This allows the company to showcase and sell millions of products on their website without physically stocking the merchandise. Having too much inventory is pretty high up on the list of no-nos for retailers. In addition to taking up precious backroom or shelf space, surplus stock ties up capital and can keep you from re-investing in your business or buying things you actually need. When you furnish them with a complete marketing campaign and promotional resources, retailers are more likely to accept your shelf space proposal. They’ll know they can continue to work with you to boost sales for a long, prudent partnership. Traditionally, retailers use a plan-o-gram to map shelf layouts for products. These diagrams provide an overview of shelf placement and how products are performing based on location.

Also, make sure you consider how your packaging will fit into the shelves and the layout. This will give you a leg up when it comes to pitching your chosen retailers. In the society we live in today, creativity is what sets ideas apart and determines the success that your packaging solution will have. You also have to consider how your product is adding value to the life of the consumer and retailer.

Ability to market and sell products

However, certain product types have traditionally been exempt from paying. Slotting fees are not the same as pay-to-stay, promotional, stocking, and failure fees. Each of these are separate costs that can be incurred by a supplier as a result of being granted retail shelf space. Retail shelf space is a hot commodity that thousands of manufacturers want a piece of. In an environment with razor-thin margins, retailers are highly selective about which new products they’re willing to carry at their stores. While most people consider social media as a buzz-builder for consumers, Belknap found that it was helpful to catch the eye of wholesale buyers as well. I’m a brand that’s getting approached by retailers that want to carry my products but we have never sold to a retailer.

To answer your question about what’s new or different in engaging a buyer…there isn’t any “newer”, “more unique” formula to get a buyer’s attention. This is one aspect of selling that will withstand the test of time. They have stellar premium key accounts, excellent sell through, customer success stories for days, and their own factory overseas. If the buyer is interested, request to come show him/her the samples in person. A 30 minute commitment shouldn’t be too difficult for the buyer to make time for. If he/she absolutely cannot meet, then go ahead and send samples with a request that they be sent back.

How do you source a product for selling online?

So there’s no need to get the green light from a store to pitch your work. When there is a good match, we want you to go even further. Tell us why your wall hangings, lambswool socks or massive sculptures made from bronze and your own frozen blood will be of interest to their specific customers. Treating this shopkeeper as a faceless source of potential income is, frankly, lazy, arrogant and exactly what hundreds of artists have done before you. My point is that we don’t actually want you to fail, and we’d much rather say yes to your pitch than no.

However, if you want to sell wholesale to retailers you need to learn how to approach them and that starts with making a list and making contact one by one. There is not automated shortcut here, so stop looking for one. Earned endorsements make the best case for your product.

How to Do Well in Sales without Being Pushy

Especially when releasing new products, in-store education, samples, and support is a great way to get stores excited and ready to sell your brand. So you’ve spent a long time working on your t-shirt brand.

This will allow you to move merchandise without having to take such a big hit on your profits. If remarketing or remerchandising doesn’t work, consider lowering prices for of excess stock. Kat Rosati, Brand Manager at Apparel Booster, advises retailers to discount prices at certain increments.

Pitch In Person or on LinkedIn

Accomplishing this starts with implementing retail analytics and counting traffic. For instance, if you set up a new window display or promotion, you can measure the lift in foot traffic that your efforts generated. Influencer marketing isn’t only for e-commerce merchants who are looking to get more product reviews on social media.

• It will be a great learning experience and information you can pass onto potential retailers when you do go to get them.
• To get it right, consider hiring designer who has experience designing retail product packages.
• Make a special callout box just for your call to action.
• Selling a new product packaging idea to retailers requires you to be very aware of the different solutions in the market and how you’ll differentiate yourself.

This doesn’t mean they’re expecting exclusives from their suppliers. But they’d prefer not to see your product at a chain–or at the store next door either. “We always ask our designers to be fair and reasonable,” says Alexis Kissam. “I always tell people to stack money up when working in corporate, in a 9-5 job. That is your initial investor,” How Can I Pitch My Products To Get Them Stocked In Retail Stores? she says. I understand that the data I am submitting will be used to provide me with the above-described products and/or services and communications in connection therewith. From order placed to delivery, know when your customer can expect your products. Once you know whats stopping them you can see if there’s a solution you can offer.

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One or two small attachments, or simply the link to your online catalogue, is a much better option. Write like a real, live human who likes and admires the person they’re pitching to. If this is hard, pretend you’re writing your pitch email to me. Secondly, you’re banking on a pretty fragile chain of events. First, you’re asking the shopkeeper to do a lot of work.

Keep your company details (address, phone number, operating hours, etc.) updated. Yes, the world of e-commerce is getting stronger everyday. https://quickbooks-payroll.org/ But if you make consumer products, you still need alliances.Read More… We take the headache and heartache out of stocking and restocking.

Know what makes your product unique

There’s no shortage of ideas for how to boost foot traffic in your location. In fact, in this post, we’ll shed light on 40 things you can do to attract more customers to your store. → Most of the stores I contacted were kitchsy, girly and a perfect match for my line.

• Remember, the point of this email is to show how you can help them.
• Bring copies of your brochure, order forms and your business card to leave with managers after meetings.
• Compare this to the retail price and calculate what the shop actually makes from selling its t-shirts.
• Instead of figuring out what’s going on in their stockists’ heads, they camp out in their own.

To improve operational efficiency through stronger sales numbers and better inventory management. This will also help you look like a complete brand, ready for shelves. Other than a physical sample, there are few better methods to market your products than having models showcase them for you. If possible, provide look books from previous seasons to show consistency within your brand. A line sheet is basically a PDF of your t-shirt line with product info and photos of product. Include info about your brand, the names of the shirts, t-shirt color and specs, item number, prices, sizing, and other specs unique to your product. Designed your own original and unique t-shirt, printed and branded your work, ready to launch?

Once you’ve found a contender or two, order several sample items you plan on selling. Before you sign on with anyone, make sure their products meet your expectations.

Well thought-out, tailored pitches are much more likely to succeed than a round robin email. The first point might be glaringly obvious, but you need to know your product inside out. This includes the target customer and what differentiates it from competitors – its unique selling point .

Getting your products into the retail sector via traditional retailers can be a fantastic growth strategy. My best piece of advice to an entrepreneur that is looking to get their product into a store is to always make the pitch in person or on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a great way to get access to key decision-makers while avoiding the hassle of going through layers of corporate bureaucracy. The most reliable method is to attend a relevant trade show as an exhibitor.

Developing a strategy for how you’ll approach negotiations with retail buyer is paramount to slotting success. Take time to customize your sell sheet so it accurately reflects the buying needs of each retail store. If you need assistance pitching your product to big chain grocery stores, refer to trade organization directories to find a food broker. An experienced food broker can represent you to retail buyers, and sell your product in return for a commission fee. This means going on foot or car in a radius around your warehouse or business. Ideally you want to target local retail stores within 5 kilometres or miles for a start. This should give you a decent catchment area of retailers to work from.