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Unit 8: Merchandise in Retailing

disciplines and discounting, physical presentation of products and displays, and the decisions Notes
about which products should be presented to which customers 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 and local sporting and recreation.

Example: In the United States, the basic retail cycle begins in early January with
merchandise for Valentine’s Day, which is not until mid-February followed by Presidents’ Day
sales are held shortly thereafter.
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 (toward the beginning of
this section, St. Patrick’s Day merchandise, including green items and products pertaining to
Irish culture, is also promoted). Mothers Day and Fathers Day are next, with graduation gifts
(typically small consumer electronics like digital cameras) often being marketed as “dads and
grads” in June (though most college semesters end in May; the grads portion usually refers to
high school graduation, which ends one to two weeks after Father’s Day in many U.S. states).
Summer merchandise is next, including patriotic-themed products with the American flag, out
by Memorial Day in preparation for Independence Day (with Flag Day in between). By July,
back-to-school is on the shelves and autumn merchandise is already arriving, and at some arts
and crafts stores, Christmas decorations. (Often, a Christmas in July celebration is held around
this time.) The back-to-school market is promoted heavily in August, a time when there are no
holidays to promote. By September, particularly after Labor Day, the summer merchandise is
on final closeout and overstock of school supplies is marked-down some as well, and Halloween
(and often even more of the Christmas) merchandise is appearing. As the Halloween decorations
and costumes dwindle in October, Christmas is already being pushed on consumers, and by the
day after Halloween retailers are going full-force with advertising, even though the “official”
season doesn’t start until the day after Thanksgiving. Christmas clearance sales now begin even
before Christmas at most retailers, though they usually begin on the day after Christmas and
continue on at least until New Year’s Day but sometimes as far out as February.
Merchandising also varies within retail chains, where stores in places like Buffalo might carry
snow blowers, while stores in Florida and southern California might instead carry beach clothing
and barbecue grills all year. Coastal-area stores might carry water skiing equipment, while
ones near mountain ranges would likely have snow skiing and snowboarding gear if there are
ski areas nearby.

Task Give an example of a catchy visual merchandising display that you have noticed.

Self Assessment

Fill in the blanks:
14. ............................. means merchandise sales using product design, selection, packaging,
pricing, and display that stimulate consumers to spend more.
15. This annual cycle of .......................................................differs between countries and even
within them.

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