How to Get Your Product in Stores: Full Retail Checklist

You built the product. People love it.

Now you’re asking the real question:

How do I get this into Target? Into Walmart? On shelves, nationwide?

The internet’s full of vague advice. “Build a great brand.” “Email buyers.”

Sure – but what do you actually do? What gets a real buyer to say yes?

This guide breaks it down, step by step — from how retail entry actually works to the systems you’ll need to back it up.

Because getting on the shelf isn’t luck.

It’s a checklist. And most brands miss half of it.

P.S. If you’re looking for help getting into a specific retailer, we’ve written deep-dive guides for a bunch of them, including:

• Walmart
• Amazon
• Target
• Kroger
• Walgreens
• Home Depot
• CVS
• Lowe’s

(and we’re adding more all the time)

And if you're serious about getting your product into one of these stores, CrossBridge can help. We’re the operational partner behind the scenes — handling the logistics, compliance, retail onboarding, and backend systems — so you can focus on building the brand and growing sales. You make the product. We get it on the shelf and keep it there.

1. Choose the Right Retail Path for Your Product

Getting into stores isn’t one-size-fits-all.

There’s no single application. No secret email list. No magic formula.

There are multiple doors in - and the smart move is picking the one that fits your business right now, not chasing the one that sounds the biggest.

Let’s break them down:

→ Door #1: Pitch Directly to a Retail Buyer (1P/Wholesale)

You sell in bulk to the retailer. They stock it, price it, and sell it.

• Good if: you’re ready to scale production and ship pallets
• Not great if: you’re still fulfilling orders by hand
• What it requires: wholesale pricing, margins that support retail markup (often 50%), rock-solid operations
• Examples: Target, Whole Foods, CVS, Kroger, etc.

→ Door #2: Sell Through a Marketplace (3P)

You sell directly to customers, hosted on a retailer’s online platform.

• Good if: you want visibility but still control fulfillment
• Platforms: Amazon, Walmart Marketplace, Target Plus (invite-only)
• What it requires: eCommerce logistics, strong product pages, ability to manage shipping, returns, and reviews
• Upside: higher margin than wholesale, faster launch
• Downside: less support, lots of competition

→ Door #3: Work with a Distributor or Broker

They pitch for you (brokers), or buy and resell your product (distributors).

• Good if: you want access to many stores but don’t have the buyer connections
• What it requires: working margins (they take 10–30%), marketing support, production capacity
• Upside: instant access to dozens or hundreds of stores
• Downside: less control, smaller cut, slower feedback loop

→ Door #4: License or White-Label It

Your product, someone else’s brand or retail label.

• Good if: you care more about revenue than branding
• What it requires: scalable production and quality consistency
• Upside: no sales team, no marketing required
• Downside: customers won’t know it’s your product

→ Door #5: Apply to Local Programs or Retail Incubators

Retailers offer small-scale programs to test new brands.

• Examples:
  • Walmart Open Call (for U.S.-made products)
  • Target Forward Founders (for early-stage CPG brands)
• Good if: you want a structured entry point with guidance
• Upside: mentorship, feedback, early shelf space
• Downside: limited scale at first, application-based

The Smart Move: Pick One Door. Go Deep.

Too many founders try every path at once.

That’s a fast way to burn time, money, and goodwill.

Instead, choose the one that fits your business today — then follow the rest of this checklist to back it up with the right systems, margins, and delivery.

2. What Retail Buyers Actually Want

Every founder thinks their product is the one.

Better ingredients. Better story. Better mission.

That’s great. But that’s not what retail buyers are looking for first.

They’re not trying to invest in your passion; instead, they’re trying to reduce risk in their category.

Here’s what actually moves them to say yes:

Sell-Through Over Hype

Buyers don’t want potential: they want proof.

Show them how your product performs in real settings.

• Share weekly velocity data (units per store per week)
• Compare it to category averages
• Use real data from DTC, farmers markets, or small chains
• Phrase it clearly: “We move 3.4 units/store/week, 22% above average”

Margins That Leave Room

Retailers expect margin. Often 40–60%.

If your product retails for $10, they might only pay you $4–$6.

Can your costs handle that?

Can you afford to fund promos, slotting fees, or retailer programs?

If not, you’re not priced for retail — yet.

Packaging That Fits Their Shelf, Not Yours

Retailers think in planograms — shelf layouts by size, product type, and price point.

• Does your product physically fit?
• Is the packaging easy to scan, stock, and stack?
• Does it clearly communicate what it is — in under 3 seconds?

If your box is oversized, your label’s confusing, or your color scheme doesn’t pop, buyers won’t take a risk on it. Great packaging isn’t pretty. It’s shoppable.

A Clear, Trust-Building Pitch

Buyers don’t need drama. They need confidence.

Your retail deck should include:

• Line sheets and spec data
• Velocity and margin breakdown
• Promotional strategy
• Quick overview of your backend capacity
• Visuals that match their store environment

No Obvious Red Flags

Things that instantly kill trust:

• Unrealistic pricing
• Poor packaging
• No real sales data
• Confusing category fit
• Overpromising or “we’ll figure that out later” language

Bottom line:

Buyers are risk managers

Your job is to make their job easier, not harder.

​​💡 CrossBridge Can Help

We help you walk in prepared — with a retail-ready deck, clean spec sheets, and the real-world numbers buyers look for.

We also connect you with reps and brokers who already know the room. You focus on the product. We’ll help you get in the door.

3. What You Need to Deliver on That “Yes”

Landing a purchase order is not the finish line. It’s the point where expectations shift. The retailer has taken a risk on your brand - now they expect reliability, speed, and zero surprises.

Building the Right Infrastructure

Retailers work within tight systems. That means your backend needs to plug into theirs without friction.

At a minimum, you need to be able to receive orders via EDI, print and apply retailer-specific labels, send Advance Ship Notices, and deliver every shipment on time. If your barcodes aren’t GS1-registered or your warehouse can’t manage pallet-level routing guides, your first PO might be your last.

This isn’t hard to set up, but it must be set up before that first shipment.

Compliance Handled in Advance

Depending on your category, the compliance burden can vary. But it always exists.

Some brands need FDA approval or facility registration. Others need Prop 65 warnings, state-level certifications, or updated insurance documents to meet vendor onboarding requirements.

All of this is solvable, but it takes time. Smart brands handle this before the pitch, not after.

Fulfillment That Can Scale

Retailers often start small - a few dozen stores, limited SKUs. But if you succeed, they’ll scale fast.

You need to know that your production lead times are accurate, your inventory systems are clean, and your fulfillment partner (or internal team) can process larger shipments without failure. A single misrouted pallet or late shipment can damage the relationship permanently.

Most problems here come from underestimating volume, overpromising speed, or not having buffer stock in place.

A Team That Can Execute

You don’t need a large team to succeed in retail. But someone needs to own the details.

Every PO comes with instructions, documentation, systems, and deadlines. There are portals to log into, spreadsheets to upload, shipping windows to hit, and invoices to submit in specific formats. If no one is managing this full-time, things fall through the cracks.

That doesn’t mean you have to hire internally. It just means someone — internally or externally,  needs to take full responsibility.

4. The Fastest Way In: Go Through a Sales Rep or Broker

Most first-time brands waste months cold-emailing retailers, applying through vendor portals, and wondering why no one responds. 

The truth is, major retailers rarely engage directly with unproven brands. They rely on trusted intermediaries—sales reps and brokers—who already have relationships, know the buyers, and can walk your pitch into the right room.

These reps aren’t random freelancers. They’re industry operators who’ve spent years building trust inside specific retail chains. A good rep knows what a category buyer is looking for before the meeting even happens. They know the margin expectations, the price range that moves, and the packaging that fits the planogram. 

When they bring a brand in, they’re vouching for it.

For you, that means two things: first, access. You’re no longer blindly submitting into a portal; you’re getting in front of a human. Second, leverage. A buyer might ignore your email, but they’ll take a call from someone they’ve done business with for a decade.

It’s not just about introductions. Reps help shape your pitch, refine your pricing, and prepare you to answer questions buyers will inevitably throw at you. The good ones act as an extension of your team. And they only make money if you get on the shelves.

Of course, they’re not free. Some work on a commission basis, while others charge retainers. But if you’re serious about retail, this is often the most cost-effective and time-efficient way to break in. It shortcuts the cold-start problem and puts you in a position to be taken seriously.

CrossBridge works closely with a vetted network of reps and brokers who specialize across verticals. If your product is a fit, we don’t just hand you a name - we help you prepare, make the intro, and follow through.

5. Use Small Wins as Proof Points

You don’t need to start with Target or Costco. In fact, you shouldn’t.

The smartest retail entries begin small, through regional chains, specialty stores, or independents where the bar is lower, the requirements are simpler, and the risk is manageable. These early wins are not just revenue opportunities. They’re validation.

Every small placement is a chance to prove velocity. If your product moves 2.8 units per store per week in a 10-store natural foods chain, that’s a data point you can bring to a bigger buyer. If the store reorders twice in the first month, you now have proof of demand. These numbers carry weight.

It also gives you a testing ground. You’ll find out if your packaging works on-shelf, if your labeling causes any headaches, if your fulfillment system can meet expectations, or if your price point holds up. Better to uncover those problems when you’re shipping 50 cases, not 5,000.

Smaller retailers often won’t require EDI, slotting fees, or strict routing guides. That means you can build operational muscles without having to invest immediately in a full retail backend. You can also gather testimonials, merchandising photos, and even store manager quotes (all useful later when pitching upmarket).

Some brands enter through regional players like Wegmans, Central Market, or Foxtrot. Others work their way up through boutiques or natural grocery chains. The channel doesn’t matter as much as the traction. Show that your product moves and that stores want to have you on their shelves.

Once you have five or ten successful store relationships, the conversation with a national retailer becomes much easier. You’re no longer just pitching an idea—you’re pitching a working system.

6. Turn Your DTC Channel Into a Retail Growth Engine

Your direct-to-consumer (DTC) channel isn’t just for cash flow. It’s your testing lab, your pitch deck, and your proof of concept all in one. Too many brands treat it as an isolated play. Smart brands treat it as a weapon to get into retail.

How DTC Makes You Retail-Ready

Every sale online teaches you something.

Which product variants move fastest? Which price points convert? What kind of messaging makes a customer click “Buy Now”?

That data doesn’t just improve your website — it gives you leverage when you’re in front of a buyer.

Retailers want to know you have a following.

If your product does $30k/month on your own site, they know there’s demand. If you’ve run hundreds of orders and maintained a sub-1% return rate, that shows quality and operational discipline.

If customers reorder on their own, that’s velocity in the making.

You can even A/B test your packaging. Try a bold new label design on your DTC audience before printing 50,000 units for retail. Let your customers help you derisk the big bets.

Let DTC Fund the Retail Leap

Getting into stores comes with costs: design changes, production runs, freight, compliance, fees. Your DTC profits can bankroll the transition, especially if you structure your offer for better margins. Offer bundles, subscriptions, or limited editions to generate higher AOV and more predictable cash flow.

Many brands overextend chasing retail before they have the war chest. Use your online channel to build it. Then move to retail on your terms — with leverage, not desperation.

7. Get Your Story Straight Before the Pitch

Your Brand Story Is Not Your Founder Story

Buyers don’t care that your grandma inspired the recipe or that you started in your college dorm room. That might be endearing to customers, but to a buyer, your story is a tool. It needs to explain, in clear terms, why your product matters in their category and why it’s going to move units.

A good brand story does three things fast:

• Positions the product clearly within the shelf (e.g., “a better-for-you alternative to X”)
• Establishes relevance with proof (traction, reviews, velocity, repurchase rates)
• Communicates why it fills a gap — not just in mission, but in margin and movement

If you can’t explain that in 20 seconds, you’re not ready to pitch.

Don’t Wing the Deck

You’ll need a retail pitch deck. Not a VC deck. Not a brand manifesto. A retail deck.

This means clean, no-fluff slides that show your product lineup, unit economics, current retail footprint (if any), and sell-through performance. You should also have spec sheets, pricing sheets, and product images ready to drop in.

It’s not about making something pretty — it’s about being prepared. If a buyer asks for info and you send over a jumbled PDF or a logo-heavy marketing deck, you’ve just signaled you’re not ready.

CrossBridge helps clients tighten this up. We’ve seen what works and what doesn’t. We know what buyers actually look at and what gets skimmed. We make sure your pitch doesn’t fall apart on slide four.

8. Don’t Ghost the Buyer After the Pitch

You pitched. They nodded. Maybe even smiled. And then… nothing.

Founders treat the pitch like a final exam. It’s not. It’s an audition. You didn’t win — you just got shortlisted. What happens next separates the ones who get shelf space from the ones who get ghosted.

You follow up, fast. No bloated recap. No fluffy thanks. Just: here’s the deck, here’s the sell-through data, here’s the next step we agreed on. You make their job easier. You act like someone they can rely on.

Stay Relevant or Get Replaced

Retail buyers forget fast. You’re not their priority. Until you become one.

You don’t nag. You don’t send inspirational quotes. You send wins. New retailer. Higher velocity. DTC reorder spike. Updated packaging. Real signals that you’re building something they want on their shelf.

Silence is a death sentence. Be the brand they can’t ignore — not because you’re loud, but because you’re moving.

9. Start Smaller Than You Think — and Win Bigger Later

National Retail Is Not a Launchpad

Landing a big box deal too early is not a milestone. 

It’s a trap.

You get one shot to prove yourself. If you miss a shipment, can’t keep up with reorders, or your velocity tanks because you’re not ready to support demand, you’re gonna get penalized. Worse, you can get dropped and it also sends the signals internally to other category buyers within that retail.

The smarter play? 

Start smaller. 

Regional grocery. Specialty retail. Local chains. Even independents with strong category credibility. 

These stores give you reps. They give you data. They give you proof that buyers actually want to see.

No one cares that you were “on the shelf” if you sat there collecting dust. But if you’re doing 4.2 units per store per week in 12 regional outlets? That’s leverage.

Use Each Win as a Stepping Stone

Retail momentum is cumulative. Nail it at the co-op or the regional chain, and now you’ve got a story. You’re not just another DTC brand with nice packaging. You’re a brand with real-world traction.

Each new store should make the next pitch easier. You’re not begging; instead, you’re bringing receipts.

This is how real retail growth happens. 

Not with a headline. With a sequence. Be methodical. Be boring. Be impossible to ignore.

10. Don’t Pitch Without a Retail Map

Most founders think of retail like a lottery: pitch enough and maybe you get lucky. That’s the wrong game. Retail is a pipeline, and it needs a real plan, not wishful outreach.

Start with a list. Not 200 random stores. Start with 20-30 that match your stage and category. Break them down like this:

Local / Regional ChainsThink: Gelson’s, Central Market, Bristol Farms, Harmon’s. Great for premium food, beverage, or wellness brands.

Specialty RetailersThink: REI (outdoors), Pet Supplies Plus (pet), Pharmaca (natural health). Niche stores where your product can shine and margins tend to be better.

Category-Specific BoutiquesThink: Credo Beauty for clean skincare, Foxtrot for elevated CPG, The Detox Market for wellness. These are often open to emerging brands and give you shelf cred fast.

Next, build out your Retail CRM. Yes, even if it’s just a spreadsheet.

Track who you’ve pitched, what they responded to, and what they asked for. If someone goes quiet, follow up. If you land a win, record the buyer’s feedback — it’ll help refine your next pitch.

Work It Like a System, Not a Gamble

A good retail plan has structure:

• Start with C-tier targets (local, indie) to build confidence and refine your pitch
• Move to B-tier (regional or specialty) once you’ve got some data and refinement
• Go after A-tier (national chains, big box) once your ops, margins, and story are dialed

Retail rewards consistency, not chaos. The brands that win aren’t the ones with the flashiest decks. They’re the ones who treat it like a job — because it is one.

11. FAQ: Questions Founders Ask About Getting Into Retail Stores

How long does it take to get into a store after the first pitch?

Anywhere from 3 weeks to 18 months. Most deals take multiple follow-ups.

Do I need a distributor before pitching?

Not always, but you do need a plan for fulfillment. Some retailers require distributor relationships; others are fine with direct ship.

What margin do retailers expect?

Typically 40–60%. If your product retails for $10, expect them to pay $4–$6.

Can I pitch with just an idea or prototype?

No. Retailers want proven, packaged, shelf-ready products with real traction.

What if my product is doing well DTC — isn’t that enough?

It helps. But buyers want to see retail-specific proof like velocity per store.

Do I have to pay to get on shelves?

Sometimes. These are called slotting fees. Not every retailer requires them, but many do — especially in grocery stores.

What if I can’t meet the buyer in person?

Most pitches happen via email and Zoom now. A great deck and clean materials matter more than a handshake. But, some big retailers like Walmart demand you come in person to Bentonville. If you can’t afford it, they deem you not ready.

Should I trademark before I pitch?

Yes. Don’t risk building retail momentum on a name you don’t own.

What’s the fastest way to find retail buyers?

LinkedIn, RangeMe, trade shows, industry Slack groups, and warm intros from other brands, and of course, sales reps.

Do buyers care about my story and mission?

Only if the numbers back it up. Passion without proof doesn’t move product.

What if I land a deal I’m not ready for?

Delay. Don’t take a PO you can’t fulfill. It’ll backfire.

Do I need barcodes?

Yes - GS1-registered UPCs for every SKU.

Is EDI required?

Often, yes. It’s how retailers send and receive purchase orders, invoices, and shipping data.

Can I handle logistics myself?

If you’re shipping small volumes, maybe. Otherwise, work with a 3PL that knows retail. CrossBridge picks strategic 3PLs for you and manages that relationship on your behalf.

How do I avoid chargebacks?

Follow the retailer’s routing guide to the letter. Every mistake can cost you.

Can CrossBridge help with all this?

Yes. We help brands prepare, pitch, and deliver — with operations that actually scale.

Want to learn more? Jump on a quick 15-minute strategy call with us.

12. Final Thoughts: Make Retail Work for You

Focus on What Truly Moves the Needle

1. Make Something Buyers Can’t Ignore – A unique, high-quality product with clear shelf appeal still wins.
2. Prove It Will Sell – Don’t expect shelf space without sales data. Even farmers markets and DTC counts, as long as it shows pull.
3. Ensure the Numbers Work – Retail margins are ruthless. If you can’t profit after 40–60% cuts, you’re not priced for this game.

One Mistake That Can Sink You Early

Taking the leap before you’ve nailed supply.

You get one shot to prove you can deliver. If you miss that first PO or ship late, your window closes faster and faster.

Explore Next Steps

• Map your dream retailers.
• Build a retail version of your sales deck.
• Stress-test your pricing and production at scale.

If you’re seeing traction and ready to level up, but need infrastructure…

CrossBridge Helps You Execute Without Slowing Down

You build the product. You drive the demand.

We make sure everything behind the scenes works — from compliance and barcoding to 3PLs and EDI.

We’re not your agency. We’re your operations partner. An extension of your existing team.

Helping you go from DTC to national retail without losing your edge and what got you so far.

Schedule a call with our team and let’s scale your business.