Visual merchandising has become an important and integral part of fashion and retail business. Farzad Minoo Damania, Career Counsellor at Career Nurturer, provides a detailed insight into the upcoming and creative field of visual merchandising. We all love to shop in malls and retail stores. While shopping, we come across wonderful attention seeking outdoor and indoor props, window displays and mannequins. Do you know who works behind these aesthetic displays? This is the job of a visual merchandiser
What is your job profile?
As a Visual merchandiser, you will have to creatively present and display products and services to prospective customers in order to enhance sales, create window and in-store displays of products for retail shops and departmental stores. Your work will include conducting research on current and future trends in lifestyle and design; and thus implement new designs, props, accessories and techniques for improving store sales. Since you are involved in the overall design and implementation, your job will also involved physical activity in the form of assembling and dismantling props and mannequins. You could also be responsible for imparting training to store employees on presentation and sales skills, how to think commercially and achieve maximum sales and profitability. Thus your aim as a visual merchandiser will be to compel the potential customer at your store to stop, look, and finally buy your products.
What do have to study to pursue this career?
After 10+2, a Bachelor degree program in fashion design or fashion technology wherein many institutes offering this course incorporate concepts of visual merchandising and retail management in their curriculum helps. Courses to consider are: Bachelor of Design in Fashion Communication by National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Bachelor of Design in Retail and Fashion Merchandise by Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI), PG Diploma in Fashion Business – Merchandising and Lifestyle Retail by Pearl Academy, MBA in Fashion Merchandising and Retail Management by Vogue Institute of Fashion Technology, and Diploma in Visual Merchandising by JD Institute of Fashion Technology.
What should have innately?
You should possess a flair for creativity, visual eye for minute details, instinctive feel for interior decor, design, colour, lighting and strong spatial aptitude. You have to be a self-motivator and should be able to concentrate and work creatively in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines. Having good technical drawing skills with knowledge of computer-aided design software is always beneficial. Strong communication and motivational skills to strategize sales targets with store managers and business heads is also an important trait.
Where are the job avenues?
Malls, retail outlets, exhibitions, theme-based parties, hotel lobbies, weddings, boutiques, jewellery stores, and online shopping portals – are some of the avenues of work for visual merchandisers. The demand for visual merchandisers is on the rise, as retailers are understanding the importance and significance of visual merchandising as one of the most necessary tools to garner customer attention, more footfalls, and thus more revenues and profits.
How much will you earn?
You could begin as a Visual Merchandising Associate with salary of around Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 25,000 per month. With experience and more responsibilities, you could reach to levels of Visual Merchandising Manager or Director and earn around Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 50,000 per month.