The low-down on third party merchandising
When you deal with chain stores or department stores especially it is worthwhile getting a merchandising company to assist in-store.
Two simple benefits:
- You don’t have to do it, they are your watchdog for your products;
- They know the store so can make sure that your products are placed correctly.
What a merchandiser does:
- making sure your products are properly placed in stores (hopefully get you good shelf real-estate. Ie: visible and at eye-level)
- ensuring that stock levels are maintained and not depleted (and that backup stock is available on short notice)
- checking prices and labels are displayed correctly
- checking that packaging is not damaged and that goods are presented well, and if they are damaged: liaising with you and the store to remedy
- Liaising with the store and educating their sales team on your product
- Provide you with valuable information on current trends and spying out what your competitors are up to
- Giving feedback to you about how you can maximise sales.

A shelf is a piece of property. You want prime property.