Hire a Fashion Merchandiser
A store’s visual design, aesthetic appeal, and physical appearance influence the ambiance and overall customer experience. While a retail store can have great product offerings, customers might have a difficult time finding them if the products are not displayed correctly. Through their creativity and style, fashion merchandisers take care of optimizing the customer’s experience by making sure that everything is pleasing to the eye.
Hiring a fashion merchandiser begins by creating a job description that is accurate, complete, and inviting. Recruiters can use the job description to attract their ideal candidates. While it can be easy to just fill the content with a list of everything about the job vacancy, recruiters need to be mindful. Job descriptions should be easy to read and understand.
Fashion Merchandiser Responsibilities
Fashion merchandisers take charge of the overall aesthetic appeal of retail space. They study and obtain an excellent understanding of the business’s brand and objectives. Fashion merchandisers identify their target market and study their preferences, buying patterns, budgets, and the latest fashion trends.
In collaboration with the marketing department, fashion merchandisers create strategies for monthly merchandise presentations. They conceive of all the visual details in the store. From correct tagging of items, store layout, identifying key sections for display, store fixtures, promotional signs, product display, and other store design elements, these are handled by the fashion merchandiser. They work together with the store’s staff and give specific instructions on what products to group, showcase, and display.
Fashion merchandisers make it a point to stay abreast of marketing trends. As new style trends develop seasonally, they must know how to incorporate these into their store’s aesthetic while staying true to the brand campaign. Furthermore, fashion merchandisers communicate with the corporate office and management team to discuss brand campaigns, strategies, merchandise presentations, and budget guidelines. They prepare and present reports to determine the effectiveness of the visual design.
Finally, fashion merchandisers also provide customer service. They greet customers, welcome them to the store, and provide assistance. They ask them about what they are looking for and guide them towards products accordingly. Fashion merchandisers are knowledgeable about all their products, make recommendations to customers, and answer any questions that they may have.
Fashion Merchandiser Skills and Qualifications
To qualify as a fashion merchandiser, most employers prefer candidates who have a bachelor’s degree in fashion, merchandising, or a similar field. Candidates need to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the latest fashion trends and designs. Proficiency in design computer applications like Illustrator or Photoshop is an advantage.
The ideal candidate for a fashion merchandiser is creative, analytical, with keen attention to detail. Candidates must be able to work independently with minimal supervision. However, being able to collaborate with a wider team is also important. As such, good interpersonal and communication skills are necessary. Fashion merchandisers may work on one store or manage multiple stores across different locations. They must have the ability to manage time well and prioritize tasks strategically. Lastly, previous work experience in the same role and proven retail experience are essential.
