Selling products online is a great way to build a brand, generate sales, and prove consumer demand. But if you want to take your business to the next level, getting your product into retail stores can open the door to a much larger customer base.
The challenge? Selling through retail is very different from selling on Amazon, Shopify, or your own eCommerce website.
Retail buyers are looking for more than a great product. They want to see consumer demand, competitive pricing, strong margins, reliable supply, professional packaging, and a brand that is ready to support a retail launch.
So, how do you get your product into stores?
This guide explains how to get your product into retail stores, including how to prepare your brand, find the right retailers, approach retail buyers, and build a strategy for long-term retail growth.
1. Make Sure Your Brand Is Ready for Retail
Before you start contacting retail buyers, make sure your business is prepared to meet the expectations of a retail partner.
Getting a meeting with a buyer is only the first step. If a retailer likes your product, you need to be able to answer questions about pricing, inventory, packaging, logistics, marketing, and fulfillment.
Build a Professional Brand
Your brand needs to look established—even if you’re still growing.
Make sure you have:
- A professional logo and visual identity
- Consistent product packaging
- A professional website
- High-quality product photography
- Clear product descriptions and specifications
- Professional sales and marketing materials
- Positive customer reviews
- A compelling brand story
Retail buyers often research a company before agreeing to a meeting. Your online presence should make it clear that you are capable of becoming a reliable retail partner.
Establish Consumer Demand
Retailers want evidence that consumers actually want your product.
Your eCommerce sales can help demonstrate that demand. Depending on your business, useful proof points can include:
- Online sales history
- Amazon sales and reviews
- Repeat purchase rates
- Social media engagement
- Customer testimonials
- Crowdfunding results
- Influencer or media coverage
- Existing specialty retail sales
You don’t necessarily need millions of dollars in online sales to approach retailers. But you should be able to explain why consumers are buying your product and who your target customer is.
Create a Professional Line Sheet
A retail line sheet gives buyers a quick overview of your products and business.
It should typically include:
- Product images
- SKU numbers
- Product descriptions
- Wholesale pricing
- Suggested retail price (SRP)
- Case pack information
- Product dimensions
- Product specifications
- Available colors or variations
- Minimum order quantities
- Contact information
Think of your line sheet as a sales tool—not simply a product catalog.
2. Identify the Right Retailers for Your Product
One of the biggest mistakes emerging brands make is trying to sell to every retailer.
Instead, identify the retailers where your product has the strongest potential.
Research Your Competition
Start by finding brands similar to yours.
Look at where they are sold and study:
- Which retailers carry them
- Their retail price
- Their packaging
- Their product assortment
- Their positioning
- Customer reviews
- Their online and in-store presence
This research can help you identify potential retailers and understand where your product fits within the market.
Understand Your Retail Customer
Ask yourself:
Who is most likely to buy my product in a retail environment?
For example, a smart home product might fit within:
- Consumer electronics retailers
- Home improvement stores
- Specialty technology stores
- Mass merchants
- Sporting goods retailers
- Department stores
- Specialty retailers
A kitchen product could have opportunities in completely different channels.
The goal isn’t simply to find a large retailer. It’s to find retailers whose customers are likely to buy your product.
Create a Target Retailer List
Once you’ve researched the market, create a prioritized list of potential retail partners.
Starting with the right retailers is usually more productive than sending the same pitch to hundreds of buyers.
3. Make Your Product Retail-Ready
A product that sells well online isn’t automatically ready for retail.
Retail stores create additional requirements for packaging, merchandising, logistics, pricing, and inventory.
Invest in Retail-Ready Packaging
Your packaging needs to work in a crowded retail environment.
A shopper should be able to understand:
- What the product is
- What problem it solves
- Its key benefits
- Why it is different
- What makes your brand credible
within a few seconds.
Your packaging should also protect the product during shipping, handling, and merchandising.
Remember: retail shelf space is valuable real estate.
Review Your Product Specifications
Before approaching retailers, make sure you have accurate information for every SKU.
Depending on your category, this may include:
- Product dimensions
- Shipping dimensions
- Product weight
- Shipping weight
- UPC/GTIN information
- Case pack
- Master carton information
- Country of origin
- Warranty information
- Compliance documentation
- Testing or certification information
Retailers will expect you to have these details available.
4. Develop a Retail Pricing Strategy
One of the biggest differences between eCommerce and retail is the pricing structure.
Selling a product directly to consumers allows you to capture the retail margin yourself.
Selling through a retailer means the retailer needs enough margin to make the product worthwhile.
Before approaching buyers, understand your:
Landed cost → Wholesale price → Retail price
For example, you should know:
- Your manufacturing cost
- Freight and landed costs
- Wholesale price
- Suggested retail price
- Your gross margin
- The retailer’s expected margin
- Distributor margins, if applicable
- Rep commissions, if applicable
Don’t simply choose a wholesale price by taking a percentage off your Amazon price.
Build a retail pricing model that works for both your business and the retailer.
5. Create a Compelling Retail Buyer Pitch
Once you know which retailers you want to target, you need to convince the buyer that your product deserves a place in their assortment.
Your pitch should quickly answer four questions:
1. What is the product?
Explain the product clearly and concisely.
2. Who is the customer?
Describe your target consumer and why they are likely to shop at that retailer.
3. Why is the product different?
Explain your unique selling proposition and how your product compares with competing products.
4. Why should the retailer care?
This is perhaps the most important question.
Show the buyer why your product can generate sales, attract customers, fill a gap in the assortment, or provide something their competitors don’t currently offer.
Don’t make your retail pitch entirely about your company.
Make the pitch about the retailer and its customer.
6. Find the Right Retail Buyers
Knowing how to find retail buyers is one of the biggest challenges for emerging brands.
The buyer you need to contact depends on the retailer and your product category.
Potential contacts may include:
- Category buyers
- Assistant buyers
- Merchandising managers
- Category managers
- Divisional merchandise managers
- New product teams
- Vendor onboarding teams
Some retailers provide supplier portals or specific instructions for submitting products. Others require brands to contact the merchandising department directly.
Before reaching out, research the retailer’s current buying process.
And don’t assume that sending an email to a generic customer service address will get your product in front of the right person.
7. Use Multiple Paths to Get Into Retail
There isn’t one universal way to get a product into retail.
Successful brands often use several approaches simultaneously.
Directly Contact Retail Buyers
If you can identify the appropriate buyer, a targeted introduction can be an effective way to start a conversation.
Keep your initial outreach short and focused on the retailer—not your entire company history.
Attend Retail Trade Shows
Trade shows can provide opportunities to meet buyers, distributors, sales representatives, and other industry professionals.
Depending on your category, relevant events may include:
- CES
- National Hardware Show
- The Inspired Home Show
- Toy Fair
- Outdoor Retailer
- ASD Market Week
- Category-specific trade shows
Trade shows can be particularly useful when your product benefits from an in-person demonstration.
Work With a Retail Sales Agency
An experienced retail agency can help brands navigate the process of identifying retailers, developing a retail strategy, contacting buyers, and managing the sales process.
This can be particularly valuable for eCommerce brands that have strong consumer demand but don’t have an internal retail sales team.
However, choose an agency based on its experience with your product category, target retailers, and stage of growth.
Consider Distributors and Sales Representatives
Distributors and sales representatives can play an important role in retail expansion, particularly when a retailer requires them.
But don’t assume that finding a distributor automatically means your product will reach major retailers.
A distributor typically wants to see evidence that your product has retail potential before investing significant resources in it.
In many cases, brands need to create retail demand first and use distribution as part of the broader retail strategy.
8. Be Prepared for the Retail Onboarding Process
Getting a buyer interested in your product is a major milestone—but it isn’t the end of the process.
Once a retailer decides to move forward, you may need to complete a variety of onboarding requirements.
These can include:
- Vendor agreements
- Insurance certificates
- Tax documentation
- Banking information
- EDI setup
- UPC/GTIN information
- Product data
- Compliance documentation
- Packaging requirements
- Shipping requirements
- Purchase order procedures
- Returns policies
- Warranty information
The exact requirements vary by retailer and product category.
Being prepared can make the transition from “buyer interested” to “purchase order” much smoother.
9. Don’t Confuse Getting Into Retail With Building a Retail Business
Landing your first retail account is exciting.
But one retailer does not necessarily create a successful retail business.
The bigger opportunity is building a repeatable retail sales strategy.
Once your product is selling, monitor:
- Sell-through
- Reorders
- Inventory levels
- Returns
- Customer feedback
- Promotional performance
- Sales by SKU
- Sales by retailer
Your goal shouldn’t simply be to get the initial purchase order.
The goal is to generate strong sell-through so the retailer continues ordering your products.
That distinction is important.
A large initial purchase order may look impressive, but repeat purchase orders are what demonstrate that your product is working at retail.
10. Avoid These Common Retail Mistakes
Many eCommerce brands make the same mistakes when they begin pursuing retail.
Mistake #1: Targeting Every Retailer
Not every retailer is right for your brand.
Focus on retailers where your product, price point, customer, and positioning make sense.
Mistake #2: Using Your eCommerce Pricing for Retail
Your direct-to-consumer pricing structure may not support retailer margins, distributor margins, freight, promotions, and other retail costs.
Build your retail economics before approaching buyers.
Mistake #3: Focusing Only on Getting the Purchase Order
The initial PO is not the finish line.
Retail success depends on sell-through and repeat orders.
Mistake #4: Sending Generic Buyer Emails
Retail buyers receive countless product pitches.
A generic email that could be sent to any retailer is unlikely to stand out.
Customize your pitch around the retailer’s customer, assortment, and category.
Mistake #5: Approaching Retail Too Early
If your product isn’t ready for retail, getting a buyer meeting may actually expose problems you could have solved beforehand.
Make sure your pricing, packaging, inventory, logistics, and sales materials are ready before you begin aggressively pursuing retail accounts.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Product Into Retail Stores?
There is no standard timeline for getting a product into retail.
The process can take weeks, months, or longer depending on the retailer, category, buying cycle, product readiness, and whether the retailer has an immediate need for your product.
That’s why retail expansion should be viewed as a sales process rather than a one-time pitch.
You may need to:
- Identify target retailers
- Find the appropriate buyers
- Introduce your brand
- Present your product
- Provide samples and information
- Negotiate pricing and terms
- Complete vendor onboarding
- Receive a purchase order
- Ship the product
- Monitor sell-through and pursue reorders
Persistence matters—but so does having a structured process.
From eCommerce Brand to Retail Brand
Building a successful eCommerce business gives you an important foundation for retail expansion.
But retail requires a different strategy.
You need to understand retail buyers, retailer economics, wholesale pricing, packaging, distribution, logistics, merchandising, and sell-through.
The brands that approach retail with a clear strategy are better positioned to turn an eCommerce success story into a sustainable retail business.
Ready to Expand Your Brand Into Retail?
If your product is already selling online and you’re ready to explore retail, the next step is to determine which retailers are the best fit for your brand and how to approach them.
If you’re ready to bring your product into major retailers but need help navigating the process, Retailbound can guide you every step of the way. Schedule a free consultation with one of our retail experts and discover how to get your product retail-ready, connect with the right buyers, and drive long-term retail growth.
About the Author
Yohan Jacob is the President and Founder of Retailbound, a retail channel management consultancy that helps product brands launch and grow in over 150+ retailers across the U.S. and Canada. Retailbound bridges the gap between innovative brands and major retailers, offering end-to-end services including retail strategy, buyer engagement, sales management, and channel marketing support.
