Merchandise refers to goods that are bought and sold, especially in stores or at events. When you walk into a shop and see clothes, toys, books, and gadgets displayed on shelves, all of those items are merchandise. The store owner purchased that merchandise from manufacturers or wholesalers, hoping to sell it to customers for a profit.

The word often appears in retail settings: a clothing store's merchandise might include shirts, jeans, and shoes, while a bookstore's merchandise consists of books, magazines, and perhaps reading lights or bookmarks. Sports teams sell merchandise like jerseys and caps with their logos. When a movie becomes popular, companies create licensed merchandise such as action figures, lunch boxes, and posters featuring the film's characters.

Merchandise can also work as a verb, meaning to promote or sell goods. A company might merchandise a new product by displaying it prominently at the front of the store or by creating eye-catching advertisements. Store managers think carefully about how to merchandise their products, arranging them in ways that catch shoppers' attention and make them want to buy.