I have been mystery shopping for a year now. We talk about pay for shops on the forum but i don't see anything about merchandising. I don't want to work for less than $15/hour. A company wants me to work for $10 and when i said that was too low they offered $12. This would be my first merch job. Is there any advantage to accepting the low pay? (Foot in the door kinda thing) is $15 unrealistic for this kind of work?

Edited to correct typos, now that i have my glasses on and see them.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/26/2016 12:06AM by Crazy4kittys.

$12 for an inexperienced merchandiser is quite good. But this also depends on what part of the country you live in. In California $15 per hour would be about the norm. In the midwest, a new merchandiser could expect to start at $10 to $11 per hour. I know experienced merchandisers who only make $12 per hour here in Ohio. If you live in California, Oregon, or Washington state I get why you want $15 per hour, but it seems a little unrealistic for most other states. But, that is as an employee. I know some independent contractor merchandisers make as much as $14 per hour, but they don't get regular work like those who are employees do.

I am in the Midwest and it would be an independent contractor position. I don't know how much work it would be, they didn't mention anything like weekly hours. However, they did say they want me to be their merchandiser for this area.

One company I work with pays $15 per hour and automatically gives a 1/4 hr as admin for entering reports. Another pays $11 yet you include report entering, paperwork and other admin expenses in the allotted time. Another pays $12 but includes admin and drive time. All are different.

The Midwest is sort of low comparatively. $10 is average for a new hire. Some have the nerve to offer $8.75-$ 9.75. $12 is great for a new hire, but that would be as an employee. I get between $15 to $25 when I accept IC work. But I don't accept much as there seems always to be some little " oh, did I mention?" thing.
1. You may not be getting drive time or mileage. Are you willing to drive 50 miles for a 1 hour job?
2. You may have to accept EVERYTHING within so many miles. 20, 30, I've even seen 60 as the required distance.
3. Flat rate per jobs. They may say it only takes 30 minutes and they will pay $13. The reality may be a whole different animal. Looking for a product, a shipper in a back room. We have all had jobs that took twice the time allowed to just find the item. Then try to get the signatures.
4. Is this a legitimate company? Is it a good company? Check several sources. Many of us have done work, stayed in motels, did extensive travel and never got paid. A friend is out over $1700 in wages and expenses. Two weeks on the road. Store front is empty, no forwarding address. Phone disconnected.
5. Details. What type of jobs, what retailers, what frequency.
6. How and when will you get paid?

I have been stung with IC work, so I am a bit prejudiced against it. Others do great with it..

Cindy, you referred this company to me for work at Kohls. It's located in town for me.

Kittys, I think I know the company. If I am right, it is a 2.5 hour clothing merchandising assignment once per month for each store. If so, you aren't going to get more than $12 an hour because that is what they are paying experienced merchandisers, and you can count yourself lucky if they pay someone with no experience that much. And, if so, you will have to learn about proper folding and organizing techniques and procedures, how to use a handheld device to scan items in and out of the backroom, etc.

Then you should be good. How did you manage to get them to $12? You might want to apply with MGC if there is a Macy's nearby. They are hiring for Xmas. Lots of hours if you can stand for hours at a time.
Second edit.
My phone won't let me type M.A.C.Y.S.
Hopefully I have finally outsmarted it.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/26/2016 01:28AM by cindy55.

Cindy is correct about IC work. Be very leery of companies that do road shows in SAMs, Costco and BJs. Some are legit but others don't pay. My son got burned on his very first one.

Cindy - I just told them straight out I couldn't work for $10/hour. I didn't ask for more; just said it wasn't going to work for me. They responded with the $12. Sounds like they can't get anyone in this area. But with what JAS said, I am thinking it's just not my kind of thing. Also, I don't have a problem being on my feet for hours but standing in one place is a problem. Also, looking down a lot is a problem. I just thought of that. I think that right there is going to prevent me from taking any merchandising jobs, don't you think? My neck gets strained easily when I work in the garden or do anything else where I need to have my head down.

Thanks for your help folks. JAS comment about folding reminded me of my neck issue.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/26/2016 11:30AM by Crazy4kittys.

The Kohl's thing is only 2.5 hours per store. You do need to be careful when merchandising if your neck gets strained easily. Not so much just looking down, but for grocery merchandising or convenience stores you have to move shelves and other physical activities that require some strength and decent mobility.

Cindy, MCG is the company that used to have the Kohls account...so they are doing Macy's for Xmas? Is it demos? Doing mystery shopping, demos, or merchandising around Xmas is on my 10 foot pole!!!!

Several merchandising companies have projects at Kohls. I work for 3 that have projects there.

I do projects for MCG in Sears, Penny's, Macy's, KMart , Kohls, Lord & Taylor, Walmart (very infrequently) and Costco for a variety of labels. None are demos.

MCG does do a high end coffee pot demo that is not Keurig at Williams Sonoma and Sur La Tab in my area. I don't do these but was offered the position previously.

I did MCG iCoffee demos and the Keurig ones before that. I got 4 coffee machines and a ton of coffee supplies (pods, creamer, etc.) out of it.

MGC is doing men's dept. work there. Fold and hang, display. They got the old Humphreys company work. I agree, I hate working at Xmas. Let me hit and run before the store even opens! You would think these people were fighting for a new kidney for their kid, instead of the latest "in" toy.

@cindy55 wrote:

MGC is doing men's dept. work there. Fold and hang, display. They got the old Humphreys company work. I agree, I hate working at Xmas. Let me hit and run before the store even opens! You would think these people were fighting for a new kidney for their kid, instead of the latest "in" toy.

They are doing a lot more than that. It seems as if Kohl's is farming out some major resets since their stores are understaffed. I have had some major resets, end cap and strike point set ups besides the menswear projects. FYI the menswear was 22 hrs in each door over 3 weeks with an additional 8 hrs per door in the next 3 months. I have 3 doors within 10 miles of me. Was very happy with my last check.

In my experience, there is no typical hourly rate. There is no typical anything when you are doing merchandising.

It's actually MCG, Market Connect Group...I did a lot of work for them at Kohls, Sears, BB&B, FF&F, and Macy's over the past several years up until last year when my mom passed away and I had to take a bunch of time off. When I returned I got a good pay raise and lots of hours from another company I work for and just decided not to pursue work with MCG. I am pretty sure MCG doesn't do anything in the Kohl's in my region anymore. I had a really hard time at most of those stores because the store associates are so overwhelmed with tasks that they really don't have time to help finding displays and product and marking down items. Sears was the worst for getting any cooperation. At my store they just didn't care and the stockrooms were a disaster. Forget Xmas, I'll stay home and bake cookies.

I was offered the Macy's in my area- 30 40 hours per week. Heck no! They paid pretty well, but if I want to work full time, I will not be doing it in retail! Just am not up for it. Thanks for the correction MGC / MCG. I've worked for too many initials only companies, they are all starting to blur. Why can't they just have names? The Bob Company, the Sue Ellen Company.

Oops. Wrong thread.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/27/2016 09:24PM by ekitz15.