Merchandising

Merchandising is the methods, practices, and operations used to promote and sustain certain categories of commercial activity In the broadest sense, merchandising is any practice which contributes tothe sale of products to a retail consumer. At a retail in-store level, merchandising refers to the variety of products available for sale and the display of those products in such a way that itstimulates interest and entices customers to make a purchase.
visual display merchandising means maximizing merchandise sales using product design, selection, packaging, pricing, and display thatstimulates consumers to spend more. This includes disciplines in pricing and discounting, physical presentation of products and displays, and the decisions about which products should be presented to whichcustomers at what time.
This annual cycle of merchandising differs between countries and even within them, particularly relating to cultural customs like holidays, and seasonal issues like climate andlocal sporting and recreation.
In the United States for example, the basic retail cycle begins in early January with merchandise for Valentine's Day, which is not until mid-February. Following this,Easter is the major holiday, while springtime clothing and garden-related merchandise is already arriving at stores, often as early as mid-winter. Mothers Day and Fathers Day are next, with graduationgifts (typically small consumer electronics like digital cameras) often being marketed as "dads and grads" in June (though most semesters end in May). Summer merchandise is next, includingpatriotic-themed products with the American flag, out by Memorial Day in preparation for Independence Day (with Flag Day in between).
Merchandising is a branch of marketing theory and practice concerned withmaximizing product sales by designing, packaging, pricing, and displaying goods in a way that stimulates higher sales volume. The underlying assumption in merchandising is that consumers may have a...