What are the duties and responsibilities of a merchandiser?
When it comes to promoting and growing a brand, meeting customer needs, and ensuring a company can meet its financial goals, the merchandiser plays a key part.
While that role will differ depending on the type of the company that employs them, most merchandisers have responsibility for sourcing high-quality merchandise. This may be for use within the company itself, as a promotional tool, or to resell.
What is a merchandiser and what are their responsibilities?
What is a merchandiser?
A merchandiser plays an important role in retail and other sectors. They collaborate with suppliers and manufacturers, as well as front-line stores, to ensure that sales and promotional plans are properly executed.
They gather information on market trends, assess customer reactions to products, and analyse sales figures to anticipate any changes in the market.
It’s a diverse and sometimes challenging role that requires excellent organisational, communication and forward-planning skills. You also need to be able to accurately analyse information to make informed decisions.
The role of a merchandiser is crucial for all kinds of companies, ensuring that stores have attractive and compelling products, marketing materials are at hand and that the company has good relationships with suppliers.
What are the duties and responsibilities of a merchandiser?
It’s often wrongly assumed that the role of a merchandiser is just about retail stores. They are the people who are responsible for ensuring that stores are stocked with goods that people wish to purchase. While this is one aspect of a merchandiser’s job description, it’s far from the only one.
They have a wide range of duties, from creating and organising promotional campaigns, sourcing suppliers, and manufacturers to drawing up promotional plans.
They will liaise between marketing teams and front-line staff to ensure marketing and promotional plans are understood, are coherent, and are implemented correctly.
A merchandiser has to ensure that the company has the high-quality merchandise that it needs for retail, wholesale, and marketing purposes. They also need to be able to manage supplier relationships as well as be able to think quickly to resolve any supply or customer problems.
In short, a merchandiser acts as the intermediary between suppliers and the company, finding the right supplier for their particular needs.
What qualities does a merchandiser need?
A merchandiser needs to have strong analytical skills and a good sense of judgement. They should also have excellent organisational skills and be able to communicate effectively with a wide range of different people and organisations. They should be able to plan appropriately, and then ensure that those plans can be properly executed.
Merchandisers need to be able to plan ahead but also be flexible enough to change those plans quickly if needed.
Sourcing high-quality merchandise
The ability to source high-quality merchandise is the key role of any merchandiser. They need to be able to find reliable suppliers who can provide the type of products that the merchandiser needs. This can be one of the most challenging as well as important aspects of the role of the merchandiser.
A merchandiser needs to thoroughly research what’s available. When they work with a supplier, the merchandiser needs to be confident that the supplier can meet their requirements. The supplier should have a strong track record of delivery.
A good merchandiser is able to identify outstanding suppliers and then build up great working relationships over time.
How Flexfit Headwear can help
Flexfit Headwear is the first choice for merchandisers across the globe.
We produce high-quality, iconic branded caps that are perfect for stocking stores and as marketing tools. With an extensive range of Yupoong caps and Flexfit hats to choose from, and with state-of-the-art customisation, merchandisers have access to an incredible range of products.
Not only do we create outstanding products for our clients, but we also work hard to ensure that their particular requirements are met. Excellent customer service is at the heart of everything we do, and we build strong relationships with our clients to ensure that we can build a long-term rapport with them.
We work with merchandisers to ensure they have the highest quality products they need for their stores, their marketing campaigns, and other bespoke requirements.
Contact us to find out more about Flexfit Headwear and how we work.
