How To Become A Merchandising Assistant: What It Is and Career Path

What is a merchandising assistant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Merchandising assistants develop ways to display items so that they are noticeable, appealing, and sold at the right price to customers. They contribute ideas and execute them as needed. Merchandising assistants can be called upon to perform tasks that will keep the merchandising department operating smoothly. This includes keeping tabs on information coming in from all departments and inputting it into the computer system. The assistant tracks inventory, note pricing, file artworks, and handles purchase orders. They also manage budgets and predict sales and profits.

Qualities needed as a merchandising assistant include the ability to manage time well and pay attention to details to ensure the effectiveness of displays. You must also be creative and have a good eye for visual presentation, coupled with interpersonal skills and IT skills. The educational qualification of merchandising assistant is an associate or bachelor's degree in business, marketing, or merchandising. They earn an average of $37,340 per year.

ScoreMerchandising AssistantUS Average

Salary

2.7

Avg. Salary $34,679

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

9.4

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

8.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.65%

Asian 7.01%

Black or African American 8.56%

Hispanic or Latino 18.16%

Unknown 4.65%

White 60.96%

Gender

female 76.77%

male 23.23%

Age - 42

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 - 42

Stress level

9.4

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

5.2

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.6

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a merchandising assistant

Explore merchandising assistant education requirements

Most common merchandising assistant degrees

Bachelor's

66.2 %

Associate

16.3 %

High School Diploma

9.8 %

Start to develop specific merchandising assistant skills

Skills	Percentages
Sales Floor	32.04%
Customer Service	29.18%
Customer Issues	15.07%
Purchase Orders	4.76%
Data Entry	2.64%

Complete relevant merchandising assistant training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New merchandising assistants 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 assistant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real merchandising assistant resumes.

Gain additional merchandising assistant certifications

Merchandising assistant certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific merchandising assistant certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for merchandising assistants include Medical Assistant and Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA).

More About Certifications

Research merchandising assistant duties and responsibilities

Manage open-to-buy to ensure continual flow of merchandise to stores and warehouses with careful attention to advertise events and promotions.
Update photo packets in PowerPoint deck.
Engage in coaching and development for MEA team members.
Process transactions through the POS system, shipping, process adjustments, ticketing of merchandise and return of damage merchandise.

Prepare your merchandising assistant resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your merchandising assistant 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 assistant 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 assistant resume templates

Build a professional merchandising assistant 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 assistant resume.

Apply for merchandising assistant jobs

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

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

How do merchandising assistants rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Merchandising assistant reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2019

Pros

The flexibility, the ability to travel, and getting to know people from all walks of life. I really enjoy setting up new displays and stocking merchandise!