Merchandisers are responsible for ensuring that products appear in the right store, or on a website, at the appropriate time and in the correct quantities. This involves working closely with the buying teams to accurately forecast trends, plan stock levels and monitor performance. While the buyer selects the lines, the merchandiser decides how much money should be spent, how many lines should be bought, and in what quantities. In smaller companies, the same person may be responsible for both buying and merchandising. Merchandisers play a key role within organisations, as profitability can be affected by how successfully they undertake their work.

Tasks:

1. Planning product ranges and stock plans with buyers
2. Forecasting sales and profit margins
3. Planning budgets and presenting forecasts to managers
4. Visiting manufacturers with retail buyers
5. Negotiating prices and orders with suppliers and agreeing delivery terms
6. Tracking stock deliveries, making sure goods arrive on time and meet quality standards
7. Setting prices and sales targets for individual stores
8. Helping visual merchandisers to plan store layouts to promote key lines
9. Promoting special offers and marketing initiatives
10. Analysing sales figures and trends, using computer modelling software
11. Managing in-season stock levels and prices
12. Staying aware of how competitors are performing
13. Identifying and sorting out production and supply problems

Key skills for merchandiser:

• Strong business awareness
• Excellent number and data analysis skills, using spread sheets and computer modelling
• Good decision-making skills
• An understanding of what motivates customers to buy products
• The ability to achieve results while remaining calm under pressure
• Confidence when leading negotiations or presenting at board meetings
• Good interpersonal and communication skills to build useful working relationships
• Strong leadership skills and ability to influence others
• Excellent organisational and planning skills with ability to prioritise
• Initiative and a creative approach to solving problems
• The ability to work well in a team

Average salary (2014):

The United Kingdom: £28,000 -£36,000 per year
The United States of America: $60,090 per year
Australia: AU$20.67 per hour

Qualifications and training required:

Many employers require a degree, therefore study of marketing, business or finance may give an advantage. Other employers will take people with strong numerical skills and experience in retail, especially if a person has gained an understanding and interest in stock control levels. A person would develop his/her skills mainly on the job. If a person works for a large retail company, he/she may be trained in merchandising as part of a structured graduate management training scheme. Alternatively, one may be trained for set tasks or projects such as new product launches.