What is difference between Merchandising and Visual Merchandising?

Merchandising is a process. This process used in an organization to build up their business properly and finally make profit.Merchandising is the department which mediates marketing and production departments. It is the methods, practices, and operations used to promote and sustain certain categories of commercial activity. It includes directing and overseeing the development of product line from start to finish.

While, Visual merchandising is the activity and profession of developing the floor plans and three-dimensional displays in order to maximize sales. Either goods or services can be displayed to highlight their features and benefits.

Merchandising is all the ways you may go about selling your product: ad campaigns, public relations aimed at getting press for your product, and of course visual merchandising. Visual merchandising is what used to be called "display" or "window dressing", it is the posing and arranging of products using props and backdrops, etc. to make a visual statement.

I think Merchandise planners could be synonymous in merchandising. Because they deal more in merchandise forecast, merchandise stocks, merchandise inventories in store and in the warehouse. To simplify deals more in numbers but they are not accountants. Whereas Visual Merchandisers incorporates their design and creative expertise in retail merchandise in store and in creating an eye catching window display. In essence, Visual Merchandisers are also labeled as a Marketing support entity. Though in the workflow Visual Merchandisers coordinate closely with Merchandise Buyers, Planners, Marketing, Store Managers and the Warehouse. 

Merchandising is more on products and its allocations. Visual merchandising is with regards to executing these products that makes attractive and enticing customer to take a purchase. An excellent visual merchandising display uplift the entire business and brand identity.

Merchandising is a way to show a product that will get the customers attention. It could be a sale sign or advertising on tv or in magazines. With visual merchandising you arrange different items together that complement each other. You might dress a manikin in an outfit and include accessories from different departments, thereby getting the customer to roam throughout the store , increasing the chances that they will buy something else.

Merchandising is a way to show a product that will get the customers attention while Visual Merchandising is what used to be called display it is the posing and arranging of products....