There is a well-known phrase “all professions are needed, all professions are important.” Perhaps, the importance of the profession of a merchandiser is undeniable, and if a merchandiser knows and fulfills his duties, then any enterprise will always need him as a specialist who understands products and can distinguish a quality product from a fake. There are slight differences in the area of work: if this specialist works in a large enterprise, then there are more responsibilities and functions, but if we consider small organizations, then the responsibilities of a merchandiser in a store, for example, will be much narrower.
Main characteristics of the profession
A merchandising specialist is a good and promising profession in which decent career growth is possible if the employee really has the necessary qualities for such work. In a nutshell, the main responsibilities of a merchandiser are to monitor the product’s compliance with established standards, keep records of receipts and expenses of valuables, search for unarrived products and make contacts with counterparties.
General responsibilities of a merchandiser
Let's consider the main responsibilities of a merchandiser:
Establish the required level of product quality;
Check that the product has the characteristics for which the transaction was concluded;
Make suggestions when drawing up a procurement plan;
Take an active part in the formation of the production plan;
Monitor compliance with the terms of contracts, as well as obligations undertaken by suppliers and customers for the sale or purchase of goods or raw materials;
Draw up letters of complaint against low-quality suppliers, as well as respond to customer complaints;
Monitor the consumption of raw materials and the level of product load;
Contribute to establishing business contacts with manufacturers and customers;
Participate in drawing up rules and requirements for organizing the work of an enterprise in the field of product sales, transportation of raw materials, quality control, etc.;
Keep records of the receipt and expenditure of all entrusted resources;
Search for lost products;
The responsibilities of a merchandiser also include conducting an inventory of goods;
Deal with the issues of analyzing the accumulation of surplus products and raw materials in warehouses, look for ways to sell them;
Monitor the preparation of goods for shipment to customers and draw up relevant documents;
Prepare other reports related to the entrusted area of work.
As you can see, the duties of a merchandiser include a large number of points. Such a volume requires a good analytical mind. Every merchandiser must know his responsibilities thoroughly if he wants to be a sought-after specialist. With its help, administrative personnel can successfully control the flow of goods and products from supplier to customer.
Responsibilities of a merchandiser in small organizations
If we talk about this profession at the level of a small trading enterprise, then we can highlight the following job responsibilities of a merchandiser in a store:
Preparation and processing of orders for products;
Assistance in drawing up acts of counterparties;
Reception of goods from the supplier, quality control and delivery time, verification of accompanying documents;
Organization of inventory, as well as accounting of material and commodity resources;
At certain times, check the store’s databases with related offices;
Perform related and related functions in cases where store employees are absent.
In this version, the responsibilities of a merchandiser in a grocery store have a narrower list, but the main aspects of the work are still preserved.
In order to understand the area of work entrusted to this specialist, we will consider some of the job responsibilities of a merchandiser in more detail.
Formation of an application for products
Based on sales and inventory data, taking into account the purchasing schedule, the merchandiser calculates the required quantity of certain material resources for an enterprise or, for example, a store.
Receiving goods from the supplier and checking the batch
First of all, the merchandiser needs to receive invoices for the goods and make a corresponding entry in the journal, as well as enter information into the program. When the goods arrive directly, it is necessary to organize its unloading.
After receiving the accompanying documents for the products from the driver, the merchandiser must check them. After complete unloading, the merchandiser organizes the receipt of the goods, checks their quantity with the documents and checks the quality of the batch.
Then, the functions of the merchandiser include organizing the correct movement of goods to the warehouse. This is an important point, since there are groups of products that cannot be stored next to each other and require certain storage conditions.
Reconciliation of store and office databases
During a set period, often done once a week, the merchandiser checks information from the warehouse on receipts and expenses, as well as payments, with a database located in the company’s office.
You can, of course, describe other responsibilities, but this information is enough to understand the main functional responsibilities of such a profession as a merchandiser.
This area of work requires good knowledge, as well as great responsibility and organization. Do not forget that any specialist should always strive to perform his duties quickly, efficiently and on time.
JOB DESCRIPTION
merchandiser
1. GENERAL PROVISIONS
1.1. This job description defines the functional responsibilities, rights and responsibilities of the commodity expert "___________________________" (hereinafter referred to as the "Organization").
1.2. A merchandising specialist is appointed to a position and dismissed from a position in the manner established by current labor legislation by order of the head of the Organization.
1.3. The merchandising manager reports directly to ____________________ Organization.
1.4. A person with the following qualifications is appointed to the position of commodity expert:
Commodity specialist: higher professional education without requirements for work experience or secondary vocational education and work experience in positions filled by specialists with secondary vocational education for at least 3 years.
1.5. The merchandiser must know:
Resolutions, instructions, orders, other governing and regulatory documents of higher authorities relating to logistics and sales of products;
Market methods of management;
Standards and technical specifications for inventory items, their main properties and quality characteristics;
The procedure for developing logistics plans and concluding business contracts;
Methods of accounting for inventory items, calculating the need for them;
Forms of accounting documents and reporting procedures;
Organization of warehousing and product sales;
Terms of delivery, storage and transportation of inventory items;
Current price tags and price lists; standards for production inventories of material resources;
Basic technological production processes;
Nomenclature and range of products;
Fundamentals of economics, labor organization and management;
Labor legislation;
Internal labor regulations;
Labor protection rules and regulations.
1.6. In his activities, the merchandiser is guided by:
Regulatory acts and methodological materials on the work performed;
Internal labor regulations;
Orders and instructions of the head of the Organization and the immediate supervisor;
This job description;
Rules on labor protection, industrial sanitation and fire protection.
1.7. During the period of temporary absence of a merchandiser, his duties are assigned to ___________________________.
2. FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
The merchandising specialist performs the following duties:
Determines requirements for material resources, compliance of their quality with standards, technical specifications and other regulatory documents, as well as concluded contracts.
Participates in determining the compliance of draft logistics plans of the Organization with production plans, in monitoring the fulfillment of contractual obligations, the receipt and sale of raw materials, materials, fuel, equipment and finished products, in preparing data for drawing up claims for the supply of low-quality inventory items and responses to customer complaints.
Controls the availability of material resources and finished products in warehouses.
Communicates with suppliers and consumers and prepares documents for the shipment of products.
Participates in the development and implementation of organization standards for logistics, sales, product quality control, organization of transportation and storage of raw materials, materials, fuel, equipment and finished products.
Maintains operational records of the receipt and sale of inventory, monitors the timeliness of shipment of returnable containers, and, if necessary, searches for unarrived cargo.
Participates in conducting inventories, studies the reasons for the formation of excessive excess material resources and illiquid assets, and takes measures to implement them.
Monitors compliance with the rules for storing inventory in warehouses, prepares finished products for shipment to consumers, draws up the necessary documents related to the supply and sale of products, and draws up reports in established forms.
3. RIGHTS
The merchandiser has the right:
3.1. Require the Organization's management to provide assistance in the performance of their duties.
3.2. Improve your skills.
3.3. Get acquainted with draft decisions of the Organization’s management relating to its activities.
3.4. Submit proposals on issues related to your activities for consideration by your immediate supervisor.
3.5. Receive from the Organization’s employees the information necessary to carry out their activities.
4. RESPONSIBILITY
The merchandiser is responsible for:
4.1. For failure to perform or improper performance of their duties provided for in this job description - in accordance with current labor legislation.
4.2. For offenses committed during the period of its activities - in accordance with current civil, administrative and criminal legislation.
4.3. For causing material damage - in accordance with current legislation.
5. WORKING CONDITIONS
5.1. The merchandising specialist’s working hours are determined in accordance with the Internal Labor Regulations established in the Organization.
5.2. Due to production needs, the merchandiser is required to go on business trips (including local ones).
6. RIGHT OF SIGNATURE
6.1. To ensure his activities, the commodity manager is given the right to sign primary and reporting documents on issues included in his functional responsibilities.
_____________________________ _____________ ____________________ (position of the person who compiled (signature) (full name) instructions)
"___"__________ ___ G.
AGREED:
Legal adviser ____________ ___________________ (signature) (full name)
"___"__________ ___ G.
I have read the instructions: ____________ ____________________ (signature) (full name)
The profession of a commodity expert is multifaceted and, as its name suggests, a specialist in this field “manages the goods.” He is responsible for the goods, both to the buyer and to the head of his enterprise. Some commodity experts are involved in the formation of assortments and prices, others organize the purchase of goods and check the quality of products or are responsible for their high-quality storage.
Places of work
Representatives of this profession are most in demand in shops, supermarkets, retail establishments and warehouses. Also, commodity experts are required in product quality control centers, licensing organizations, agricultural enterprises, pawnshops and in institutions that control trade and compliance with consumer rights.
History of the profession
The profession of a commodity expert arose in ancient times; the works of ancient Roman scientists such as Columella, Varro and Cato the Elder have come down to us, who described methods of processing and storing agricultural crops, as well as methods for assessing the quality of products. However, the profession became most widespread at the beginning of the 20th century. At that time, the competitiveness of enterprises reached a new level and the demand for commodity experts increased significantly.
Responsibilities of a merchandiser
The main job responsibilities of a merchandiser include:
- acceptance of goods in terms of quantity and quality, as well as verification of accompanying documentation;
- organizing the removal of goods from utility rooms to the sales area;
- control and maintenance of goods inventories in the warehouse;
- placement of products in the warehouse;
- carrying out inventory and audits of goods;
- maintaining order and cleanliness in the warehouse.
If necessary, the responsibilities and functions of a merchandiser include organizing the write-off and return of products, as well as preparing funds for collection.
Requirements for a merchandiser
The position of a merchandiser covers quality control, sales and delivery of various products. That is why the requirements for representatives of this profession may vary depending on the specifics of the enterprise. Basic requirements for a merchandiser:
- secondary specialized or higher education;
- 2 years of experience in trading;
- knowledge of trading rules;
- availability of skills for receiving goods into a warehouse;
- ability to organize warehouse activities, storage conditions and transportation of goods;
- PC proficiency and knowledge of the 1C program.
If a merchandiser works for an international company, knowledge of English at a conversational level is desirable.
Merchandiser resume sample
How to become a merchandiser
Do you want to become a merchandiser? To do this, you must at least study at an institute, technical school or university with a specialty in merchandising. Experience in the field of trade and an understanding of its specifics and nuances will also be required. Depending on the specifics of the organization, knowledge in the field of economics, merchandising, logistics and methods of expert evaluation of products may be required.
Merchandiser salary
The salary of a representative of this profession depends on the experience and location of the enterprise. The average salary of a merchandiser is 30 thousand rubles per month. However, a specialist without experience can receive 10 thousand rubles. The maximum salary for a merchandiser was found in the Moscow region - 100 thousand rubles.
Applying for a job in any profession and for any position requires familiarization with the rights and responsibilities that will accompany the applicant throughout his or her employment.
Such information is contained in a special document - job description, which must be present in enterprises and organizations. The profession of a merchandising specialist is no exception, the entry into which involves performing all the necessary actions in order to fully comply with the position held.
The main specificity of the profession of a commodity expert is direct work either in companies and organizations whose activities are related to trade, or in enterprises where it is necessary to monitor the quality of manufactured or incoming goods.
Moreover, the types and types of goods can be completely diverse– from food products (bakery products, meat products) to household chemicals and building materials.
The previously very popular profession of a commodity expert lost its relevance for some time, but with the development of the country’s economy, the expansion and improvement of retail outlets, the opening of new stores and hypermarkets, it is again in demand.
Composition of the document
The job description of a merchandiser consists of: several sections, each of which separately defines the main responsibilities of an employee holding such a position, the actions to which he is entitled, as well as the basic conditions for the performance of labor duties.
General provisions
The profession of a commodity expert belongs to the category of specialists and can be divided into two possible categories:
- A specialist of the second category must have a university diploma in the relevant specialty, as well as some experience in a similar position - in this case, it is required to work for three years.
- As for a commodity expert of the first category, to work in such a position one must have a higher education and before that carry out labor activity in a position in the second category for a period of no less than two years.
In any case, hiring or dismissal can only be carried out by the director of the company.
Job responsibilities
The main job responsibilities of a merchandiser are:
It is worth noting that the list of responsibilities of a merchandiser may differ significantly depending on the internal policy of the organization.
Rights
In addition to certain responsibilities, the merchandiser also has rights:
- Make existing proposals related to improving the organization’s performance, changing any parameters or indicators.
- Contact senior management (immediate supervisor) in order to receive some assistance in performing your job duties.
- Receive information about changes that will directly affect the performance of duties.
- Make inquiries from other departments regarding things within his/her competence.
- Take actions to eliminate factors that impede the performance of your job duties.
Responsibility
In carrying out his official duties, a merchandiser may bear the following types of liability:
- Material. In the event that an enterprise suffers a loss due to the fault of a commodity expert, he may be held liable, and subsequently partial or full compensation for the damage at the expense of wages is possible.
- Organizational. Merchandisers who did not properly perform their duties or did not follow the instructions of their immediate superiors may be held liable for such liability. This also includes violation of safety regulations, disclosure of trade secrets or those related to production.
- Functional. This includes incomplete performance of one’s work or inaction in certain situations.
The basic working conditions of a merchandiser are determined internal policy of the enterprise and may consist of providing him with a workplace and other material and technical means that facilitate the performance of official duties or make them possible.
It is also worth noting that when performing his work, a specialist can be guided by the organization’s charter, internal regulations and methodological documentation related to the requirements for such a position.
Peculiarities
Depending on his specific place of work, the principles of activity of a commodity expert and the specifics of performing his job duties may differ slightly. Let's look at some of them.
Groceries (grocery store)
When carrying out labor activities related to food products, a merchandiser must pay special attention to quality incoming and on-shelf products. This factor is due to the fact that it is necessary to exclude the presence at the point of sale of products with an expired shelf life or those that do not meet the currently valid quality standards.
In addition, to maintain the quality of the product, it is necessary to periodically monitor not only the products that are supplied, but also those that are currently on sale.
Non-food
When working with non-food products, a merchandiser must pay attention to their quality and quantity. In addition, we should not forget that although such products are not considered food products, they nevertheless often have a limited shelf life.
Commodity expert
The main work of a commodity expert is that he carries out his work in relation to determining the quality of products. Thus, he can perform labor activities not at a retail outlet, but within a laboratory. His main responsibilities in this case are the direct assessment of goods, taking measures to improve their quality and, if necessary, conducting examinations within his competence.
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