Firstly, Merchandising is effective in driving the sales of the products. Whether it’s an online store or retail store, the right merchandising strategy influences the customer to make a buying decision thereby increasing sales. 

 

The most common job description is Merchandisers plan and manage product ranges, inventory, displays and promotions. They collaborate with buyers, suppliers, analysts and retail teams to have the right products in stock, on the shelf and in attractive displays at the right price to interest customers and produce sales.

 

A Merchandiser should be good at collaborating with suppliers, manufacturers, and retailers to ensure proper execution of merchandising plans; Ensuring retailer compliance with merchandising strategies; Creating and organizing promotions and advertising campaigns; and Maintaining inventory of products.

 

The Merchandiser should know and understand the 'Five R's of Merchandising'. The five rights include providing the right merchandise, at the right place, at the right time, in the right quantities, and at the right price.

 

Personal attributes of a Merchandiser should include commercial awareness, then confidence, able to cope with pressure, teamworking skills, communication skills, interpersonal skills, leadership skills, strong numerical and analytical skills.

 

It is very important that when working in Merchandising, the Merchandiser must know Four P's. These are the four Ps: the product (the good or service), the price (what the consumer pays), the place (the location where a product is marketed), and promotion (the advertising).

 

There are five types of Merchandising - Visual Merchandising, Retail Merchandising, Digital Merchandising, Product Merchandising, and Omnichannel Merchandising.

 

Visual merchandising is used to highlight the products and its features through certain display techniques. It could be proper product placement, lighting, design or spacing between the products. Visual merchandising entices the customers visually, be it offline or online.

 

Retail merchandising is used to sell products to customers through promotional and marketing activities. The products are sold only in physical stores like malls, events, or brick and mortar stores.

 

Digital merchandising is the online version of retail merchandising, it is used to sell products online. Also known as ecommerce or online merchandising, it is a technique of promoting products online through ads, email marketing, social media marketing, or affiliate marketing. 

 

Omnichannel merchandising is used to create a better experience for the customer throughout their buying journey. All kinds of tactics or activities are covered at all the points. 

 

Product merchandising is all about promoting the products to generate revenue. The product can be of any type like a digital product or physical product that is available in retail stores. The promotional activities occur online or offline depending upon the kind of product and its availability. Not to mention, the target customer is also a deciding factor for the activities.

 

Merchandising can attract a lot of customers if it’s done the right way. These were the types of merchandise that is used by every retail store. A mix and match one or more techniques can do wonders for a few products.

 

In South Africa, the retail market is growing, currently at 2,500+ Shopping Malls and centres across the country. Merchandising plays a major role in ensuring the Shopping market is pleasurable for consumers and profitable for brands and businesses involved.

 

Choosing a career in Merchandising needs one to understand all the above, and ensure they are experienced, qualified, and have a pleasant attitude before seeking employment in the industry.

 

In today's world, we need to understand that the Merchandiser now also carries out the role of a Brand Ambassador. As the human representation of a brand, the Brand Ambassador's purpose is to develop and maintain a positive company image by efficiently interacting with consumers. ... In this regard, Brand Ambassadors are responsible for a brand's visibility, as well as its alignments and development.

 

A brand ambassador (sometimes also called a corporate ambassador) is a person who is employed by an organization or company to represent a brand in a positive light, and by doing so, help to increase brand awareness and sales.

 

Brand ambassadors become some of the most important people who advocate for your brand through the use of Instagram promotion and frequent social media posts. They can target your desired audience, can be low cost and are very relatable to consumers.

 

It is also important to note the difference between the Brand Ambassador and the Influencer. Influencer relationships are typically short-term, but ambassador relationships are long-term. Influencers only promote your brand once or twice, while ambassadors promote your brand repeatedly. All ambassadors have already actively used your product.

 

Credible brand ambassadors are able to offer many benefits, with the most important being the ability to give your brand a boost on social media, spread positive messages and influence consumer sales. The most effective are those who are able to provide customer service and act as spokespeople for your brand.

 

The Merchandiser of today is also a Brand Ambassador, and you must at least be visible and relating socially as one way before you enter into a Merchandising position.

 

Become a Brand Ambassador to become a good Merchandiser, and be a good Merchandiser in order to be a good Brand Ambassador.