1. So What is Merchandising? Merchandisers work very closely with Buyers and determine range of goods to be sold When to buy them Their price How they will be presented Merchandiser responsible for range of merchandise, contents, price and give policy guidelines to Buyer Merchandiser could be responsible for promotion, display, sales forecast and stock levels

2. Retail Merchandisers need to understand all the buying systems related to: Buying Selling Transportation Warehousing of merchandise The Merchandiser will: Produce current sales figures Sales History Reports Produce Forward Estimates Visit Supplier Base and Warehouses AND Determine a strategy with the Category or Merchandise Manager Plan the size of the BUY Monitor stock management & allocation to stores

3. They will: Manage one or two assistants and junior allocator Raise Purchase Orders to match range plan from buyers And Develop detailed spreadsheets for the buyers They Work closely with retail buyers in forecasting stock requirements and mark down decisions

4. Retail Buyers offices increasingly operate with combination of buying and merchandising teams Buyers responsible for the product selection Merchandisers responsible for planning and financial control Wholesale merchandising This is where company is a supplier to the High Street The Merchandiser becomes Liaison between Customer and Factory in UK and Offshore

5. The Role Involves: Ensuring purchase order raised to budgets Ensuring orders from overseas and UK factories arrive on time Taking initial brief from customer via buyer for the season Negotiating cost prices with factories Negotiating on cost to customer i.e. selling price Approving pre-production samples Organising shipping documents Monitoring pre-production Stock control and contract invoicing

6. Skills and Qualifications required of Merchandiser Sound judgement Decisiveness and maturity Ability to cope under pressure Tough, business like approach Absolute integrity Excellent communication skills Negotiation skills Eye for detail Excellent numerical skills Ability to interpret data and figures and make commercial decisions based on them Good I.T. skills A degree or HND qualification Be self motivated Have the ability to rise to a challenge

7. Buying and Merchandising Director £120K Merchandiser £30K- £45K Assistant Merchandiser £22K- £25K Allocator £16K - £18K Buyer £30K- £45K Assist Buyer £22K - £25K Buyer Assist £16K - £18K Buying and Merchandising Manager £55 - £75K

8. The Role of The Merchandiser Retail Merchandising Work closely with Buyers to determine ranges of goods when to buy, price and how presented Produce financial plans on a seasonal basis: –Sales and stock level –Gross/net margins –Gross profit –Space planning –Mark up/downs Monitoring the performance of these measurable targets on a weekly basis Working within the buying team ensuring suppliers deliver on time Monitoring the allocation & distribution of stock

9. Wholesale Merchandising (The step before retail) Where company is a supplier to the high street, merchandiser becomes liaison between the customer and factory Ensuring purchase orders are raised to budgets Ensuring orders arrive from overseas and UK factories Critical brief from customer via buyer for the season Negotiates cost prices with factory and customer on sell Organising shipping documents Monitoring pre-production and stock control and contract invoicing Visual Merchandiser organise methods of display concentrating on colour,style, impact and ticket pricing.