Merchandiser Resume Examples (Merchandising)
A merchandiser makes sure the right products are made or bought, at the right price and time, and sold well. A merchandiser resume should prove skills such as costing, critical path calendars, and sampling and approvals with numbers from your own work. Below are three samples, entry-level to senior, with summaries, bullets and skills.
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Merchandiser resume examples by experience level
All three samples are illustrative: the people, employers and every figure are made up.
Entry-level sample
Chloe Whitfield
B.S. Fashion Merchandising · merchandising internship · costing and calendars · Excel
Charlotte, NC · (704) 555-0136 · chloe.whitfield@example.com
Summary
- Fashion merchandising graduate seeking an assistant merchandiser role at an apparel brand, with an internship following 6 vendor orders from sampling to shipment.
Education
- B.S. Fashion Merchandising, Carolina Design University · 2026 · GPA 3.6
Internship
- Merchandising Intern, a women's apparel brand, Charlotte, NC · Jan – Apr 2026 · Followed 6 orders (48,000 units) from an overseas factory; updated critical path calendars daily; prepared 12 cost sheets; chased trims so all 6 orders shipped on time.
Skills
- Costing, critical path and calendars, sample follow-up, material and trim booking, vendor communication, Excel, basic PLM and ERP, quality basics
Mid-level sample
Anthony Reyes
Senior Merchandiser · 6 years · woven apparel · $12 million annual orders · 96% on-time
Los Angeles, CA · (323) 555-0149 · anthony.reyes@example.com
Summary
- Merchandiser with six years in woven apparel, handling 2 retail accounts and $12 million of annual orders. Keep on-time shipment at 96%, cut air-freight charges by 80%, and improved costing margin by 3 points through fabric consumption reviews.
Experience
- Senior Merchandiser, Pacific Thread Apparel, Los Angeles, CA · 2022 – present · 2 retail accounts, $12 million of orders a year; on-time shipment 96%; air-freight charges down 80%; costing margin up 3 points; lead 2 assistant merchandisers.
- Merchandiser, Harbor Line Apparel, Gardena, CA · 2020 – 2022 · Sampling and production follow-up for a national department store account.
Education
- B.S. Apparel Merchandising, Golden Coast State University · 2020
Skills
- Order management, costing and negotiation, critical path, sampling, production follow-up, compliance audits, vendor relations, PLM and ERP
Senior sample
Gwen Abernathy
Merchandising Manager · 11 years · retail apparel · $60 million category · 180 stores
Dallas, TX · (214) 555-0171 · gwen.abernathy@example.com
Summary
- Retail merchandiser with eleven years in apparel, now managing a $60 million womenswear category across 180 stores and online. Lifted gross margin from 44% to 49%, raised full-price sell-through to 71% and cut aged inventory by 35%.
Experience
- Merchandising Manager, Womenswear, Lone Star Apparel Retail, Dallas, TX · 2020 – present · $60 million category; gross margin from 44% to 49%; full-price sell-through 71%; aged inventory down 35%; open-to-buy planning and store allocation for 180 stores.
- Assistant Merchandiser to Merchandiser, Lone Star Apparel Retail, Dallas, TX · 2015 – 2020 · Menswear and kidswear.
Education
- MBA, Retail Management, Trinity Plains University · 2015
Skills
- Open-to-buy planning, range planning, buying, allocation and replenishment, markdown management, vendor negotiation, sales analytics
Start your merchandiser resume
Related resume examples
- Fashion Designer resume
- Retail Manager resume
- Store Manager resume
- Inventory Manager resume
- Sales Associate resume
- Buyer resume
- Production Manager resume
- Quality Control Executive resume
- Sales Representative resume
What does a merchandiser do?
In apparel and consumer goods companies, merchandisers handle buyer orders from enquiry to shipment: costing, sampling, material and trim booking, production follow-up and on-time delivery. In retail, merchandisers plan ranges, buy quantities, allocate stock to stores and track sell-through and margins. Visual merchandisers make stores and displays sell.
Best resume format for a merchandiser
- Say apparel, consumer goods or retail merchandising in the headline so the right buyer sees it.
- Give order values, accounts, on-time rates, margins or sell-through.
- Keep it to one page up to five years of experience.
The section order and what goes in each are on the how to write a resume guide; the resume format guide covers every format by type and country.
Summary examples by level
- Entry-level: Fashion merchandising graduate with an internship following six vendor orders of 48,000 units to on-time shipment.
- Mid-level: Merchandiser with six years in woven apparel, handling $12 million of retail orders a year with 96% on-time shipment.
- Senior: Retail merchandising manager with eleven years in apparel, lifting gross margin from 44% to 49% on a $60 million category.
Work experience bullet points
- Followed 6 vendor orders of 48,000 units from sampling to on-time shipment.
- Prepared 12 cost sheets during a 4-month internship.
- Kept on-time shipment at 96% on $12 million of annual orders.
- Cut air-freight charges by 80% with weekly critical path reviews.
- Improved costing margin by 3 points through fabric consumption reviews.
- Lifted category gross margin from 44% to 49%.
- Cut aged inventory by 35% with earlier markdowns and reallocation.
Key skills to list
Hard skills: Costing, Critical path calendars, Sampling and approvals, Fabric and trim sourcing, Production follow-up, Open-to-buy (OTB) planning, Range planning and buying, Allocation and replenishment, Markdown management, ERP, PLM and Excel.
Soft skills: Vendor communication, Negotiation, Follow-up discipline, Problem solving, Working with factories and designers.
Education and certifications
- Name your degree in fashion merchandising, business or a related field, with the school and year.
- An MBA in retail or merchandising helps for buying and category roles; short courses in merchandising or costing help career switchers.
- Add planning software such as Excel, PLM or ERP training with the year if you hold a certificate.
Does a visual merchandiser need a different resume?
Yes. A visual merchandiser's version focuses on store displays, planograms, window design and the sales lift they created. Include store counts, reset schedules and software such as planogram tools, and keep buying and costing out unless the post asks for it.
Should a merchandiser show margins on a resume?
Yes. Margin, sell-through and on-time shipment are the main measures of good merchandising. Put the number and the period beside each, such as "gross margin from 44% to 49% in two seasons", and say whether the figure is for a category or a whole account.
What goes in a merchandising resume summary?
Say the type of merchandising (apparel, retail buying, visual), your years, the size of your orders or category and one result such as margin or on-time rate. Two sentences are enough; the experience section carries the detail.
How do visual merchandiser and merchandise resumes differ from a general merchandiser resume?
A visual merchandiser resume shows displays, planograms and window sets with sales lift or dwell results, plus design software. A visual merchandising resume names the store count or format. A merchandise resume for stock work shows replenishment, planogram compliance and shelf availability. Use the title in the posting and the numbers that fit.