# merchandise

/ˈmɝtʃənˌdaɪz/ (US) · /mˈɜːtʃɐndˌaɪz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/merchandise
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. commercial goods

noun · CEFR B2

goods or products that are bought and sold in a business.

For teachers: goods that are offered for sale; commodities in a commercial context. Uncountable in modern usage.

- The shop owner checked the new merchandise for any damage before putting it on the shelves.
- The wholesaler refused to accept the shipment, claiming that the merchandise did not meet the quality standards specified in the contract.

Usage: Usually uncountable; 'merchandises' is rare and typically restricted to technical legal or historical contexts.

### 2. branded products

noun · CEFR B2

products like clothes or bags that have the name or logo of a famous band, team, or movie.

For teachers: commercial goods branded with an entity such as a sports team, musical act, or fictional franchise. Often shortened to 'merch' in informal speech.

- Fans waited in a long line to buy official merchandise after the concert.
- The studio's revenue from licensed merchandise actually exceeded the box office earnings of the film itself.

Teaching tip: While 'merchandise' is the formal term, students will frequently encounter the clipped form 'merch' in casual conversation and social media.

### 3. to promote goods

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to arrange or advertise products in a way that makes people want to buy them.

For teachers: to promote the sale of goods, especially through effective display, packaging, and placement within a retail environment.

- The supermarket uses bright lights and low shelves to merchandise its fresh fruit.
- Retailers must carefully merchandise their seasonal inventory to ensure maximum visibility during the peak holiday shopping period.

Usage: Can be used transitively (merchandise a product) or intransitively (to merchandise well).

## Examples

- The shop sells official merchandise for the local football team.
- The store manager decided to discount all seasonal merchandise to make room for the new winter collection.
- While the core business focuses on software development, a significant portion of their annual revenue now derives from high-margin merchandise sold directly to their global community of users.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.