This is a question I received via a discussion thread and I am reposting my contributions to the thread here. As a rule of thumb, natural.organic is always a 50% margin. If selling through UNFI, Tree, etc. there might need to be another 15% added in for them, for a total margin of 65% to WFM, [...]
This is a Quora questions that I was asked to answer. My answer is below. In general, I think it is probably a big deal, since UO is a large and recognized apparel retailer. But I am not specifically an apparel expert, so that real answer is, "it depends". But here is how I would [...]
If you have many growth opportunities, that's good, right? Well, sort-of. The trick is focusing on the best opportunities and not getting too distracted. Here's what I suggest to pick the right ones: Figure out who is your customer - the really loyal ones. Develop a profile of who that is. Is that market big [...]
I did not attend the 2013 Chick-fil-a Leadercast, but saw a post on key takeaways from the event and one caught my attention: Coach Mike Krzyzewski, head men’s basketball coach, Duke University: Don’t focus on winning. Focus on creating a culture of success. This will lead to consistent winning. What is a culture of success? I [...]
How fast should you grow your company? I get this question from to time by startup and early-stage companies. Assuming that there is demand for your product/service and the sales are there for the taking, here's my response: Competitive environment. Do you have a defensible competitive advantage, like a patent? Or, another way to look at [...]
Here's some quick points on selling to QVC. I have never sold to HSN, although I am guessing these points can also apply there: If you do not have at least have a direct-to-consumer component to your business or are not already in some form of retail distribution, then QVC efforts may not do much [...]
I was asked this question on CPG package design on Quora. My response is below. I think the biggest mistake is not grabbing consumer's attention. There are so many products on shelf that it's easy to get lost and not get any attention. This is especially the case if there is limited or no out-of-store marketing to [...]
Successful companies with well-established products are being threatened by newcomers. Winners don't lose when new rivals attack from the high-end of the market. They lose when startups attack from below. The Innovator's Dilemma by Clayton M. Christensen The point is that when an established company weighs the cost of new technology or talent against what it already has, [...]
This is a Quora question that I was asked to answer. My answer is as follows: It depends on who is your end-customer and their creditworthiness at tradeshows. If you are selling wholesale to established businesses, then you could simply offer a show special (like 20% discount) and provide a cut-off date before the discount [...]
What is considered a healthy gross profit margin (both as a retailer and a distributor)? I have just started a niche business of importing foreign goods at factory prices direct from the manufacturer and selling them at my retail shop at an average markup of Landing cost x 2 + local taxes or at a [...]
