The Power of the Merchandise Execution Team in Retail
June 2nd, 2025
When merchandise execution slips, the consequences hit hard. Just look at American Eagle Outfitters, who recently reported poor quarterly results due to misaligned merchandise strategies. Their CEO admitted, “Merchandising strategies did not drive the results we anticipated,” referencing heavy markdowns and a $75 million inventory write-down. (MarketWatch)
It’s a real-world example of what happens when strategy fails to connect with execution. Because in retail, it’s not enough to design a great campaign or stock the right items—you need to ensure everything gets to the shelf, in the right place, at the right time. That’s where the merchandise execution team steps in.
What Is a Retail Merchandising Execution Team?
A retail merchandising execution team is a group of trained professionals responsible for executing your brand strategy on the sales floor. At MCA, we define retail merchandising as the in-store application of your marketing and business objectives. It’s where brand meets buyer—planograms, promotions, shelf placement, and more—all brought to life in real time.
Execution teams don’t just follow a checklist. They act as the operational bridge between strategy and the in-store environment, ensuring every task is completed with accuracy and consistency across multiple locations.
What Does a Merchandising Execution Team Actually Do In-Store?
These teams do the precision work that helps brands and retailers Win at Retail. When our team is in-store, they’re ensuring your merchandise is stocked, displayed, priced, and promoted exactly as planned. That includes setting up planograms, installing promotional signage, auditing product availability, correcting pricing issues, and capturing data through proprietary tools like IRIS and SmartScan.
Whether it’s a seasonal endcap or a branded floor display, our teams ensure it’s set up correctly, on schedule, and ready to convert.
For a deep dive into these in-store marketing tactics, explore our page on POP in Retail Merchandising.
How Can Merchandising Execution Teams Support Retail Success?
Execution drives retail performance. When your campaign hits shelves on time and in full, your chances of success rise dramatically. When it doesn’t, you risk missed opportunities, markdowns, and damaged brand trust.
Merchandising execution teams provide national coverage with localized precision. MCA, for example, supports retailers and brands from coast to coast. Our teams offer a flexible schedule, allowing us to complete work before, during, or after store hours with minimal disruption to operations.
When execution is handled by professionals, internal teams can focus on what they do best: serving customers, managing staff, and running the business.
How Do Execution Teams Impact Sales and Inventory Accuracy?
Execution teams play a vital role in maintaining in-stock conditions, preventing phantom inventory, and resolving pricing or product availability issues before they snowball. It’s not just about product placement—it’s about creating the conditions for reliable, efficient sales.
Tools like IRIS and SmartScan give retailers real-time visibility into what’s happening at the shelf, offering data-backed confirmation that tasks are completed—and highlighting any discrepancies that need correction. That’s how MCA ensures on-time, in-full execution every time.
When shelves are right, sales flow. That’s the bottom line.
How Do Merchandising Execution Teams Differ from Other Retail Support Roles?
A merchandising execution team is not the same as a store associate or a brand sales rep. While those roles are essential, they’re often spread across tasks and may not have the bandwidth—or the training—to execute complex merchandising plans.
Execution teams, by contrast, are focused solely on merchandising. They’re trained to implement national programs across many banners, regions, and retail formats. Their job is to get things done right the first time, and then prove it with data.
This high level of consistency and specialization is what sets MCA’s execution model apart—and why so many brands and retailers trust us with their most critical in-store programs. You can learn more about our capabilities on our Retail Merchandising page.
What Should You Look for in a Merchandising Execution Partner?
If you’re evaluating merchandising execution providers, look for one that offers:
- National coverage with local insight
- Professionally trained teams
- Transparent, photo-verified reporting
- Technology platforms that enable real-time visibility
- Proven success across categories and channels
MCA checks all those boxes and more. With decades of experience, we’ve built a reputation for delivering results under pressure, with the flexibility and accuracy today’s retail landscape demands.
Explore our full suite of Retail Merchandising Services and discover how we help you stay one step ahead—on every shelf, in every store, across North America.
