Maddie
Marketing or merchandising, which is the more promising field?
When picking a major I want to be certain of the promise, or likely success there will be within that field. Which would be better, marketing or merchandising in the sports and entertainment field? #marketing #merchandising
3 answers
Abgour Sanae
Abgour’s Answer
Hello Maddie,
I was a Marketing major, with a minor in commercial action. My degree helped me work in different domains including merchandising in the sports field. My advice to you would be to get internships or part time jobs in different companies of different business sectors. This will allow you to have an in-depth insight into the business world and discover new possibilities others than merchandising.
Good luck.
James Griffiths
James’s Answer
Hi Maddie,
The final decision would obviously depend on the full details of the respective courses but from my point of view I would see Merchandising, like sales on others, as 1 part of marketing and would therefore recommend Marketing as it would give a broader view and experience of all aspects of marketing and allow for specialization later down the road.
Having worked in Marketing for most of my working life one other piece of advice I would offer is at some point to get some sales experience. I remember often being asked this at the early stages of my career.
Regards
James
Maya Skinder
Maya’s Answer
It depends on what you're interested in and the companies for which you work. I have always been in merchandising, but my current job scope includes project management, internal marketing, and visual element development. I believe that creativity can be transferred across many areas of a company and it's more important to have a basic understanding of business practices (ex: sales, product management, customer profiles) that can then be applied in any role. There will always be companies selling products, so both merchandising and marketing will continue to be relevant and important for many years to come.
I agree with Abgour that trying out several types of jobs is a great way to find your passion and talent. And remember that one merchandising or marketing role will not look like another.