| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Retail and Showroom |
| Level | Mid level |
| Reports to | Category Manager |
| Direct reports | None |
| Experience | 3 to 6 years in retail merchandising or category planning |
Merchandiser job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Merchandiser
Department: Retail and Showroom
Reports to: Category Manager
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Merchandiser decides what stock a store or category should carry, in what quantity and at what price point. The person plans the assortment, watches sell-through, sets replenishment, manages markdowns and works with buyers and vendors so the right goods reach the right stores at the right time. In Indian retail this means balancing fast movers, seasonal lines and dead stock across many outlets. A good merchandiser lifts sales and stock turn while cutting markdowns and out-of-stocks.
Key responsibilities
- Plan the assortment for the category by price point, size, colour and season based on past sales and trends.
- Set store-wise stock quantities and reorder levels so fast movers stay available without overstocking slow lines.
- Track sell-through by style and store weekly, and act early on both winners and non-movers.
- Plan and execute markdowns and clearance to shift ageing stock while protecting overall margin.
- Coordinate with buyers and vendors on order quantities, delivery dates and replacement of defective goods.
- Move stock between stores to correct imbalances and reduce out-of-stocks in high-demand outlets.
- Prepare the open-to-buy plan and keep purchasing within the budget for the season.
- Analyse category performance and share clear recommendations on what to reorder, hold or drop.
- Work with visual and store teams so key lines get the right space and placement on the floor.
- Monitor competitor pricing and promotions in the category and flag needed responses to the manager.
Requirements
- Graduate in commerce, retail or business
- MBA or diploma in retail management an advantage
- Strong numerical and Excel ability
- 3 to 6 years in retail merchandising or category planning
KRAs and KPIs for a Merchandiser
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Sell-through | Category sell-through meets the seasonal target with slow movers cleared by season end |
| Stock turn | Inventory turns improve against the same season last year to the agreed target |
| Availability | Out-of-stock on core lines held below the target percentage across stores each week |
| Markdown control | Markdown value kept within the planned budget for the category each season |
| Budget discipline | Purchasing stays within the open-to-buy plan every month with no overbuy |
| Dead stock | Ageing stock beyond the defined months reduced quarter on quarter |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Retail ERP, MS Excel, Sell-through dashboards, Open-to-buy sheets, Vendor portals.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Senior Merchandiser, Category Manager, Buying Head
Interview questions for a Merchandiser
- How do you plan the assortment for a new season with limited sales history?
- A style is selling out in one city but dead in another. What do you do?
- How do you decide when to mark down stock versus holding for full price?
- Walk me through building an open-to-buy plan for a category.
- How do you balance carrying fast movers against the risk of overstock?
- Tell me about a buying decision that went wrong and how you recovered.
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What does a merchandiser do in retail?
A retail merchandiser decides what stock to carry, how much and at what price. They plan the assortment, watch sell-through, set replenishment, manage markdowns and coordinate with buyers and vendors. The aim is to keep the right goods available across stores while improving stock turn and holding down out-of-stocks and clearance losses.
What is the difference between a merchandiser and a visual merchandiser?
A merchandiser plans the stock: assortment, quantities, pricing and replenishment, driven by sales data. A visual merchandiser plans how that stock looks in the store: windows, displays, mannequins and planograms. One decides what and how much to buy, the other decides how it is shown to shoppers.
What qualifications does a merchandiser need?
A commerce, retail or business graduate degree is the common base, and an MBA or retail management diploma helps for senior roles. Beyond paper, merchandisers need strong Excel, comfort with sales and inventory data, and commercial judgement to decide what to reorder, hold or clear. Vendor negotiation experience is a plus.