Make A Full Or Part Time Income With Flexible Hours!
Question 1: What is retail merchandising?
Answer: activities designed to promote in-store sales, including shelf layout, counter cards, mobiles, point of purchase displays, events, etc.
Question 2: How did you become a retail merchandiser?
Answer: I became a merchandiser in 2004, while raising money for my first trip to Uganda. I could pick and choose the jobs I wanted, set my own hours (within a specified time frame), and work (or not) whenever I want. The money is good; it averages out at about $10.00/hour. All in all, a great career choice for someone who often takes off on a trip to who knows where whenever the notion hits!
So how do you get into merchandising? Not through one of those scams that ask you to pay for information already available for free, or info that's just plain WRONG! Be smart, do your homework, and you'll find what you're looking for.
This is just an introduction to retail merchandising, but you'll soon find that it's fun, interesting and insightful into the real world of retail sales. Best wishes as you explore!
What You Need (And What You Don't) To Become A Successful Merchandiser
What You'll Need:*Reliable Computer With Internet Connection And A Printer Many companies with send you job information and ask you to input work information through their web sites.
*Good People Skills- you will need to cultivate good relationships with job schedulers, store staff and customers during your visits, so a patient, pleasant attitude and willingness to help is always a plus.
*Initiative- especially when you're starting out. YOU are responsible for finding your own work. DON'T get scammed by people selling lists or info that GUARANTEE jobs. It doesn't work that way!
*Ability to work on your own- AKA Personal Responsibility!
You will have to make sure you have all your paperwork and materials together, and that the work is done to the best of your ability. You also need to report and/or send all of the required documentation to the company completed in a timely manner, ie: BEFORE the stated deadline. Deadlines in merchandising must be strictly observed.
*Reliable Computer With Internet Connection And A Printer Many companies with send you job information and ask you to input work information through their web sites.
*Good English Skills- brush up on your reading, writing and comprehension if you're rusty. Many vendors ask for detailed information regarding the store, associates, and other things you noticed during your store visit.
*Reliable Transportation & Childcare-
Note: You CANNOT take children with you on jobs for safety reasons.
*Digital or Cell Phone Camera- You may be required to take pictures of completed displays for the vendor. These are usually sent by email.
*A Credit Check And/Or Drug Test- some stores require EVERYONE who works there to have a credit and/or drug test for security reasons.
What You DON'T Need:
*A Bad Attitude
*To Pay For Legitimate Jobs Or Information
Not Required, But It Helps
Home Office Equipment- Look into the purchase of a FAX machine, paper shredder and other office supplies to help you organize your work and be professional.
*A certification from a recognized organization such as the National Association for Retail Marketing Services: NARMS.
Merchandisers with certifications receive preferred status with job schedulers. The tests are fairly simple, and a small testing fee is required for the certification, which you will probably make up with the paycheck from your first jobs. Technical terms, procedures and information about merchandising that will be on the test is available for free on the NARMS site.
Legitmate Merchandising Companies I've Worked For
These are just a few legitimate companies, check Google for more leads and info!
- Premium Retail Services
- Founded in 1985, Premium Retail Services offers full-service, nationwide retail merchandising, auditing and assembly services engineered for retail businesses in virtually any trade channel.
- Action Link
- At ActionLink, it's our goal to make the link between your product and the consumer as simple as possible.
- Lawrence Merchandsing Services
- For over 45 years, manufacturers and retailers have depended on Lawrence Merchandising Services to position many of the nation's top brands through quality, reliable in-store merchandising support.
- National In-Store
- Whether your brand retail objectives are national or market specific NIS has the people, processes and experience to..."Get It Done At Retail"
- Crossmark
- CROSSMARK is dedicated to building and maintaining long-term partnerships with our clients, customers and associates by providing an exceptional level of service delivered with passion, integrity, innovation and consistency.
- SAS Merchandising Services
- Total Retail Solution
- Service Solutions
- Services Solutions is a specialist with extensive experience in every facet of merchandising.
- SPAR
- The company provides merchandising services to manufacturers and retailers in multiple classes of trade such as grocery, mass merchandiser, and drug stores.
- Mosaic
- From display installation and visual merchandising to retail associate training, Mosaic ensures the quality control that translates into sales.
- Quest In-Store Services
- Quest is a retail services firm that provides merchandising, marketing, fixture installation, construction, and project management services to leading retailers, vendors, and fixture manufacturers nationwide.
- Rhodes Retail
- Welcome to Rhodes Retail. To us,
merchandising isn't just a job. It's
our life. - Strategic Merchandising Partners
- Established in 1997, Strategic Merchandising Partners has a solid reputation and distinguished history of creating and implementing innovative field marketing solutions that drive sales, enhance value, and increase ROI
- MarketStar
- Don't wait. Join the leader in sales & marketing outsourcing and begin an exciting career without limits.
A Sample Of Merchandising Tasks
The Department Stores Porto-folio (Visual Merchandising)
A slideshow combining several years of favorite projects while working as a visual merchandise manager for Macy*s and Gayfers department stores.
Runtime: 4:22
6345 views
6 Comments:
Links To Get You Started
Here are some links to get information and certification as a retail merchandiser.
Please add any *legitmate* links to this list. Any spam sites will be deleted. NOTE: You do NOT have to pay to get merchandising jobs.
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How to Get Work as a Merchandiser
There are all kinds of jobs that fall under the pu more...2 points
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ShadowShopper | Mystery shopper and Secret shopper shopping jobs delivered daily!
ShadowShopper.com - Delivering real jobs that pay more...1 point
Merchandising Job Boards
- Volition
- Mystery Shopping, Merchandising & Demo Job Posts
- Lila's Lounge
- This forum (one of the largest) is a friendly community for mystery shoppers, merchandisers, demo people. Jobs are usually posted by schedulers. Great resource for beginners!
- Shadow Shopper
- Job posts for mystery shopping, merchandising and demo work. This is the ONLY paid job board worth the cost. High end vendors and good paying jobs make the membership fee pay for itself in a short time. Pick and choose as you please, but these are LEGITMATE jobs with great companies that will build your résumé in no time. Job posts can be emailed to you daily, as they become avaiable.
- Retail Service Industry
- Retail Service Industry has numerous jobs available across the country. We need your help! This service is absolutely free for all job seekers, no membership fees!
Read About Merchandising
Visual Merchandising: Windows and In-Store Displays for Retail
Amazon Price: $26.40 (as of 07/13/2009) 
Retail/Merchandising Internship Manual
Amazon Price: (as of 07/13/2009)
Retail Product Management Buying and Merchandising
Amazon Price: $53.05 (as of 07/13/2009)
Merchandising Mathematics for Retailing (3rd Edition)
Amazon Price: (as of 07/13/2009)
Practical Merchandising Math (National Retail Federation)
Amazon Price: $157.50 (as of 07/13/2009)
Merchandising Blogs from Google
- Commercial Interior Design & Visual Merchandising: Interior Design ...
- Interior Design for Retail Course @ Central St. Martins, student guest blogger Beverly Chan. Beverly Chan, Environmental Designer, Vancouver, Canada. Over the last two weeks, having visited factories, learned from artisans, ...
- BrainTrust Query: Are we ready to cure performance anxiety ...
- Those of you who follow the work of the In-Store Implementation Network may be well aware that members regard the pursuit of retail compliance as nothing less than an industry imperative. Our latest work on merchandising performance ...
- How Profitable is Your Merchandising
- Retail professional with years of knowledge in Convenience Retail, Hospitality, Forecourt Retailing, Training Packages,Staff Development and Assessment. With plenty of experiences to share with those who have an interest. ...
- Abercrombie could still surprise us as its new discounting ...
- As part of its strategic relationship with Oracle, Abercrombie & Fitch has implemented Oracle Retail merchandising and stores applications to support its international expansion plans and long-term growth strategy. ...
Was This Lens Helpful To You?
OhMe wrote...
Very interesting. Thank you for sharing this great information and for visiting my Birth Order lens and blessing it. I sure do appreciate it.
Posted May 07, 2009
TheMexicanBlackBird wrote...
Very nice Lens. I was just introduced to merchandising by my friend who works 3 days a week, and just applied for a part time position myself. It will make a nice supplemental income while I am building up my affiliate marketing and virtual assistant services.
Posted October 17, 2008
pheephee wrote...
I have worked with Driveline,Premium Retail, Retail Marketing Professionals and several other companies.My favorite thing about merchandising is setting my own hours,so I have time to do other things.
Posted April 25, 2008
Retro_Loco wrote...
Sounds like a fun job to me!! I am so glad I found this lens...thanks for sharing your experiences. 5*'s
~Vicki~ Retro Loco
Posted January 28, 2008
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by badmsm
Bette Miles-Holleman is a retail merchandiser, customer service analyst, model and stylist with over 25 years experience in the fas...
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