What is a merchandising manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
introduction image

A merchandising manager's job is to oversee a store's product inventory to ensure the shelves are well presented. They make decisions related to stocking, pricing, and presenting goods in retail stores.

A big part of your day will consist of analyzing sales and inventory data to determine customer preferences. This will help you decide which items to put on sale. Throughout your day, you'll spend time planning product displays that will attract the attention of customers and encourage them to buy products.

Some other responsibilities you might encounter include conducting demographic research, identifying optimal vendors and making wise purchasing decisions. In order to be the best at your job, you may want to brush up on your communication, organizational, leadership, customer service, disciplined work ethic, and critical thinking skills.

Typically, merchandising managers earn $84,174 per year, translating to $40.49 an hour. The Bureau of Statistics predicts a growth rate of 8% producing 21,800 new jobs between 2018 and 2028. A bachelor's degree in a business-related field is favorable, although it is possible to become one with only a high school diploma.

ScoreMerchandising ManagerUS Average
Salary
6.7

Avg. Salary $86,346

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
7.5

Growth Rate 10%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.23%

Asian 8.15%

Black or African American 3.04%

Hispanic or Latino 8.67%

Unknown 5.32%

White 74.58%

Gender

female 52.32%

male 47.68%

Age - 38
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 38
Stress Level
7.5

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
9.0

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
3.5

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Newest jobs for Merchandising Manager in Columbus, OH

Receive alerts for the newest job postings.

Merchandising Manager career paths

Key steps to become a merchandising manager

  1. Explore merchandising manager education requirements

    Most common merchandising manager degrees

    Bachelor's

    65.0 %

    Associate

    16.5 %

    High School Diploma

    9.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific merchandising manager skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Sales Floor9.85%
    POS8.95%
    Apparel6.60%
    Pallets5.56%
    Merchandise Presentation4.71%
  3. Complete relevant merchandising manager training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New merchandising managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a merchandising manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real merchandising manager resumes.
  4. Research merchandising manager duties and responsibilities

    • Manage and plan ROI, CPC and bid management on external online shopping sites.
    • Manage hardware, plumbing, kitchen and bath, kitchen design, and night operations.
    • Create all marketing materials (paper/media), organize logistics of readings, manage financials.
    • Manage merchandising for lumber, building materials, paint, hardware, plumbing, electrical, and the garden department.
  5. Prepare your merchandising manager resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your merchandising manager resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a merchandising manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Merchandising Manager Resume templates

    Build a professional Merchandising Manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Merchandising Manager resume.
    Merchandising Manager Resume
    Merchandising Manager Resume
    Merchandising Manager Resume
    Merchandising Manager Resume
    Merchandising Manager Resume
    Merchandising Manager Resume
    Merchandising Manager Resume
    Merchandising Manager Resume
    Merchandising Manager Resume
    Merchandising Manager Resume
    Merchandising Manager Resume
    Merchandising Manager Resume
    Merchandising Manager Resume
    Merchandising Manager Resume
    Merchandising Manager Resume
    Merchandising Manager Resume
  6. Apply for merchandising manager jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a merchandising manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Merchandising Manager Job

Zippi

Are you a Merchandising Manager?

Share your story for a free salary report.

Average merchandising manager salary

The average Merchandising Manager salary in the United States is $86,346 per year or $42 per hour. Merchandising manager salaries range between $64,000 and $116,000 per year.

Average Merchandising Manager Salary
$86,346 Yearly
$41.51 hourly

What Am I Worth?

Loading...
Loading...
salary-calculator

How do merchandising managers rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Merchandising Manager reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2020
Cons

i don't want to have all responsibility


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2019
Cons

Not enough support from manager


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2019
Cons

ITS A LONELY POSITION IN SOME CASES.


Working as a Merchandising Manager? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall Rating*
Career Growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse executive management jobs