So, you need some extra cash but you can’t take on a part-time job due to time constraints. Have you ever thought about product merchandising? In addition to earning additional income, being a merchandiser affords you the luxury of having a flexible schedule. This will allow you to work your full-time job and take care of your family obligations with little interference.
Here’s what merchandising entails. You, the merchandiser, will be given an assignment in your area and the tools that you need to perform your job duties. You will then be given a timeframe to complete your scheduled task. For example, you may be hired as a product merchandiser and asked to travel to a retailer in your city to complete a reset. You then are responsible for removing products from a shelf or display, resetting them according to a plan-o-gram, and relabeling their price stickers. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? It really is!
A Few Merchandising Companies to Look Into
I worked as a product merchandiser for several different companies for side income and I enjoyed the experience thoroughly. Here are some of the best opportunities on the net:
- American Greetings (http://corporate.americangreetings.com/careers/joinourteam_ptm.html) – Your job as a merchandiser requires you to keep the card department of different retailers neat and orderly. You will be responsible for putting out new product, discontinuing old product, setting up seasonal display, reordering cards and gift wrap. Hours are flexible and depend on how many stores you’re scheduled to service in one area.
- SPAR Inc. (http://www.sparinc.com/job_posting.htm#resetmerch) – A variety of positions are available including General Merchandising, New Store and Remodel Setups, Audits, Data Collection, Inventories, Reset or Plan-o-gram Maintenance, Fixture Installation/Building Gondolas, Front-End Displays, and more. The different areas of merchandising opportunities include: Home Improvement, Drug & Grocery stores, Electronics, Hard & Soft line retailers. Many positions require heavy lifting and power tools so you need to be willing to comply with standards if taking on one of these positions.
- Pepsi Co. (http://careers.pepsico.com/key/pepsi-merchandising-jobs.html) – Stock shelves, rotate shelved product, set up displays, and stock and rotate coolers with Pepsi products. This type of merchandising is physically demanding and does require that you have your own vehicle to travel to and from assigned store locations. Merchandisers receive compensation for the time that they worked as well as mileage.
Additional Merchandising Opportunities
Some websites to find additional merchandising opportunities:
- Shadow Shopper (http://www.shadowshopper.com)
- National Association for Retail Marketing Services (NARMS) (http://narms.com)
- Indeed.com (http://www.indeed.com/q-Retail-Merchandiser-jobs.html)
If you’re looking for a reliable way to make extra income, consider product merchandising. You can take on assignments based on your current schedule and you’ll get satisfaction of knowing that your efforts help retailers be the successful businesses they are today.