Guide · Merchandising

What is merchandising? A guide for brands.

What merchandising means on a shop floor, how visual merchandising differs, and what a merchandiser actually does when they walk into a store.

6 min read7 steps6 checks

Merchandising team beside a seasonal chocolate display in a large store

Merchandising is mostly about availability and accuracy. A beautiful display does little if the product behind it has sold out.The one thing to remember

Start here

What merchandising is, store by store.

From what the word means to what a merchandiser does on each visit. Follow the line; tap any point to read it.

Two staff beside a promotional display at the Space NK store in Watford

01Step 1 of 7

Two staff beside an Edgard and Cooper display in a pet store

What merchandising means

Merchandising is the work of presenting products in a shop so that shoppers can find them, understand them and buy them.

Shelf position
Facings
Price labels
Promotions
Stock on shelf

Key pointMerchandising is mostly about availability and accuracy. A beautiful display does little if the product behind it has sold out.

02Step 2 of 7

Staff member beside a Space NK display at a store opening

What is visual merchandising?

Visual merchandising is the craft of making products look appealing so that people stop, look and buy.

Window schemes
Mannequins
Feature tables
Lighting
Colour blocking

Key pointThe design of a display and the installation of it are different tasks, often done by different people.

03Step 3 of 7

Two staff at the Levi's Tailor Shop counter in a London store

What a merchandiser does on a store visit

A typical visit starts with signing in and a word with the store or department manager.

Sign in
Check the layout
Fill gaps
Rotate stock
Fix labels
Face up
Photos and report

04Step 4 of 7

Merchandiser with a clipboard checking a Ferrero display in store

Planograms, compliance and shelf drift

A planogram is the diagram that shows exactly where each product goes on a shelf: which bay, which shelf, how many facings and in what order.

Bay
Shelf
Facings
Order

Key pointAsk for photos before and after every visit. They are the simplest proof that the shelf matches the plan.

05Step 5 of 7

Two staff in black outside a Space NK store for a launch

Who books merchandising teams, and when

Brands without their own field team are the most common buyers, along with brands whose field team can't cover every store or every promotion.

New listing
Seasonal changeover
Category reset
National promotion
Regular visits

06Step 6 of 7

Staff member serving a customer across the counter at a concert

Merchandising at events: the other meaning

Some people searching for an "event staff merchandiser" mean something else again: the staff who sell official merchandise at concerts, festivals, sports fixtures and touring shows.

Set up the stall
Sizes in order
Card and cash
Count in and out

07Step 7 of 7

Staff member with a clipboard outside a Specsavers store

Planning a merchandising project

A good merchandising brief answers six questions: which stores, how often, what tasks on each visit, how long each visit should take, how store access is arranged with the retailer, and what the report should show.

6questions a good merchandising brief answers

Key pointStore access is the most common cause of a slow start. Sort it before the first visit is booked.

Checklist

Before the first store visit.

Ready for store one.

Two staff beside a Corona display in a Co-op store

At a glance

Five meanings, one word.

What each kind of merchandising covers, and who does it.

Term	What it covers	Who does it
Merchandising (field)	Stock on shelf, planogram, labels, promotions	Field merchandisers visiting stores
Merchandising (head office)	Forecasting, stock levels, allocation	Retail planning teams
Visual merchandising	Windows, displays, layout, look and feel	VM designers set it; store or field teams install it
Merchandising audit	Measuring compliance store by store	Auditors or merchandisers with a set checklist
Event merchandise sales	Selling official merchandise at events	Event sales staff

Quick answers

Merchandising questions, answered.

Short answers to the questions brands ask before booking merchandisers.

What is the difference between merchandising and visual merchandising?

Merchandising makes sure products are available, correctly placed and correctly priced. Visual merchandising designs how products and displays look so they draw shoppers in. A field team often installs the visual merchandising scheme as part of its merchandising visits.

Is a merchandiser the same as a sales rep?

Not as a rule. A sales rep negotiates orders and listings with the retailer; a merchandiser works on the shop floor to make sure what has been agreed actually happens. Some programmes combine the two roles.

Do merchandisers need permission to work in a store?

Yes. Retailers set their own rules for visiting merchandisers, and the brand normally arranges access through its account team. Merchandisers then sign in and follow store procedures on each visit.

How often should stores be visited?

It depends on how fast the product sells, how quickly shelves drift and whether a promotion is running. High-volume lines and launch weeks justify more frequent visits than steady, slower lines.

Can merchandisers build displays?

They can assemble and install display units and point of sale that the brand supplies, following its guidelines. Designing and producing the display itself is a separate task for the brand or its display supplier.

Staff member demonstrating FidlBitz toys in a toy store aisle

What is field marketing? How it works in retail and beyond

How brands use teams in stores and on the street, and where merchandising fits alongside sampling, audits and sales support.

Read the guide →

Stores to cover?

How EXECUTIONAL can help.

We supply merchandisers who visit stores to your brief: planogram resets, availability checks, promotional set-ups and audits, with photos and a report after each visit. You supply the planogram, point of sale and any display units; our team installs and maintains them to your guidelines.

Ask for a quote →