Retail Sales Merchandiser: Definition, Job Description and Requirements

A career in retail merchandising has grown steadily over the years. If you’re ready to take on the world of merchandising and explore a career in it, you have landed in the right place. This blog post is for everyone who is curious to learn about retail merchandising.

Retail Merchandiser Definition

In simple words, a retail product merchandiser is a professional who is responsible for handling retail merchandising in a store. They are also known as a retail sales merchandiser as the ultimate goal of their merchandising work is intimately tied with boosting sales.

As such, sales is a key component of a merchandiser job description. All merchandising activities such as the packaging, shelving, price setting, product display and endorsements, etc. is closely tied with the overall objective of increasing sales.

Retail Merchandiser Job Description

A retail merchandiser is responsible for various activities. Here’s a list of the duties and responsibilities of merchandisers in a supermarket:

Strategising and executing product advertising campaigns.
Ensuring that products are displayed in an attractive and presentable manner.
Optimizing visual display of products and ensuring their availability in retail outlets.
Analyzing market trends and product compatibility with the target audience.
Innovating and working on visual merchandising to boost sales.
Inventory management
Compiling information on the performance of a product in retail stores.

Sales Merchandiser Education, Skills, and Experience Criteria

If you want to become a retail sales merchandiser in India, you will require the relevant educational qualifications alongside relevant skills and experience to go with it.

Here are some things you should be mindful of before you apply for a retail merchandising position with a given brand or retailer.

Education Criteria

To be considered fit for this role, you should meet the basic education requirements listed below:

You should hold a graduate degree in design from a recognised university.
Aspirants who don’t have a degree in design should hold a diploma in merchandising.

Skills & Experience Criteria

Do you have the desired skills and experience needed to become a retail merchandiser with your target brand or company? Read on to find out:

Retail merchandising positions are open to both freshers and experienced professionals.
You don’t need to be an experienced retail merchandiser to land a job in retail merchandising. As long as you meet the required educational criteria, you can apply for this job.
Experienced retail merchandisers have a better chance of landing higher-paying jobs in this industry at established companies.

Soft Skills Needed for a Retail Merchandising Job

If you meet the educational requirements and the expertise needed, you’re qualified for the retail marketing job you’re targeting. But to distinguish yourself from your competitors, having specific soft skills in your skill arsenal can do the trick.

Read on to learn what you can do to become the ideal candidate for the job requirement:

Communication Skills

In the earlier sections, we have discussed that a merchandiser’s roles & responsibilities include daily communication and negotiation with suppliers, manufacturers, and store owners. This means that verbal communication is part & parcel of the job.

So if you want to establish your career in the retail industry as a merchandiser, you should practice and become verbally distinguished. If you’re an introvert, take speaking classes. Cultivate your communication skills as this can make all the difference when you apply for the job.

Ability to Work Under Pressure

Another quality that is highly valued in this industry is the ability to work and thrive under pressure. A retail merchandiser’s work is not cut out for everyone, especially if you’re not quick on your feet. Moreover, you should be able to handle deadlines with perfection.

Creativity and Attention to Detail

Given how a retail merchandiser is responsible for activities like product display, shelving, and endorsement strategies, it helps to have that bubble of creativity simmering in your skill kitty. Moreover, what’s more, important is to be meticulous about the smallest details as it counts in the retail industry.

There’s a reason why merchandising as a profession exists. It is the tiniest details like how a product is displayed, what direction it is displayed in, and what types of visual merchandising tactics are used to make the product irresistible that truly counts.

Conclusion

In this blog, we have covered the A-Z of retail merchandising. We hope that this blog has played an instrumental role in helping you understand this industry better. Let us know what you’d like to read next in the comments below.

By Prerna Gupta|2023-09-19T15:33:37+05:30February 2nd, 2021|Merchandising|

About the Author: Prerna Gupta

With a diverse background that spans operations, business strategy, online advertising and marketing, supported by a strong education in management and economics, I'm a quick learner with a versatile skill set.

Education: 1. London Business SchoolDegree Name: Masters in ManagementDates attended or expected graduation: 2014 – 2015A Masters degree in Management, with special emphasis on Marketing, Brand Management and Entrepreneurship. 2. Fudan UniversityDegree Name: Certificate Course Field Of Study Doing Business In China Dates attended or expected graduation: 2014 – 2014 A short introductory course on businesses, markets and the economy of China. 3. Stella Maris College Degree Name: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Field Of Study Economics Dates attended or expected graduation: 2010 – 2013 4. Sishya Dates attended or expected graduation: 1999 – 2010 Experience: Admissions Consultant Company Name: App Mission: An Education Consultancy Full-time Dates Employed: Aug 2020 – Present Employment Duration11 mos Applications that lead to Admissions! Over the years, I've had the opportunity to guide and advice several friends and acquaintances on their college applications. Applications which resulted in interview calls and unconditional offers from top universities and colleges across the world. I'm now thrilled to share my application know-how with a broader audience. Looking forward to helping you create a hard hitting application - one that hits it right out of the park! Visit appmission.in, or send me a LinkedIn message to learn more about my applicant-centred approach. Chief Marketing Officer Company Name: 3 Point Human Capital Pvt. Ltd Dates Employed: Dec 2018 – Present Employment Duration: 2 yrs 7 mos Founder Company Name: Joygive Dates Employed: Jul 2016 – Aug 2018 Employment Duration: 2 yrs 2 mos Location: Chennai Area, India An online donation-based gift registry which invites you to celebrate by supporting a deserving NGO on your special day with contributions from loved ones. Founder and Blogger Company Name: The Trousseau Dates Employed: Nov 2015 – Dec 2016 Employment Duration: 1 yr 2 mos Location: Chennai Area, India The Trousseau is a platform to help you look absolutely amazing at the next wedding you're at - especially if it's yours! My unconditional love for Indian Culture, Weddings, Fashion and Bollywood - in that order - come together to make The Trousseau your go-to resource for wedding style. Business Development Manager Company Name: PP Merchandising Services Pvt. Ltd. Dates Employed: Aug 2015 – Oct 2016 Employment Duration: 1 yr 3 mos Location: Chennai Area, India Seeking and developing new business opportunities, with the aim of diversifying the portfolio of services offered by the company. Online Specialist and Workflow Lead Company Name: Google Dates Employed: Jun 2013 – Jul 2014 Employment Duration: 1 yr 2 mos Location: Hyderabad Area, India Online advertising solutions specialist for Small and Medium Businesses. Also managed the internal productivity and team efficiency for the erstwhile 30 member UK Advertiser Services team (India). Summer Analyst Company Name: Goldman Sachs Dates Employed: Apr 2012 – Jun 2012 Employment Duration: 3 mos Carried out data analysis to improve the efficiency of the Client Middle Office Team, Securities Operations. Proposed ways in which the efficiency of the team could be improved by 20%.