Visual Merchandising: Course Details, Eligibility, Syllabus, Jobs, Career Opportunities & Top Companies

Updated on Sep 22, 2023 04:26 IST
Radhika Sharma

Radhika SharmaAssociate Senior Executive

Visual Merchandising is the art of presenting a product or service creatively to clients to boost sales. With the malls, retail outlets and boutiques mushrooming across the country, visual merchandising has become a lucrative career field.

Candidates who wish to make their career in visual merchandising can pursue diploma/degree/post-graduation/certificate courses in this field. The basic eligibility required to apply for visual merchandising courses in various institutes/colleges/universities is 10+2. The course would cost candidates approximately 4 lakh to 5 lakh (varies from institute to institute). The career choices in the field of visual merchandising are visual merchandiser, visual merchandising manager, visual merchandising coordinator, visual manager etc.

To know more about Visual Merchandising, candidates can read the article further.

Visual Merchandising Highlights

Particulars Details
Course Level UG & PG
Duration 2-4 years
Course Fees Up to INR 8 lakh
Average Salary Up to INR 9 lakh
Top Recruiters Big Bazaar, Lifestyle, Shoppers stop, Pantaloons, Godrej and Boyce, Reliance Group, Aditya Birla Group, Provogue India Limited
Job Profiles Visual Merchandiser, Store Manager, Merchandising Consultant, Brand Manager

Read More: Interior Design: Courses one can study

Visual Merchandising Eligibility Criteria

Candidates need to fulfil the following eligibility criteria to apply for Visual Merchandising.

  • For admission to undergraduate or diploma courses in visual merchandising, candidates must have passed 10+2 from a recognised board.
  • For postgraduate courses, candidates must have passed graduation or equivalent examination from a recognised university.
  • To pursue visual merchandising courses, candidates can be from any discipline.

Visual Merchandising Courses

The visual merchandising course is available in many specialisations for candidates to choose from. These specialisations are mentioned in the table below.

Course Duration Annual Average Fees (in INR)
B. Des 4 years 8,00,000
BVA 3 years 10,000
BFA 3 years 2,65,000
M. Des 2 years 11,25,000
MVA 2 years 10,000  
MFA 2 years 46,600
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Visual Merchandising Entrance Exams

Most institutes accept the scores of national-level entrance exams to offer admission to candidates in visual merchandising courses. Many institutes also conduct their aptitude tests and interviews for visual merchandising courses. Some institutes offer direct admission to candidates without any entrance test or interview.

Name of Exam

Registration Details Exam Details

IIAD Delhi Entrance Exam

Register before Nov '23 Dec '23-Jan '24

Pearl Academy Entrance Exam 2023

Admission Open 2023 --
SMEAT 2023 10th July 2023 (Third Phase) 16th July 2023

Amity School of Fashion Technology Admission 2023

Last date to register Jun 15th

July 2023

Chandigarh University CUCET 2023

May 30- Aug 30 2023 (Second Phase)

May 30- Aug 31 2023 (Second Phase)

Manipal School of Architecture and Planning 2023

Last Date to apply is June 30th, 2023

July 2023

LPUNEST Scholarship 2023

Till June 25th 2023

6th- 30th June 2023

UID BDes Lateral Entry 2023

Open

--

DAT, MIT WPU 2023

Open

July 2023

KALSEE 2023

June 2023

July- August 2023

SAT India 2023

5th May-23rd May 2023 (Late Registration) 3rd June 2023

UCEED 2023

Closed

Held on 22-Jan-2023

Visual Merchandising Skills Required

Creativity is the key skill to becoming a visual merchandiser/store manager/brand manager. Besides, candidates must have technical and design expertise. Check below the skills required for visual merchandising.

Creative

Technical know-how

Sense of design

Ability to think logically

Leadership skills

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Problem-solving skills

Visual Merchandising Syllabus

The Visual Merchandising course aims to impart candidates with both theoretical and practical knowledge. During the course, students are first taught the important concepts of Visual Merchandising. After this, they are taught how to use them in real-life scenarios. The subjects taught in Visual Merchandising are given below.

Fundamentals of Visual Merchandising

Importance of the shopping environment

Elements and Principles of design

Material Exploration

Colour Phycology

Exterior and Interior Presentation

Lighting Design

Props, Fixtures and Signage

Display Error Management

Consumer Behaviour

Trend Analysis and Forecasting

CAD

Vendor Management

Visual Principles and Systems

Read More: A list of other popular Design Entrance Exams conducted in India.

Career in Visual Merchandising 

Visual Merchandising offers a very attractive career. Candidates after completing the course are offered job profiles like Visual Merchandiser, Store Manager, Merchandising Consultant etc. Depending on qualification and experience, candidates can expect to be paid well in this career option. As fresher, candidates are offered an average salary of Rs 3 lakh to Rs 4 lakh per annum.

Job Profiles

Average Salary per annum

Visual Merchandiser

Rs 3 lakh and above

Store Manager

Rs 3 lakh and above

Merchandising Consultant

Rs 7 lakh and above

Brand Manager

Rs 9 lakh and above

Top Recruiters in Visual Merchandising

Apparel outlets, fashion houses, hire graduates in Visual Merchandising marketing companies, and retail outlets. Listed below are the top companies that recruits candidates in this field.

Top companies

Big Bazaar

Lifestyle

Shoppers stop

Pantaloons

Godrej and Boyce

Reliance Group

Aditya Birla Group

Provogue India Limited

Also Read:

Communication Design - Popular Courses, Colleges, Entrance Exams, Skills Sets
Best Books for NIFT 2023 - Subject-wise books recommended by Toppers
Top Fashion Designers in India

FAQs Related to Visual Merchandising

Q. What are the skills required to excel in a Visual Merchandising career?

A. One must possess skills such as creative thinking, Technical know-how, a Sense of design, the ability to think logically, Leadership skills, Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Problem-solving skills.

Q. Which are the top recruiters of Visual Merchandising graduates?

A. Some of the top recruiters are Lifestyle, Shoppers stop, Pantaloons, Godrej and Boyce, Reliance Group, Aditya Birla Group, and Provogue India Limited.

Q. What exactly does a visual merchandiser do?

A. A visual merchandiser uses his/her design skills in order to promote the image, products and services of a retail business or any other organisation. A visual merchandiser creates product displays that are eye-catching and ensures that the store layout is such that customers can easily navigate through it and are encouraged to buy.

Q. What exactly does a visual merchandiser do?

A. A visual merchandiser uses his/her design skills in order to promote the image, products and services of a retail business or any other organisation. A visual merchandiser creates product displays that are eye-catching and ensures that the store layout is such that customers can easily navigate through it and are encouraged to buy.

Q. How much money does a visual merchandiser make?

A. Freshers who are hired as visual merchandisers earn between Rs 3 to Rs 4 lakhs. As an individual gains experience in this field, he/she can earn close to Rs 12 lakhs per annum.

Q. What education do you need to be a visual merchandiser?

A. Candidates need to have completed their 10+2 level education from a recognised board in order to pursue a graduation course in visual merchandising. Further, to become a visual merchandiser, one needs to have a basic graduation degree or diploma in this field.

Q. What jobs are available to visual merchandisers?

A. The career choices available in the field of visual merchandising include visual merchandiser, visual merchandising coordinator, layout designer, store manager, brand manager, merchandising consultant, etc.

Q. What is taught in the visual merchandising course?

A.  A visual merchandising course is a mix of theoretical as well as practical knowledge. Some topics that are taught to students in such a course are listed below:
  • Fundamentals of Visual Merchandising 
  • Importance of Shopping Environment
  • Elements and Principles of Design
  • Material Exploration
  • Colour Phycology
  • Exterior and Interior Presentation
  • Lighting Design 

Q. How do you work as a visual merchandiser?

A. Before beginning their careers, visual merchandisers typically hold a diploma or a bachelor's degree in the relevant field. Some organisations might also accept applicants who have a background in marketing or retail but lack a degree in visual merchandising.

Q. What exactly does a course in visual merchandise cover?

A. Graduates can find employment both in traditional brick-and-mortar retail and online. There are opportunities for higher education if desired. Many institutions grant both master's and doctoral degrees.

Q. What distinguishes technology merchandise from visual merchandise?

A. Visual merchandising is the practice of creating attractive retail displays to increase sales. The same principles of visual marketing apply to technology merchandise, which includes items like cameras, laptops, smartphones, and other electronic devices.

Popular Visual Merchandising Colleges in India

Following are the most popular Visual Merchandising Colleges in India. Learn more about these Visual Merchandising colleges (Courses, Reviews, Answers & more) by downloading the Brochure.
₹88.5 K - 1.42 L
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#5 Shiksha Collections

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Top 20 in India

2 Courses
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₹74.34 K - 1.04 L
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#7 Shiksha Collections

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₹2.2 L
₹3.67 LPA
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Top 10 in Gujarat

Visual Merchandising Applications open. Apply Now

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₹2.74 L
₹5.5 LPA
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Top 20 in India

Visual Merchandising Applications open. Apply Now

Popular Private Visual Merchandising Colleges in India

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₹1.7 L
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2 Courses
₹37.5 K - 40 K
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#12 India Today

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₹2.74 L
₹5.5 LPA
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Top 20 in India

Visual Merchandising Applications open. Apply Now

Popular Visual Merchandising UG Courses in India

Following are the most popular Visual Merchandising UG Courses . You can explore the top Colleges offering these UG Courses by clicking the links below.

UG Courses

Popular Visual Merchandising PG Courses in India

Following are the most popular Visual Merchandising PG Courses . You can explore the top Colleges offering these PG Courses by clicking the links below.

PG Courses

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