Earn Extra Money as a Retail Merchandiser

A retail merchandiser serves as a vital link between a manufacturer and a retailer. A merchandiser will visit retail stores on behalf of a manufacturer to perform a wide variety of duties. Some store visits may be as simple as making sure that an item is in stock or that it is properly placed on the shelf. Other visits may be more detailed and require that the merchandiser change plan-o-grams (how items are placed on the store shelf) or hang signs that promote the manufacturers products. The main goal of the retail merchandiser is to increase sales of the manufacturers product in each of the retail stores that they service.

The National Association Of Retail Marketers or NARMS is a great place to find out more about retail merchandising and to see what service companies are hiring retail merchandisers in your area. NARMS offers training as well as certification in retail merchandising. The NARMS web site is very comprehensive and offers great leads for retail merchandisers as well as detailed profiles on the service companies that hire merchandisers.

Although retail merchandising is not typically a high paying job it is quite possible to pick up work in stores that are already on your beaten path. If extra travel is required, mileage is often paid by the service company. Although benefits are not frequently offered, it is a possibility with a full time merchandising position that covers a large territory. Most retail merchandisers pick a few stores that are close to their home and service them on a regular schedule for the service company. A couple of hours a week can add up a nice supplemental income and as the merchandiser becomes more experienced, they can expect a higher hourly rate.

Since retail merchandisers are often independent contractors and not employees, it is possible to work for more than one service company. If a retail merchandiser works for more than one service company and has work for both companies in the same store, these service calls can be combined in order to increase their income as well. By carefully recording the time spent on each account, the retail merchandiser could increase their earnings by cutting out the travel time between jobs.

Retail merchandising is a serious job and can be made into a full time income in larger areas. If you think that retail merchandising might be something that you would enjoy, you can check the NARMS job bank to see what merchandising jobs are available in your area.