Launching retail products

Spice Girl

Has anyone any experience of selling in to retail stores? I do wedding stationery and I want to do up some packs of papers and paper products (wallets, gatefolds) which I think would do well in retail.
If, for example, I was selling in to Easons, would I need to have barcodes on the packaging?
Is there a guide anyone could recommend?

jimmii

Some of the chains would insist on Barcodes some would just do their own anyway so need for you to do them. We have a range of small Irish suppliers and some barcode some don't in the long run its probably something you would want to do but to for sure but in the short term it might not be imperative. Do you want to send me a PM might be interested to hear some more about what you do!

Spice Girl

Spice Girl wrote: »

Has anyone any experience of selling in to retail stores? I do wedding stationery and I want to do up some packs of papers and paper products (wallets, gatefolds) which I think would do well in retail.
If, for example, I was selling in to Easons, would I need to have barcodes on the packaging?
Is there a guide anyone could recommend?

Go pick up a competing product thats already for sale in Easons and you'll see what is required. You cannot sell a product though a proper retail stores without a barcode otherwise it won't work with their EPOS system.

msdoc

Had to create a new profile. Not sure why.

I had a look in Easons yesterday. Some items had barcodes, others had what looked to be stickers with barcodes on them - looked like Easons themselves added the barcodes.

jimmii

msdoc wrote: »

Had to create a new profile. Not sure why.

I had a look in Easons yesterday. Some items had barcodes, others had what looked to be stickers with barcodes on them - looked like Easons themselves added the barcodes.

Some places will barcode everything themselves specifically for their own system varies from place to place if they like your products they will happily barcode them on most systems its very straight forward.

You must of been dealing with some generous retailers Jimmii!

jimmii

I used to work for a nationwide chain that did it all themselves I thought it was pretty mad but thats what they did! Seems a few places do the same no idea why I guess once you go down that route you have to run with it! If its a product for independents then a lot wouldn't even use the barcodes as long as there is a product code on then that might suffice.

delahuntv

Everyone thinks the big chain is the easy route, but they'll hammer you on price and drop you like a lead balloon if they don't sell through. Also, they rarely have someone available to talk about your products.

Every bride will visit a bridal shop long before they are sending invitations. Most bridal shops are small independent retailers, so relatively easy to talk to and if your product is good, some will try it.

If it sells well for the initial few retailers, you can let other retailers know they are selling well and you add more retailers.

A selling point to independents would be that your products will not be in the chain stores.

msdoc

Thanks.
I'm not actually intending on targetting the bigger chains, not initially. I'm going to see if some independent sales agents will take on the products on a commission basis.

bdo

Would it make sense to try retailing them through wedding dress shops on a sale or return basis?

msdoc

bdo wrote: »

Would it make sense to try retailing them through wedding dress shops on a sale or return basis?

I have been round many wedding dress shops but don't know how many of them stock stationery as well. I could leave flyers in the dress shops, directing brides to my website.
I was thinking more along the lines of hobby shops - Art n Hobby shop etc

daviecronin

msdoc wrote: »

I have been round many wedding dress shops but don't know how many of them stock stationery as well. I could leave flyers in the dress shops, directing brides to my website.
I was thinking more along the lines of hobby shops - Art n Hobby shop etc

I love your idea and haven't seen much like it. I don't mean to hijack the thread but I myself am trying to get a food product into some unique cafes or the likes but its so hard. I don't want to walk in and get all embarrassed but yet I really want to get it off the ground and give it a trial run. Its so hard to when you don't have the contacts.
Does anyone know do all food products have to list ingredients and energy and stuff or what? Sorry for hijacking the thread! Sounds like a great idea good luck with it!

msdoc

Have you looked at the bord bia site?
bordbiavantage.ie/startingyourbusiness/Pages/default.aspx