Retail Merchandising

Merchandising is a broad desgin term. According to the internet legend, wikipedia:

"Merchandising refers to the methods, practices and operations conducted to promote and sustain certain categories of commercial activity. The term is understood to have different specific meanings depending on the context."

Merchandising can be the use of a brand in order to sell another. Ranging from Superman to the legendary Boston Red Sox. It is also used for promotion and trade. But to me, the , well at least, most entertaining aspect of merchandising is..... retail merchandising.

Often in department stores, the merchandising once done by in store employees is now dictated by vendors, brands, corporate, regional visual teams, store visual teams, mangers, vendor specialists, and associates. It seems that everybody has their fingers in the pot. The higher powers decide what products are to be sold, where they go in the store, and the visual team that will decide the look of the floor for the moment. once clothing is on the floor, vendor reps and specialist produce an image that the brand is trying to achieve.

Working in the Juniors department at Macy*s Southdale, and the former Marshall Fields, for over two years, I have a pretty good grasp of merchandising my product. I merchandised, re designed, the entire "Free People" shop last September. Within days, pieces that were not selling, began flying off the shelves.

Retail merchandising is the design of a shop to make it most visually appealing for the consumer and most profitable for the retailer.