Merchandise coordinators work with retailers to position products in stores, count inventory, and rotate inventory. They require experience in the retail industry, excellent communication and organizational skills, and the ability to adapt to online retail environments. They may work odd hours and travel to various locations.
Many of the products available in stores exist as a result of the efforts of a merchandise coordinator. A person in this job works with retailers to position products in stores, count inventory, rotate inventory, or many other functions. Jobs in this field often require experience in the retail industry. A merchandise coordinator must have a great eye for product placement, as well as a dedication to impeccable customer service.
Large manufacturers use these coordinators to serve as contact with their customers, which can be any point of sale. For example, a merchandise coordinator for a bakery product line might have multiple supermarkets in a given territory as customers. The coordinator may be responsible for ordering out of stock, ensuring only fresh produce is on the premises, arranging a display of the product that is attractive to the shopper’s eyes, or placing a coupon dispenser in front of the product.
Commodity coordinators work under the direction of the manufacturer, who usually provides some training on the product they are selling. People in this position must know prices and be familiar with point-of-purchase displays. They also work in cooperation with managers at the various points of sale. For this reason, it is important for the coordinator to have excellent communication and organizational skills.
Sometimes, a freight coordinator’s work schedule can be at odd hours, such as evenings and weekends. This is because stores prefer to keep their aisles clean during peak shopping hours. These coordinators can be mistaken for traditional clerks at times, opening boxes and arranging displays on store shelves or in store aisles during off-peak hours.
A freight coordinator’s job usually requires some traveling to and from the various customer locations, but it may be possible to have a job that doesn’t require overnight travel. This is because the coordinator is usually assigned a district or territory in which to work. Then he or she is responsible for merchandise at all retail stores in that geographic location.
In an increasingly online retail world, merchandise coordinators can benefit from adapting their skills to a cyber environment. While not a traditional expectation of job requirements, the coordinator may also work with online retailers. He or she may provide copies and photographs of products for sale, restock products from an online retailer, or coordinate online order shipments.
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