Skills & Competencies for Merchandiser

JOB SUMMARY for Merchandiser

Merchandises products and implement merchandising plans in a retail environment.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES for Merchandiser

Works closely with store sales staff to improve the consumer buying experience by providing support for merchandising plans. Monitors inventories and sales and generates reports for product lines. Troubleshoots delivery or vendor issues and develop solutions to ensure product availability. Coordinates maintenance of pricing, markdowns, on-order, and merchandising guidelines and product knowledge information with sellers.

Merchandiser SALARY RANGE

BASE 50%
$69,438
TOTAL 50%
$71,307
Job Level
P02
Job Code
SM15000387
Education/Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Reports To
Manager

Merchandiser Skills and Competencies List

Proficiency Levels and Behavioural Indicators
Salary.com identifies five increasing levels of proficiency for each skill/competency. Some jobs require only a relatively low level of proficiency in each skill/competency, while other jobs will require a more advanced level of proficiency in the same skill/competency. These levels rate the degree of proficiency (skill level, expertise) we expect the incumbent to perform in the given skill/competency for the given job. Note that we intentionally do not associate timeframes or years of experience in performing the skill/competency because that can be misleading. Proficiency levels identify what the incumbent knows and can do rather than how long they have been doing it. Also, note that the proficiency levels are cumulative, e.g., a level 4 proficiency implies the ability to perform all the behaviors at the lower levels.
Check each Merchandiser skill and competencie below to view definitions.

11 hard skills or competencies (industry competencies) for Merchandiser

1 Industry Competency – Retail Industry
Proficiency Level -2
Skill definition-Applying comprehensive knowledge of retail principles, inventory management, pricing strategies, and consumer behavior to effectively manage and operate retail businesses.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Defines the importance of effective merchandising strategies in boosting retail sales and profit margins.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Assists customers with product inquiries by providing information about features, pricing, and availability.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Addresses intricate complaints and concerns effectively to ensure customer satisfaction and retention.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Contributes to the development of retail pricing strategies to maximize profitability and competitiveness.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Champions the adoption of predictive analytics to optimize pricing, inventory management, and marketing strategies.
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2 Industry Competency – Cross Merchandising
Proficiency Level -2
Skill definition-Utilizing visual merchandising techniques to place and display complementary products next to each other to enhance shopping experience and sales.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Cites the common tools and techniques to create visually appealing displays.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Adheres to company policies in stocking sales floor shelves and displaying different brands.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Displays large signage and banners to encourage customers in exploring cross merchandising product pairings.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Evaluates product sales performance to determine cross merchandising opportunities in boosting sales.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Champions the use of virtual reality to develop interactive displays showcasing cross merchandised products.
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3 Merchandiser - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Merchandiser
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Merchandiser
Proficiency Level - 5

3 general skills or competencies (Job family competencies) for Merchandiser

1 Job Family Competencies – Marketing Operations
Proficiency Level -1
Skill definition-Designing, executing, and optimizing systems, tools, and processes to ensure the smooth and efficient operations of marketing activities.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Describes the key concepts and components of marketing operations.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Applies the knowledge of marketing concepts to meet our established business objectives.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Contributes to the design and implementation of new marketing processes within our organization.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Evaluates performance metrics to measure the performance of our marketing campaigns and strategies.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Builds and executes marketing operations roadmap to reduce inefficiencies.
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2 Job Family Competencies – Promotion
Proficiency Level -2
Skill definition-Developing and implementing promotional activities to attract and increase the awareness of customers in buying products.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Cites different types of promotional marketing.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Compiles analytics of promotional activities to assist in evaluating the effectiveness of campaigns.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Analyzes reports on promotional activities to assess the effectiveness of initiatives.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Discusses budgets and contracts, marketing plans, and the selection of advertising media.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Approves design concepts and marketing strategies for key promotional efforts.
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3 Merchandiser - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Merchandiser
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Merchandiser
Proficiency Level - 5

10 soft skills or competencies (core competencies) for Merchandiser

1 Core Competencies – Scheduling
Proficiency Level -2
Skill definition-Ability to plan and organize activities, tasks, and resources to achieve business goals and objectives within timeframe and budget.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Lists ways to improve scheduling skills, including setting deadlines, using a planner and delegating tasks.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Reports the changes in scheduled appointments for management to review.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Uses organizational workforce models to determine schedules that meet operational commitments.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Organizes calendars for department personnel to set meetings, conferences, teleconferences, and travel.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Designs an organizational timetable to keep track of all scheduled activities of employees.
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2 Core Competencies – Key Performance Indicators (KPI)
Proficiency Level -2
Skill definition-Knowledge of and ability to apply a set of quantifiable measurements to determine how effectively an individual, team or organization is achieving a business objective.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Explains the benefits and risks of using KPIs.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Identifies KPIs currently in use and provides input to management.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Maintains an organized data management process to track progress on KPIs.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Leverages the Business Intelligence (BI) technologies and tools for KPI reporting and analysis.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Leads efforts to improve performance as identified and measured by KPIs.
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3 Merchandiser - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Merchandiser
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Merchandiser
Proficiency Level - 5

Summary of Merchandiser skills and competencies

There are 11 hard skills for Merchandiser, Retail Industry, Cross Merchandising, Retail Pricing, etc.
3 general skills for Merchandiser, Marketing Operations, Promotion, Inventory Control.
10 soft skills for Merchandiser, Scheduling, Key Performance Indicators (KPI), Attention to Detail, etc.
While the list totals 24 distinct skills, it's important to note that not all are required to be mastered to the same degree. Some skills may only need a basic understanding, whereas others demand a higher level of expertise.
For instance, as a Merchandiser, he or she needs to be proficient in Scheduling, be proficient in Key Performance Indicators (KPI), and be proficient in Attention to Detail.

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