Retailing is an art and is certainly not limited to selling goods. It is rather, a strategic theory, using which an organization can not only improve its sales but also its presence, brand awareness, and the rate of customer acquisition. The retail merchandisers are specialist professionals who are a master of retailing and find employment opportunities in several shopping malls, retail firms, trading arenas and other forms of market places. With an effective knack for solving issues and mastery over persuasion skills, retail merchandisers are one of the most sought-after professions, which remain in high demand.
Retail merchandisers are paid hefty sums of salaries and lucrative sales incentives in addition to commissions and other perquisites. This profession experiences high demand as well as a high supply of candidates, which in tandem makes the competition cut-throat. Thus, a sincere effort is needed to crack a job at your favorite retail organization and this can be effectively done by studying the frequently asked interview questions.
21 Best Interview Questions To Study
1. Explain The Importance Of Customers For Business?
This question tests your knowledge and understanding of the core principles of customer importance and their relevance.
Sample Answer
Sir, customers are essential for any business organization and serves as the very basic reason for their existence. Every enterprise aims to expand its customer base, as only through it can an organization prosper, increase its sales, and ultimately revenue. Thus, customers are and will always be an integral part in the success story of a business organization.
2. Why Is Layout Management Important In Retail Merchandising?
Layout management refers to the strategic placement as well as alignment of various products in a retail store. This question aims to test your knowledge in this regard.
Sample Answer
Sir, management of the limited retail space on offer or layout management is a vital and critical element of retail merchandising. Using this, an organization can better its sales prospects and increase its revenue. When products are aligned in the best possible way, the customers do not have to search or struggle, in order to find their best products. Further, such management and strategic organization also help in cutting down of the cost of employing additional sales executives as they are no longer needed for selling purposes.
3. What Do You Mean By Place Utility and Its Barriers?
This question tests your knowledge and understanding of the core principles of consumer marketing.
Sample Answer
Sir, place utility refers to the availability of products, which will satisfy the needs and wants of the customers. This is an important element, which when used effectively has the ability to decrease the churn rate as well as reduces the chances of customers switching royalty and falling over to the rival’s produce. Inappropriate production facilities, inadequate supply of raw materials, trade restrictions, quota fixation are some of the barriers that have the ability to defeat place utility.
4. Explain The Late Mover Advantage In Brief.
This question tests your knowledge and understanding of the core principles of consumer marketing.
Sample Answer
Sir, the success of a business organization depends upon the quality of its business decisions. The more informed and diligent, the business decisions are, the better are the prospects of success. Using late mover advantage, a business organization follows the policy of acting as a second fiddle rather than being a pioneer in the field. In this policy, the business organizations are not the first one to launch any product rather acts as an observer. If this newly launched product is successful then they launch it on their own, otherwise, simply drops the idea.
5. How Is Rebate Effective In Enhancing Sales? Are There Some More Techniques Too?
This question tests your knowledge and understanding of the core principles of marketing and enhancing sales.
Sample Answer
Sir, a rebate is an instant discount, which is reduced from the selling price of the product. It is an effective technique in stimulating sales as well as the growth of the company, as it drives the sales to a higher level. In this technique, the customers achieve instant satisfaction as soon as after making a purchase. There are several other techniques for increasing sales as well, such as rewards, coupons, cashback, etc.
6. What Are The Benefits Of Departmentalisation?
This question tests your knowledge and understanding of the core principles of organizational structures and marketing.
Sample Answer
Sir, depending upon the size of the company, an organization divides or decentralizes itself on several parameters such as products, business functions, manufacturing processes, etc. This not only helps in improving the quality of business operations but also enhances the productivity of emploees. In this, different departments are made having their own departmental heads, who are responsible for the execution of tasks and effective performance of their departments. This promotes responsibility and a sense of commitment towards the specific processes.
7. Name Any Three Retail Management Software.
This question tests your knowledge and understanding of the various software used in retail merchandising.
Sample Answer
Sure, sir, these are:
- iQmetrix
- Retail Pro
- Dynamic RMS
8. How Do You Handle Disgruntled Customers?
This question tests your knowledge and understanding of the practical issues faced in the job.
Sample Answer
Sir, the best way to handle them is to, first of all, handle their issues using active listening skills. Understand their problems in a comprehensive manner and then extend a resolution that is both attractive to the customers as well as the management.
9. Name Any Three Consumer Rights.
This question tests your knowledge and understanding of the various consumer rights available to the customers in the country.
Sample Answer
Sure, sir, These are:
- Right to be informed
- Right to seek redressal
- Right to choose
10. What Is Your Understanding Of The Concept Of Franchising?
This question tests your knowledge and understanding of the core principles of business expansion and franchising.
Sample Answer
Sir, it is common for business organizations to expand. This expansion could be anything from diversification of operations to expanding the existing operations to a new territory. Using the concept of franchising, an organization allows another business organization, to use its brand name as well as technical know-how in lieu of royalty and one-time upfront payment fees. This is a low-risk business expansion strategy, in which, majority of the business risk lies with the franchisee agency.
11. How Do You Control Rush Hour or Peak demand?
In specific events, such as festivals, celebrations, national holidays, or other special occasions, there is a heavy rush in the departmental stores and retail marketplaces. This question requires you to share strategies so as to control this rush.
Sample Answer
Sir, it is a common event to experience, however challenging to manage. As a retail merchandiser, I always ensure that all the visiting customers to the store are able to get properly counseled about the uses of the products and are persuaded, so as to maximize the sales. Further, I always keep a sharp eye on all the customers by constantly doing rounds, around my designated retail space so as to prevent the occurrence of any unethical or embarrassing situation.
12. What Advice Will You Extend To Your Sub-ordinate Engaged In Pilferage and Theft?
Stealing, pilferage, theft is a mess, especially with the retail stores. This not only leads to massive business losses but also a severe working capital crunch. Through this question, the interviewer wants to know about your own strategy to deal with such a mess.
Sample Answer
Sir, this is nothing but a case of unjustified benefits at the cost of others. This is an unethical act and must be condemned as much as possible. If I ever see my sub-ordinate engaging himself or herself into any such unethical activity, I will straightaway make an official complaint in his or her regard to my supervisor and would also gather all the evidence for further corroboration.
13. Mention Any Three Roles Of A Retail Merchandiser.
This question tests your knowledge and understanding of your own profession.
Sample Answer
Sure, sir, These are:
- Having an interaction wth customers
- Holding meetings so as to prepare better sales strategies
- Maintaining the stock of the designated retail space
14. Retail Merchandising Is A Stressful Job. How Do You Manage Your Stress Levels?
Through this interview question, an interviewer wants to know about your perception towards working in hectic working conditions and also about the strategies that you adopt to remain fresh and energetic. Managing stress effectively is a common expectation and you are requested to give a positive answer to this interview question. In case you don’t have good answers, please read our exclusive post, for better guidance and preparation.
15. We Will Give You Multiple Tasks To Work On. How Do You Prioritize?
This is a common interview question, which requires you to state your own prioritization policy that will help you to complete your tasks in a time-bound manner. In case you haven’t still established any such policy, please refer to our exclusive post, which will guide you through the process.
16. What Motivates You To Work?
There are always a few personal factors, desires, and circumstances that prompt an individual to work hard at their workplace. As an ideal response, share those factors with your interviewer. For better preparation, please read our exclusive post.
17. As A Retail Merchandiser, How Do You Perceive “Quality”?
This is a tricky interview question as you are being asked about a specific term, which in this instant case is “quality”. This word can be interpreted and analyzes in a variety of ways. An interviewer simply wants to know, and hear your version of interpretation. In case you are confused, please read our exclusive post, which will give you ten unique sample answers to read from.
18. How Do You Prefer To Retail – In A Team Or Individually?
This is a tricky question because you are just never safe, no matter what option you choose. If you prefer to work in a team, you are plainly judged as a candidate who lacks the ability to work under minimum guidance. On the other hand, if you choose to work individually, you just lack the ability to maintain harmony or establish camaraderie with other employees. For better understanding and in-depth preparation of this tricky interview question, please read our targeted article, which will you ten unique sample answers to choose from.
19. Do You Really Prefer To Work With Us? If Yes, Please Tell The Reasons.
This is a question asked to understand your level of interest as well as commitment towards the business organization, you sought to work with. The best place to prepare for this interview question is the official website of the company, from which, you can note down a few relevant historical facts and achievements of the organization. For better preparation and in-depth knowledge of this interview question, please refer to our exclusive post.
20. When Can You Begin Working With Us?
This is a common interview question, asked by an interviewer to understand your availability. There is nothing technical in this interview question and as an ideal response, you are only required to share the exact date, post which you will be available to work with the organization. For better understanding and in-depth preparation refer to our exclusive post.
21. Do You Have Any Questions For Us?
This is the last question of an interview session and if you ever encounter this interview question just be assured that your opportunity has ended. Through this question you are expected to ask a few questions from your interviewer in regards to the organization, the allowances offered, the incentives, or maybe the work timings. We advise you to never skip this interview question as that can severely hurt your selection chances. You can ask always ask a few questions on the basis of the model questions mentioned below:
- What are the various work timings followed by the company in various shifts?
- It is the policy of the company to extend paid leaves to its employees in special cases of maternity/paternity or any other medical emergency?
- Please share the list of all the allowances and health insurances offered by the company to its employees.
References
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