Here are the 6 steps you need to take to have your product placed in 7-Eleven.
1. Start with the right questions.) Before you try distributing your product to 7-Eleven, you need to ask yourself a few basic questions. Do you need to build demand for your product, or is there already a demand for it? Do you know that 7-Eleven would be interested in selling your product? If you can strike a deal with 7-Eleven, can you handle the production volume? Do you want to sell directly to 7-Eleven, or do you want to license your product to a manufacturer that will handle distribution?
2. Be prepared to profit.) Does your product offer enough of a profit margin for 7-Eleven? Can you sell your product at a reasonable enough profit to cover the packaging, shipping, commissions, marketing and wholesale distribution? Check 7-Eleven’s guidelines for other fees that you will have to build into the cost of your product in order for you to be able to turn enough of a profit to make the effort worth your while. If you work with a discount retailer, they will try to strip your profits down to zero in order to keep their prices as low as possible.
The typical breakdown of margins are: If a products costs $1 to produce, that product will retail for $4. That product that retails for $4 will wholesale for $2 to distributors and stores that purchase direct. Big box retailers like 7-Eleven may offer to pay $1.25 to the manufacturer if the product costs $1 to produce. That is the typical profit margin.
3. Determine if 7-Eleven is the right store for your product.) The relationship between you and 7-Eleven starts with you browsing their store for competing products. If 7-Eleven already has a similar product, it is going to be very difficult to get your product picked up. Spend some time at your local 7-Eleven to see what kind of products they are selling, speak to the manager and see if he thinks your product will sell well in their store. Picture in which zone your product would best fit on the shelf and keep in mind that the most precious asset that these big box stores value are their shelf space. Keep this information in mind when you are preparing your presentation to 7-Eleven.
If your company is minority or women owned, check 7-Eleven’s website and see if they offer specific opportunities for those designations.
4. Pitch your product to 7-Eleven.) Decide whether it will be you or a representative to present your product to 7-Eleven. Your presentation depends heavily on your strengths as a businessperson as they will most likely ask financial questions and logistics questions.
It’s common for companies to hire a broker to pitch their product to 7-Eleven, as it will be more likely that your product will make it to the next stage if the individual pitching your product has industry knowledge or a personal relationship with 7-Eleven. The percentage of commission verses, however generally a broker will take around 5% to represent your product to 7-Eleven.
We at Mr. Checkout have experience dealing with brokers and know that there are several retail brokers that have poor business practices that can potentially damage your brand. If you are seeking a legitimate 7-Eleven broker, please give us a call for a recommendation. It could save you a huge headache and a lot of money.
5. Complete the required 7-Eleven paperwork.) Often 7-Eleven will have you go through an application process. However, before submitting the paperwork required by 7-Eleven, you should contact a buyer at 7-Eleven and let them know your intentions. Having a contact inside of the company will potentially move your application more smoothly through the process.
6. Anticipate the need for increased volume.) Having 7-Eleven agree to stock your product will most likely mean a significant increase in volume. You should be prepared to ramp up your production and informing your manufacturer of this opportunity.
Having production, logistics and distribution to sync is not only difficult, it requires a significant amount of time invested in customer relations. Also, 7-Eleven may have stipulations in the contract that may penalize you for delays in shipping and production. Have an attorney explain all contracts to you if you don’t understand the terms.
If you’re looking to distribute your product to 7-Eleven, be sure to thoroughly assess the marketplace, carefully prepare for production growth, and take full advantage of resources available to help you grow your business.