Comments on: Selling To The Supermarkets http://www.businessopportunitiesandideas.co.uk/345/selling-to-the-supermarkets Inspiration, ideas and opportunities for your business! Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:43:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: John http://www.businessopportunitiesandideas.co.uk/345/selling-to-the-supermarkets#comment-13685 John Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:27:52 +0000 http://www.businessopportunitiesandideas.co.uk/345/selling-to-the-supermarkets#comment-13685 Sean, You'll need something to show them. Basically however persistence is the key, just keep knocking on doors and making the phone calls. Sean,

You’ll need something to show them. Basically however persistence is the key, just keep knocking on doors and making the phone calls.

]]> By: Sean http://www.businessopportunitiesandideas.co.uk/345/selling-to-the-supermarkets#comment-13581 Sean Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:54:09 +0000 http://www.businessopportunitiesandideas.co.uk/345/selling-to-the-supermarkets#comment-13581 I'm late coming this debate. I met with some niche mens grooming products while in LA last week and was initially excited at the opportunity to bring the products and range to the UK & Eire market via supermarkets et al. Problem is, when I contact the supermarkets, you cannot get to talk to anyone or I suspect they want reams of material up front. What is the best way to pitch these "future parteners". I'd appreciate your experience. I’m late coming this debate. I met with some niche mens grooming products while in LA last week and was initially excited at the opportunity to bring the products and range to the UK & Eire market via supermarkets et al. Problem is, when I contact the supermarkets, you cannot get to talk to anyone or I suspect they want reams of material up front. What is the best way to pitch these “future parteners”. I’d appreciate your experience.

]]> By: John http://www.businessopportunitiesandideas.co.uk/345/selling-to-the-supermarkets#comment-6042 John Wed, 05 Dec 2007 09:54:05 +0000 http://www.businessopportunitiesandideas.co.uk/345/selling-to-the-supermarkets#comment-6042 The trouble is most people want "cheap" stuff and aren't bothered about the quality. While that's true, that's what shops will sell. The trouble is most people want “cheap” stuff and aren’t bothered about the quality. While that’s true, that’s what shops will sell.

]]> By: Rachel Elnaugh http://www.businessopportunitiesandideas.co.uk/345/selling-to-the-supermarkets#comment-6041 Rachel Elnaugh Wed, 05 Dec 2007 09:38:35 +0000 http://www.businessopportunitiesandideas.co.uk/345/selling-to-the-supermarkets#comment-6041 Have been out and about Xmas shopping - for things like tree lights, decorations etc.... What a lot of tat there is out there - cheap rubbish which you know will break within months if not weeks and certainly won't last more than one season. Is anyone else like me tiring of this rubbish and remembering the good old days when things were 'built to last?' Problem is, you don't seem to be able to buy quality any more. Rachel Have been out and about Xmas shopping - for things like tree lights, decorations etc….

What a lot of tat there is out there - cheap rubbish which you know will break within months if not weeks and certainly won’t last more than one season.

Is anyone else like me tiring of this rubbish and remembering the good old days when things were ‘built to last?’ Problem is, you don’t seem to be able to buy quality any more.

Rachel

]]> By: john http://www.businessopportunitiesandideas.co.uk/345/selling-to-the-supermarkets#comment-6023 john Wed, 05 Dec 2007 01:23:11 +0000 http://www.businessopportunitiesandideas.co.uk/345/selling-to-the-supermarkets#comment-6023 3 years ago i was facing redundancy at 50 years old. the company i worked for was a company run by a single share holding director.he i believe was offered approx £ 10,000,000 for the factory because of the location. obviously a house builder (yes it was ). most of the business was sold to other companies. there was one machine left that nobody was interested in my partner and myself took the machine and set up a ltd company. the machine was on free loan.we purchased all the raw materials and packaging from our previous employer that he would have been left with! (approx£100k).we have been supplying ?(a sister company of our previous employer)? with products for 3 years which they sell on to the major supermarkets in the uk. it has been very hard and i agree with you that the supermarkets in the uk will drive suppliers into the ground so much that manufacturing in the uk will cease and then we will have to rely on supplies from china e.t.c then when they want to up their standard of living they will put their prices up and the problem is there will be no manufacturing companies left in europe let alone the uk.i do believe that the major supermarkets in the uk will destroy manufacturing in the uk. 3 years ago i was facing redundancy at 50 years old. the company i worked for was a company run by a single share holding director.he i believe was offered approx
£ 10,000,000 for the factory because of the location.
obviously a house builder (yes it was ). most of the business was sold to other companies. there
was one machine left that nobody was interested in my partner and myself took the machine and set up a ltd company. the machine was on free loan.we purchased all the raw materials and packaging from our previous employer that he would have been left with! (approx£100k).we have been supplying ?(a sister company of our previous employer)? with products for 3 years which they sell on to the major supermarkets in the uk. it has been very hard and i agree with you that the supermarkets in the uk will drive suppliers into the ground so much that manufacturing in the uk will cease and then we will have to rely on supplies from china e.t.c then when they want to up their standard of living they will put their prices up and the problem is there will be no manufacturing companies left in europe let alone the uk.i do believe that the major supermarkets in the uk will destroy manufacturing in the uk.

]]> By: The Virtual Handshake Blog | » Carnival of the Capitalists 9-24-2007 http://www.businessopportunitiesandideas.co.uk/345/selling-to-the-supermarkets#comment-1947 The Virtual Handshake Blog | » Carnival of the Capitalists 9-24-2007 Tue, 25 Sep 2007 09:08:51 +0000 http://www.businessopportunitiesandideas.co.uk/345/selling-to-the-supermarkets#comment-1947 [...] John Crickett presents Selling To The Supermarkets posted at Business Opportunities And Ideas. While this is specifically about supermarkets, the advice here could really apply to any small supplier dealing with a large customer. [...] [...] John Crickett presents Selling To The Supermarkets posted at Business Opportunities And Ideas. While this is specifically about supermarkets, the advice here could really apply to any small supplier dealing with a large customer. [...]

]]> By: John http://www.businessopportunitiesandideas.co.uk/345/selling-to-the-supermarkets#comment-1361 John Fri, 31 Aug 2007 10:24:15 +0000 http://www.businessopportunitiesandideas.co.uk/345/selling-to-the-supermarkets#comment-1361 Rachel, I hope the move went well. I think it'd be great to hear some of your stories - perhaps in some of your future blog posts! John Rachel,

I hope the move went well.

I think it’d be great to hear some of your stories - perhaps in some of your future blog posts!

John

]]> By: Rachel Elnaugh http://www.businessopportunitiesandideas.co.uk/345/selling-to-the-supermarkets#comment-1359 Rachel Elnaugh Fri, 31 Aug 2007 10:15:55 +0000 http://www.businessopportunitiesandideas.co.uk/345/selling-to-the-supermarkets#comment-1359 John Of course I must reply! I have been moving house during the past week so have been pretty much offline. Again your summary is most accurate. Dealing with retailers is a minefield area. If I went into detail about some of the stories of my experiences in dealing with the retail sector it would make your toes curl. You can't ignore the opportunities, but also can't afford not to really think through the risk implications. And above all, trust no assurances which are made to you which are not 100% committed to and absolutely nailed down in your contract documentation. Rachel John

Of course I must reply! I have been moving house during the past week so have been pretty much offline.

Again your summary is most accurate. Dealing with retailers is a minefield area. If I went into detail about some of the stories of my experiences in dealing with the retail sector it would make your toes curl.

You can’t ignore the opportunities, but also can’t afford not to really think through the risk implications.

And above all, trust no assurances which are made to you which are not 100% committed to and absolutely nailed down in your contract documentation.

Rachel

]]> By: John http://www.businessopportunitiesandideas.co.uk/345/selling-to-the-supermarkets#comment-1060 John Fri, 17 Aug 2007 13:15:26 +0000 http://www.businessopportunitiesandideas.co.uk/345/selling-to-the-supermarkets#comment-1060 Andrew, Thank you for that excellent comment. Andrew,

Thank you for that excellent comment.

]]> By: Andrew Horder http://www.businessopportunitiesandideas.co.uk/345/selling-to-the-supermarkets#comment-1058 Andrew Horder Fri, 17 Aug 2007 13:09:54 +0000 http://www.businessopportunitiesandideas.co.uk/345/selling-to-the-supermarkets#comment-1058 One of the best ways to reduce the risk of a large customer defecting is to build a strong relationship with them using the techniques of key account management. That can also help to deflect price pressure. Strategies might include: networking deep into the account, establishing cross-border teams, multiple points of contact at multiple levels, dedicated staff & bespoke services, amongst others. It's all about making the cost of change for the customer as high as possible, while still helping them increase their profit from selling your products. Not all key accounts will be up for creating a partnership with you, but some will - it depends to a large extent on how much of a commodity you're supplying, but also on many other factors that affect how you're viewed as a supplier. Finding out where you really stand is hard, but very important, and you need to know long before the price pressure starts. There's no point wasting effort and resource trying to partner up with a customer who's just not interested. Of course, the buyers at the major multiples are wise to a lot of key account tactics, so you'll have to provide a reason for the buyer - as an individual - to allow you to get close to the organisation. Just like buyers at smaller firms, they are motivated by WII FM - what's in it for me? Usually with the multiples its not as simple as just revenue or straight profit, and that's what you'll need to find out. My time selling to large retailers (since the early 90's) has mainly been in the DIY business - they're not quite as rapacious as the supermarkets, but they're not far behind. One of the best ways to reduce the risk of a large customer defecting is to build a strong relationship with them using the techniques of key account management. That can also help to deflect price pressure. Strategies might include: networking deep into the account, establishing cross-border teams, multiple points of contact at multiple levels, dedicated staff & bespoke services, amongst others. It’s all about making the cost of change for the customer as high as possible, while still helping them increase their profit from selling your products.

Not all key accounts will be up for creating a partnership with you, but some will - it depends to a large extent on how much of a commodity you’re supplying, but also on many other factors that affect how you’re viewed as a supplier. Finding out where you really stand is hard, but very important, and you need to know long before the price pressure starts. There’s no point wasting effort and resource trying to partner up with a customer who’s just not interested.

Of course, the buyers at the major multiples are wise to a lot of key account tactics, so you’ll have to provide a reason for the buyer - as an individual - to allow you to get close to the organisation. Just like buyers at smaller firms, they are motivated by WII FM - what’s in it for me? Usually with the multiples its not as simple as just revenue or straight profit, and that’s what you’ll need to find out.

My time selling to large retailers (since the early 90’s) has mainly been in the DIY business - they’re not quite as rapacious as the supermarkets, but they’re not far behind.

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