Merchandisings

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The activities involved in promoting and selling products, often through branding and advertising strategies
2. The practice of managing the sale of goods to enhance their appeal and visibility in retail environments
3. Techniques and methods used to maximize the sale of products through effective display and marketing efforts

Etymology: The word "merchandising" is an inflected plural of "merchandising", a noun that has grown from a much older sense of trade itself. In Late Middle English, "marchaundising" meant commerce and trading, and could also refer to the goods being traded or to dealings with other people. The English noun is built from "merchandise" plus the suffix "-ing", which forms nouns from verbs, so the modern sense of selling techniques grew out of the older idea of simply carrying on trade. Over time the meaning narrowed. The older senses of commerce and commodities gave way to a focus on how goods are presented and promoted to buyers, so the word moved from the act of trading to the craft of making merchandise attractive. The plural form, which this entry concerns, refers to several such techniques or methods taken together.

Synonyms: marketing, selling, retailing, trading, distributing

Antonyms: buying, purchasing, acquiring, hoarding, stockpiling