BUSINESS: Insiders View ~ What Retailers Look For When Choosing Products

In order to succeed in a highly competitive market, as a retailer one of the most important choices that you make will be which products to stock. It is crucial to get this right as it is the difference between your customers revisiting your shop or going elsewhere. The products that you stock in your shop will directly contribute towards your shop’s success or failure. This makes your product choices vitally important.

 

 

Calladoodles runs in a similar way to a co-operative; we rent spaces to designer-makers. We are inundated daily with emails from designer-makers asking for a space in the shop. We have an application process, which helps us to find just the right people and products for the shop. I will often head hunt people from online sources if I see a product I like.

 

In this article I will try to outline the basics of what myself and other retailers will probably be looking for in a product.This will be the first in a number of these articles, I will begin with the basics and I go into details in subsequent articles.

 

 

I appreciate the time invested in hand crafted products.  I want to help empower designer-makers, so that they have the best chance of getting their work in to bricks and mortar outlets. I totally support the ‘buy handmade’ campaign.  I would like to see many more handmade products on our high streets.  So, below is some inside information detailing the things that retailers really look for!

 

Retailers will be looking for new work, ahead of their time, on trend, unusual pieces that are on top of current styles. There are products that are timeless, classics that will see you through every season. An example is our Scrabble pictures; these are great for every occasion and have no seasonal constraints. 

 

 

Ask yourself questions such as:

If you research and find other products like yours, the chances are that the retailer may have seen these ideas before and would be looking for something extremely special to replace the products that they already have. If you search the retailers’ website or visit the shop and see no evidence of your product type, it may be that there is a niche for you, but it may also be because the retailer has chosen not to go with this particular product. Keep this in mind to avoid disappointment.

 

 

Whilst the retailer won’t want to see the same products as they already have, there are styles that the retailer may favour. So, if your product fits in with the shop style and you aren’t replicating products they already have then go for it!

 

Quality is vital, with huge amounts to choose from a retailer will want the very best quality products. Branding is also crucial. A product with a well-designed price tag and up market business cards are much more likely to be favoured by a retailer than an unbranded or badly branded product.

 

 

Pricing will depend on the shop’s business model, some shops prefer items with the lowest possible pricing, this will usually be the case in stores who work on a sale or return basis or who buy at wholesale prices. Most retailers understand that really well made pieces are worth paying extra for, however they might not want to buy in volume if they have no previous experience of that particular item selling.

 

Co-operative shops and galleries rent spaces and work on a commission basis, the designer-maker has a set rent to pay each month for the space, they may then be asked to work in the shop. Commission will be taken at the end of the month. The pricing of the products are generally chosen by the designer-maker. 

In Calladoodles we fully staff the shop, so designer-makers are not required to work in the shop at all. We are happy to sell a mixture of price ranges, as we believe that to attract all potential customers we need to have a cross section of prices. 

 

 

We work with our designer-makers to ensure that products are of a high standard, to maintain consistently high levels of sales. High sales are beneficial for everyone; they result in happy customers and happy designer-makers. Designer-makers selling within the shop will benefit from each other’s successes; every success will mean that more customers return to the shop! The shop itself benefits as it becomes an increasingly popular place to be!

 

It is important to make a good first impression in your chosen shop, so that you stand out. Retailers will look for people who have great products but, just as importantly, people who will work well with the shop, as part of the team. Do some research on the shop to see if they sell handmade goods? The UK handmade directory of shops is a fabulous place to start!

 

 

Taking stock in to a shop out of the blue can be stressful as it will put you on the spot unnecessarily, it may also be inconvenient for the retailer to look at work when customers are in and out of the store. It is far better to send a friendly but professional email with pictures and website links showing your work. Try to show photos of work or websites, a professional photo will go a long way to impressing the retailer, photos taken in your living room won’t do your product justice.

 

Remember that if one shop turns down your work this doesn’t mean that it won’t be accepted in another shop. With a strong product and a professional approach, there is no reason why you shouldn’t find your ideal outlet with a little bit of shopping around!