Home
CV examples
Merchandiser

Merchandiser CV example and template (South Africa)

Merchandisers keep a brand's products on the shelf, in the right place and in date. In South Africa most work either directly for an FMCG supplier (a company that makes fast-moving consumer goods such as food, drinks and toiletries) or for a merchandising agency such as Smollan, which services many brands at once. Your stores are usually Shoprite, Checkers, Spar, Pick n Pay and Boxer, and your day is split between packing shelves, rotating stock, building promotional displays and reporting what is missing.

The example below is for a field merchandiser who drives a call cycle of several stores. Agency and supplier managers read a merchandiser CV for proof that you follow a planogram (the head office diagram of where each product goes on the shelf), that you keep old stock in front and remove expired stock, and that you report honestly through the agency app. Many field posts ask for a driver's licence and your own car, so put both near the top if you have them. If you are applying for an in-store post with no car needed, lead with your shelf and stock experience instead.

Opens this CV in our free builder so you can put in your own details. No account needed.

Merchandiser CV example

Kagiso Molefe

Field Merchandiser, FMCG, with Code B licence and own car

073 555 0139 · kagiso.molefe@example.co.za · Rustenburg, North West

Profile

Field merchandiser with four years in FMCG, currently servicing eight Shoprite, Spar and Pick n Pay stores in Rustenburg on a weekly call cycle for Smollan. I set shelves to planogram, rotate stock using FIFO, build promotional displays and log out-of-stocks and photos in the merchandising app at every call. Code B licence and own car. Looking for a senior merchandiser or team leader post in North West.

Work experience

Field Merchandiser

Smollan, Rustenburg | Jan 2024 – Present

Service eight stores weekly in Rustenburg and Mogwase for food and household brands
Set shelves to planogram after every reset and fix facings, shelf strips and price tickets
Rotate stock using FIFO and remove short-dated and expired products for credit
Log GPS check-ins, before-and-after photos and out-of-stocks in the agency app at every call
Build gondola-end displays for month-end and festive promotions

In-store Merchandiser

Merchandising agency, servicing a dairy supplier, Rustenburg | Sep 2022 – Dec 2023

Packed and rotated yoghurt, milk and maas in the fridges at Pick n Pay Waterfall Mall every day
Checked expiry dates each morning and pulled short-dated stock before it expired
Counted fridge and storeroom stock and passed order suggestions to the dairy manager

Packer

Shoprite Rustenburg, Rustenburg | Mar 2021 – Aug 2022

Packed groceries onto shelves and faced up aisles before opening
Helped with monthly stock counts and storeroom clean-ups

Education

National Senior Certificate (Matric)

Rustenburg Technical High School, 2020, NQF level 4

Subjects: Setswana Home Language, English First Additional Language, Mathematical Literacy, Business Studies, Geography, Life Orientation

Skills

Planogram compliance
FIFO stock rotation and expiry checks
Store call cycles
Merchandising apps and photo reporting
Promotional displays
Stock counts and order suggestions
Code B licence and own car

Certificates

Merchandising Standards and App Training (in-house), Smollan, 2024

Achievements

Highest planogram compliance score in my Smollan area, third quarter 2025
Did not miss a single scheduled store call in 2025

Personal details

Driver’s licence:: Code B (Code 8)
Own transport:: Yes
Nationality:: South African
Languages:: Setswana (Home language), English (Fluent), Afrikaans (Basic)
Notice period:: Two weeks
Availability:: Immediately, including Saturday calls and month-end

References

Tumelo Seleka

Area Supervisor, Smollan

014 555 0152

Annelie van Wyk

Dairy Department Manager, Pick n Pay Waterfall Mall

014 555 0187

Merchandiser CV summary you can copy

Change the details so they are true for you.

Field merchandiser with four years in FMCG, currently servicing eight Shoprite, Spar and Pick n Pay stores in Rustenburg on a weekly call cycle for Smollan. I set shelves to planogram, rotate stock using FIFO, build promotional displays and log out-of-stocks and photos in the merchandising app at every call. Code B licence and own car. Looking for a senior merchandiser or team leader post in North West.

Skills to list on your Merchandiser CV

Packing shelves to planogram, including facings, shelf strips and price tickets
Stock rotation using FIFO (first in, first out), with older stock moved to the front
Checking expiry and best-before dates and removing short-dated stock
Following a weekly store call cycle and visiting every store on schedule
Logging out-of-stocks, shelf photos and GPS check-ins on a merchandising app
Building gondola-end and floor displays for promotions
Counting stock in the storeroom and passing order suggestions to store receiving
Processing damaged and expired stock for supplier credit by the store's returns procedure
Checking shelf prices against the till price and reporting errors
Building good relationships with store managers, receiving clerks and department heads
Working with several brands at once for an agency client list
Safe lifting and using a pallet jack in the storeroom
Driving between stores with a valid Code B licence

Duties written as strong bullet points

Serviced eight Shoprite, Checkers, Spar and Pick n Pay stores on a weekly call cycle, checking in with GPS and photos at every visit
Set shelves to the client's planogram after every reset, correcting facings, shelf strips and price tickets
Rotated stock using FIFO and removed expired and short-dated products, cutting expired stock write-offs in my stores
Logged out-of-stocks and low stock in the merchandising app, so the supplier's sales rep could place orders the same day
Counted storeroom stock and gave order suggestions to the store's receiving clerk and department manager
Built gondola-end and floor displays for month-end and festive promotions to the client's display guide
Checked shelf prices against till prices and reported mismatches to the store manager and supplier
Packed damaged and expired stock for uplift and completed credit paperwork by each store's returns procedure
Serviced extra stores at short notice when a colleague was off sick, without missing a scheduled call

Tips for a stronger Merchandiser CV

List your call cycle and store names

Write how many stores you service, how often, and which retailers they are, for example "eight stores weekly, Shoprite, Spar and Pick n Pay, Rustenburg and Mogwase". A manager can see straight away that you know the area and can handle a full cycle.

Name the brands you have worked on

Agencies win contracts brand by brand. If you have packed a big supplier's products, such as dairy, cooldrinks, cereals or toiletries, name the category and the brand. Chilled and short-shelf-life products such as dairy and bread are harder to manage, so mention them if you have done them.

Mention the app and reporting

Most agencies now track merchandisers through an app with GPS check-ins, before-and-after shelf photos and out-of-stock reports. Say that you have used one and report at every call. It tells a manager you are used to being checked and do not skip stores.

Put your licence and car at the top

Field merchandising adverts often say "own reliable transport essential" and pay a travel allowance. If you have a Code B licence and a car, put both in your headline or summary, not only in your personal details, because many managers stop reading if they cannot see it.

Questions people ask

What is a planogram?

A planogram is a diagram from the supplier or retailer that shows exactly where each product goes on the shelf and how many facings (rows facing the customer) it gets. Merchandisers set the shelf to match it after every change. Write "set shelves to planogram" on your CV, because it is the first thing managers look for.

Do I need my own car to be a merchandiser?

Not always. In-store merchandisers stay at one big store and do not need a car. Field merchandisers drive between several stores and are often asked for a Code B licence and their own car, with a travel allowance or kilometre claim. Read the advert and say clearly on your CV whether you have a licence and car.

What is the difference between a merchandiser and a promoter?

A merchandiser looks after the shelf, which means packing, rotating, pricing and displays. A promoter stands in the store and talks to shoppers, handing out samples and pushing a product on promotion. Agencies often employ both, and some people do both jobs. If you have done promotions, add them as a separate job or duty.

Is there a qualification for merchandisers?

Most posts only ask for matric, and agencies train you on their clients' planograms and app. A Wholesale and Retail SETA (W&RSETA) learnership or short course in retail operations can help, and a valid driver's licence is often worth more than any certificate for field posts.