Careers in Merchandising

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Looking for an entry level job or internship in merchandising? This is an overview of how to approach the search and a list of companies that might have relevant entry level and internship opportunities.

The range of products Urban Outfitters has to offer often astounds me. They sell everything from neon clothing, to cookbooks, to toys, to hipstery apartment wares for young women and men. Not only that, but many of these items are made by independent designers, which means there’s a lot of coordination involved. All of these products have been scrutinized by the people responsible for the merchandising of the store. One of these roles is that of Merchandising Assistant, who assists with basic aspects of orders and shipments.

Merchandising Careers

Photo Credit: Flickr user Villian Media, LLC.

Merchandising Career Guide Overview

  1. What a Merchandising Assistant Does
  2. A Typical Day for a Merchandising Assistant
  3. Salary and Career Progression for a Merchandising Assistant
  4. Best Locations for Merchandising Assistants
  5. Pros and Cons of Being a Merchandising Assistant
  6. What You Need to Know for a Career in Merchandising
  7. Merchandising Resources
  8. Careers Related to Merchandising
  9. Companies with Jobs and Internships in Merchandising

What a Merchandising Assistant Does

A Merchandising Assistant helps with basic aspects of retailing and selection of merchandise. They may be in charge of orders and shipments, supervising sales personnel, keeping records, obtaining samples and materials, and dealing with customers who are returning or exchanging merchandise. Merchandisers work closely with each store, deciding what items to send them. They also work closely with buyers, so that when they do sales forecasts they can let the buyers know what items will be needed and when. Lastly they work closely with the finance department at sales time to let them know what items to reduce and at what discount.

A Typical Day for a Merchandising Assistant

While a typical day for a Merchandising Assistant varies, it generally includes these tasks:

  • Analyzing sales
  • Visiting stores to see how much space they have
  • Handling research
  • Orchestrating fashion events
  • Fielding phone calls and email correspondence
  • Coordinating travel
  • Managing production
  • Tracking inventory
  • Assisting with product design and pattern management
  • Shipping out products
  • Tracking payments

Salary and Career Progression for a Merchandising Assistant

A Merchandising Assistant makes an average of $35,000 per year. After being a Merchandising Assistant, you can go on to become a Junior Merchandiser where you are responsible for planning and strategy and potentially even managing a small team, and then on to Merchandiser where you are the overall manager of the team. You might even branch off into buying. As a Fashion Buyer, you can expect to make about $72,000 per year. Or you could specialize in a particular area such as a Handbag Buyer, and earn around $83,000 per year.

Best Locations for Merchandising Assistants

If you want to be in fashion, New York and Los Angeles are the places to be. Merchandising Assistants who work within the garment manufacturing trade often live in or commute to one of these two fashion hubs.

Pros and Cons of Being a Merchandising Assistant

Pros
  • A generous salary and growth opportunities
  • The excitement of day-to-day immersion in the realm of fashion
  • Constant variety–reacting to how your department is performing on a day to day basis and hopefully seeing sales increase as a result
Cons
  • Stressful–there is a day-to-day crisis mode the trade regularly operates under
  • Can be a lot of repetitive boring tasks

What You Need to Know for a Career in Merchandising

To be a Merchandising Assistant you’ll need a bachelor’s degree in either apparel development, apparel manufacturing, or apparel product management. Hopefully your core classes will cover manufacturing and production, fashion design and textile sciences. Beyond that it helps to know Spanish, be organized, and have an ability to analyze data. Furthermore, you should have an awareness of retail and try to get some experience on a shop floor.

Merchandising Resources

If merchandising still sounds like your cup of tea, here are a few things you should do to get started.

Required Reading

Key Folks to Follow on Twitter

Blogs and Websites

Networking Opportunities

Careers Related to Merchandising

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Companies with Entry Level Jobs and Internships in Merchandising

Chalkfly Logo

Chalkfly - Chalkfly is a Detroit, MI based office supply startup that provides “the supplies you need to do your best work.”

See the complete Chalkfly profile


Huckberry Logo

Huckberry - Huckberry is a San Francisco, CA based company that “is like your favorite store, your grandpa’s favorite store, and your favorite magazine all rolled into one.”

See the complete Huckberry profile


Backcountry Logo

Backcountry.com - Backcountry is a Park City, UT based company that gets “get people who get outside” and is all “about gear, grit, and connecting people to their passions.”

See the complete Backcountry.com profile


Things Remembered Logo

Things Remembered - Things Remembered, based in Highland Heights, OH, is “the nation’s largest and most prominent retailer of personalized gifts.”

See the complete Things Remembered profile


Vince Logo

Vince - Vince is a New York, NY based fashion brand that offers a “collection of iconic essentials that women and men would want to wear every day.”

See the complete Vince profile


Cartera Commerce Logo

Cartera Commerce - Cartera Commerce is based in Lexington, MA and offers a “fully-managed, performance-based offer platform for card issuers, frequent flyer programs and merchants.”

See the complete Cartera Commerce profile


Lands' End Logo

Lands’ End - Lands' End is a Dodgeville, WI based "international apparel brand synonymous with timeless American style.”

See the complete Lands’ End profile


Hayneedle Logo

Hayneedle - Hayneedle is based in Omaha, NE and “has become one of the nation’s largest online retailers, offering more than 3,000 brands and nearly 2 million products for the home.”

See the complete Hayneedle profile


Tradesy Logo

Tradesy - Tradesy is a Santa Monica, CA based marketplace for new and gently used fashion that can “turn your closet into cash.”

See the complete Tradesy profile


REVOLVE Logo

REVOLVE - REVOLVE is based in Cerritos, CA and is the “virtual home for an unrivaled collection of the world’s most coveted brands.”

See the complete REVOLVE profile


Vitamix Logo

Vitamix - Vitamix is an Olmsted, OH company that is “improving the vitality of people’s lives and liberating the world from conventional food and beverage preparation boundaries.”

See the complete Vitamix profile


Destination Maternity Corporation Logo

Destination Maternity Corporation - Destination Maternity Corporation, which is based in Philadelphia, PA, does $500 million in annual sales as “the world’s leading maternity apparel retailer.”

See the complete Destination Maternity Corporation profile


Benefit Cosmetics Logo

Benefit Cosmetics - Benefit Cosmetics is a cosmetics company that got its start when twin sisters moved to San Francisco, CA and opened a beauty boutique.

See the complete Benefit Cosmetics profile


Todd Snyder Logo

Todd Snyder - Todd Snyder is a New York, NY based men’s fashion brand that is inspired “by Savile Row craftsmanship, military tailoring, and a distinct New York sensibility.”

See the complete Todd Snyder profile


Sonos Logo

Sonos - Sonos is a Santa Barbara, CA and Cambridge, MA based company that set out in 2002 “to reinvent home audio for the digital age.”

See the complete Sonos profile


Shinola Logo

Shinola - Shinola is a Detroit, MI based company that is all about bringing back the strength of American manufacturing by producing watches, bicycles, leather, and journals.

See the complete Shinola profile


ShopHQ Logo

ShopHQ - ShopHQ, based in Eden Prairie, MN, creates “the ultimate interactive shopping experience by uniting live TV, online and mobile shopping opportunities with social media engagement."

See the complete ShopHQ profile


Food52 Logo

Food52 - Food52 is a New York, NY based online community that brings “cooks together from all over to exchange recipes and ideas and to support each other in the kitchen.”

See the complete Food52 profile


Dylan's Candy Bar

Dylan’s Candy Bar - Dylan's Candy Bar is a New York, NY based company that has built "the world's largest confectionary emporium and lifestyle brand."

See the complete Dylan’s Candy Bar profile


Minted Logo

Minted - Minted is a San Francisco, CA based company that aims “to find exceptional artists and designers all over the world and bring their work to consumers."

See the complete Minted profile


Fuhu Logo

Fuhu - Fuhu is an El Segundo, CA based company aiming to be "the leading designer, seller and innovator of ‘thoughtful’ consumer products and services for children.”

See the complete Fuhu profile


Volcom Logo

Volcom - Volcom is a San Clemente, CA based “designer, marketer and distributor of premium quality young men’s and young women’s clothing, accessories and related products.”

See the complete Volcom profile


ALOHA Logo

ALOHA - ALOHA is an NYC based, health focused startup that “combines traditional wisdom from diverse cultures across the globe with the latest scientific research."

See the complete ALOHA profile


Destination Rewards Logo

Destination Rewards - Destination Rewards is a Boca Raton, FL (and Plymouth, MI) based company that creates and manages “web-based customized rewards programs.”

See the complete Destination Rewards profile


Coldwater Creek Logo

Coldwater Creek - Coldwater Creek is a multi-channel "specialty retailer of women's apparel, jewelry and accessories" that started as a one-room mail order business.

See the complete Coldwater Creek profile


Charming Charlie Logo

Charming Charlie - Charming Charlie is a Houston, TX based “fashion accessories retailer” with more than 200 stores across the country.

See the complete Charming Charlie profile


DNA Footwear Logo

DNA Footwear - DNA Footwear is a Brooklyn, NY shoe retailer that is now working to be “the top online destination for today’s latest trends in the world of footwear.”

See the complete DNA Footwear profile


Trek Logo

Trek - Trek is based in Waterloo, WI and has been pursuing a mission to “build the best bikes in the world” since they were founded in 1976.

See the complete Trek profile


Zazzle Logo

Zazzle - Zazzle is a Redwood City, CA based company that allows you to “create amazing custom products with artwork you choose, and prices you’ll love.”

See the complete Zazzle profile


Rue La La Logo

Rue La La - Rue La La is a Boston, MA based e-commerce company that offers flash sales on "the best in women’s and men’s fashion, home, travel, kids, and more.”

See the complete Rue La La profile


Steven Alan Logo

Steven Alan - Steven Alan is a New York, NY based fashion designer and retailer that offers a "unique brand of casual, smart, self-assured essentials for both men and women."

See the complete Steven Alan profile


Rainbow USA Logo

Rainbow USA - Rainbow USA is a Brooklyn, NY based retailer that offers an “assortment of clothing for juniors, plus sizes, and children."

See the complete Rainbow USA profile


J. Crew Logo

J. Crew - J. Crew is a New York, NY based apparel retailer that started with a catalog in 1983 and is known for its preppiness, but that may be changing.

See the complete J. Crew profile


The Home Depot Logo

The Home Depot - The Home Depot is one company that stands to benefit from the effects of Hurricane Sandy, so you may want to consider a career with them.

See the complete The Home Depot profile


Stitch Fix Logo

Stitch Fix - Stitch Fix is a San Francisco, CA based company that is using strong curatorial talent to sell clothing and accessories to women.

See the complete Stitch Fix profile


Rubin Museum of Art Logo

Rubin Museum of Art - The Rubin Museum of Art in New York, NY "promotes understanding, and inspires personal connections to the ideas, cultures, and art of Himalayan Asia.”

See the complete Rubin Museum of Art profile


Tory Burch Logo

Tory Burch - Tory Burch, which is based in New York, NY, calls itself “a luxury lifestyle brand defined by classic American sportswear."

See the complete Tory Burch profile


AmeriMark Logo

AmeriMark - AmeriMark is a Middleburg Heights, OH company that "is a leading direct marketer of women's apparel, shoes, name-brand cosmetics, and lots more."

See the complete AmeriMark profile


HSN Logo

HSN - HSN is a St. Petersburg, FL based company that built an amazing business by selling stuff to people who are sitting on their couch.

See the complete HSN profile


Crate and Barrel Logo

Crate and Barrel - Crate and Barrel has over 170 retail stores that sell furniture and homewares, and they have some great job opportunities for new grads.

See the complete Crate and Barrel profile


Chloe + Isabel Logo

Chloe + Isabel - Chloe + Isabel is a NYC based jewelry company that has some amazing career opportunities for new and recent grads.

See the complete Chloe + Isabel profile


Claire's Logo

Claire’s - Claire's is a retailer with more than 3,000 stores that sells fashion, accessories, and jewelry to young women and girls, and they're hiring.

See the complete Claire’s profile


GNC Logo

GNC - If there’s a name that you think of when you think of nutrition and supplements, it has to be GNC, based in Pittsburgh, PA.

See the complete GNC profile


Eastbay Logo

Eastbay - Eastbay is a Wausau, WI based online and catalog retailer of sports apparel and equipment, and they have some great job opportunities.

See the complete Eastbay profile


OpenSky Logo

OpenSky - OpenSky is a New York City based company that curates product recommendations based on recommendations from topic experts, and they're hiring.

See the complete OpenSky profile


Wayfair Logo

Wayfair - Wayfair is a Boston, MA based e-commerce company that focuses on furniture and home goods. They're growing rapidly and hiring a ton of new grads.

See the complete Wayfair profile


Vertive Logo

Vertive - Vertive is an Austin, TX based performance marketing company with some really exciting job opportunities for new and recent grads.

See the complete Vertive profile


Specialized Logo

Specialized - Specialized is based in Morgan Hill, CA and they are one of the market leaders in the cycling industry. They have a ton of job openings for those who love bikes.

See the complete Specialized profile


Uncommongoods Logo

UncommonGoods - UncommonGood, based in Brooklyn, NY, is a great site for finding "unique gifts and creative design," and they have some excellent job openings.

See the complete UncommonGoods profile


WhaleShark Media Logo

WhaleShark Media - WhaleShark Media is an Austin, TX based company that offers all kinds of coupons and online deals and they're hiring for a number of positions.

See the complete WhaleShark Media profile


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