Category management product marketing retail marketing Strategy

Retail sales strategy: why ‘just having a good product’ won’t cut it

You’ve got a great product. Retail ready. Packaging that pops. People love it.

So why aren’t the buyers emailing you to invite you in to present? Why don’t they respond when you contact them?

Here’s the short version: a good product gets you in the game, but it doesn’t win you shelf space.

Retailers aren’t just looking for great products. They’re looking for smart, strategic suppliers who can be partners to make their category work harder (and more profitable). And if that’s not how you’re showing up, you’re leaving listings (and growth) behind.

So how can we fix it?

What retail buyers are really looking for

Buyers have oodles of decisions to make and not much time to make them. They’re not just assessing your product, they’re assessing you and your business.

Here’s what can make the difference:

  • You understand their category (and their pain points)
  • Your product solves a clear shopper need
  • You’ve thought about pricing, margin, promotions and logistics
  • You come prepared with insight, not just enthusiasm for your own product.

If you’re missing those? Even the best tasting, prettiest, planet friendliest product won’t be enough.

Retail buyer reviewing supplier proposals with a laptop and product range
Buyers aren’t just picking products, they’re picking partners.

So what is a retail sales strategy?

Think of it like this. . . if your product is the “what,” your retail sales strategy is the “why now” and “why you”. It’s what makes a buyer say yes.

Here’s what it includes (and no, it doesn’t need to be 40 pages long):

1. Know the category, not just your product

If you don’t know where you sit on shelf or what role you play in the range, buyers won’t either. Know the gaps. Speak their language. Suggest range changes. Show them where and why your product fits.

2. Position your offer like a partner, not a pitch

Retailers want to work with people who get it. Show that you understand their goals (for the business and them personally…think career growth etc.), not just your own. One-size-fits-all won’t cut it.

3. Back it up with insight, not just gut feeling

Bring data. Shopper behaviour. Sales patterns. Even simple stuff helps. It shows you’ve done your homework and you’re serious about growth. For them. And with them.

Small business owner reviewing retail performance data and insights
Even simple data shows you’ve done your homework…and buyers notice.

Still winging it? Take 2 minutes to check.

If you’re not sure how strategic your approach actually is, or what gaps are in your retail strategy, start here:

Take the retail strategy check-up

It’s quick, free, and it gives you a personalised result you can act on. No faff. No jargon. Just clarity.

Because retail is too competitive and lucrative to rely on hope.

Final thought

A great product is just the beginning. A clear, confident retail strategy is what gets you in front of the right buyers, with the right story, at the right time.

Need a nudge in the right direction? That’s exactly what the quiz is for.

Take the quiz now and find out if your current approach is helping or holding you back.
Brand owner discussing growth strategy with a retail consultant
Need help making retail work for you? Start with the right strategy.

Author

  • Gill is a professional marketing de-muddler (ok, marketing strategist, if we’re being formal). She creates impactful marketing strategies for managing directors, sales directors, CEOs, business owners, and other business leaders in retail, manufacturing, e-commerce, and product-based sectors. And, she makes those strategies happen — which means action! Right from the initial stages of planning, manufacturing, and logistics through to customer service, category management and more. . .

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