On The Shelf: How To Get Your Products Into Big Box Retail!

If you have ever wanted to pick the brain of an actual retail buyer, this is your episode. Salah Khalaf, former buyer for Walmart and Sam’s Club for over 20 years shares his experiences and expectations as a retail buyer. This episode is not to be missed. It contains little known insight direct from the buyers we try to connect with everyday. Also back for a second time is Joe Tarnowski from...

In part 3 of our series on common mistakes companies make when pitching to Costco we cover logistics and how to ensure you are covered long before making your pitch. Don’t miss next Monday’s Podcast where we will be having a conversation with a former Sam’s and Walmart buyer. Get ready to hear your questions answered from the inside, right from the buyers who receive the informat...

Sending a buyer sample is exciting! It is a critical step in getting your products on the shelf. It means you have convinced the buyer review your actual product, not just paperwork. How do you ensure this process goes smoothly? How do you prepare the products you will be sending and what needs to go with them? These questions and more will be answered in this weeks episode. Thanks to Kim for subm...

We are back with the 2nd common mistake companies make when taking their products to Costco. Thinking Costco will change their business model to accommodate your product is #2 on our list of 5. Why won’t Costco bend to the will of your product? Have a listen and find out. Happy Selling! Love the show?  Subscribe, rate, review, and share! ·       Here...

Hey folks, There are many mistakes companies can make when pitching their products to retailers like Costco. Believe me, I have already made most of these and learned the hard way. So that you don’t have to learn the same why I did we have narrowed it down to the top 5 mistakes we feel are most common. These will be coming to you in 5 short podcast over the next couple weeks. Listen and enjo...

Based on popular demand we hit this topic again. Pricing your product for retail is so important you definitely do not want to leave these key costs out of your model. Retail returns Freight to the retailer Marketing Development Fund Markdown Fund Have a listen and let us know what you think. Is there anything you plan into your pricing that we have not mentioned? Let us know. Happy Selling! Love...

In one of our most exciting discussions yet, the Team at ECRM walk us through the ECRM platform and how to get the most out of the opportunity. If you are interested in getting your products in front of no less than 60 buyers in less than 3 days you will not want to miss this episode. I had a great time with Joe and Sarah from ECRM and appreciate them taking the time to come on the show. If you ar...

If you have ever wondered “Are bugging your retail buyer by following up to much?”, this Podcast is for you. Learn how to follow up in a professional manner that will get you the results you are seeking. Enjoy! Love the show?  Subscribe, rate, review, and share! ·       Here’s How »   Join the On The Shelf community today: &mid...

Everyone knows that sales can sometimes slowdown in the summer. Vacations, heat, kids out of school can disrupt the normal sales cycle. At TLB we teach our clients that you do not simply have to accept this slowdown. There are systems you can put into place avoid and sometimes even reverse your summertime sales slowdown. In this episode we cover 4 different strategies you can use to save your summ...

When you are in a slump and your product sales slow down, it might be time to hit the road. Sometimes getting out into the field can be the best possible thing. Today’s episode is a “Start Your Week Wisdom” encouraging everyone to change things up once in a while. If what you are doing is not working, do something different. Last week we took a road trip to sell some product and...

Getting paid for your product is one of the main reasons you do what you do. Getting paid is what funds everything. More product, better systems, more help etc. If you are not going to get paid, what is the point? Right? This, our 50th episode, covers the “when” & “how” related to getting paid for your product. Enjoy! We look forward to your feedback and seeing your pr...

There are a ton of moving parts that go into launching a product. This episode covers an often missed part of the process that could cost you thousands, even millions. If you are launching or just began selling a product you do not want to miss this episode, it could save your business. Love the show?  Subscribe, rate, review, and share! ·       Here&rsquo...

In this weeks program we offer some sound reasons why you should always have and maintain your own website. A website if for more than just selling product, take a listen and see if you are using your website for all the right reasons. Don’t forget to leave us a comment and let us know how we are doing. Let’s keep the conversation going. Keep selling. Love the show?  Subscribe, ra...

This weeks main podcast is all about understanding how Costco Roadshow works and is it the right place to sell you products. Getting into Costco can be a daunting task which is why Costco Roadshow can make a lot of sense to get things started. Give it a listen and decide if Costco Roadshow is for you. Leave some comments and let us know if there is anything about the program you would like to know...

In this weeks “Start Your Week Wisdom” we discuss the dangers of putting to much pressure on sales to solve all your problems. It is true, sales can cure a lot of issues, however setting a sales budget that is a complete fabrication simply because that is what you need to stay afloat is a recipe for disaster. Have a listen and weigh in with your opinion. Thank you for your part in maki...

Our “Question Answered” for the week related to stock on-hand. Our listener wanted to know if he needed a lot of product on-hand before approaching big box retailers and if so, how much should he have? Press download to hear the answer. Thank you for the questions and please keep them coming. Have a great weekend. Happy Selling! Love the show?  Subscribe, rate, review, and share!...

Selecting the right retailers to launch your product and brand can make or break how your brand will be perceived long term. Don’t miss this in-depth discussion with “Brand Guru” Ellen Rudy from Polyphony Branding where we cover everything you need to know when looking for retail partners. Check out Ellen Rudy’s website! As always, we look forward to your questions and comm...

We know that everyone has struggled with the question: Is my product on the right track? Is my product going to make it? To help answer these questions we have put together a short 3 stage checklist to help you know if your product is heading in the right direction. Some of the inspiration for this list came from the book; The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell. If you have never read this book, p...

Have you ever found yourself with too many advisors? So many people giving their opinions that you can’t make a decision or stay on course for very long? This problem can sink a business fast and the worst part is you might not even know this is happening. In this episode we will talk about the 3 ways you can determine if you are in this situation and what to do about it. We look forward to...

Should you give exclusivity to any distributor wishing to sell your product is our “Final Thought Of The Week”. This question comes up enough that we decided to address it on a podcast. Although this episode covers primarily International distributors the information can be used for all distributors. Thank you for keeping the questions coming, we appreciate the support you have all sho...

For our 40th episode we are answering a frequent question from one of our listeners regarding private labeling his product and if it is a good idea. I am sure you have asked yourself this question before as well. Have a listen to gain some insight and hopefully answer the question. Thanks for the question, keep them coming. On Friday we will be covering the topic of Distributor Exclusivity, don&#8...

Selling product to retailers is a calculated strategy. When and how you go to retailers matters as much as what you are selling them. In this weeks “Start Your Week Wisdom” we provide some key insight in to how you should set your sales calendars and what to consider when approaching retailers. We look forward to your comments regarding the episode and if it was helpful. Don’t fo...

Is your product not meeting your expectations with regard to sales? In this episode we explore several key exercises you can take your product through to help trouble shoot the issue. We would love to hear what challenges you are facing in your efforts to get your products on the shelf. Happy Selling Love the show?  Subscribe, rate, review, and share! ·     &nb...

This weeks “Start Your Week Wisdom” came from a listener wanting to know what our “One” piece of advice would be for him going into a buyer meeting. After giving it some consideration, as there are many facets that go into a meeting, we decided that, “Keeping the meeting conversational” was the most important. In all your interactions this week with people inter...

We had a listener last week who wanted to know why it is so hard to get products into Costco. What is the real deal he asked. it is a great question and one that we decided to answer on this weeks “Question Answered” show. Do you think it is hard to get products into Costco? Why? Let us know what you think. Love the show?  Subscribe, rate, review, and share! ·  &n...