No two days in merchandising are ever the same. That’s part of the appeal, and also part of the challenge.
Our field team is the face of Plum Agencies in store. They’re the ones navigating planograms, stock rooms, store teams, tight timelines, and the unexpected things that don’t show up on a call plan. To bring that to life, here’s a snapshot of what a “typical” day can look like for one of our merchandisers.
The day starts before the store does
The day usually kicks off early. First job is checking the call plan, store notes, and any overnight updates. Promotions change, deliveries arrive late, or instructions get refined, so there’s always a quick sense check before heading out.
If anything isn’t clear, there’s a quick call to Plum Agencies head office before leaving home. That way expectations are aligned and the day starts clean.
On the road
Travel time is exactly that, driving. But that doesn’t mean the mind is idle. This is often when merchandisers are mentally stepping through the visit ahead. What needs to be tackled first. Where issues might pop up. How to approach the store team if something has changed since the last visit.
By the time the car is parked, there’s already a clear picture of how the call will run. They could be walking into any one of the store groups in New Zealand, Farmers, Chemist Warehouse, Bargain Chemist, Bunnings, Mitre 10, Briscoes, Kmart, The Warehouse, Woolworths, New World, or the 101 other groups.
On the floor: execution mode
Once in store, it’s straight into the work. That might be filling a stand from reserves, replacing testers, adjusting a shelf that’s drifted off plan, or fixing something that looks fine at a glance but isn’t quite right when you know the brand.
They could be dealing with a huge range of products, from toilet seats to cosmetics, and everything in between. Versatility is vital in this role.
This is where experience really matters. A merchandiser isn’t just following instructions, they’re constantly assessing. What’s selling. What’s missing. What’s confusing for shoppers. What store staff are struggling to keep on top of between visits.
Often there’s a quick chat with the team on the floor. Maybe sales have been strong off the back of a recent promotion, or maybe a delivery is still sitting in the stockroom waiting to be worked. These conversations are gold and often shape what gets prioritised during the visit.
The curveball: urgent, but not where you are
Just as the call is wrapping up, the phone buzzes.
An urgent task has come through, but it’s for another store. A reprice or recall is needed nearby, and it can’t wait until the next scheduled visit.
Plans shift. The merchandiser checks distance, timing, and store hours, then calls Plum Agencies head office to confirm the priority and next steps. Routes are adjusted, other calls reshuffled if needed, and the merchandiser heads straight to where they’re needed most.
At the urgent store, affected stock is located, pricing is updated or product is removed, store staff are briefed, and everything is documented. Photos, notes, confirmation sent through. The client knows it’s been handled.
Back on track, then on to the next
Once the urgent task is sorted, reporting is completed while the details are fresh. Clear photos, clear notes, no guesswork.
Then it’s back in the car and on to the next store, where the setup will be different, the challenges will be different, and the priorities will shift again.
Why this matters
From the outside, merchandising can look simple. Fill shelves, straighten products, move on. But in reality, it’s about judgement, adaptability, and being trusted to make the right call when things change quickly.
Plum Agencies merchandisers don’t just execute tasks. They problem-solve, communicate, and protect brands at store level every single day.
And tomorrow? It’ll look different again. That's half the fun!
