Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

I have a new product and my next step is to start approaching retailers to see if they want to stock my product.  What are the usual requirements?

I heard that products need to have bar codes on the packaging and to have at least 1 million in product liability insurance.  Is that true?

1. If my product has 4 sizes and two colors, do I need to have a bar code for each size and for each color?

2. Can I design my packaging the way I like it or will they tell me how they like it packaged to keep pilferage down?

4. Do I pay for freight charges or do they pay for freight delivered to their store?

5. What other things do they require?

I appreciate any advise on this matter as I am still a green thumb needing all the help I can get in this area.  Thanks so much!

 

 

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Hi Jeannie,

You`d benefit tremendously by reading the material on this site, most of what you learn from gearing your company to do business with them will apply to almost all larger retailers.

Good luck!

Hi Elids,

Thanks! I will be sure to read it thoroughly! 

Jeannie

 

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I heard that products need to have bar codes on the packaging and to have at least 1 million in product liability insurance.  Is that true?
As a general rule YES
1. If my product has 4 sizes and two colors, do I need to have a bar code for each size and for each color?
Yes, sounds like you will need 8 SKUs. This can drive up your package printing costs a great deal. There is no rule against "stick-on" bar codes. There are companies that specialize in this if you choose to put these on by hand.

2. Can I design my packaging the way I like it or will they tell me how they like it packaged to keep pilferage down? 
As a general rule they won`t tell you how to package, but it`s all part of the sales process. From a retailer`s point of view the package is part of the product, not just a storage device.

4. Do I pay for freight charges or do they pay for freight delivered to their store?
Most of our customers were mail-order catalogs. They always paid. They would say "use this carrier , here is our account number, charge it to us". It may vary in other industries.

5. What other things do they require?
Master case preparation and labeling. If you`re sending pallets, or cardboard masters there will be a wide variety of requirements. I`ve seen everything from no standards at all to systems involving unique bar codes on each box sent. Don`t get too hung up on this, It` a good problem to have.

I just released i already bought your product, and can look at a real life example.
oh yes, fits just right, or .... I mean Left
The Number 1 thing you need is a Peg hole. Anything under 2lb must be able to hang on a peg.

I would use a poly bag (much cheaper than ziplock) and then use a folded and printed cardboard card on the top. This card would have a hole punched in it.  The card would be stapled on, attaching it to the bag and sealing it at the same time. Visit any hardware store to see an example.
good luck  Jeff

Hi Jeff, not Sloan. I have my product packaged just as you discribe and feel that I`m ready for market but even though I have sent out samples to my core market I have yet to hear back from any of them. Any sugestions? 

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WESTNOVA

Hi Jeff, not Sloan!

So YOU are the one from SUN who was my first supporter! After reading your post just now, I realized that I sent a "thank you" letter to the wrong Jeff from SUN!  I feel so ! Can I send you an email directly because I owe you a big Thanks!?  Let me know.

As for the UPC bar codes, have you ever heard of Simply Barcodes?  Do you suggest that I purchase 8 bar codes from the legitimate company, GS1US or should I purchase barcodes from online companies such as Simply Barcodes or Buyacode.com?  Are they reliable?

As for packaging, Yes, you are right, I do need a peg hole for my ziplock bags. I really should have purchased ziplock bags with the peg hole on top. 

If you had a choice of packaging for my product, which would you choose:

1. A ziplock bag (so that customers can re-store their SmudgeGuard)? 

2. A polybag with the cardboard hole on top?   Or

3. No plastic bag, just a cardboard envelope package with a hole on top?

Or it wouldn`t matter to customers at all?

Jeannie

 

 

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Hi Westnova,

I have sent out samples to key market companies too! I haven`t heard from any of them yet either.  Since my product is new, my guess is that they are not interested.  There are times when I feel like, what`s wrong? I wish they would just write a simple note saying that they are not interested because... and explain the reason so that I know what their concerns are.  But when I don`t receive any response at all, it can get depressing.  I don`t know, I find that I have alot of highs and lows when being an entrepreneur.   

Jeannie

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Jeannie
For the bar code, we had a good discussion back in July about this.

You`ll have to do the math on this. The GS1 US is like Disneyland for bureaucrats, but once you buy your prefix code, all the numbers after that are free. Meaning you can have thousands of codes at no extra cost.

I really should have purchased ziplock bags with the peg hole on top.

I think i would go with that if you can find it. i don`t recall seeing it out there. I would vote against all cardboard. People might want to see in.

One more thing about insurance.... you might decide to postpone it until someone requires it, you can always get it at the last minute, just price it out first and be ready.

jeff

Westnova
Hi, We still can`t see your website. I`m assuming this is where your product is on display. When I click on the link .. it just goes to AOL home page. We`ve gone over this before.  I would grab some highschool kid, and ask him to get you out of this AOL hell. Consider it an investment ... so  the SuN people could give you much more accurate feedback

jeannie and West...
2 points ... you`re going up a steep hill when you have one product. Retailers would rather buy a less profitable product from a guy that`s supplying 50 SKUs than buy your more profitable product with one , or a couple of SKUs. There`s a lot of paper work involved on their side for each new vendor. Computers are changing this, but understand you`re at a slight disadvantage.

You want to create the appearance that this thing is selling ... and you (the retailer) are late to the party. No one wants to be the very first person at the party.
Start with a great web site and then get some free publicly with tiny articles about "new and notable" products on the market.
Jeannie .. i would go after web stores. . for lefties and art web sites, and then art supply catalogs. Once you get into one catalog, the others will see it and feel they are late to the party....   

A completely different approach is to team up with the guy selling 50 SKUs. Someone might introduce you to this person. He/She might be a manufacture or distributor, It`s hard to say. This would clean up your insurance and bar code problems all at once.


Well that`s my best shot ..
Good luck  jeff