Visual Merchandising Certification
Why you should study with us
Visual Merchandising Certification
Visual merchandising is one of a retailer's most valuable assets. When done well, it can drive sales, inspire loyalty in customers, improve the buying experience and communicate a brand's core values and ideals.
This course will provide you with a comprehensive overview of the principles and practices of visual merchandising. Although the content focuses primarily on visual merchandising within a traditional retail environment, much of the material is also relevant in other art and design-based contexts, such as exhibition design, interior design, ecommerce-related web design, and event planning.
This course addresses numerous practical aspects of visual merchandising, including the proper use of planograms, brand communication, the launching of sales campaigns, and arranging seasonal displays.
You will learn exactly what drives a customer to make a purchase, and how to harness the shopper's senses in such a way that they feel inclined to buy a product.
Whether you are a small business owner wanting to learn how to show your products to their best advantage, an individual looking to break into the retail industry, or simply someone with a passion for the visual arts, you will soon develop a working knowledge of all key areas of visual merchandising.
The knowledge you gain during this course will prepare you to enter this challenging yet rewarding and highly creative profession.
What You Will Learn
- What visual merchandising is, why visual merchandising plays a vital role in the retail industry, and the ways in which visual merchandising practices have changed over time.
- The various kinds of internal and external displays a visual merchandiser will create, the principles underlying good display design, and how planograms are used to guide visual merchandisers in their day-to-day work.
- How visual merchandisers choose, dress and style mannequins when designing displays.
- The most common types of fixtures and fittings used by visual merchandisers and how they are used to construct eye-catching displays.
- Why a visual merchandiser needs to understand the principles behind an effective store layout and how these layouts are put together.
- How visual merchandisers display home furnishings and related products in a way that promotes sales and improves customer engagement.
- The challenges that come with displaying shoes and accessories, together with an overview of the most common techniques used to present items in these categories.
- How visual merchandisers can play a key role in ensuring the success of sales and promotions.
- The most pressing issues confronting retailers today and how they are shaping visual merchandising roles.
- How to begin and develop a career in visual merchandising, together with an overview of alternative career paths for those with previous experience in retail merchandising.
Benefits of taking this course
- You will gain an insight into the necessary qualities and qualifications needed for a career in visual merchandising, which will help you make informed choices when seeking training and employment in this sector.
- You will be in a position to put together effective, attractive displays that incorporate both merchandise and props.
- You will be able to apply for entry-level assistant merchandising roles, confident that you have knowledge of the underlying principles of contemporary retail displays.
- You will be able to begin a career that could give you the opportunity to manage a visual merchandising team, and to assume considerable creative responsibility within a retail environment.
- You can learn the material in any place, at any time, and at your own speed.
- All you need is an internet-enabled device.
- Content is presented as brief modules, making learning easy.
- Affordable cost.
This course includes
24/7 Student Support
End of course certification
Lifetime access to your course
Compatible with modern devices
- What is meant by the term ‘visual merchandising’
- The key aims of visual merchandising as a retail practice
- The history of visual merchandising
- Why visual merchandising is important and effective in selling products
- Why key design principles are the foundation of every successful display
- The most common types of display used in retail environments
- How to use lighting, to make merchandise more appealing to the customer
- How color can be employed, to display products to good effect
- The advantages of using mannequins, to display clothing and accessories
- How to care for and store mannequins
- How to dress a mannequin
- The various forms available that can replace or supplement mannequins
- What is meant by the term ‘fixture’, in the context of the retail industry;
- The relationship between the fixtures used in visual merchandising and the way in which a product or line of products is displayed;
- The relationship between the fixtures used in visual merchandising and the way in which a product or line of products is displayed;
- How to use platforms and elevations, to show off store merchandise;
- What is meant by the term ‘store planning
- How the role of a store planner differs from that of a visual merchandiser
- Why visual merchandisers should take the time to become familiar with the purposes of store planning, and how it is carried out in practice
- The key purposes and aims of store design
- The types of merchandise that fall under the category of home accessories (also known as ‘home fashions’;
- The importance of setting the scene and using lifestyle themes, when displaying homeware and home accessories;
- How to display small and fragile goos in a safe, aesthetically pleasing manner;
- How to use mannequins in the promotion of homeware;
- Why the presentation of shoes, jewelry and fashion accessories is just as important as that of clothes;
- The most common props used by visual merchandisers, in order to display items in these categories;
- How to present shoes, in order to frm an attractive display;
- How to display jewelry in a way that catches the eye of the customer;
- How visual merchandising plays an essential role in the performance of a sales campaign;
- How to use signs, to promote a sale, and the most effective words and phrases to use, in encouraging sales;
- How to use symbolism, to communicate price reductions;
- How to use mannequins and other props, to raw attention to a sale;
- Why retail does not stand still, and how retailers can stay abreast of the latest trends;
- The rise of online shopping and its implications for visual merchandising;
- Why omnichannel retailing is growing in popularity and the implications of this trend, for those working in visual merchandising;
- The role of pop-up shops in contemporary retail and how a visual merchandiser can put together effective displays, in these environments;
- Why you need to take a proactive approach, in order to advance within the retail industry;
- What you need to consider, before studyig a formal qualification, and how to choose the right course for you;
- The options available to you with regards to working hours and environments;
- How to keep up with changing trends in the retail industry;
ID: YDFT67YHJ
of achievement
This certificate is presented to
Your Name
For completing the
Visual Merchandising Certification
on 21st November 2026
Selena Hurford
Selena Hurford
Course Tutor
Daniel Morgan
Daniel Morgan
Head of Academy
Anyone who has an interest in learning more about this subject matter is encouraged to take the course. There are no entry requirements to take the course.
The course is broken down into 10 individual modules. Each module takes between 20 and 90 minutes on average to study. Although you are free to spend as much or as little time as you feel necessary on each module, simply log in and out of the course at your convenience.
You can study the course any time you like. Simply log in and out of the web based course as often as you require. The course is compatible with all computers, tablet devices and smart phones so you can even study while on the move!
Once you have completed all 10 modules there is a multiple choice test. The questions will be on a range of topics found within the 10 modules. The test, like the course, is online and can be taken a time and location of your choosing.
The pass mark for the test is 70%.
If you don’t pass the test first time you will get further opportunities to take the test again after extra study. There are no limits to the number of times you can take the test. All test retakes are included within the price of the course.
You can either use your Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Solo cards or PayPal account to pay for the online course. Our site uses the latest SSL encryption to ensure your safety. All payments are handled securely by PayPal.
You can begin the course immediately after your payment has been received. You will create your login details during the checkout process. We will also send you an email confirming your login details.
We estimate that the course will take about 12 hours to complete in total, plus an additional 30 minutes for the end of course test.
Once you have been awarded your certificate it is valid for life. The certificate does not expire or need renewing.
A brilliant course which was very informative and I really enjoyed it. Very difficult test at the end so you do really need to read through every module to do the test and pass it.
I will be recommending it to all my friends for sure. The bonus is I have access to this information forever. So I can revisit it anytime I like, how great is that??? I think its amazing personally.
Jay Harper
Thanks to this course I can take my career in a new and improved direction. After sustaining injuries where I have to be wheelchair bound I thought career prospects were slim. But now I have qualified I have hope again.
This course is amazingly well structured in such a way that it enabled me to memorise everything and in my own time, and explained in terms everyone could understand, the modules were short and to the point with very little un-needed information and at a great price too!
Online support staff were amazing they couldn't help enough. Messages were sent within 20 minutes and were extremely accurate. The final exam was easy and gave me plenty of time to complete with 30 questions and 30 minutes to answer (although only 10 minutes were needed) after ordering my certificate it was delivered within 48 hours. It looks amazing and the quality is great too.
Emily Zivtins
I was a little sceptical about doing an online course as thought it wouldn't be very in depth, but how wrong I was!
Very thorough and covered everything yo could possibly need. I trained many years ago and wanted a refresh and this was perfect and enabled me to get my insurance and feel confident being back in the Beauty Industry.
I'm now about to start another refresh course on waxing and cant wait to get going, I will most certainly be back to do more. If you're unsure whether to do an online course, don't be, its a must. Highly recommended!
Sue Pearce
Absolutely fantastic! I would definitely recommend doing this course if you are a beginner, and I would also say that you definitely do not have to worry as all three learning types are covered! It is also great to have the ability to get in touch with a tutor if stuck, especially if you haven’t got someone at home or work to help you understand something!
If I hadn’t of already completed this course and chosen to start the next level up, I would happily do this course again. However, I would recommend this course, even more so for someone who is trying to learn for a career change! Exactly what I did and because of this very reason, and feared that it would expensive to change my career, and was amazed how easy and cheap it was!
Korin Williams
I really enjoyed this course. It allowed me to go at my own pace, completing modules in my lunch breaks or at home and you can do the modules as many times as you like which suited me.
The modules were explained well, included a clear step by step guide with a video and a spreadsheet to practice on which allowed me to learn the content in different ways. The module content was extremely valuable and taught me how to understand Excel which will lead to saving time in future projects needing Excel.
This course not only includes the very basics but explains some core Excel processes. I recommend this course to all abilities and anyone who needs to use Excel.
Gemma Bytheway
Amazing course, easy to understand and very straight forward. It gives you a chance to review previous modules, also you are able to take notes and save them in your course profile, where you can check them at any time.
Along with the course, you get rewards for completing your course modules. It opens the door to a chance of doing something you like or changing your career, also for people that just want to get new skills in different areas.
Do it at your own pace from your own home, I usually do it on my days off. Totally worth it, I recommend it.
Sara Correia
Visual Merchandising Certification
Visual merchandising is one of a retailer's most valuable assets. When done well, it can drive sales, inspire loyalty in customers, improve the buying experience and communicate a brand's core values and ideals.
This course will provide you with a comprehensive overview of the principles and practices of visual merchandising. Although the content focuses primarily on visual merchandising within a traditional retail environment, much of the material is also relevant in other art and design-based contexts, such as exhibition design, interior design, ecommerce-related web design, and event planning.
This course addresses numerous practical aspects of visual merchandising, including the proper use of planograms, brand communication, the launching of sales campaigns, and arranging seasonal displays.
You will learn exactly what drives a customer to make a purchase, and how to harness the shopper's senses in such a way that they feel inclined to buy a product.
Whether you are a small business owner wanting to learn how to show your products to their best advantage, an individual looking to break into the retail industry, or simply someone with a passion for the visual arts, you will soon develop a working knowledge of all key areas of visual merchandising.
The knowledge you gain during this course will prepare you to enter this challenging yet rewarding and highly creative profession.
What You Will Learn
- What visual merchandising is, why visual merchandising plays a vital role in the retail industry, and the ways in which visual merchandising practices have changed over time.
- The various kinds of internal and external displays a visual merchandiser will create, the principles underlying good display design, and how planograms are used to guide visual merchandisers in their day-to-day work.
- How visual merchandisers choose, dress and style mannequins when designing displays.
- The most common types of fixtures and fittings used by visual merchandisers and how they are used to construct eye-catching displays.
- Why a visual merchandiser needs to understand the principles behind an effective store layout and how these layouts are put together.
- How visual merchandisers display home furnishings and related products in a way that promotes sales and improves customer engagement.
- The challenges that come with displaying shoes and accessories, together with an overview of the most common techniques used to present items in these categories.
- How visual merchandisers can play a key role in ensuring the success of sales and promotions.
- The most pressing issues confronting retailers today and how they are shaping visual merchandising roles.
- How to begin and develop a career in visual merchandising, together with an overview of alternative career paths for those with previous experience in retail merchandising.
Benefits of taking this course
- You will gain an insight into the necessary qualities and qualifications needed for a career in visual merchandising, which will help you make informed choices when seeking training and employment in this sector.
- You will be in a position to put together effective, attractive displays that incorporate both merchandise and props.
- You will be able to apply for entry-level assistant merchandising roles, confident that you have knowledge of the underlying principles of contemporary retail displays.
- You will be able to begin a career that could give you the opportunity to manage a visual merchandising team, and to assume considerable creative responsibility within a retail environment.
- You can learn the material in any place, at any time, and at your own speed.
- All you need is an internet-enabled device.
- Content is presented as brief modules, making learning easy.
- Affordable cost.
This course includes
24/7 Student Support
End of course certification
Lifetime access to your course
Compatible with modern devices
- What is meant by the term ‘visual merchandising’
- The key aims of visual merchandising as a retail practice
- The history of visual merchandising
- Why visual merchandising is important and effective in selling products
- Why key design principles are the foundation of every successful display
- The most common types of display used in retail environments
- How to use lighting, to make merchandise more appealing to the customer
- How color can be employed, to display products to good effect
- The advantages of using mannequins, to display clothing and accessories
- How to care for and store mannequins
- How to dress a mannequin
- The various forms available that can replace or supplement mannequins
- What is meant by the term ‘fixture’, in the context of the retail industry;
- The relationship between the fixtures used in visual merchandising and the way in which a product or line of products is displayed;
- The relationship between the fixtures used in visual merchandising and the way in which a product or line of products is displayed;
- How to use platforms and elevations, to show off store merchandise;
- What is meant by the term ‘store planning
- How the role of a store planner differs from that of a visual merchandiser
- Why visual merchandisers should take the time to become familiar with the purposes of store planning, and how it is carried out in practice
- The key purposes and aims of store design
- The types of merchandise that fall under the category of home accessories (also known as ‘home fashions’;
- The importance of setting the scene and using lifestyle themes, when displaying homeware and home accessories;
- How to display small and fragile goos in a safe, aesthetically pleasing manner;
- How to use mannequins in the promotion of homeware;
- Why the presentation of shoes, jewelry and fashion accessories is just as important as that of clothes;
- The most common props used by visual merchandisers, in order to display items in these categories;
- How to present shoes, in order to frm an attractive display;
- How to display jewelry in a way that catches the eye of the customer;
- How visual merchandising plays an essential role in the performance of a sales campaign;
- How to use signs, to promote a sale, and the most effective words and phrases to use, in encouraging sales;
- How to use symbolism, to communicate price reductions;
- How to use mannequins and other props, to raw attention to a sale;
- Why retail does not stand still, and how retailers can stay abreast of the latest trends;
- The rise of online shopping and its implications for visual merchandising;
- Why omnichannel retailing is growing in popularity and the implications of this trend, for those working in visual merchandising;
- The role of pop-up shops in contemporary retail and how a visual merchandiser can put together effective displays, in these environments;
- Why you need to take a proactive approach, in order to advance within the retail industry;
- What you need to consider, before studyig a formal qualification, and how to choose the right course for you;
- The options available to you with regards to working hours and environments;
- How to keep up with changing trends in the retail industry;
ID: YDFT67YHJ
of achievement
This certificate is presented to
Your Name
For completing the
Visual Merchandising Certification
on 21st November 2026
Selena Hurford
Selena Hurford
Course Tutor
Daniel Morgan
Daniel Morgan
Head of Academy
Anyone who has an interest in learning more about this subject matter is encouraged to take the course. There are no entry requirements to take the course.
The course is broken down into 10 individual modules. Each module takes between 20 and 90 minutes on average to study. Although you are free to spend as much or as little time as you feel necessary on each module, simply log in and out of the course at your convenience.
You can study the course any time you like. Simply log in and out of the web based course as often as you require. The course is compatible with all computers, tablet devices and smart phones so you can even study while on the move!
Once you have completed all 10 modules there is a multiple choice test. The questions will be on a range of topics found within the 10 modules. The test, like the course, is online and can be taken a time and location of your choosing.
The pass mark for the test is 70%.
If you don’t pass the test first time you will get further opportunities to take the test again after extra study. There are no limits to the number of times you can take the test. All test retakes are included within the price of the course.
You can either use your Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Solo cards or PayPal account to pay for the online course. Our site uses the latest SSL encryption to ensure your safety. All payments are handled securely by PayPal.
You can begin the course immediately after your payment has been received. You will create your login details during the checkout process. We will also send you an email confirming your login details.
We estimate that the course will take about 12 hours to complete in total, plus an additional 30 minutes for the end of course test.
Once you have been awarded your certificate it is valid for life. The certificate does not expire or need renewing.
A brilliant course which was very informative and I really enjoyed it. Very difficult test at the end so you do really need to read through every module to do the test and pass it.
I will be recommending it to all my friends for sure. The bonus is I have access to this information forever. So I can revisit it anytime I like, how great is that??? I think its amazing personally.
Jay Harper
Thanks to this course I can take my career in a new and improved direction. After sustaining injuries where I have to be wheelchair bound I thought career prospects were slim. But now I have qualified I have hope again.
This course is amazingly well structured in such a way that it enabled me to memorise everything and in my own time, and explained in terms everyone could understand, the modules were short and to the point with very little un-needed information and at a great price too!
Online support staff were amazing they couldn't help enough. Messages were sent within 20 minutes and were extremely accurate. The final exam was easy and gave me plenty of time to complete with 30 questions and 30 minutes to answer (although only 10 minutes were needed) after ordering my certificate it was delivered within 48 hours. It looks amazing and the quality is great too.
Emily Zivtins
I was a little sceptical about doing an online course as thought it wouldn't be very in depth, but how wrong I was!
Very thorough and covered everything yo could possibly need. I trained many years ago and wanted a refresh and this was perfect and enabled me to get my insurance and feel confident being back in the Beauty Industry.
I'm now about to start another refresh course on waxing and cant wait to get going, I will most certainly be back to do more. If you're unsure whether to do an online course, don't be, its a must. Highly recommended!
Sue Pearce
Absolutely fantastic! I would definitely recommend doing this course if you are a beginner, and I would also say that you definitely do not have to worry as all three learning types are covered! It is also great to have the ability to get in touch with a tutor if stuck, especially if you haven’t got someone at home or work to help you understand something!
If I hadn’t of already completed this course and chosen to start the next level up, I would happily do this course again. However, I would recommend this course, even more so for someone who is trying to learn for a career change! Exactly what I did and because of this very reason, and feared that it would expensive to change my career, and was amazed how easy and cheap it was!
Korin Williams
I really enjoyed this course. It allowed me to go at my own pace, completing modules in my lunch breaks or at home and you can do the modules as many times as you like which suited me.
The modules were explained well, included a clear step by step guide with a video and a spreadsheet to practice on which allowed me to learn the content in different ways. The module content was extremely valuable and taught me how to understand Excel which will lead to saving time in future projects needing Excel.
This course not only includes the very basics but explains some core Excel processes. I recommend this course to all abilities and anyone who needs to use Excel.
Gemma Bytheway
Amazing course, easy to understand and very straight forward. It gives you a chance to review previous modules, also you are able to take notes and save them in your course profile, where you can check them at any time.
Along with the course, you get rewards for completing your course modules. It opens the door to a chance of doing something you like or changing your career, also for people that just want to get new skills in different areas.
Do it at your own pace from your own home, I usually do it on my days off. Totally worth it, I recommend it.
Sara Correia
Why you should study with us
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Excellent course, well explained and easy to understand. The course can be done at my own pace and is available on various devices. The layout of the course was excellent and the notes options is very good. The content is perfect and well structured, making it easy to understand and follow. I will definitely be taking more courses in the future.
Luis Costa
Wow what an incredible insight for the start of anyone's journey in property. This course gives you so much information and there are tests and questions on each of the modules. The course is very easy to follow and well laid out. You can actually make notes on the pages of each module using the notes tab! I am very excited to say that I passed and I only spent one week on this course. I will print all the PDF information and keep it in a file with my certificate. I feel very confident for my future plans now I have completed this course.
Nichola Anderson
The course was clearly set out with helpful end of week tests which built my knowledge. Being dyslexic I found the course was set out in an easy to understand way. I was able to pass the test on my first attempt. The downloaded pdf are a useful resource that you can keep forever. Looking forward to the next course
Ross Dunsten
Very interesting and helpful course. I ve learned a lot of interesting things about make up and the tutorials were very helpful and easy to understand. I really reccomend this course for everyone who is passionate about make up and wish to develop their skills and make a career from their hobby.
Nicoleta Lucaci
I found this course incredibly useful, as it provided me with practical knowledge which I can implement in my role as a Support Worker. The videos were clear and concise, and the downloadable worksheets reinforced what I had learned as I was able to put pen to paper. Overall, a fantastic course for a great price! I am looking forward to taking on my next one.
Teleisha Harley
It was an eye opening course that was flexible and easy to access. I was able to complete it from the comfort of my own home whilst also having the tasks to complete which enabled me to check my knowledge. I know feel much more confident in my field of work and really enjoyed doing it.
Ellie Clarke
I am a doctor. This course is well organized, covering all areas of CBT. The videos and practical tips are very helpful. All the modules are arranged with good explanations and examples. Also each module consists of quick test and assignment which enables you to gain knowledge. Finally I would like to thank the New Skills Academy team.
Dr. M. Arshad
Lovely course for people who want to know the basics and of sign language. It's has helped me to get more of an understanding and will greatly benefit me in my workplace. So easy to pick up and the videos were easy to understand. Would definitely recommend to anyone.
Chloe Hambly
