How to Sell Your Product in Target Stores
October 23, 2007
I love Target, don’t you? Wouldn’t it be amazing to sell to them? If you have the resources to produce 9,000+ units, then you should consider it! Fairy Godmother, Margie Zable Fisher of Zable Fisher PR writes the following article about how to get your foot in the door with Target. She writes:
Can I share a secret with you?
It’s not all that hard to get Target interested in selling your products. Why would you want to sell to Target? Well, each of 
the 1,500 Target stores usually orders at least a half dozen products from each vendor — that’s at least 9,000 sales right out of the gate! Sounds like a pretty good reason, right? Plus, Target is the place to sell any high design products “Tar-jay”, as it is sometimes called, has a certain cache.
So how can you get a Target buyer interested in your product? Here are some ways that a Target buyer I spoke with finds new products:
1. Attending trade shows. Do you skip exhibiting at trade shows because you think they’re a waste of time and money? Think again. Many Target buyers find new products at trade shows. It’s a great way for the buyers to see many products at one time.
2. Publicity. For product companies, publicity provides a double-win: not only do you attract consumers willing to buy your product, but you also attract the attention of retailers who might want to sell your product. My Target buyer source tells me that reading about a great new product in a magazine or newspaper, seeing it on a TV show, or reading a favorable review about a new product online is a great way to get her attention.
3. Sales Reps. Large retailers like Target often work with professional sales companies that show them products that would work for them. All these sales companies do is sell to large retailers, so they have access to many buyers.
But there’s a LOT more to it…
What criteria does Target look for in a product?
What financials do you need to know before approaching Target?
Will you manufacture or license your product?
When can you expect to be paid by Target?
How long is the process?
WHERE do you start?
To learn MY step-by-step formula for getting your products on the shelves of Target and skyrocketing your sales, see my Special Report, “How to Get Your Product on the Shelves at Target, available here: http://zfpr.com/target.htm.
Margie Zable Fisher is president of Zable Fisher Public Relations, the leader in small business public relations. She publishes the ˜PRactical P.R.’ weekly ezine with thousands of subscribers. If you’re ready to jump-start your business through low-cost and free public relations and publicity techniques, get your FREE tips now at http://www.zfpr.com.
Now it’s your turn: I want to know if any of you have already tried to get a product into Target, what was your experience?? How did you get your product noticed? What recommendations do YOU have for other Startup Princesses who want to sell to Target?
Thank you Margie for your wonderful insight on this topic. I can totally see the value and excitement of being picked up by a retailer such as Target! Of course each opportunity often has more than one side to it and more than one effect. As a business owner of a online retail shop catering to unique mom invented items I seek out and prefer to focus on the products that are NOT in stores like Target. In fact, at this point if I am approached by a product that is already in a mass retailer, I will often not consider it. To me, the uniqueness is a bit affected and the ease of availability makes it much less likely to be ordered online.
I have found a growing trend in the types of products I carry being picked up by Target.com. In fact there have been at least 4-5 in just this past year. While this is exciting for the manufacture of the product I can’t help feel that it changes something about the way the product is viewed when it enters the mass market and of course it can’t help but affect my sales.
It is just interesting to see how even online stores are affected by the “big guys” taking the smaller companies with unique products and adding them to their line. It is a bit like the Wal-Mart issue and small mom and pop stores only in cyberspace. As any other type of obstacle, this just forces me to continue creative efforts in marketing and sales and encourages me to continue great personal customer service and free shipping and the many other little details that Target.com can’t always do. My point is just that there are pros can cons to any business decision and choosing to go after the big guys will change your business and potentially the companies that you work with so be sure to consider it all carefully to determine what your long term goals are, who want your target customer to be and what type of business connections will be most essential to help you reach your goals.
Yes, Heather, you’re right! there are pros and cons to this decision…I’ve heard of people who have over-extended themselves for manufacturing product for big box stores and then they don’t get paid in a timely fashion and it hurts them. But then it can be just the thing to move things to a higher level and reach a new, big audience. But once you move forward to big box, there isn’t much opportunity for returning to specialty retail, such as Moms 4 Life, etc. One thing that Manhattan Toy does is they only release to Target after they discontinue a product or after they give to the specialty retailer at least 6 months exclusivity on the product. I like that concern for the smaller retailer!
Hi Heather and Kelly,
You make great points. One area I see right now as an opportunity for small or online retailers is products made in the U.S.A. (especially toys).
The large retailers aren’t interested in doing this, but consumers (especially Moms) are really interested in safety right now.
Heather I really need your help.. I have cam up with a great product for women and chlidren. I am stuck with finding the right road map in getting my product to small retailers..
Any help you can give!
Thanks
Chrissie
I have something I would like to submit to Target. Who do I go to–where do I start?
I am actually going to disagree with some of your advice. I have my products sold online and it is very hard to get into the store. I have a lot of PR, I have attended trade shows and I can tell you Target buyers do not just go up to anyone. You need to know the right people. We do use sales reps that represent us in our online experience. Target is looking for branded names, a real product that can sell itself.
Hi Maggie,
I am not sure we would be able to produce enough since it’s handmade, but hey it’s a good problem.
Thanks for the tips. We made these beautiful plantable greeting cards we would like Tar-jay to get interested into
Thanks for sharing your tips.
Hi! I have an idea that I think would be great for Target to manufacture and sell under their own brand….how do I do this?? Any help would be appreciated!!
Thanks!
I enjoyed looking at your site. I am interested in promoting my line too. I will be attending trade shows also.
Hi, great ideas and tips here. I think the bottom line is to be your best you must be prepared. Dont forget how important it is to be ready for these opportunities, make sure your website looks great and is user friendly, make sure your product looks great and is priced for todays market. Having all of your fundamentals in place is the first step to be able to run forward when the time comes.
I have been looking for a way to get into the door of target.If you have any advise on how can I get my product in.I have this product, a pendant titled THE GIFT, One is silver and one is gold ,5 grams ,If I can find a way to get my pendants positioned with Target, It would be a great reward and accomplishment.
I am just starting and I actually don’t really know what I need to do to get my GIFT Pendants moving and get in to Target store .I just Really started this month,I went to one of the Targets in Connecticut and ask around on who I need to speak to.I was able to pick up a hundred of this and I would like for Target to see this product ,I believe that they would love my product because if you look at the big picture the name alone will sell itself ,…It can be global.
Ramon Ramoss last blog post…another Sunday
I want to come in the export business but i am not able to find buyers .I wanted to work with TARGET Buyer if you can you help me on this.
Thanx n Regards
Rahul Mandaar
Good Morning Dear
We are looking forward to serve in home textile & any kind of
fabrique nedded by the buyer also , ISO crtified company established in 2007
working with the Europen & American buyers.
also waiting to serve you as Huge volume is bing imported by you
with best regards
kashif AZHAR
I am a t-shirt designer with a huge interest in selling my line in Target. I am also able to produce the necessary quantities. Who should I contact and could you suggest specific Trade-shows to attend?
thanks,
Tangela Linder
We design handbags and clutches using designer fabrics. We sell a handbag and a clutch that are unique and one of a kind never duplicated. We also sell two clutches made from Italian and Belgium fabrics.
All our products are hand sewn in San Antonio, Texas by a group of Hispanic women who formed a sewing cooperative after the Levi Strauss plant closed in San Antonio.
The women who purchase our bags love them. We have never had one returned.
I think I bags would do well in Target because that are three things women like:
Fashionable, Affordable, One of a kind. She will never see another woman carrying her bag.
Is there anyway a meeting can be arranged with a Target buyer?
I would like to have an opportunity to sell custom made jewelry to Targets. I would like information on how to reach a buyer. It would be nice if a buyer would hold a conference for those interested in selling their products to Target. Target, if you would please take time to acknowledge those of us who with potential to bring great service to you.
Thank you!
Thanks for your interest in selling to Target. What I found when I created my report on how to sell to Target, is that most people don’t do their homework before approaching Target.
For instance, you need to have certain capabilities for shipping and manufacturing, as well as marketing plans, in place before Target even takes you seriously.
Target does not provide a list of buyers. I offer several Sales Rep firms that work frequently with Target buyers, and provide terrific resources to make sure that you have the best chance to sell your product to Target.
You can learn more about my report here: http://zfpr.com/target.htm.
Best Regards,
Margie
Dear Margie
I am an 82 year old grandmother, I have been painting in oils, water colors etc for many years, mostly to give away as presents. Lately I see the great success of a T-shirt company (Xuxumushu I believe its the name) and I have designed a line of zoo animals illustrations that could serve for the manufacture of t-shirts, bags, hats, etc, Everyone who sees these designs tells me they would be very successful if I can market them, but there is the problem, I do not know how to go about it. My home is in San Diego, California but at the present time I live with my daughter and grand children in Barcelona , Spain.
I would like to submit some of my designs to you as a sample of the prints of zoo animals, I have been looking at the products sold by the zoos and they do not have anything like my designs. I think they could be sold to the many zoos around the country or to a big store like Target or Sears. the name is ZooperZoos.com. Kindly let me know if there is any possibility that you might want to represent me. I thank you for your attention.
Hello to all the Start up MoMs,
If you want to get your product into Target or any other major retailer, calling them or submitting your info on their site will not get the job done. You need to attend tradeshows where the buyers are likely to be and then they can interact with you and your product. You need to stand out and be different than all the other vendors that are fighting to get their product onto their shelves. Learn all you can about the retailer you are approaching and find out when they look at products similar to yours. The fastest and easiest way to get a buyers attention is to contact a ex-buyer with is usually a Broker.
Best of Luck,
Boostmyproduct.com
Dear Ms. Fisher and anyone else reading that may have valuable advice.
I plan to start a childrens/tweens cosmetic line starting off with mostly glosses, polish, etc. The name and product packaging will play a major role in the marketing/advertising campaign. My initial idea was a clothing line for the same demographic group, that would later result in beauty, bedroom decor, etc., but decided to start with the beauty portion based on a number of factors including the US and world economy. Beauty and Health normally prevail and still do well. I read above about going into a big box store and considering your specialty market and how it can be affected. Do you think it’s wise to start with going for the gusto and getting with a large retailer if you can, maybe only selling to a selected number of Target, Walmart, or Sephora Stores?Any advice is much appreciated!!!
Hillary Dukes
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