retail merchandiser

visual merchandiser

merchandising specialist

stocking associate

retail merchandising manager

Winston-Retail

Winston is in line with the current retail environment. They're taking advantage of the hole left by companies who have eliminated in-house vendor rep jobs. Companies like winston contract with them to find them ppl they can train to set & maintain their shops or stores. 
The struggle is they promise the clients top notch execution, the kind of unrealistic " perfection" you dont get unless the person works for your company and has plenty of time to achieve it. 
Winston gives  merchandisers access to directives and info for every client/brand on their winstons site...problem is you spend your PERSONAL TIME checking for updates, reviewing updated directives, reading up on promos/ price changes, special projects you may need to complete on your next visit, you may end up catching mistakes and missing info you need to do your job...and now you have to spend time reaching out for answers. When you dont work directly for the company/brand , the time you spend checking email, sending emails, looking for updates, Etc comes out of your own PERSONAL time! Which is a pretty slick way of getting free labor! And if you do it while you're on the clock& supposed to be working? Youre losing time you need to be focused on completing the job in its alloted time.
Winston can basically hold your payment for an " assignment" hostage if you forget to do something or forget to check for an update.
Its frustrating bc when you work directly for a company...As a random example, lets say N*ke Active...your boss can email you stuff, you can call them with an unexpected in store issue & get an answer on the spot. You're paid to be accessible to the company BUT at Winston if theres an issue in N*ke, you call a winston N*ke Acct Mgr who may/ may not know the answer who reaches out to N* ke Corp and you WAIT for an answer...and wait...and wait... Meanwhile youve been given say 6 hrs to complete a store and you need an answer NOW...
Winston is a middle man that often doesnt have immed answers you need.
Also the " client" ie: N* ke, is promised  a ridiculous amts of photos, info and Winston mgrs who review the reports/photos you submit before sending them to N*ke Corp, may make a silly pointless callout if they cant see something minor in a photo. They often act as if you're hiding something if a photo isnt just so...yet it can often basically be seen in your OTHER photos, so whats the issue? Theres no trust or integrity. If you're someone who's proven to do excellent work why are they acting as if you need to prove every little detail?? esp. if you've never give them cause to think otherwise. They dont use common sense. With photos , angles are what they are bc of how stores are set up , yet theres comments like " we cant fully see this or that" so they expect you to GO BACK TO THE STORE to sometimes get ONE photo or theyre just overly critical of them which is annoying bc if you worked directly for N*ke your boss would say "get that info to me on your NEXT visit.." BUT since you dont, youre given  2- 3 days to go BACK for nonsensical stuff! So the pressure is on to forget NOTHING bc youll end up going back & wasting your person time. 
They dont pay you for going back to a store for more/missed info!! They dont look at your schedule &say " next time youre in that mall, get me that photo or info" .Most times by the time you return to get a missed photo, Sometimes theyll approve it anyway & warn you to do better but most times its " we need A B C before we can approve this report.." which is BS bc you put soooo much work into everything ELSE and theyll hold approval hostage for ONE photo or bc you didnt get an update and may have done something different! 
Also i think winston oversells how quickly an MC can finish a task in a day to the clients. They dont consider the volume, size of the shops when allocating time, condition of the shops, how involved store mgmt is in getting things done right. You get stores that give ZERO abt following directives so you often start from scratch when the basics shouldve been already set!
They are trying to save the bigger clients money  so unrealistic hours mean you run around like a crazy person most times. And they keep a stash of " extra hours" for certain clients you can ask to use BUT what if you need more time but have ANOTHER assignment after it? Another JOB ? you have a PERSONAL appt and cant stay later even if you need to?? Yes , you can ask for more time but thats not always realistic. You want to get paid for that day so you run yourself ragged trying to get it done. Some shops are so big or the stores are so MESSY & awful, theres no way youll be done in the alloted time without undignified running around. And you cant really offer to help customers while you work bc your focus is GETTING IT DONE, GETTING PERFECT PHOTOS before it gets messed up & moving on. Customer Svc can cut into your tight schedule & I feel bad I cant assist too many customers bc i cant afford to waste time! They dont account for time needed to speak with mgrs, get your resources together, check stockrooms, get stuff from the stkrooms to the floor, etc so its not always fair. No matter how great an MC you are you cant perform miracles without proper time! 
They have other minor clients not as popular but sometimes they give you TOO MANY hours or assignments each week/month to do tiny little shops that its so silly, dumb & a waste of your time! It's dumb to complain about an easy assignment but I like jobs with PURPOSE.I don't like wasting my time & gas. And I don't like  being questioned as to why I was assigned  X amt of hours and the complete lack of inventory really only required  half that time but I can't leave or clock out or go home bc I also don't want to lose the time/ money I was promised, time  that I put aside  for this assignment bc it's not my fault that the store wasn't properly stocked or did not have the Department's they thought they did so I'd rather not waste my time with clients who don't actually have work for me to do!! Do they NOT know the store only carries 3 out of the 6 depts they told me to service?? How do they NOT know? So why am I here?? You drive, waste time, gas and money for assigments not worth your time! 
Then on other bigger assignments they short change you hours to save the client money!! but they want paper folded tables,tags tucked ,sized products, walls & fixture hardware changed to reflect the photos, mannequins changed, replenished inventory bought to floor...then they want you to talk to mgmt about sales, promo signs, graphics located/ updated, etc..often allll this in LESS than 8 hour shifts! 
Assignments are also not guaranteed!! even for a full season...say Spring or Fall. Nope, you could have an assignment for 2-4 months and then suddenly it'll go from 2x a month to 4x a year or to nothing with no warning. No conversation. No heads up. 
There have been times when I've only had 20 hours in one MONTH, then suddenly they pick up new clients or they convince clients to renew their contracts and suddenly I get 20-35 hours every other week but nothing is guaranteed.
The peak times when they offer more hours are Spring/Summer ( May- Aug) and then again around Holiday ( Oct- Dec) which is only approximately six months out of the year, so the other six months of the year ?? you're pretty much screwed, your hours are so random and sparse  so you better have a secondary game plan for those really lean months!
Nothing is consistent so this is truly the perfect job for someone who has a couple hours every morning after they drops the kids off or a retiree with experience who's just looking to get out the house and do some minor work to keep themselves occupied. You can pick and choose the assignments you want but if you turn down too many assignments they will stop offering them to you bc sometimes they can be petty because they really need certain assignments filled and sometimes because of the great distance, or just the general unappealing nature of the assignment , they have a hard time finding people willing to fill them. Some are so far out of your way & they do often offer mileage but again who wants to drive 2 hours to work 4-6 hrs or even 8 hrs even if mileage is covered ? It's ridiculous!
If you're looking for this to be a full-time "pay all your bills"  kinda gig? this is NOT the job for you !!
I think that at this point very few companies like Winston can offer you that bc they undersell the amount of time it would take for MCs to maintain the stores and shops and accounts in order to save the client money and while Winston makes millions off theses contracts they won't allow MCs to ever get close to consistent full-time hours they hire dozens and dozens of MCs across the country in order to spread the assignments & hours out so that no one MC reaches or maintains a full-time status bc then they'd have to offer you health coverage, vacation time, sick time, Etc. It saves them money when they keep you at random hours that never hit a consistent full-time status.
I like this job because right now I can't find a full-time job but I pick and choose the assignments I want & I've learned a lot about some really great brands that I otherwise would not have been exposed to. But again,  the inconsistency of the contracts is what's most frustrating.

I genuinely enjoyed my time with Winston Retail. 

The position allowed me a great deal of independence, flexibility, ability to learn new skills and the opportunity to work with several different brands. 

Once you have a routine the job is super smooth, you set your own schedule, accept or decline visits/stores/projects, execute installations at the stores within your territory, follow planograms, refresh brands during visits, communicate stock levels and needs, place on floor and order signage/marketing materials, train and support store management and staff, maximize your visual merchandising to increase sales, capture before and after photos, complete and submit all visit reports, communicate with account managers and your regional whenever necessary.

You work independently a majority of the time. I had a few different regional managers while I was there, a few were really great! Super efficient and super supportive of my needs! 
I also enjoyed meeting and working with other merchandise coordinators from both in state and out of state on team installations, projects and events. There are some really good people that work with the company.

The hardest part of the job is meeting super short deadlines for large projects. For big installations a lot of additional support is needed and you may be asked to travel to a different state to help complete them. In addition to completing the installations for your stores in your own territory. The project will have anywhere from 10 to 12 visits that need to be completed within a 2 to 3 day time frame and the visit locations are spread throughout the state. So you can really be pressed for time, driving through very rural areas from one store to the next and in the process several different account managers you've never worked with are constantly texting/calling you to get a status update on your visits. Which is really difficult when you're driving and trying to focus. Once you let them know you have it under control, continue your visits and they're confident in your abilities it's honestly fine. I always let them know that I needed to safely focus on the road, assured them I was on schedule for completion, but I wouldn't be able to answer constant calls/texts. Everyone is pretty much under the same pressure during those types of projects so I never took it personally, but it would definitely be helpful if everyone's communications were in sync after touching base to eliminate overlapping contact and alleviate stress on the traveling merchandiser. Also it would have been ideal to have consistency in regional management. Frequently changing regionals created a disconnect, some confusion and instability. Just as you started to establish a great working relationship they would be switched to another region or position and you'd have to start fresh with a new person with little to no notice. I do understand being able to adapt to necessary changes but it definitely created some  inconsistencies in scheduling and comminucation. On a positive note, your previous regionals will still reach out to you with opportunity to work on different projects so they continue to support you!

The most enjoyable part of the job is traveling! All your travel and hotel expenses are covered. You also get daily food allowances. If you're consistent, a supportive team player and do well executing your visits then yours and other regional managers will reach out to you for support on out of state projects. So you get to make extra money, meet/work with new people, get a first look at new products and travel somewhere different which is really cool.

I honestly have no complaints about my time working with Winston. I gained a lot of experience and had the opportunity to work with a diverse group of great people.

 The main best thing about this job would be the flexibility of choosing the jobs that you want. 
One of the downsudes is, You don't choose the hours allocated for a particular vendor&that sometimes can be frustrating bc sometimes you need way more time than there is allocated for it & it makes you have to work really hard & too rapidly  to try to complete what is required so that you can submit your report , because you're not allowed to go over the hours allocated.
 As far as the ability to grow within this company? I didnt really see growth opportunities as an infield vendor merchandiser bc you don't have access to your manager. my manager came out to visit me once in the year and a 1/2 that I was with the company. they mainly work from the corporate offices  So there's very much a detached vibe to their understanding of what's going on in the field except for what they see in the pictures and reports they don't get to know the actual vendors there aren't a lot of conversations and there are sometimes difficult to reach in the middle of a work day when you have an important question about your work but you need to complete your report or when you have issues technical issues with the app that you're required to use during each job.  They are not very accessible at all! They don't have any real interaction with us, wraps they trust you to go into the stores and do what needs to be done but it's very impersonal and it does not leave a lot of room for them to observe and know and learn  abt you so that they can consider you for  Growth opportunities.o I don't see how 
 Another downside is having to submit all your reports through their app and it has glitches way too often that makes it frustrating and hard for you to finish your job so that you can submit them in the time required and get paid for that days work.  Too many technical  Glitches for sure.  Very annoying and frustrating.
 Another issue is the turn around time to address issues they may have with the required reports you submit at the end of each day by certain time. When they have a problem with your report and they need for you to correct it, they give you less than 24 hours to correct it And sometimes you are on your own personal time and have to quickly run home and make sure it's submitted before the end of that business today which is not fair considering that you have already put in your time and submitted your report and now you have to spend more time correcting whatever issue is they have with the report.They can be very picky and petty about certain details they claim the vendors require. Communication requirement should be more streamlined and clear.
 And one of the most egregious downsides is...NO health coverage!! they make sure that you get just enough under the hours required from month to month so that they aren't required to offer you health insurance!! They make sure that you don't meet it consistently! They classify you as an "independent contractor" so that they're not responsible for the things most employers are responsible for! Very sneaky/crafty. 


This job is not ideal for someone fresh out of college seeking mentorship and long-term growth. While the company provides help and training through its app and website, these resources often experience glitches and crashes, which can be frustrating. Although the trainings usually answered my questions, as someone eager to grow and improve, I was left with a strange sense of disconnection. For example, I could not get my FVM to visit me and was instead instructed to call a hotline or send messages in various Teams group chats.

I also felt misled when I realized it was entirely up to me to establish a relationship with Walmart. While it’s understandable that building a client relationship is part of the role, I wasn’t informed that Walmart’s management would have no idea why I was there upon my arrival. When I sought guidance, I was simply provided with slides to review with Walmart management. However, tracking down a Coach (manager) or Lead (assistant manager) was often challenging, as they were busy with their daily responsibilities. Explaining my presence and proving why I was there often felt like a waste of everyone’s time.

Walmart is the number one retailer in America, yet I needed to demonstrate why my merchandising expertise would drive sales. The Apparel Coach and Leads already had an efficient system in place, with team members who enjoyed merchandising specific areas. They often expressed that my help in those areas wasn’t necessary and were insistent that running the apparel department like a grocery section worked for them. It left me questioning my place and role in making an impact.

Ultimately, I felt like I was wandering around, trying to elevate areas by relying on my online tools, while also attempting to build a relationship between my company and Walmart. While others in my company have managed to create strong partnerships, I can only speak to my experience. I believe that in this particular area, someone bilingual would likely benefit more, as the hours are good and communication is key.

Work is tracked by submitting before-and-after photos of each merchandising project, which is relatively easy, and the feedback is appreciated. However, for weeks, it felt like communication through my reports was the only interaction I had. I learned that no matter how independent you may be, this job requires securing a relationship with Walmart management to gain approval to go against the MOD (planogram). 

You are treated as an employee, not a contractor, especially with the amount of micromanagement that is required. They avoid paying taxes or covering your injury should you get hurt by stating you are a contractor which is a joke. Winston pays a little more than other companies but it isn't worth the BS you deal with in the end. It is a sorority house, and you better fit in or you will not be on their go to list, which defines the amount of money you make. You are never sent into jobs with the correct information or tools you need to be successful, even on the bigger brands you could work with like Under Armour, Nike, The North Face. The Account Training Managers don't know what they are doing most of the time and that is who you are supposed to rely on for key information. Your FTM most likely will never call you back or know what is going on either. They set you up for failure. They give you a paid 30 mins for each report. That is hysterical when the reports take over an hour or longer  depending on the brand. The Management never gets back to you in a timely fashion but expects you to drop everything if they need something from you. You only hear from the Management if you have messed something up. Good job is not in their vocabulary. FTA's who review the reports are their pets so if they say you stink, guess what, you stink. This company is not fair at all and is not the same company I worked for 8 years ago. I am so sad at where it has landed in the end when I had such high hopes.

I've enjoyed my time with WR, with my area I've been able to focus on a single brand for the most part and with that I do have a more set schedule but can adjust the times I go into work. Every brand has different end dates and times they would like you to visit, some are 1x monthly others are weekly/mult Xs a week visits. WR had ome communication breakdown but it's gotten so much better through out the years. You only hear from your manager by email for the most part but if something serious happens they have dropped what they are doing and called me. Keep a copy of your contract, I wish I had as I'm not a contractor but an actual employee so it's hard to talk with others as they aren't in the same situation. Your communication in the app actually goes far, the brands read them. You start slow, low hours, but as the company learns you are sticking around and have integrity your hours increase once they come available.  Just because you only submit photos doesn't mean they can't tell who is doing a good job and who is slacking. I've enjoyed the merchandising, I have built a good relationship with my stores, some even feed me lunch if I'm around during a holiday. Your experience with WR depends greatly on you and if something isn't right I've found my RM open to discussion. 

The contract closed, but typical day was coming in, morning walk through apparel, checking in with the opening department manager, and letting them know which section I would be working in. I would ask if there was anything I needed to know, what they would like to see, and work to implement what was conveyed. Most of my areas had mannequins, so I would update them to what looks and using the products that corporate asked for. Recovered the walls and tables with time left. Sometimes there was a speciality visit for graphics.  I had one store location that I was contracted to. The brand side of Winston operates differently. Hardest part of the job was not being able to fully elevate a section to what it should be because of processes put into place by their corporate.  Hardest part was saying goodbye to the associates at the store. Great team of people. Most enjoyable was taken in as work family at the store level, because I was there forty hours a week, and would work at helping the team where I could. I have to say, I had great leadership above me, Regional Managers- two of them, and my Field Service Manager. True leaders!! 

With great company training and Field Training managers always available to help you, you get assigned clothing and accesory brands per your location and you get your own calendar in their system to approve the ones that you can do. Before said assignment starts they schedule both training conference calls, and make every piece of information available to you regarding the brand you'll be working with as well as the details of the assigment ranging from the specifics, to all expectations required. Also you have the opportunity to train store management and associates alike regarding the brand you're working with to further drive up sales and product knowledge. The pay is great and very competitive on the market, and the fact that you can schedule work according to your availability, gives you more flexibility for other things in your life. You work on your own, since any other co-workers are covering other states on the same type assignments.

To start off, Winston Retail is an agency. 
Which means they operate by having contracts with clients. 
Your hours depend on those contracts. 
I was hired as a full time employee to work at a designated Walmart 40hrs a week. 
But just know that every 3 months, Walmart and Winston re-negotiate the contract, so you are always on the edge waiting to see if you are still employed for the next 3 months. 
There was a massive layoff a month ago and lots of people were let go due to reduced contract hours. There is nothing they can do to keep you if the funding ends. 
So Winston is a great place to work but just be aware that if you happen to be in a store that is no longer going to be supported by a contractor, you will be out of a job. Does not matter how good you are, your performance or how long you been in the company. If your store is dropped then tough luck. 
Part time positions are available but hours vary month by month. Sometimes you can have a full month of work and the next month you only have 4 hrs. Management is good and flexible. Amazing people to work for but again the big negative is the uncertainty of not knowing how long you will be employed. 



I've been with Winston Retail for about 7 months now working for the SOTF walmart project in my area as a full-time Visual Merchandiser. The work-life balance of this company is by far the best. The company culture is a blessing! You get to have the freedom to be creative in your own way. All upper leaders are just a chat away, which gives me a sense of security I know I can get any information I need. There is always something new and exciting to work on in store while building a partnership and working along side other members of your store. Typical day is walking the apparel pads, checking in with a member from your store, looking and speaking about opportunities to elevate certain areas. Some days you are given specific projects by Winston Retail other days you are updating mannequins, elevating walls, floor fixtures and even installing graphics. I take photos of my work before and after. I love this aspect of the job because I can share with store management and look back at how much I have grown.  I'm so thankful to be part of such an amazing group of people. 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Retail merchandiser 2778 salaries reported	$17.48 per hour
Visual merchandiser 325 salaries reported	$20.48 per hour
Merchandising specialist 3094 salaries reported	$20.39 per hour
Stocking associate 2 salaries reported	$20.00 per hour
Retail merchandising manager 208 salaries reported	$20.68 per hour

Working at Winston Retail: Company Overview and Reviews

Winston Retail

Winston Retail Ratings

Popular jobs at Winston Retail

Salary Satisfaction

Job Seeker Tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected