what is a merchandiser?
A merchandiser is a retail expert who plans and organises creative exhibitions in retail stores. Your job is to design the displays according to the seasons and promotional events. You assist shelf fillers with managing inventories to ensure they capture the audience's attention. Sometimes, the role involves formulating inventory plans and attractive displays to encourage sales and improve customers' buying experience.
As a merchandiser, you have a fast-paced job of projecting demands for certain products, working with buyers to purchase them, and even deciding on a budget for various products. You regularly work with analysts, suppliers and distributors deciding how much to pay for different products and how many product lines to buy. You oversee merchandise deliveries and stock levels and work through any issues.
A merchandiser's tasks vary daily, as a big part of the job is ensuring popular stock stays on the shelf each day rather than getting sold out. This means one of your skill sets is selecting the right number of products at the correct times. As a merchandiser, you deal with products from various industries. Sometimes, you focus on clothes during seasonal sales or jewellery at specific sale events.
merchandiser jobsaverage merchandiser salary
The salary of a merchandiser in Australia is $55,000 per year. As a new merchandiser, your remuneration package is $50,000 annually. Experienced merchandisers take home a salary of $60,000 per year. While merchandisers don't earn a commission for boosting sales of a particular product or brand, some employers award bonuses.
what factors affect the salary of a merchandiser?
The remuneration package of a merchandiser depends on the level of education and working experience. When you have academic qualifications, you are likely to earn more. Additional educational qualifications increase your pay due to the knowledge you bring to the role. Your skills and work experience also influence the salary. For instance, you are likely to earn more with additional transferrable skills. Merchandisers with exceptional experience receive higher remuneration packages than entry-level professionals due to their skills and knowledge.
As a merchandiser, the location also influences your salary. When you work in metro areas, your remuneration package is higher than those in smaller cities. The company size and products you deal with also influence your salary. When you work for a large retail store or supermarket, you are more likely to earn than a merchandiser working for a convenience or grocery store.
Want to know what you will earn as a merchandiser? Check out what you are worth with our salary checker.
types of merchandisers
Some of the types of merchandisers include:
- retail merchandisers: you arrange retail products to ensure they are visually appealing. You display the inventory in a physical store to promote specific products. During a promotional event, you organise the products under promotion in a visually appealing display to attract the attention of buyers.
- visual merchandisers: your primary role is to use visually appealing displays to lure customers and window shoppers and convert them to buyers. You let the customers discover products in a friendly manner. Visual merchandising focuses on creative window exhibits and designing the floor layout using lively colour schemes and bright lights.
- digital merchandisers: you promote the merchandise on digital platforms. You use attractive images of products to conduct successful digital marketing campaigns.
- omnichannel merchandisers: you combine various promotional options such as online and physical shops to attract buyers. Retail stores with social media presence utilise omnichannel merchandising to increase sales on various platforms. You share information on upcoming promotions or through email and phone.
working as a merchandiser
Working in this role requires creativity to promote sales and attract buyers. If you are interested in the role, check merchandisers' responsibilities and work environments below:
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merchandiser job description
Some of the tasks of a merchandiser include:
- selecting products for seasonal promotional events: as a merchandiser, you decide the selection of goods to use for displays. During seasonal sales, you pick product collections suitable for the promotional events and organise them into attractive groups.
- coordinating and installing displays: as a merchandiser, you develop plans and layouts for in-store displays using props and signages. You also arrange the lighting installations to draw attention to the promotional products.
- collaborating with suppliers: merchandisers are responsible for visiting product suppliers and manufacturers and negotiating the best prices. A lot of collaboration takes place to line up all the working parts as stores decide which products to stock.
- analysing data: as a merchandiser, you analyse sales data and other information and make proedictions about future sales based on the evidence and history. Merchandisers even work with other departments that play a part in the company's sales decisions. For example, you work with those in charge of marketing and promotions. As your daily work includes studying marketing trends, consumer habits, and store layouts, you play a vital role in helping to decide on the most effective ways to advertise products and sales promotions.
- presentations and meeting deadlines: because part of your duties includes analysing sales information, you present reports on the growth and other changes in the market. This is a demanding job as you work against strict deadlines and coordinate between different groups of people.
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work environment
The work environment of a merchandiser is not the same day after day. Some of your work takes place in an office setting. Your responsibilities include making phone calls and sending and receiving emails as you communicate with buyers, suppliers and other people you collaborate with. The job also involves some travelling. You visit suppliers to discuss production and determine the best pricing for your store or client. You also visit stores to assess their layouts and how customers respond to them. This helps you decide the most attractive way to advertise products and promotions.
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who are your colleagues?
Depending on your employer and the industry you work in, your colleagues might include sales assistants, sales associates and sales executives. You might also be working close to marketing executives, sales managers, office managers, operations managers and other specialists that could include, but not limited to, bookkeepers and inventory specialists.
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work schedule
As a merchandiser, you work a typical full-time workweek. Usually, you work a regular nine-to-five schedule, Monday through Friday. Since the job involves travelling, you occasionally have an irregular day. It's also possible that some weeks are busier than others. More active days often require overtime hours, especially when suppliers have issues. You also facilitate displays during busy holiday seasons when stores offer more sales and promotions.
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job outlook
Merchandising roles assist with promoting sales in physical shops. As a merchandiser, your career progression is promising since you can become a store manager. Some merchandisers focus on sales roles like becoming sales assistants, sales associates and sales managers. Alternatively, specialise in working with suppliers by dealing with inventory and procurement. Some merchandisers focus on digital or omnichannel merchandising to promote online purchases and the social media presence of various stores.
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advantages of finding a merchandiser job through randstad
Finding your merchandiser job through Randstad provides essential benefits such as:
- a wide variety of training and development opportunities
- an experienced contact person to provide help if needed
- a range of opportunities in your area
- get paid weekly or monthly, depending on the job
- temporary and permanent contracts
Want a permanent contract? A temporary job as a merchandiser is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent job. Every year, thousands of people earn a permanent contract with great employers thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad too.
education and skills
In Australia, you don't require formal qualifications to become a merchandiser. However, completing a three-year bachelor's degree in sales, marketing, retail management, or business administration improves your career prospects. You gain knowledge about the industry sector and learn ways to create exciting window displays.
Some merchandisers complete vocation education training (VET), such as a Certificate III or IV in visual merchandising or marketing. Other merchandisers complete a diploma in visual merchandising.
merchandiser skills and competencies
Some of the skills of a merchandiser include:
- analytical skills: as a merchandiser, it is important to be competent in working with numbers, analysing them to see trends, and using the data to plan for future product orders and stocking. Analytical skills help you predict industry trends and adjust the displays to suit customer preferences.
- communication skills: a merchandiser is a good communicator. This job involves working with buyers and suppliers. Some of your tasks include writing emails and making phone calls. You also visit storefronts and suppliers and work with them to make decisions.
- organisational skills: as a merchandiser, you organise product displays to create appeal. Your organisational skills are handy in creating attractive displays and store layouts. You also keep up with promotional activities and events.
- sales skills: as a merchandiser, you promote sales through visual displays. You require basic sales skills to engage customers and attract their attention. Sometimes, you assist customers with shopping which requires sales skills.
FAQs about working as a merchandiser
Here are the most asked questions about working as a merchandiser:
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what does a merchandiser do?
A merchandiser is an integral part of the retail industry. You coordinate with buyers, suppliers and other analysts to make daily decisions about what products to purchase, how much of them to stock, and when to make those purchases. Studying data, making educated decisions about the best products to carry, and then working with suppliers to get the best prices is a big part of the job.
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is merchandising a hard job?
Merchandising is not necessarily a hard job, especially for someone whose character traits lend well to the job's duties. If you like interacting with various people daily and enjoy studying data and decision-making, your role won't be hard.
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what are merchandising skills?
Helpful skills for a merchandiser include being a good communicator, math skills and working well against deadlines. You also work with other people daily, so it is important to communicate clearly and professionally. You should be adept at studying numbers and data to make decisions for the future.
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what does merchandiser mean?
Merchandising is the process that takes place from the time a product is ordered until a customer buys it. Merchandising includes stocking and organising shelves, deciding on layouts and displays and helping with prices, promotions and other signage.
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what are the 5 rs of merchandising?
As a merchandiser, you rely on the five Rs of merchandising to promote sales with your merchandising efforts. They include the right merchandise, place, time, price and quantity. These 5 R's provide a good summary of the responsibilities and daily decisions you make in your job.
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how do I apply for a merchandiser vacancy?
Applying for a merchandiser job is easy: create a Randstad profile and search our merchandiser job offers. Then simply send us your CV and cover letter. Need help with your application? Check out all our job search tips here.
