Retail Merchandiser Resume & Guide

Before you decide to apply for a job as a Retail Merchandiser, it can be constructive and beneficial to look at a few professional Merchandiser resume samples. Your resume will have to stand out from the applicants’ resumes. One way to ensure your competitive edge over other resumes is to ensure yours are almost close to perfect when it comes to content, design, layout, and information.  

If you write your resume well, it will grab every recruiter’s attention. Our guidelines to writing a banger resume will put you in the best position to get that interview call. We can’t express enough just how important it is to make sure you stand out from the rest. The competition out there is savage, so we will help you do just that.

18 Retail Merchandiser Resume Sample

(Free resume pdf downloads are at the bottom of this page)

Retail Merchandiser Resume Guide

Resume Sections

1. Contact information
2. Profile Summary
3. Work History 
4. Achievements
5. Education 
6. Skill Section
7. Certification & Licensing
8. Extras: Languages/Awards/Publications/Volunteering/hobbies

1. Contact Information:

• Name
• Address
• Phone Number
• Email

Be sure to include alternative contact channels, as well as your Twitter profile or Facebook URL details.

2. Profile Summary: 
A career summary should be viewed similarly to a product blurb you would use to create awareness from buyers and customers. This could either be the first or the last paragraph that a hiring manager views on your resume, so make it count. Speaking of counting, you have 2 or 3 seconds at most to draw them in with your summary as most hiring managers spend an average of six seconds skimming an entire resume!.  

3. Qualifications Summary: 
Usually, employers would prefer a Retail Merchandiser to have a completed associate's degree, but you can also land a job with a completed high school diploma and a few in-house or on-the-job certificates, especially if you are going to work for a smaller or owner-managed store. Courses in merchandising, economics, marketing, and logistics would be to your advantage. Provide accurate details about the certifications and qualifications you have completed with the institution, qualification name, and dates. Don't forget to include qualifications you are currently completing too. Usually, no formal skills, apart from a high school diploma, are needed. Still, the short courses, workshops, and in-house training you have received should then be listed to provide more credibility to your resume.

4. Relevant Retail Merchandiser Experience: 
Aside from having a creative flair for store layouts, retail merchandisers should also be very left-brain inclined, aka have a keen eye for detail. Your experience section should reflect these qualities and explain to hiring managers how you are capable of predicting buying trends and prioritize which products should be promoted in-store (or online if you are working for a virtual retailer. Stick to bullet-pointed duties of up to 6 per each job you have held going back for the last ten years.

5. Other Employment Experience: 
You don't just step into a Retail Merchandiser role without having accumulated sufficient retail experience in different roles within the sector. Make sure to add these job descriptions to your resume as well, especially if you are applying to a Retail Merchandiser role for the first time. Also, think you the previous experience you have gained outside of the formal retail sector but with responsibilities that may be replicated into the job of a Retail Merchandiser such as volunteering to set up stage props for the school play or assisting with design work for promotions and flyers at the local farmers market.

6. Skills Summary/Key Skills: 
You should incorporate a separate skills section into your Retail Merchandiser resume. This may be done by using a Skills Matrix Format, which we will explain in more detail later. The trick to a perfect skills suite that will be noticed by hiring managers or selected by automated sc remaining bots is resume SEO. This is where you would pick the skills from the job advertisement and ensure that these are mirrored (using the exact words) in your resume. Bear in mind that it should be a skill that you actually possess. Inflating your resume with skills you don't have to increase your shortlisting probabilities will just end in a disastrous interview later when you need to put your money where your mouth is.  

What to Highlight in a Retail Merchandiser Resume

It is a good idea to start by spending enough time and hours gathering enough information and plan before you start writing a master document for an excellent resume. When you finish the master, you can start by customizing your resume for each application.

You can, for instance, think of the hiring managers as consumers and customers and answer in your resume the questions you think they will also need answers to. You can also customize your resume to reflect a specific product need that the hiring managers highlight in the job description. Also, give careful consideration to your resume’s appearance and layout, you know, and the skills, so use them when creating your resume.

Regardless of your experience as a Retail Merchandiser, there are a few vital things that recruiters and managers need to know about your employment experience to validate whether you would be fit for the role. These days candidates are tempted to use automation templates and generic content to create a resume that can be used over and over again with the simple click of a button. The problem with generic content is that prospective employers will be fully aware of your lack of effort!

• Start with your industry experience, as this is a critical element of your resume and profession. Each role of a merchandiser is different. You can be one in the clothing industry or the food and beverage industry. It is therefore essential to highlight your specific area of expertise.

• Next, Now you can give more detail about your position and employment level, for instance, are you a mid-manager or did you only recently start as a Merchandiser? Describe your team setup and highlight what your role entails. Also, list your reporting channel and to whom you report, for instance, the marketing manager, store manager, or manager of a specific division.

• Then, You also have to mention if you travel in your current position and if you will be available to travel for the new work, especially if that is requested.

• Also remember, JIT (just in time) processes are essential in your line of work. It will be highly beneficial to your chances of landing the job to describe how you ensure JIT processes and ensure products and merchandise are delivered and available timeously. Delays are inevitable, but you need to manage the chances of it happening, as this is your responsibility. You can and should explain in your resume how you deal with and manage possible delays and implement alternative procedures to prevent or manage low stock levels and delays.

• Finally, You can write about your talents when it comes to aesthetics, displays, and visual appeal of exhibits and shelves’ layout for a start. You are the image consultant of the products and merchandise, and therefore you are creative and have an eye and feeling for what will attract consumers’ attention. Show your expertise in layout, your ability to use color and schemes to attract attention and get customers to choose your brands.

Inventory management is a critical task in the Retail Merchandiser duty list. This may include monitoring warehouse inventory levels and submitting reports to relevant parties for inventory to be delivered at a specific date. Recruiters would look for keywords such as maintain an organized warehouse or storage environment, using inventory software, ensuring product accessibility, coordinating stock shelving and replenishing, and dealing with complaints regarding product shortages or defects.

*Resume Hack: A functional filler in your resume that will also double up in providing key personality and physical traits is including a paragraph regarding your working environment. Moving up and down storage units, back to shop floor, during to distribution centers, or visit multiple stores per week shows that you are fit, can organize, have excellent time management skills, and can multitask. All these qualities are vital to succeed in a Retail Merchandiser role. Also mention working hours as some Retail Merchandisers work at night to set up stores before opening hours the next day or spend hours at warehouses during weekends selecting stock for the monthly promotions.

Retail Merchandiser Resume Summary

Hiring managers have large numbers of resumes to screen and limited time to read every single sentence. The typical recruiter spends less than six seconds, scanning through resumes. That is not much time for your content to make an impact now, is it?

A smart way to ensure that you hook their attention right from the start is to have a stellar resume synopsis placed at the top of your resume. Make sure to bold this paragraph and use larger fonts for maximum impact.

You may be wondering what to write in a resume summary. Think of your resume as a product, and the review is that metadata explanation providing a short but compelling overview of that the product, in this case, your resume is all about.

As opposed to writing about your career objectives, you will showcase your experience, skills, and qualifications.in a paragraph of between 3 and 6 sentences.

A neat trick is to read through the job ad a few times and identify the purpose of the role. Then use that as your baseline theme to construct a resume summary.

If we break it down in steps:

• Step 1 – Use a powerful adjective to describe your job title
• Step 2 – List years of experience and clarify industry tenure
• Step 3 – Include two to three specialist duties or skills
• Step 4 – End of with your academic credentials or certifications

Resume Summary Examples:

Resume Summary 1

Enthusiastic Retail Merchandiser with six years of experience in garment department stores. Excellent knowledge of display set-ups and in-store customer foot traffic patterns to ensure that promotional items receive maximum visibility and buyer attention. Holds an Associate's Degree in Marketing Management and is also a Certified Digital Marketer.

Resume Summary 2

Highly creative Retail Merchandiser with an excellent eye for visual aesthetics and promotional design. Over a decade of experience in implementing retail merchandising concepts most attractively to create buyer interest. Known for using smell, audio, and visual stimuli in promotional set-ups at gourmet food emporiums across multiple regions on the East Coast. Carry out duties with a strong sense of purpose and urgency. Completed a Retail Management Bachelors Degree achieving Cum Laude status.

Resume Summary 3

Highly competent Retail Merchandiser with a talent for product displays and below the line marketing techniques for in-store promotions. Expert at product planning and forecasting combined with excellent aptitude in arranging visual product display to attract customer interest and boost sales. Certified Marketer with an Advanced Diploma in Online Retail Management. Currently studying a course in Graphic Design for Virtual Shop Platforms.

Merchandiser Summary 4

“Experienced footwear Merchandiser with sixteen years of experience in retail department stores. Exceptional knowledge of display set-ups and predicting in-store customer foot traffic patterns. Strong skills in ensuring promotional items get the maximum visibility and buyer attention. Received an Associate's Degree in Marketing Management, Honors degree in strategic marketing, and obtained certification in Digital Marketer.”

Merchandiser Summary 5

“Extremely creative Merchandiser with an exceptional eye for design and visual aesthetics. Fifteen years of experience in implementing merchandising concepts and understanding how to create buyer interest at gourmet food emporiums across multiple regions on the West Coast. Have a strong sense of purpose and understand the urgency. Hold a Retail Management Bachelor's Degree achieving Cum Laude status.”

Merchandiser Summary 6

“Competent and efficient Merchandiser with a strong sense for product displays. Understand how to utilize below-the-line marketing techniques for in-store promotions. Excellent in product planning and forecasting. Clever in arranging visual product displays. Certified Marketer with an Advanced Diploma in Online Retail Management. In the process of completing a course in Graphic Design for Virtual Shop Platforms.”

Merchandiser Summary 7

“Enthusiastic merchandiser with 4+ years of experience. Skilled in design and store display and responsible for display setup. Working to raise the sales for ABC Outsourcing Group’s clients. Accountable for creating 70+ Retail Optimization Strategies planograms for different displays, exceeding sales targets by 23% per year. Responsible for successful merchandising activities for 420 client stores.”

Employment History & Examples

Your inbox could be to the brim with offers, but first, you need to tailor a resume for a job. You can do this if you understand how to describe your work experience on a resume. Use this method:

For every job you held, list the job title, dates, and name of the business.

Secondly, describe your duties mixed with retail merchandiser accomplishments that match the job ad. (“Developed 60 plus planograms” and “exceptional sales targets history, exceeding with an average of 21%”.)

Use numbers because this quantifies your experiences and gives depth to your skills and experience.

Pro Tip: Use appropriate synonyms that attract attention, like develop, training, and implementing.

Example:

Merchandiser at AEF Company

(Apr 2021 – Feb 2023)

Managed all merchandise activities of a $280M Footwear and Sporting Goods business for 300 stores. Responsible for  15 categories of products and built successful relationships with stores and clients.

• Manage the teams responsible for each category’s assortment plans and product lines’
• Ensured that all plans and campaigns were set correctly as envisioned.
• Principal liaison for new product launches, the opening of new stores, and seasonal promotions. Supported store staff and educated new team members on company policies and strategies.
• Managed the execution of displays and floor exhibitions during seasonal changes, promotions, and according to needs and trends.

Retail Merchandiser Job Descriptions, Duties and Responsibilities

Now its time for the meat-and-potato section of your Retail Merchandiser resume. An employer would expect to see the following proven foundational duties and skill sets within a Retail Merchandiser resume. You are welcome to use our verbiage as is, but remember to tweak each job description following the industry that you have experience in.

50+ Examples:

A Retail Merchandiser Job Descriptions:

• Change displays to ensure product promotion and marketing strategy stay on trend and appeal to customers
• Move merchandise around to create equal spacing and functional layout optimized for customer foot traffic patterns
• Rotate products onto shelves from backroom stock and inventory supply
• Use manual and automated scanning and ordering devices
• Create category groups in story layout about shelving and clustering of products by type and relevance

• Coordinate labeling efforts ensuring pricing and signage may be quickly pinpointed by customers
• Manage markdowns and daily specials with adequate spacing and display methods
• Change window displays to commemorate seasonal and holiday themes
• Review the code dates of all products and remove the expired stock
• Remove dented, dirty, or damaged merchandise from shelves.
• Travel to multiple store locations to ensure that promotional displays are standardized across all outlet locations
• Set up displays and promotional fixtures outside of the stores

• Use lighting to illuminate and enhance the appearance of products
• Perform merchandising warehouse duties where needed o ensure sufficient stock supplies are distributed to the storerooms
• Build report with customers on ground level to get their opinions about the effectiveness of store displays
• Put up promotional material such as signs, balloons, and banners in the correct place for maximum visibility
• Monitor store cleanliness and sanitation
• Track inventory and movement of stock daily

• Create and implement innovative product displays to establish a distinctive visual theme in line with the store's branding, logo, and color schemes
• Use various digital applications to create in-store dimensions and atmosphere
• Use CAD to plan the visual layout of retail merchandise in-store
• Monitor inventory and chart store sales and profit margins
• Attentive to consumer buying patterns by time of day, day in the week, and time of the month to push slower-selling items to the forefront

• Analyze information like sales, sales patterns, and trends
• Wrote recommended action plans to help increase sales
• Help with the interpretation of open-to-buy, changes in the sales plans and markdown events, as well as writing reports on these matters
• Manage purchase orders by color and size.
• Ensure the availability of a well-thought-through assortment of products
• Collaborate and engage with all the different levels of the company
• Request and lead the cross-functional meetings with teams in various departments

• Assisted in the compilation of the educational materials for stores needed for the training of all new employees
• Work on the establishment of working relationships and maintaining current relationships in the corporate world and industry
• Responsible for developing and executing several forecasts, including weekly, monthly, and quarterly projections, as well as results and client experiences for different product categories
• Ensured that all the shop’s aisles were easily accessible and clean, for more customers satisfaction and valuable customer experience
• Managed the acquisition of new material and signage needed for displays

• Daily monitoring the store performance and customer experience, following up on complaints and ensuring complaints are listed and reported for future changes
• Responsible for a merchandising calendar to help interpret seasonal relevant changes and trends, helping to understand trend-based information better, and being able to identify key site experiences
• Responsible for replacing damaged labels and ensuring all products have price labels
• Work with marketing to develop new business strategies by reviewing and analyzing trends and client experiences
• Manage the flow of merchandise distributed to various locations in the store

• Responsible for the visual appearance of merchandise by ensuring it is clean and visually attractive
• Interpret relevant information and break it down to communicate to team members
• Ensure merchandise efforts are practical, report on all steps, and help to create predictions
• Team up with the Product Management divisions to obtain samples and help in suggesting possible alternatives if the layout is not working
• Worked with other Merchants on additional analytical assignments

Quantifying Your Resume:

• Use numerical values, numbers, percentages to prove you have quantifiable accomplishments. This will most definitely help recruiters measure your skills and hopefully invite you for an interview.

• Quantification is easy if you can answer the following: “How much?” or “How many?” How long? By when? How often? – you are on the right track

• Use numbers to prove you are experienced.

Accomplishment Statements WITHOUT quantification:

• Worked as merchandiser and retail liaison for many client stores.
• Execute around 60 planograms for retail displays in partner stores.
• Played an exceptional part in helping to exceed sales targets three consecutive years
• Draw up quarterly sales plans and execute and manage its implementation.
• Actively driving sales and market growth
• Assisted in training workers in the stores on how to execute sales techniques. Helped them in understanding customers and their behavior.

QUANTIFIED Accomplishment Statements:

• Employed as a merchandiser and retail liaison for over-client stores.
• Developed more than 85 planograms for displays in retail stores.
• Contributed to sales targets exceeding  23% per year.
• Wrote and executed quarterly sales plans as well as managing the  implementation of these plans
• Responsible for driving sales by 17% per year.
• Training all staff in the sales department helps them understand customer and customer behavior, sales techniques, and understanding merchandise. On-site training of staff contributed to the client satisfaction scores to increase by 32%.

Resume Education Section

The education section is an essential part of your resume. It doesn't matter if you don’t have a formal degree, your academic credentials are fundamental to recruiters, and they will most definitely have a look at this section of your resume.

Academic credentials can include any online programs and certifications, self-study programs, short courses, training programs in the work environment, and even conferences you attended.

Start listing the What, Where, and When of your credentials, licenses, qualifications, and certifications.

Don’t worry if you can’t provide any of the above as summa cum laude; it is not the make-or-break section in your resume when applying for a merchandiser job.

But— you need to be precise when you list them:

• Start with the most recent education and work from there. The name of the qualification, institution, and completion date is more than enough and starts with the school name, degree (BA or BS), and start and end dates.
• Answer questions like: “Your GPA,” “Which skills you acquired during school years,” “What was your GPA score in merchandising classes”?

*Pro Tip for entry-level merchandiser resumes: Write elaborate when it comes to your education section. Use bullet points to list what you have achieved so far, include applicable high school achievements, and if you held any leadership positions, even if only in a small business, list these as well.

Merchandiser Qualifications

2019 – Fundamentals of Effective Retail Sales Diploma, Michigan Ross School of Business at Chicago State University, Chicago, IL

2018 – Certificate in Store Display Creation for the Christmas Period, Parkland College, Illinois
Course Topics: Basics of Visual Display, Fabrics and Swatches, Window Dressing, Furniture Store Merchandising, Customer Service

2017 – Diploma in Merchandising, Retail Association of America, Online
Course Topics: Marketing and Sales, Accounting, Buyer Behavior, Purchasing, Customer Service, Interior Decorating and Design

2013 – Selling on Value, Not on Price Seminar, Cox School of Business, TX

2012 – Certificate in Marketing and Sales, Iowa Community College, IA

Qualifications/Certifications associated with Retail Merchandisers

Merchandiser Resume Skills

Although the retail sales field requires specific technical skills, employers also consider soft skills. These are the personality traits that you have been born with or learned over the years and used to perform successfully in your role as a Retail Merchandiser.

Use a skills matrix to showcase your essential skills and personal qualities to prospective employers.

Technical Skills Matrix

Soft Skills Matrix

Difference between skills vs. soft skills:

Hard skills are your acquired technical skills that fit into the requirements for a specific role. On the other hand, soft skills are your abilities and traits that can fit most professions, like Merchandising.

Pro Tip: Be very specific about which soft and technical skills you decide to write down, especially if you have many skills for both. Focus on the ones you know will best fit the position you apply for, and don’t overwhelm the hiring managers with too many random skills.

Optional Extras for Merchandising Resumes

How do you get the hiring team on your side?

Add additional sections to your resume, for instance:

• Hobbies
• Business associations
• Publications you appeared in
• Conferences attended
• Awards and special mentions
• Honors
• Media mentions and appearances
• Sport activities

The best hobbies you can mention in a resume for a merchandiser position include hobbies that showcase you are good at working in teams and enjoy team sports and activities?

If you have volunteering experience that can boost your chances for a specific position, also mentioning these on a resume proves especially if it dovetails with any job descriptions and requirements in the advertisement.

*Pro Tip: If you realize you will be working in a multicultural environment and speak more than one language, list the spoken languages on your resume and make sure this is mentioned in your resume.

Professional Information for Retail Merchandisers

Sectors: Retail, Advertising, Promotion
Career Type: Marketing, Creative Design, Coordinating Sales, Customer Service, Client Relations, Warehousing, Consumer Trends, Market Trends, Visual Aesthetics, Product Flow, Distribution
Person type:  Marketer, Presenter, Designer, Coordinator, Facilitator, Project Manager, Supporter, Processor
Education levels: High School Diploma to Bachelor's Degree
Salary indication: Between $41 672 to $71 522 per year (Salary.com)
Labor market: Estimated 5% growth between 2016 – 2026 (Learn.org)
Organizations: Outlet Stores, Department Stores, Exhibitions, Emporiums Discount Stores, Supermarkets, Farmer's Markets, Malls, Dollar Stores, Malls, Specialty Stores, Warehouse Facilities, General Merchandise Shops

Download Retail Merchandiser Resumes

Merchandiser Word Resume Download