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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Merchandiser

💰 $55,000 - $85,000

RetailFashionE-commerceConsumer Goods

🎯 Role Definition

A Merchandiser is the strategic heart of a retail operation, acting as the crucial link between the buying team and the customer. This role is responsible for ensuring the "Five Rights" of merchandising are met: delivering the Right Product, in the Right Quantity, at the Right Time, to the Right Place, and at the Right Price. By analyzing market trends, sales data, and customer behavior, a Merchandiser crafts compelling product assortments and manages inventory flow to maximize profitability and create an exceptional shopping experience, whether in a physical store or on a digital platform. They are analytical storytellers who translate data into commercial success.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Assistant Merchandiser
  • Merchandising Coordinator
  • Allocation Analyst
  • Buyer's Assistant

Advancement To:

  • Senior Merchandiser
  • Merchandising Manager / Category Manager
  • Director of Merchandising
  • Head of E-commerce

Lateral Moves:

  • Buyer
  • Inventory Planner
  • E-commerce Site Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Develop and execute strategic product assortments for specific categories that align with financial targets, brand aesthetic, and customer demand.
  • Analyze weekly, monthly, and seasonal sales performance data to identify key trends, best-sellers, and slow-moving items, providing actionable recommendations to leadership.
  • Create detailed sales and inventory forecasts by SKU, style, and location to inform purchasing decisions and ensure alignment with financial plans (Open-to-Buy).
  • Manage inventory levels across all sales channels, executing stock transfers and replenishment orders to prevent stockouts and minimize excess inventory.
  • Collaborate with the buying and planning teams to establish competitive pricing strategies, promotional calendars, and markdown tactics to achieve margin goals and drive sell-through.
  • Optimize online product categorization, navigation, sequencing, and on-site search to improve product discovery and conversion rates on the e-commerce platform.
  • Develop and implement visual merchandising directives and planograms to create compelling in-store presentations that enhance the customer journey and maximize sales per square foot.
  • Continuously monitor competitor activities, pricing, promotional strategies, and assortment shifts to identify market opportunities and maintain a competitive edge.
  • Cultivate and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with vendors to negotiate terms, ensure on-time delivery of goods, and resolve any supply chain or quality issues.
  • Partner with the marketing team to align product launches and key initiatives with promotional campaigns, email marketing, and social media content.
  • Conduct regular store visits or digital site walks to gather qualitative feedback on product performance, customer response, and visual presentation standards.
  • Prepare and present comprehensive hindsight analysis reports at the end of each season to review performance against goals and inform future assortment strategies.
  • Manage the product lifecycle from initial buy to final sale, including tracking purchase orders, monitoring inbound shipments, and planning end-of-life markdowns.
  • Utilize merchandise planning software and ERP systems to manage OTB, allocate stock, and generate performance reports accurately and efficiently.
  • Oversee the product setup process for new items, ensuring all necessary data (descriptions, images, attributes, pricing) is accurate and complete for both online and in-store systems.
  • Lead assortment planning for new store openings, ensuring the product mix is tailored to the local market demographic and store format.
  • Drive cross-functional collaboration with planning, allocation, marketing, and visual teams to ensure a cohesive and synchronized go-to-market strategy.
  • Analyze customer data and market research to identify new product opportunities and emerging trends that can drive growth and expand the customer base.
  • Communicate key product strategies, business updates, and performance results effectively to cross-functional partners and senior management.
  • Champion a data-driven culture within the team, using analytics to validate merchandising instincts and guide strategic decision-making.

Secondary Functions

  • Support the training, mentorship, and development of junior team members, such as Assistant Merchandisers or Merchandising Coordinators.
  • Contribute to special projects related to system implementations, new business initiatives, or process improvements within the merchandising function.
  • Assist in the preparation of materials and presentations for key business reviews, such as quarterly or seasonal planning meetings with executive leadership.
  • Participate in cross-functional meetings with operations, logistics, and customer service teams to address inventory-related challenges and opportunities.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Advanced Microsoft Excel: Mastery of pivot tables, VLOOKUP, SUMIFS, and complex formulas for robust data manipulation and analysis.
  • Retail Math & Analytics: Strong grasp of key retail metrics including GMROI, sell-through, turn, margin, and open-to-buy (OTB) management.
  • Merchandising Systems: Proficiency with retail management systems, ERPs (e.g., SAP, Oracle NetSuite), and dedicated planning/allocation software.
  • E-commerce Platforms: Experience with e-commerce platforms like Shopify, Magento, or Salesforce Commerce Cloud for site merchandising.
  • Web Analytics: Familiarity with web analytics tools such as Google Analytics to understand online customer behavior and site performance.
  • Forecasting & Planning: Proven ability to create accurate sales and inventory forecasts based on historical data and market trends.

Soft Skills

  • Commercial Acumen: A deep understanding of the retail landscape, market dynamics, and consumer behavior with a strong instinct for what will sell.
  • Analytical Mindset: The ability to translate complex data sets into clear, actionable insights and strategic recommendations.
  • Negotiation & Influence: Strong skills in persuading and collaborating with vendors and internal stakeholders to achieve business objectives.
  • Communication & Presentation: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the confidence to present findings and strategies to all levels of the organization.
  • Detail-Oriented & Organized: Meticulous attention to detail with exceptional organizational skills to manage multiple product categories and deadlines simultaneously.
  • Problem-Solving: A proactive and resourceful approach to identifying and resolving issues within the supply chain, inventory, or sales performance.
  • Collaboration & Teamwork: A team-player mentality with a proven ability to build and maintain effective cross-functional relationships.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's or Master's Degree

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Fashion Merchandising
  • Business Administration
  • Marketing
  • Finance or Economics
  • Supply Chain Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3-5+ years of progressive experience in a corporate retail environment, specifically in merchandising, buying, or inventory planning.

Preferred: Experience within a multi-channel retail organization (both brick-and-mortar and e-commerce) is highly desirable. Direct experience in the specific product category (e.g., apparel, home goods, electronics) is often a strong plus.

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