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 [...]
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, [...]
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 [...]
To sell to Walmart can be boiled down to the following: Cash and Inventory Retail takes cash. You will have to invest in product inventory that won't realize cash very soon. Expect to pay upfront shelf fees to get your product on shelf. It could be a combination of cash, free product to stock stores [...]
This post is a basic guide to get your product and company ready for retail CPG. Finance Retail takes cash. You will have to invest in product inventory that won't realize cash very soon. Expect to pay upfront shelf fees to get your product on shelf. It could be a combination of cash, free product [...]
