VENDORCO Blog

VENDORCO helping to expand retail success

Costco Vendor

Susan Walker - Wednesday, August 31, 2011
A Costco vendor is sometimes referred to as a Costco Supplier.  A Costco vendor is any company that is currently selling products to Costco, or has sold products to Costco in the past. A company that serves the same demographic and who has an established brand in a particular region or nationally could be considered by Costco to become a vendor.

Costco Vendor Guide

Susan Walker - Friday, August 26, 2011

Costco is one of the largest retailers in the United States with vendors jumping at the chance to sell their products in the warehouses. However, in order to satisfy Costco and the Costco member, vendors must have an understanding of Costco’s processes and ensure that the necessary work is put in to implement these processes.

Vendors are responsible for managing creative, manufacturing, packaging, delivery, accounting, customer service, and so much more.  In order to serve Costco well, a vendor guide can be very useful. 

An effective vendor guide may be in the form of a manufacturer representative, also known as an independent broker or product placement company/individual. Representatives often specialize in a particular retailer.

If you’re looking for a Costco vendor guide, look no further than VENDORCO. We offer over 20 years of Costco specific expertise, saving you time and money with your Costco program, and cutting out the guesswork. We offer many services that are useful for current and future Costco vendors.

Browse our website for information about the scope of our business, or contact a VENDORCO representative today: Contact Us

Webinars

Susan Walker - Thursday, August 25, 2011

Webinars are interactive and useful if you are looking for knowledge about a specific topic. What should you look for in a webinar? First, look at the company/individual hosting the webinar. Are they reputable? What is their expertise? What is the subject matter? What is the length of the webinar?

A webinar with a broad topic, such as “Costco” that runs 30 minutes is not likely to provide detailed information. A webinar that is topic specific and lasts an hour will likely provide the details that you are looking for.

If you are looking for specific information about Costco, VENDORCO is proud to announce our brand new webinars. Our first webinar will walk you through the entire process of Costco Roadshows, covering the pros and cons, and providing a complete guide from presentation to tear down and follow up. This webinar is great for companies considering Roadshows, small companies interested in Costco relationships, or any company interested in learning about what a Roadshow is, and how it may help your company. Even if you have already proceeded with Costco Roadshows, you may find value in this informative webinar. No matter your timing in the process, you should proceed with caution and knowledge.  

Click HERE for more information


Upcoming VENDORCO webinar dates:
September 13, 2011 - 10:00 AM PST
September 28, 2011 - 11:00 AM PST
October 13, 2011 - 12:00 PM PST
October 28, 2011 - 1:00 PM PST
November 14, 2011 - 10:00 AM PST
November 29, 2011 - 11:00 AM PST
December 7, 2011 - 12:00 PM PST

15 Elements of Successful Product Placement

Susan Walker - Monday, August 22, 2011
The 15 Elements of Successful Product Placement are the 15 essential steps that are necessary to achieve maximum retail success.

The Elements were crafted and developed by VENDORCO's CEO, S.D. Walker. Through 20+ years of Costco experience, including buying, operations, distribution, and manufacturers representation, S.D. Walker has gained the knowledge and expertise necessary to succeed in retail.

To assist aspiring retail manufacturers and service providers, VENDORCO now offers this knowledge and expertise in a short, easy to read book. The 15 Elements of Successful Product placement book is provided as a FREE added value to your initial purchase of a 20 minute Professional Consultation purchase.
To purchase, visit www.vendorco.com/consulting

20 Minutes of Advice

Susan Walker - Friday, August 19, 2011

Expertise in key areas of business is essential to your success.

 

You may spend years acquiring knowledge or paying employees to acquire knowledge pertaining to a specific field of business. Hours, dollars and time that could be spent growing your business and focusing on your businesses strengths.

 

Retail product placement is OUR strength. Over 20 years of experience has crafted our business, and our experts are here to help your company grow.

20 minutes of advice through VENDORCO’s Professional Telephone Consultations can help provide direction or answer your outstanding questions about retail placement.

 

Contact us or visit www.vendorco.com/consulting to get started

Product Broker: Pros and Cons

Susan Walker - Wednesday, August 10, 2011
A product broker is often referred to as a manufacturer representative, independent representative or a product placement company. These companies assist manufacturers and service providers pursue retail placement. A product broker may be specific to one retailer, or may solicit to many retailers.

 

A product broker eliminates the guess work for your company. An experienced product broker will know how to present, who to present to, and what to include in your presentations. They will know what packaging changes should be implemented, estimated quantities to produce, pallet requirements, process for shipping and delivery of your product, and more. They can assist you with forecasting and customer service on all levels. A product broker will know what hidden costs to account for and suggest how to get the most out of your retail program. Essentially, a product broker will work you through all of the ins and outs of a retail program. An expert should save you hours of research, headache, and hassle.

 

One of the obvious drawbacks or hesitations in working with a product broker is opening your business specifics to an outside company.  If a broker offers services to more than one retailer, be cautious. Serving more than one major retailer will take enormous effort and likely water down their expertise. 

 

How do you choose the right product broker for you? View our blog based on information we have required through our experience: http://vendorco.com/announcements/how-to-find-cost-effective-product-brokers.

Vendor Guides to Success

Susan Walker - Friday, August 05, 2011

Vendor guides refer to resources and expertise that you as an individual or as a company may utilize to drive your business. Having the right guides to success is extremely important to ALL businesses.  Suitable vendor guides may be in the form of in-depth research or through third party individuals/companies that are specialists in the field of your focus.

Relying on research can often be useful, but is time consuming and costly. Additionally, you may find that there is either too much or too little information on your subject of interest, making it extremely difficult to identify information that is truly accurate. You should also consider that the time spent researching a topic is time that you could spend utilizing your unique skills.  Consulting with an expert can save you hours of research, ensure that the advice and information you receive is solid and accurate, and allow you to focus your time on growing and improving your business.  When you can rely on experts we recommend that you do so. Vendor guidance from a reputable individual/company is sure to save you time and money in the long run.

Interested in retail vendor guidance? Keep up with our blogs for more information.

August New Business Topic - Get Started!

Susan Walker - Wednesday, August 03, 2011

August - Getting Started!

The new business topic of the month is: Getting Started

By “Getting Started”, we mean preparing and initiating your retail relationships. As VENDORCO is a Costco focused company, we split this month’s category into 2 sub-categories: “Getting Started with Costco” and “Resources to Get You Started”.

Every week we will post a new topic that will help you understand Costco, as well as retail in general. In addition, we will introduce resources that you may utilize to achieve your maximum potential.

Be on the lookout for the following topics covered this month:

Resources to Get You Started:

-        Vendor Guides to Success – what vendor guides may you utilize to achieve retail success?

-        Product Broker – What is a product broker, and what are the pro’s and con’s of working with a product broker?

-        20 Minutes of Advice – What can you get out of 20 minutes?

-        15 Elements of Successful Product Placement – What are they? How can they help you?

-        Webinars –  How may webinars help you succeed?

Getting Started with Costco:

-        Costco Vendor Guide – How to sell to Costco

-        Costco Vendor – Who is considered a Costco vendor?

-        Costco Roadshows – What is a Costco Roadshow and is a Costco Roadshow the right fit for you?

 

In the meantime, visit www.vendorco.com/consulting for one-on-one retail guidance counseling from a Costco expert!

Knowledge is Power

Susan Walker - Friday, July 29, 2011

 It was the great English author and philosopher Sir Francis Bacon who said “Knowledge is power”. Life and business success are achieved through knowledge. Experienced, knowledgeable experts are absolutely necessary to the success of your business.

VENDORCO is a 20 year retail product placement and program development expert and the creator of the 15 Elements of Successful Product Placement book, specific to newer businesses.  If you or your company need cost effective knowledge about retail, purchase a 20 minute Professional Phone Consultation for just $49.99 and receive a complimentary copy of 15 Elements of Successful Product Placement.

 

 

Click here for more information or to purchase your 20 Minute Professional Phone Consultation.

 

Branding Mistakes

Susan Walker - Monday, July 25, 2011

Top 2 New Business Branding Mistakes:

  1. Email address

  2. Web site


Do not use Gmail, yahoo or hotmail email addresses.  Any reputable company has a company email address.  It separates a business from a hobby. The lack of a company email address will relay the message that your company is underdeveloped and therefore under qualified.

Websites are an extension of your company and your products. The website must give a unique look, feel, taste, smell, and feeling about your company. It’s like a corn company who has a opera music playing or an amusement park company with an image of someone sleeping.  It doesn’t really target the demographic.  Your website should not be too wordy and should have a synergy between text, images, and details.


Want to know more about branding costs? Which costs are important and which are avoidable? Read more here


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Blog Feed

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