Merchandisers strategically plan the range and quantity of products that are supplied and how these are promoted. This also entails inventory management, the creation of product displays and promotional materials as well as collaborating and negotiating with channel partners.
When interviewing merchandisers the ideal candidate will have excellent organizational and interpersonal skills with a good understanding of consumer behavior. Be wary of candidates with poor communication and analytical skills.Special Offer
Example Merchandising Interview Questions:
This will be a difficult question to answer if you have not got a good example. If you are struggling to think of one then do something now! You will benefit if you show your creative side, and your response could be anything from writing some music to designing an ad campaign.
This is a subjective question so there is no right or wrong answer. It is important that you justify the response that you give. A typically answer might be that it is the appearance of the product is the most important part of merchandising. Other avenues you could go down could be the placement of the product or the products location relative to different products. Show a creative approach and acknowledge that merchandising different types of products requires different approaches.
This question is as much about your personality as it is about your knowledge of merchandising. Pick up on a point about a product and say why it is important and appealing to a customer e.g. the colour is important because a consumer can associate a colour both with their identity and with a specific brand.
Make sure you research Merchandising as a whole across different industries, and you are able to explain the differences. You should be able to distinguish between head office merchandising and in-store (visual) merchandising. In your answer, try and come up with tangible reasons why this particular sector interests you, and especially why you would be passionate about working within this market.
To answer this question, ensure that you research the business thoroughly, and show a lot of passion for them during interview. You’ll want to know what they do as a company, what they supply, their products/services, their competitors and as much as possible about them.
Make sure you know your CV inside out, and can speak about your experience without referring to it during the interview. Dont assume that only work experience is relevant. Try and think through any examples of achievements, extra-curricular activities or university projects (as well as work experience) which has given you transferable customer facing experience. For example, you could talk about working on a stand at your freshers’ fair.
Research the company, looking at not only at how they present themselves online, but also go and visit their stores for first-hand experience. For the second part of the question, give an answer that is similar to the store’s audience, but ensure that you have concrete reasons why you would target that demographic.
Keep a cool, calm and collected head in this situation. Listen to the information you are given carefully, and try not to feel hurried or under pressure. Interviewers are usually looking at what you can do with the information you are provided, and how you handle pressure. Ensure you keep an eye on timings and how long you have to go over things. You will sometimes not have all the information you need to make a decision, so make an informed decision with what you can. Take this exercise seriously, and get involved as much as possible.
Why do you want to work as a merchandiser?
Because you know that the devil is in detail. You have the passion for design, for identifying patterns in customer behavior, and you enjoy making a difference with your work.
This is no shelve-stocking job for you, though you understand that you may restock some shelves. But all you will do will be done with a purpose, and in no hectic fashion. You feel like a fish in the water in this field, and that’s why you want to work as a merchandiser.
But, of course, there’s more behind your choice. You studied marketing, you read countless case studies, and have an idea how to touch the heart of a customer. Perhaps you even had a similar job before, did many experiments, and can use the data you collected up to this point to succeed in your new merchandiser position.
Can you describe a situation in which you have lead a challenging negotiation with a buyer/supplier/distributor?
Tests the candidates interpersonal and negotiation skills.