong collaboration and written and verbal communication skills
Merchandiser Duties And Responsibilities
Researching market trends and previous sales data to determine merchandising strategies
Researching trends and past data is a core job responsibility for merchandisers. By profoundly understanding trends and customer demands, they can create merchandising strategies that reflect the current market — potentially increasing sales. To successfully complete this responsibility, candidates will need to utilize their knowledge of the retail industry and be able to adapt quickly to changes in the market.
Develop and maintain relationships with vendors, suppliers, and retail partners
A positive image and strong relationships with vendors, suppliers, and retail partners are essential to securing a company’s desired products. A merchandiser who can build and maintain these relationships can gain valuable insights into market trends and have access to products that may not be available to other competitors. It also helps to have your foot in the door to access information about stock, delivery time, and additional important inventory information. Candidates must have strong written and verbal communication skills for this responsibility.
Plan and execute product merchandising strategies, including promotions, price changes, sales, etc.
Another crucial responsibility of a merchandiser is to plan and execute product merchandising strategies, which include promotions, price changes, sales, and more. To do this, a merchandiser must have analytical, creative, and strategic skills and a sharp eye for detail. By effectively planning and executing these strategies, merchandisers can help increase a company’s sales and ensure customer satisfaction.
Create promotional campaigns alongside the sales and marketing team
After creating a merchandising strategy, merchandisers create compelling promotional campaigns to help market products. They should be capable of developing promotional ideas that resonate with the company’s target audience, align with company branding, and differentiate from competitor strategy. Working well on a team is a great skill for this job responsibility.
Visit on-site locations to ensure compliance with merchandising standards
For many companies, standardizing product displays, signage, and other merchandising standards is essential to maintain brand image. Merchandisers should be familiar with the plans they created and capable of explaining them effectively to store managers and other staff to implement necessary changes. Strong leadership skills and the ability to collaborate with others help candidates complete this task.
Merchandiser Salary And Job Outlook
Median National Salary: $32,186
Education Required: Bachelor’s degree in retail management, sales, or business
Number of Jobs: 532,500 jobs as of 2021
Job Growth 2020 – 2030: -6% (decline)
The Bottom Line
Merchandisers are crucial in helping companies sell their products and keep up with customer demands. They have many responsibilities, from developing effective merchandising strategies to ensuring compliance with merchandising standards.
If you’re ready to start your career in the retail field, check our list of the best free job posting sites to see where employers are looking for candidates. If you want to add a merchandiser to your team, post your merchandiser job description on ZipRecruiter today!
