Despite the explosive growth of online e-commerce and its widespread use for buying and selling products, selling products through retailers continues to be the most important mechanism for consumer product companies to earn revenue. The problem with a consumer product company selling at retail is that it is getting harder and harder to secure retail [...]
Is it better to start with a low manufacture suggested retail price in CPG and increase them later on, or start high and lower them? This was a question posted to Quora that I answered, which I have re-copied below: I know consumer products, so can only answer from that perspective: Do your research against [...]
I have never found sales to be much art at all. It's all science and execution, not some black magic. Selling to retail category buyers comes down to a numbers game, where the more you do it, the more you can learn and refine, and eventually, you will succeed. You prepare, rehearse, execute, analyze, refine; [...]
This post provides guidance on using retail CPG brokers and product reps, and is organized as follows: Should I hire a broker? How do I find a broker? How do I manage a broker? Compensation When do I fire a broker? Should I hire a broker? It depends on (1) how big your team is, [...]
This post provides high level descriptions of company vision, mission (values), culture, goals and strategy and how they are related and different from each other. Vision Your vision is the picture that you see of your business at some point in the future. It is what your creation looks like in the future. Three years, [...]
A brand is the sum of all facets, features and characteristics of a company, both good and bad, which are a result of the company's interactions with suppliers, manufacturers, service providers, distributors, resellers, employees, customers, the general public, owners/investors – basically, every stakeholder to the company. Brand development and management can get complex and consume [...]
Costco is considered a higher-end club retailer and vendors in the natural/organic/LOHAS category can sell to Costco. Small CPG vendors that do not have national advertising or a substantial brand name behind their product may still have the opportunity to get their product in Costco. That can happen through the Special Events program, also called the [...]
I met with a small CPG food start-up recently and the discussion focused on the company's growth strategy. Only 6 months old, the start-up is generating online sales and is looking to retail distribution, which is the primary reason why I was there. It is entering a crowded and competitive CPG category for its product [...]
I work predominantly with small consumer companies, especially startups and a commonality I see among them is that their COGS is really high, and how COGS impacts a CPG company selling to retail is significant. COGS includes raw materials, manufacturing, assembly and freight. This "Landed Cost" is the total cost of making the product [...]
When you meet the founder of a start-up and the enthusiasm for their business just rolls off of them in waves, you can't help but to feel some level of excitement with them, even if this business is not in a category or segment that you have an interest. This start-up makes custom downhill and [...]
