Services

Merchant Initiated Returns (MIRs)

A Merchant Initiated Return (MIR) is the method Target uses to return product back to the vendor or to another designated location. These are typically called chargebacks at other retailers. Most often these occur when planograms reset and discontinued items need to be shipped out of the stores. There is a very tight window in the stores for completing an MIR. Stores usually have one week to process each MIR and the store is penalized on their store’s report card (DTK) if an MIR is processed late. If the MIR is not processed within that week you are at risk of stores not wanting to re-open the MIR. These missed items will occupy space in Target’s backroom and will tie up inventory dollars. Within a short period after the MIR closes these items will no longer scan properly at the checklanes.

Retail Merchandising Services offers a more complete solution than most other merchandising companies. Retail Merchandising Services reps process the MIR themselves in Target’s Radio Frequency (RF) units. Because Retail Merchandising Services reps are backroom certified we can pull product from the salesfloor and backroom. Many companies are not authorized to be in Target’s backroom. Because Retail Merchandising Services reps have their own vendor ID, they are allowed to use the RF unit without a team member’s assistance. Processing the MIR means Retail Merchandising Services reps open the MIR and physically scan each piece as they remove it from the salesfloor or backroom that then will show it was scanned out of the system on that MIR. If a Target store team member pulls the items before the Retail Merchandising Services rep arrives our reps are trained to still check the salesfloor and for backroom locations to ensure all pieces have been located and pulled. Our reps work hard to ensure your entire product in the store is found and shipped out.

Learn how RMS reps helped recent clients with their MIRs

Count Updates

Target has a state of the art replenishment system. However, it is only as accurate as the count integrity of your item(s) in that system. Counts can become inaccurate in Target’s system for many reasons. Some reasons include:

• The UPC barcode does not scan or inaccurately scans as another item
• The UPC barcode is missing so the cashier rings up the product as an unidentified item.

Count integrity issues have severe consequences which include not getting credit for sales and product replenishment being blocked due to the system incorrectly showing product is on hand in the stores.

Retail Merchandising Services reps can work with the store team to correct your count integrity issues. Not only can we physically correct any barcode issues (see Item Corrections section), We'll complete an inventory count of your product both on the salesfloor and backroom. If the item is erroneously scanning as a different item, Retail Merchandising Services reps will complete a physically inventory on that item too. Once the inventory count is completed the Retail Merchandising Services reps will work with the Target team member to update the counts in Target’s system. This will ensure your sales are reflected accurately and product is replenished appropriately.

Learn how RMS reps helped a client with a count integrity issue

Instant Rebate Coupons (IRCs)

Want an immediate lift in sales? Have Retail Merchandising Services place Instant Rebate Coupons or neckhangers on your product. Retail Merchandising Services works with local printers to produce your IRCs, distribute them to Retail Merchandising Services reps and get these placed on your product. Our reps can place IRCs on product on the salesfloor and in the backroom. Most merchandising companies are not authorized to be in Target’s backroom; that means that any product pulled from the backroom to stock on the salesfloor after their visits will not have IRCs. Retail Merchandising Services will ensure every piece has an IRC so as product is stocked from the backroom, the IRC will already be applied. We can complete services on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis, or just one service. You name the service frequency, Retail Merchandising Services can execute.

Learn how RMS reps helped recent clients place IRCs on their product

Planogram Maintenance

Have you recently set a planogram at Target and want to ensure it is set, full, and labeled/signed properly? Have you recently revised some product into a planogram and want to ensure it is on the salesfloor? Have Retail Merchandising Services do a planogram Maintenance service for you. Our reps are trained and understand Target planograms. Our reps can do planogram maintenance without bothering the store team members because Retail Merchandising Services reps are backroom certified to pull product from the backroom and sign and label pc trained so they can print planogram labels and any signs associated with the product. They can also work with the stores to do count updates to ensure your counts are correct in the Target S & I system ensuring your product is getting pulled out of the backroom and onto the salesfloor.

Learn how RMS reps helped recent clients do planogram maintenance on their product

New Planogram or Test Audits

Are you concerned your new planogram or adjacency is not set? Are you testing new product and want to ensure it is on the salesfloor? Let Retail Merchandising Services do an audit for you. Our reps understand Target planograms and adjacencies and can complete audits without bothering store teams, giving you a sense of security that your new product is set and fully stocked on the salesfloor. Many of our clients will combine an audit with a POG maintenance service meaning our reps will ensure it is set, full, labeled/signed, and the counts are correct. This is an easy way to ensure your product is out on the floor. Retail Merchandising Services can also do pricing audits (ensures the POG labels and/or signing elements tell the guest the price of your product) and product quality audits (replacing incorrect parts, changing out displays, etc.). Let Retail Merchandising Services be your eyes in the stores.

Learn how RMS reps helped recent clients with audits

Item Corrections

Do you want a pain free way of correcting a painful mistake? We all know item issues like incorrect packaging (verbiage, labeling, etc.) and incorrect UPCs happens. Retail Merchandising Services can help relieve your heartache. Our reps have done numerous services involving removing/correcting packaging, placing labels over incorrect verbiage and UPCs. We can even source new labels for you; possibly saving you valuable time and money. After correcting the issue, we can also update the counts if there are concerns the counts are off due to an incorrect UPC.

Learn how RMS reps helped recent clients correct item issues

Scan Based Trading

If your product at Target is run under the Scan Based Trading (SBT) process you realize how different this is than all other products in Target. We can partner with you on this program. Our reps are trained to complete inventory counts, locate and stock product, pull product for credits, reset the POG etc. The SBT program is a very unique program within in Target. Retail Merchandising Services has the experience you need to make your program successful.

Learn how RMS reps helped our client with their SBT program

Retail Merchandising Services can do even more for you

The above is certainly not an all-inclusive list of services we provide.  Here is a sample of other types of services we can provide:

• Safety recalls and corrections – ensuring product is off the salesfloor and correcting wording on packaging in a timely manner
• Fixture/ signing surveys – ensuring fixtures and signing are up, in the right location, and reporting results back to vendor
• Interactive display audit and maintenance – replacing batteries, ensuring displays are functional, replacing parts on displays, etc.
• Endcap set and maintenance – setting endcaps, ensuring endcaps are set, full, and labeled, and ensuring endcaps remain set and full during a test or salesplan period
• Perfect Placement set-up – ensuring displays are set and maintained
• Any other service in which you need hands on help in a Target store