Many of the products found in stores are the result of a merchandise coordinator’s efforts. A person in this position collaborates with retailers to place products in stores, count inventory, rotate stock, and perform a variety of other tasks. Experience in the retail industry is frequently required for jobs in this field. A merchandise coordinator must have a keen sense of product placement and a strong commitment to providing excellent customer service.
These coordinators are used large manufacturers to communicate with their customers, which can be any retail outlet. A merchandise coordinator for a baked goods line, for example, might have several grocery stores in a given territory as customers. The coordinator may be in charge of placing orders for depleted inventory, ensuring that only fresh goods are on hand, arranging a shopper-friendly product display, or placing a coupon dispenser in front of the product.
Merchandise coordinators work under the supervision of the manufacturer, who usually provides them with some product training. People in this position must be familiar with price points and point-of-purchase displays. They also collaborate with the managers of the various retail outlets. As a result, the coordinator must have excellent communication and organizational skills.
A merchandise coordinator’s work schedule can sometimes be irregular, such as evenings and weekends. This is due to the fact that during peak shopping hours, stores prefer to keep their aisles clear. During off-peak times, these coordinators may be mistaken for traditional stock clerks, opening boxes and arranging displays on store shelves or in store aisles.
A merchandise coordinator’s job typically requires some travel to and from various customer locations, but it is possible to find a position that does not require overnight travel. This is due to the fact that the coordinator is usually assigned to a district or territory to work in. The merchandise at all retail outlets within that geographic location is then his or her responsibility.
Merchandise coordinators may benefit from adapting their skills to a cyber environment in an increasingly online retail world. Although it is not a typical expectation of the job, the coordinator may also work with online retailers. He or she might copy and photograph products for sale, restock products for an online retailer, or coordinate drop shipments from online orders.