A Visual Merchandiser is someone who is responsible for arranging, displaying and presenting products or items in store windows in order to make it easy for customers to see, buy and pick their products. The quality of the presentation and advertisement is done in such a way that the majority of customers get easily attracted towards the item.
Candidates get a wide variety of options to study in order to make a career as a Visual Merchandiser. One should have completed their 10+2 in any stream and can further get an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree in Fine Arts, Fashion Designing, Graphic Designing, Interior Designing or in other related streams.
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A Visual Merchandiser can get employed in different categories like Product Information, Exterior Fixtures, Retail Store Planning, etc. in companies like Rife Technologies, Burton International, The Mission Xcellence, etc. According to a survey by Glassdoor, the average salary offered to a Visual Merchandiser is INR 3,65,028 per annum in India.
Check: Diploma in Fashion Designing
Table of Content
- How to Become a Visual Merchandiser?
- What Does a Visual Merchandiser Do?
- Types of Visual Merchandisers
3.2 Window Displays
How to Become a Visual Merchandiser?
To become a Visual Merchandiser, completion of 10+2 is required from any stream. Some boards also offer Fashion Designing as a stream, the students who are totally sure of entering the Design or Fashion industry can opt for the stream.
- Courses that students pursue to make a career as a Visual Merchandiser are Bachelor degrees such as Bachelor of Visual Arts for Fashion design, Bachelor of Fine Arts for Graphic design and Bachelor of Visual Communication for Interior Design.
- The postgraduate courses that students can pursue to become a Visual Merchandiser are Master of Fine Arts (MFA), Master of Visual Communication, Master of Visual Arts (MVA), etc.
The entrance exams that are accepted by various universities and colleges for students who are seeking admissions in Design related courses are tabulated below along with the examination and application dates.
| Entrance Examination | Application Date | Examination Date |
|---|---|---|
| All India Entrance Examination for Design (AIEED) | November 1, 2022 – February 10, 2023 | February 15, 2023 |
| Common Entrance Exam for Design (CEED) | September 30, 2022 – November 9, 2022 | January 22, 2023 |
| National Institute of Fashion Technology Entrance Examination (NIFT) | November 1, 2022 – December 31, 2022 | February 5, 2023 |
| Undergraduate Common Entrance Exam for Design (UCEED) | September 30, 2022 – November 9, 2022 | January 22, 2023 |
| Unitedworld Institute of Design- Design Aptitude Test (UID DAT) | January 25, 2023 | March 20, 2023 |
| National Institute of Design Design Aptitude Test (NID DAT) | October 21, 2022 – December 22, 2022 | March 20, 2023 |
What Does a Visual Merchandiser Do?
The associated industry with Visual merchandising is the Design Industry.Anyone with the interest of becoming a Virtual Merchandiser can pursue and build a career in this profession.
- People with a lot of creativity are most likely to find this career suitable and may become pro efficient in this field.
- However if someone has a colour identification disorder or any kind of visual defect, they may find this field a bit challenging and are not advised to join this profession. They may pursue it if they can adjust but it is very difficult and fast paced work and they may find it extremely difficult to adjust with such pace.
- Smart Application: A Visual Merchandiser needs to be very smart in applying the strategies as the role comes with a lot of responsibilities of creation and implementation of the strategies so that the customers are attracted towards the product.
- Displaying the Products: A Visual Merchandiser is assigned for making the displays such as window displays, signs, interior presentation, special arrangements for promotions and floor arrangements.
- The work doesn’t end after the presentation is done, it also needs to be overseen and taken care of. The price monitoring and financial statements are also to be taken care of by the Visual Merchandiser.
- A Visual Merchandiser often works at a Museum, Gallery, Retail Store, or other offices like that. If they work in a head office, they are most likely to travel to retail stores and guide the store’s team on how to maximize the sales and implement the sales strategies on the ground level.
- They might work as full time employees or as part timers, but there is not much scope for remote work, except for the employees assigned to digital work.
- They can be contract based or permanent employees as well. Freelancers are also seen to have a keen interest in this field.
Check: MVA Admission 2021
Types of Visual Merchandisers
A brief description of Visual Merchandisers that are in-demand in the current times are provided below:
Interior Displays
- The décor that is done inside the store is a major part of visual merchandising and enhances the quality of the product displayed for the customers.
- It also includes how a store is laid out, including where certain products are placed, the flow of products from front to back of the store, where points of sale and changing rooms are.
- Placement and positioning of mannequins delivers the product quality to the customers.
Window Displays
- Window displays play an essential role in visual merchandising that catches the eye of people roaming around the store, which leads to an increase in customers.
- Outdoor signs the idea of the business and set the pitch for the space.
Exterior Fixtures
- Exterior fixtures like the marquees, banners and awnings, give the customer's an overview of the store.
- Seasonal displays are to exhibit the new merchandise, promote additional purchases and generate the urge of purchasing the commodity.
Product Information
- The way the store manager communicates the product details with regards to its origination and utility that includes the size of labels and signs, typeface and quality of the content.
- Altogether, it can reflect on the brand. Flooring, textiles and other materials create an aesthetic physical representation in design decisions.
Check: MFA Applied Arts
Visual Merchandiser Jobs in India
Below we have provided a tabulation of some top cities where Visual Merchandisers can get employed along with the average salaries offered.
| City Name | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Kolkata | INR 2,20,000 to INR 7,20,000 |
| Chennai | INR 2,00,000 to INR 9,00,000 |
| Delhi | INR 3,00,000 to INR 11,00,000 |
| Mumbai | INR 3,00,000 to INR 11,00,000 |
Skills Required to Become a Visual Merchandiser
One should have the following skill set to be able to enter the Visual Merchandising:
| Communication Skills | Persuasive Skills | Basic Computer Skills |
| Ability to work with constructive criticism | Manual dexterity | Teamwork Management |
| Interest in future trends | Creative flair | Time Management |
Check: BA Visual Communication Course
Salary of a Visual Merchandiser in India
Salary of a Visual Merchandiser is dependent on several factors. The more you are qualified and specialized in the field of Designing, the better the posts available. The experienced candidates in the field are more likely to get better packages.
- The salary in the beginning starts around INR 4,00,000 per annum at the basic level of companies.
- Some internationally acknowledged firms offer packages up to INR 10,00,000 per annum in the starting.
- With greater experience and higher qualification, one can get packages higher than INR 15,00,000 per annum.
| Job Profile | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Product Merchandiser | INR 4,00,000 - INR 23,00,000 |
| Retail Store Planner | INR 5,00,000 - INR 30,00,000 |
| Digital Merchandiser | INR 5,50,000 - INR 28,50,000 |
| Omnichannel Merchandiser | INR 6,00,000 - INR 35,00,000 |
Check: MSc Visual Communication
Top Recruiting Companies for Visual Merchandisers
A number of companies hire well-skilled Visual Merchandisers in their companies for multiple job profiles. Below we have provided a tabulation of some top companies offering employability to Visual Merchandisers along with the average salary offered to them.
| Company Name | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| EXPANDA STAND PRIVATE LIMITED | INR 2,80,000 - INR 16,00,000 |
| GLOBAL PLAYERS INTL | INR 4,00,000 - INR 22,00,000 |
| Burton International | INR 3,00,000 - INR 20,00,000 |
| A.S.Apparel Merchandising Services | INR 3,20,000 - INR 19,00,000 |
| The Mission Xcellence | INR 2,80,000 - INR 15,00,000 |
| Apparel Inspection & Merchandising Services | INR 2,00,000 - INR 12,00,000 |
| Rife Technologies | INR 2,80,000 - INR 11,00,000 |
| MadRun Communications | INR 3,30,000 - INR 16,00,000 |
Visual Merchandiser Jobs: FAQs
Ques. How can Visual Merchandising improve the experience of a consumer?
Ans. The consumers shop for products and VM help the customer to get a full variety of products he/she requires.
Ques. Which Element is considered when designing a Product Display?
Ans. Elements, which are used in a product display, vary depending on the store, the product, and goal. Some of the common elements used in product displays include lighting, product information.
Ques. How successful can any Visual Merchandiser become in his/her career?
Ans. The success in the career of a visual merchandiser totally depends on the highest qualification of the candidate and the number of years he/she spends in the industry, that is basically the experience based criteria.
Ques. How to prepare for the several entrance examinations for Visual Merchandising?
Ans. There are several coaching institutes that prepare you for the Fashion industry, choose any of them, Select the institute and go through the previous year questions. You can also prepare by yourself, just cover the course thoroughly. Examination is moderately hard. So take a good look at the previous year questions.
Ques. What is the minimum standard for becoming a visual merchandiser?
Ans. To work as a visual merchandiser, you must have a bachelor's degree in a related field such as fashion design, spatial design, interior design, or graphic design.
Ques. What expertise do visual merchandisers have?
Ans. AutoCAD, planning skills, communication skills, interpersonal skills, and research skills have all been visual merchandising abilities.
Ques. What are the best schools for visual merchandisers?
Ans. Top Colleges for Visual Merchandisers is the answer.
- Ahmedabad's National Institute of Design
- Mumbai's National Institute of Fashion Technology
- Pune's MIT Institute of Design
- Indian Institute of Technology's Industrial Design Centre
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