Tesco/Dunnes Contract

investment · 19-07-2011 10:39pm #1

Hi all,

Just an enquiry to see if anyone could advise me on how to go about contacting Tesco/Dunnes to present my product for future sales in their stores?

Any help would be gratefully received.

Kinetic^ · 19-07-2011 11:16pm

You'll need to contact their buying department in their head offices. I'd suggest calling and seeing if you get anywhere.

If that doesn't work and they ignore you or don't take your calls. Call their HQ and ask for accounts receivable and you'll get put through to that department, when someone answers say sorry you were looking for the buyer in "x" area. It may or may not work, worth a try though. Happy hunting.

fasttalkerchat · 20-07-2011 2:48am

Find out the names of the buyers and dig as much as you can online. If you don't get them on the phone then walk right into the building.

maxer68 · 20-07-2011 7:39am

Its not too difficult to get a meeting to show a product, especially if the product is good, but its extremely difficult to get it listed.

And then they squeeze you for every cent of profit and then make you wait 3 months for payment.

Try getting it listed in smaller stores and then show a track record of sales.

EKRIUQ · 20-07-2011 8:10am

Be prepared to pay a listing fee of €100,000 just to get it on shelf's

Gloomtastic! · 20-07-2011 8:24am

Kinetic^ wrote: »

You'll need to contact their buying department in their head offices. I'd suggest calling and seeing if you get anywhere.

If that doesn't work and they ignore you or don't take your calls. Call their HQ and ask for accounts receivable and you'll get put through to that department, when someone answers say sorry you were looking for the buyer in "x" area. It may or may not work, worth a try though. Happy hunting.

You have to do whatever it takes. Nice one!! :rolleyes:

Bandara · 20-07-2011 8:59am

You'll find it very difficult to get them anyway interested if you only have one or 2 products to sell. It may be a better option to approach a larger company that currently deals with them and have them supply your product via their channels (for a percentage of the sales etc)

fasttalkerchat · 20-07-2011 2:08pm

EKRIUQ wrote: »

Be prepared to pay a listing fee of €100,000 just to get it on shelf's

I would be very surprised if they demanded that from a small business. Tesco were accused of demanding up to 250,000 to list products but that was to large international companies trying to break into the UK/Ireland.

investment · 20-07-2011 2:12pm

EKRIUQ wrote: »

Be prepared to pay a listing fee of €100,000 just to get it on shelf's

Why would you have to pay them to have it listed, after all you will be making them money

?

They should be happy to have new stock

Lyn256 · 20-07-2011 2:18pm

They should be happy to have new stock[/QUOTE]

So you'd think!

I'm out of the FMCG business awhile but superquinn and supervalu seem to be more approachable to listing new irish companies and products.

Can you tell us the area that you product is in (Dairy/Frozen/Health) be as specific as possible and someone here might be able to get you the name of a buyer-

Another idea is to network with other small companies doing similar to you and see how they got on.
Let me warn you-its seriously tough-their way or the high way.
If you're lucky enough to get a listing you have 3-6 months to prove your product or it is of the shelves . . . .

enviro · 20-07-2011 5:02pm

investment wrote: »

Why would you have to pay them to have it listed, after all you will be making them money?

They should be happy to have new stock

The practice is known as "slotting fees"

People who watched "The Apprentice" on BBC this year would have heard Tom talking about how he got his product into Walmart in the U.S

He went into the HQ in the U.S, armed with the buyer's name and his product gift wrapped in a presentable manner.... He went to reception and requested an audience with this buyer so he could deliver his package. His request was declined but he was told he could leave the package for them at reception.
He insisted the delivery would have to be made in person and nothing else would be acceptable. He got what he wanted, the buyer came to reception, Tom gave the package to the lady and continued to explain that he had a new product he would like to discuss with her. She gave him 5 mins to pitch and he got his product listed with Walmart.

OP, could you try something similar?

Tangled · 20-07-2011 8:34pm

As others said, you find out who the buyer is for your category and try to get a meeting with them. Buyers are generally ruthless though, you have to be very prepared before going to see them.

Tesco are now trying to go the 'local' route similar to how Super Valu operate, the have a showcase event now and again where you can come and meet the buyer, and if you're successful they will allow you to stock a limited number of stores in your area. The guy handling this is Jack Irwin, if this is a route that might work for you I can give you his contact details.

Be warned though, everything will be on their terms (whichever chain you deal with), you will have to have a large marketing budget and commit to so many promotions etc (for which there will be administration charges, stock costs etc) as well as doing a 2for1 offer or similar to start with them. You might also find yourself expanding your business to deal with their orders, only to be dropped by them further down the line... lots of business have been hurt in this way.

If you give an idea of the category you'd be selling I may be able to offer more info...

investment · 20-07-2011 11:59pm

There have been some great replies thanks, I dont want to give my idea away but It would be a man's product

I'll probably try and contact the people mentioned above

Denerick · 21-07-2011 6:19pm

Its not overly difficult - contact the buyer by phone and pitch your product. Make it quick and make sure its not rubbish. If the product is good enough then it should be good to go. You'd be insane to do this by yourself though, far better to go with an existing supplier and let them pay you a royalty/finders fee. The sheer hassle of having one single product from one single supplier is likely to put the buyer off immediately.

Bandara · 21-07-2011 8:29pm

Denerick wrote: »

Its not overly difficult - contact the buyer by phone and pitch your product. Make it quick and make sure its not rubbish. If the product is good enough then it should be good to go. You'd be insane to do this by yourself though, far better to go with an existing supplier and let them pay you a royalty/finders fee. The sheer hassle of having one single product from one single supplier is likely to put the buyer off immediately.

Its extremely difficult, difficult beyond belief. No buyer in a large symbol group is ever going to answer a random call.

Denerick · 21-07-2011 10:20pm

Hammertime wrote: »

Its extremely difficult, difficult beyond belief. No buyer in a large symbol group is ever going to answer a random call.

Somebody gets a call... they answer the phone... These people aren't gods, they don't have secretaries. They get random phonecalls from suppliers all the time. Again, if the idea is good enough it might be taken seriously. Though I do confess it will be a little eccentric if the well meaning young man (The OP) just turns up and starts speaking like some East End barrow boy, pitching 'the next great thing'. He should pitch to a supplier before going near a buyer.

Tesco/Dunnes Contract

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