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Merchandiser interview questions and answers

This Merchandiser interview profile brings together a snapshot of what to look for in candidates with a balanced sample of suitable interview questions.

Christine Del Castillo
Christine Del Castillo

Former Community Manager at Workable specialized in employee experience, talent brands and our event series, Workable Ideas.

merchandiser



Merchandiser Interview Questions

Hire an analytical and creative retail merchandiser using the following interview questions. While the job requirements for a merchandiser in a retail setting differ from brand to brand, there are some core requirements that you can count on to remain the same.

First, you’ll want your Merchandiser to have proven working experience in this field. Second, you’ll want to verify that they have education that prepares them for this role, such as a BS in marketing. Finally, you’ll want to verify their quantitative analysis skills. That last item may require you to devote a portion of the interview to a short math test that relates to the decisions they will make on a day-to-day basis, such as the quantities of items they’ll order, the prices they’ll assign to those items, how they will promote those items, and how many they expect to sell. If your Merchandiser is also in charge of visual identity and layout at your store, you may want to add questions that pertain to that particular responsibility.

Top candidates will have done their research on your company and will be able to speak confidently about your brand and target market. They’ll also display strong teamwork, commercial acumen, communication, and presentation skills during the interview.

Operational and Situational questions

  • As a merchandiser, what do you think is the most important aspect of your work?
  • What factors into your decision to buy a product?
  • Who are our customers?
  • How are we different from our competitors?
  • How do you prioritize your tasks? Walk us through a typical day at work.
  • Describe your experience with reading planograms.
  • How would you handle working overtime, such as during a holiday reset?
  • Talk about a bestselling product at your previous place of work. What was the last quantity that you ordered? What types or sizes did you have, and which had the highest rate of consumption?
  • Describe one of your more successful campaigns. What worked well? What didn’t work well?
  • What do you consider when deciding what product to supply?
  • You’re selling an item at the same price and quantity as a competing retailer, but somehow your competition is selling more. What factors might be involved?
  • Describe a time you worked with a difficult coworker.
  • What would you do if you caught a co-worker stealing?
  • Describe a time you resolved a problem with an angry store manager.
  • What do you think our brand does well? What would you improve, if hired?

 

Ready to fine-tune this interview kit?
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