From an outsider’s perspective, a merchandiser’s role may be simply to arrange products on empty store shelves.
However, this specialized professional encompasses a wide range of functions, tasks, and objectives:
They organize and support promotional events, including price reduction actions, and inform management about potential stock loss risks, recommending appropriate measures to mitigate them.
Furthermore, a merchandiser may also participate in the delivery and receiving process, ensuring that products appear present before being placed on display.
A visual merchandiser is a specialist in showcasing retail and fashion items. Their role involves creating visually captivating window displays that grab customers’ attention and evoke a sense of curiosity and desire to purchase.
They cultivate an aesthetically pleasing atmosphere through carefully crafted window decorations that draw people in and spark their interest in shopping.
Retail merchandisers are responsible for maintaining and replenishing store inventory. Their role entails analyzing product demand to meet customer needs and devising innovative strategies to promote and showcase underperforming items.
They may collaborate with a store’s purchasing department to forecast sales volumes and determine appropriate inventory levels. Retail merchandisers work full-time or part-time, depending on the company’s requirements and the employee’s availability.
The effectiveness of a merchandiser’s work directly impacts the sales performance of a given store. Typically, a merchandiser oversees three to twenty stores, often requiring frequent visits to these locations, sometimes daily, for successful operations.
If everything is clear about what is a merchandiser’s job, then it’s time to consider what it requires:
Being proactive, attentive, persuasive, and self-assured are highly valued merchandising qualities.
In many instances, these personal attributes can outweigh work experience and play a decisive role for employers.
In merchandising, various techniques are traditionally employed to present products compellingly.
Products of the same type are grouped in specific store areas, facilitating easy navigation for customers. This method is commonly used in supermarkets, household stores, construction shops, and automotive retailers.
Products are presented in large quantities, creating an impression of affordability and enticing buyers with the perception of value.
This technique is particularly effective in clothing, footwear, and kitchenware stores. Specific product groups are strategically showcased using vibrant colors, drawing attention and generating heightened interest through skillful color combinations.
Goods are organized based on their price categories, allowing customers to easily find products that suit their budget.
Sports stores and large clothing retailers commonly employ this approach. Products of various types are grouped to create cohesive collections, incorporating clothing, footwear, and accessories.
The central area of walls or long shelves serves as a focal point, featuring prominently promoted products with passive demand. Products with impulse demand are placed on the sides of this focal point, while the most popular items are positioned at the edges.
Alternatively, attention-grabbing products or branded logos may be strategically placed at the focal point.
Products positioned at eye level or slightly below receive the highest visibility, capturing up to 40% of customer attention — items at hand level account for approximately 30% of demand. Products placed above eye level or at floor level receive less attention (10% and 20%, respectively).
However, these percentages may shift based on the height of the shelving units, with lower shelves attracting more attention to products at hand level.
In conclusion, visual merchandisers skillfully showcase products through captivating window displays, igniting customer interest and driving purchases. They create aesthetically pleasing store atmospheres that engage shoppers.
Retail merchandisers maintain inventory, employ strategies to meet customer needs, and promote underperforming items. Analyzing demand and collaborating with purchasing departments ensures optimal inventory levels for customer satisfaction and increased sales.
Visual and retail merchandisers follow key principles like categorical placement, bulk displays, highlighting, price segmentation, stylistic representation, focal points, and eye-level placement. These techniques enhance product presentations, improve the shopping experience, and drive sales, contributing to the overall success of retail businesses.