Visual Merchandising

Visual merchandising is the face of the business.

It is the art of displaying products in an inspiring way to increase customer traffic and sales; and it’s about communicating our brand to the customer.

Our Brand Development team creates, monitors and maintains a set of principles that determine how the brand is represented; our Visual Merchandising team implements these principles.

As a national retail chain, customers expect a certain standard from our brand that is unique and reinforces the heritage and values of the company. From the web site to the point of sale material, from the products to how we dress our windows customers expect a consistent brand experience. All successful retail chains develop their own and unique visual merchandising identity that is visually aligned to their own and unique brand strategy. The basic premise is that you don’t need to see the sign to know you are in a Wilkinsons store. Our visual merchandising strategy ensures that our brand is strongly differentiated from those of our competitors.

What will I learn?

The Visual Merchandising graduate scheme is an 18 month programme in which you will learn:

• What the key visual merchandising principles are
• How to apply these key principles
• How to drive the vision by preparing and delivering visual presentations to engage and persuade the business in the need for change
• How to determine the best use of space by including visual merchandising strategies in blueprint design
• How to develop project management skills and build effective relationships with external design and production agencies
• How to achieve concept engagement by aligning the visual merchandising strategy to the brand strategy
• How to conduct global benchmarking by researching, evaluating and proposing action based on the visual merchandising strategies of other retailers

What’s it like working in Visual Merchandising?

“This is the perfect job for anyone who can think creatively, communicate clearly, and be a catalyst for change. Every day is different, my job is really varied and never boring. I might be creating window projections one day and delivering the vision for the press show the next. But whatever I’m doing it’s all about creating desire – great products are just products unless you can excite and inspire the customer.”

Richard Wilson, Visual Merchandising Manager

Visual Merchandising – can I apply?

To apply for our Visual Merchandising graduate scheme you must:

• Have a 2:1 degree or higher in a design or marketing related field
• Have a strong creative flair. The ability to draw is desirable but not essential
• Be able to demonstrate a detailed approach to planning and delivery
• Be commercially aware with an understanding of the importance of visual merchandising and marketing and its wider impact on the business
• Be able to influence across the business and communicate at all levels
• Be legally able to work in the UK and have permanent UK residency status. If you hold a Tier 1 or Post Graduate Work Visa you are not eligible to apply for any of our graduate schemes
• Hold a full UK drivers licence and be willing to use your own vehicle for any travel required as part of your retail and other placements
• Be willing to stay in hotel accommodation for up to five nights a week during your four month retail placement
• Be willing to spend time working in other areas of the business during your training programme
• Be willing to relocate to Worksop, or to live within a reasonable daily commutable distance of Worksop, at the end of the retail placement (Summer 2012)
• Be committed to self development and excited about a career in retail