5 key merchandising challenges in onboarding retail store associates

By Chris Loxley

Retailers face a constant challenge: the need to continuously train new associates in an industry marked by high turnover. 

A Korn Ferry survey reveals more than 75% turnover for hourly in-store positions, a statistic that’s not surprising to those in the industry. This constant churn creates unique training hurdles, particularly for visual merchandising roles. For many new hires, even basic concepts like what store number they work at are unfamiliar. 

Let’s explore five key hurdles retailers encounter when bringing new associates up-to-speed on visual merchandising tasks.

1. Learning the store layout

Navigating a retail space can be overwhelming for a new associate, especially in larger-format stores that can be 200,000 square feet or larger. New hires must quickly grasp the store’s physical layout, a task that goes far beyond simple memorization. They need to understand the logic behind display zones, identify high-traffic areas and learn the nuances of department locations.

2. Embracing brand standards

New employees must learn specific display standards that maintain brand identity across all stores. This includes understanding industry-specific concepts like facings (the number of identical products displayed side-by-side) and POP (point-of-purchase displays). They also need to learn placement rules, which might dictate specific facing counts for different product categories or optimal locations for POP materials.

Training often involves hands-on practice with tasks such as building mannequin displays, arranging folded merchandise and creating eye-catching feature walls. Practice helps associates internalize these standards and understand how they contribute to the overall brand image.

3. Mastering standard operating procedures (SOPs)

As training progresses, associates tackle the intricacies of planograms and display updates. They learn to read these visual guides and implement them accurately on the sales floor. However, this process is far from straightforward for newcomers.

New hires must quickly learn to interpret retail-specific instructions like “demerch all those sections and stack it on the clearance table.” Without context, this can sound like a foreign language.

Engaging in store resets provides valuable hands-on experience. New hires work alongside seasoned staff to update displays according to corporate directives.

4. Navigating technology and tools

New employees must quickly learn to use point-of-sale systems, digital planogram tools and inventory management software, each with its own complexities. This challenge is exacerbated if the software is poorly designed. Even logging into these systems can be a challenge for newcomers. 

Becoming adept at these tools improves efficiency and accuracy in daily tasks. However, the constant evolution of retail technology means that even seasoned employees must continually update their skills to keep pace with new software and systems. To maximize effectiveness, these tools must be designed for simplicity and ease of use.

5. Team dynamics and communication

Perhaps the most nuanced challenge is navigating workplace relationships. New hires must adapt to different work styles among colleagues, varying expectations from managers and the overall store culture.

Pairing newcomers with skilled mentors helps them learn best practices. However, there’s a risk of picking up bad habits or receiving conflicting instructions, so clear communication channels and training resources are vital.

Adding to this complexity is retail’s unique language, often referred to as “retail-ese.” New associates might be puzzled by terms like “SSC” (Store Support Center) instead of “headquarters,” or struggle to decipher the multitude of acronyms used in daily communication. Some retailers even provide “three-letter acronym binders” to help employees crack this code.

Overcome retail onboarding hurdles

Addressing these challenges head-on improves employee retention and maintains brand consistency. Forward-thinking retailers enhance their onboarding by:

• Developing comprehensive, structured training programs
• Using well-designed, user-friendly technology to simplify communication and task management
• Creating a supportive team environment that welcomes questions

Tools like MerchLogix Navigator can play a key role in this process, allowing retailers to achieve up to 30% time savings against planned labor with experienced employees. It also empowers entry-level store associates to contribute productively from their very first day on the job. 

The retail landscape will always involve some degree of turnover. But with thoughtful onboarding strategies, stores can minimize disruption and set their associates up for long-term success.